3 Diffusion in compound semiconductors

This chapter discusses diffusion in compound semiconductors. The availability of a large number of II-VI and III-V ternary and quaternary alloys has allowed to bridge the gap of properties existing between these compound semiconductors. In the tables all measurements are reported wherever possible in terms of pre-exponential factor and activation energy Q. A large number of experimental methods are used to study diffusion and to determine diffusion coefficients. The conditions used for determining these parameters are seldom true representative of those encountered in fabricating device structures. The typical type of sources widely used is listed. Various analytical solutions of diffusion equations can be used to evaluate diffusion coefficients in compound semiconductors. Besides being very interesting compounds from scientific and technological points of view, it is comparatively easy to form junctions in III-V compound semiconductor. Ionization/binding energies of various doping impurities in III-V compounds and diffusion data for group III and V impurities, group IV and VI impurities, group II impurities, group I impurities, transition and rare earth elements, metals in III-V compounds are tabulated. Diffusion in II-VI compounds and their ternary alloys are also explained. Metal and chalcogen self-diffusion data for II-VI compounds, diffusion data of group I impurities, group III and group VII impurities and II - VI compound ternary alloys are listed. Self and impurity diffusion data along with information regarding dopants introduced during growth in IV-VI compounds, and self and impurity diffusion and maximum solubility in different types of silicon carbide (SiC) are also described.