Liquid phase epitaxy of Ga1−xAlxSb1−yAsy/GaSb and the effect of strain on phase equilibria

Abstract Ga 1− x Al x Sb 1− y As y /GaSb epitaxial layers were grown at a temperature of about 550°C. Arsenic was introduced into the melt at the same temperature from InAs or GaAs source wafers. It was found that the As content in the Ga-Al-Sb-Sb-As melt did not depend on the initial Sb concentration when the liquid phase was formed by saturating the Ga-Al-Sb melt from the GaAs wafer. When the InAs wafers were used for saturating the melt, the As fraction in the melt decreased with an increase of the initial Sb concentration. It has been demonstrated that strain due to lattice mismatch between the substrate and the solid in equilibrium with the liquid changes the phase equilibrium conditions and can result in stabilization of the composition of the melt.