Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
An understanding of the mechanisms of self-diffusion and of interdiffusion in the compound materials GaAs and AlAs may be arrived at byt noting the effects of (i) charge, (ii) As pressure, and (iii) point defect supersaturation, on the doping enhanced superlattice disordering phenomena. The Ga self-diffusion (and hence Ga-Al interdiffusion) is dominated by the triply-negatively-charged Ga (or Al) vacancy, , under intrinsic and n-doping conditions. Under p-doping, a positively charged Ga self-interstitial , with m not known, contributes to the Ga(AI) diffusion process. Less is known for the group V element diffusion, but the As vacancy (VAs) should be contributing under intrinsic and n-doping conditions while the As selfinterstitial (LAs) may be contributing under p-doping. The contribution of a defect pair may also be involved under p-doping.