Inventors:
Robert E. Kay - Newport Beach CA
Hakchill Chan - Corona del Mar CA
Fred Ju - Huntington Beach CA
Burton A. Bray - Laguna Niguel CA
Assignee:
Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation - Detroit MI
International Classification:
H01L 2138
H01L 2136
Abstract:
A layer of HgCdTe (15) epitaxially grown onto a crystalline support (10), e. g. , of sapphire of GaAs. A CdTe substrate (5) is epitaxially grown to a thickness of between 1 micron and 5 microns on the support (10). A HgTe source (3) is spaced from the CdTe substrate (5) a distance of between 0. 1 mm and 10 mm. The substrate (5) and source (3) are heated together in a thermally insulating, reusable ampoule (17) within a growth temperature range of between 500. degree. C. and 625. degree. C. for a growth step having a duration of between 5 minutes and 4 hours. Then an interdiffusion step is performed, in which the source (3) and substrate (5) are cooled within a temperature range of between 400. degree. C. and 500. degree. C. for a time of between 1 hour and 16 hours. In a first growth step embodiment, the source (3) and substrate (5) are isothermal.