MOCVD
Basics
MOCVD
❑MOCVD stands for Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition.
❑MOCVD is a technique that used to grow thin solid films on solid substrates using organo
metallic compounds as sources.
❑The films grown by MOCVD are mainly used for the fabrication of electronic and optoelectronic
devices.
❑The electronic and optoelectronic devices produced by MOCVD are used in cell phones, optical
communication, optical storage (CD, DVD), traffic lights, bill boards (LEDs), lighting and solar
cells.
❑Using MOCVD we can build up many layers, each of a precisely controlled thickness, to create a
material which has specific optical and electrical properties.
Advantages Disadvantages
❑High quality grown layers ❑Many materials that we wish to
❑Faster growth rate than MBE, can be deposit have very low vapour
pressures and thus are difficult to
a few microns per hour
transport via gases
❑Doping uniformity ❑Human Hazard ,that is, Toxic and
❑High output and no ultra high corrosive gases are to be handled
vacuum needed (compared to MBE) ❑High temperatures
❑Economically advantageous. ❑Complex processes
❑Highest flexibility, Different ❑Carbon contamination and
materials can be grown in the same unintentional Hydrogen incorporation
system. are sometimes a problem
❑Precision in deposition thickness
Several Epitaxy Techniques
Technique Strengths Weakness
Economically inflexible,
Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) Simple, High Purity
Non-uniformity
Large scale Hazardous Sources,
Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE)
development Complex Control
Simple process,
Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Expensive, Low output
Uniform
Most flexible, Large
Expensive Sources,
MOCVD/OMVPE/OMCVD/MOVPE scale production,
Hazardous Precursors
High Purity
Schematics of MOCVD Qs = Carrier gas flow rate from the source
Qp = Flow rate of push gas/carrier gas
Pc = Bubbler Pressure
Configuration of Gas System
➢Gas lines: Supply the Hydride gases such as Arsine (AsH3)or
Phosphine (PH3) used in MOCVD growth, which are mixed with
purified Hydrogen (H2 ) all via Mass Flow Controllers.
➢Source lines: Supply the Metal Organics such as TriMethyl Gallium
(TMG), TriMethyl Indium (TMI) or TriMethyl Aluminium (TMAl) to the
reactor
Configuration of Gas System
❖Source materials are held in Stainless Steel Bubblers mounted in temperature
controlled baths, whose temperature determines vapour pressure.
❖Bubbler pressure is controlled by an upstream pressure controller, to ensure a
constant vapour pressure.
❖The resultant source vapour is then carried by purified Hydrogen (H2) via a
Mass Flow Controller to the System manifold.
❖Source and Gas Lines are fed to a Source or Gas Epifold input manifold to
switch in the relevant reagent to the Reactor, to be mixed at the Reactor
showerhead.
Configuration of Gas System
• Each Epifold manifold in addition has a differential pressure controller
associated with it, which allows wide pressure differences to be compensated
for when switching reagents during process.
• This is achieved by using predictive software which calculates the flow
required on the next step, together with a differential pressure controller which
will modify the flow in Vent and Carrier lines, via Mass Flow Controllers
fitted on these lines.
ShowerHead Reactor
Reactor raise and lower control
ShowerHead Purge
Transport & Reaction
Ga(CH3)3 + NH3 -------> GaN + 3CH4
