Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
A solid phase regrowth process on GaAs has been observed in Pd- and Ni- based bi-layer structures, e.g. the Si/Ni, the Ge/Pd, the In/Pd, and the Sb/Pd structures. Due to the regrowth, uniform epitaxial layers of Ge, GaAs, InxGa1-xAs, and GaSbl-xAsx on GaAs substrates by solid phase reactions can achieved. The model of this regrowth process will be presented. Based on this regrowth mechanism, a series of non-spiking planar ohmic contacts on n and p type GaAs have been developed. Low contact resistivity in the range of mid 10−7 Ω-cm2 was obtained. The ohmic contact formation mechanism of these contacts will also be discussed. All the studies suggest that the ohmic behavior is a result of the formation of an n+ or p+ surface layer via solid phase reactions. The regrowth process has also been utilized to achieve compositional disordering of GaAs/AlGaAs superlattices, and low loss AlGaAs/GaAs waveguide has been obtained.