Surface passivation of nitride- and phosphide-based compound semiconductors

Rahman, F., Oxland, R.K. and Khokhar, A.Z. (2009) Surface passivation of nitride- and phosphide-based compound semiconductors. Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials, 11(8), pp. 1117-1121.

Abstract

Results of surface passivation treatments on nitride and phosphide compound semiconductors are described. In order to assess why sulphur-based passivation treatments are not equally effective on all semiconductors we carried out sulphur passivation using both liquid phase and gas phase techniques and found that the former is more effective than the latter. An explanation in terms of surface ionicity is provided. The improvement as seen through the DC current gain of heterojunction bipolar transistors is described as is its temporal behaviour. Experiments with nitride semiconductors show that silicon nitride is more effective as a surface passivation than any type of sulphide treatment, for this family of semiconductors. The temporal behaviour of silicon nitride passivation on gallium nitride is described. Finally, the use of silicon nitride conformal films for topography-intensive devices has been demonstrated.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Device, devices, family, films, gallium nitride, gas, hbts, heterojunction bipolar transistor, heterojunction bipolar-transistors, indium phosphide, passivation, physics, science, semiconductor, silicon, sulphide solution, surface passivation, transistor, transistors
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Khokhar, Dr Ali and Rahman, Dr Faiz and Oxland, Dr Richard
• Authors: Rahman, F., Oxland, R.K., and Khokhar, A.Z.
• Subjects: T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials
• ISSN: 1454-4164