How to dope a semiconductor with an elemnt which sublimates?

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    Doping Semiconductor
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges of doping a semiconductor, specifically 'AB', with an element 'C' that sublimates before the base materials melt. Participants explore various techniques and considerations related to the Bridgman technique and the implications of sublimation on achieving the desired dopant concentration.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their attempt to dope 'AB' with 'C' using the Bridgman technique, noting that 'C' sublimates before 'A' or 'B' melt, leading to low yield.
  • Another participant suggests checking the literature for similar cases and proposes alternative techniques like ion-implantation, although they express limited knowledge on doping semiconductors.
  • A participant questions whether 'C' substitutes only into the 'B' sites of 'AB' or affects both 'A' and 'B' sites, and discusses controlling the atmosphere around 'AB' to increase 'C' concentration.
  • One participant mentions using an evacuated tube for the process but still not achieving the desired yield.
  • Another participant inquires about the characterization of dopant concentration and suggests cycling the material to gradually increase the dopant concentration.
  • A participant states their target composition of 'AB(0.9)C(0.1)' and notes that the EDS analysis shows only about 1% concentration of 'C'.
  • One participant raises a concern about the vacuum conditions in the tube and suggests adding excess 'C' to increase vapor pressure and potentially enhance solubility in the melt.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints and suggestions, but there is no consensus on the best approach to achieve the desired doping concentration or the implications of sublimation on the process.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully resolved the assumptions regarding the solubility of 'C' in 'AB' and the effectiveness of the proposed techniques under the specific conditions described.

Prins
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Hi there
Im working in a solid state lab
I have a semiconductor, let's say 'AB'
nowim trying to dope it with a new element 'C' to form 'AB(1-x)Cx'
im using bridgman technique for this purpose,,,that is heating all the ingredients together
now the problem is that the element C sublimates before A or B melt
So I am not getting the required yield
Any suggestions.
thanks
 
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Prins said:
Hi there
Im working in a solid state lab
I have a semiconductor, let's say 'AB'
nowim trying to dope it with a new element 'C' to form 'AB(1-x)Cx'
im using bridgman technique for this purpose,,,that is heating all the ingredients together
now the problem is that the element C sublimates before A or B melt
So I am not getting the required yield
Any suggestions.
thanks

Presumably you've checked the literature to see if anyone else has used this dopant and semiconductor, and if so, how they achieved it?

I'm pretty ignorant about doping semiconductors, and you've given us very little detail, but could you use a different technique, such as ion-implantation?
 
e.bar.goum said:
Presumably you've checked the literature to see if anyone else has used this dopant and semiconductor, and if so, how they achieved it?

I'm pretty ignorant about doping semiconductors, and you've given us very little detail, but could you use a different technique, such as ion-implantation?
Actually this is a matelial of sorts
 
Prins said:
Actually this is a matelial of sorts
Any we have the apparatus for this method only...so options are limited
 
Prins said:
let's say 'AB'
nowim trying to dope it with a new element 'C' to form 'AB(1-x)Cx'
im using bridgman technique
now the problem is that the element C sublimates
Lets assume AB is GaAs. Is element C substituting only into the B sites? AB (1-x) Cx or both sites A(1-x/2)B (1-x/2) Cx?

If you can control the atmosphere around the AB so that even if C is a gas, AB is exposed to high concentration 100% C, does that help?
 
Hyo X said:
Lets assume AB is GaAs. Is element C substituting only into the B sites? AB (1-x) Cx or both sites A(1-x/2)B (1-x/2) Cx?

If you can control the atmosphere around the AB so that even if C is a gas, AB is exposed to high concentration 100% C, does that help?
First, C substitutes only B

Second, Well that is how I am trying to do it. Putting the things inside an evacuated tube and then heating. But as i said,, I am not getting the desired yield
 
Prins said:
But as i said,, I am not getting the desired yield
By yield you mean dopant concentration? How do you characterize dopant concentration?

You could try cycling the material. run the process with the dopant, then take the doped crystal and melt it and cycle it again. run it many times to increase the dopant conecntration slowly.
 
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well I am trying to get AB(.9)c(.1)

so after doing the math i should get 5% atomic percentage
but EDS of sample shows it to be only nearly 1%
 
You say you're doing this inside an evacuated tube, presumably evacuated to exclude air to prevent oxides and such from forming. If this is a sealed tube and not actively being pumped while you're trying to make your end product, when your component C sublimates you no longer have a vacuum, you have C in vapor state, what Hyo X called the atmosphere within the tube. Can you add an excess of your component C to raise the vapor pressure enough to push it back into solution in the melt? I'm assuming that you've already checked that C is indeed soluble in A+B throughout the temperature range you have to work in, that is, from melting point of A+B to solidification.
 
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