High quality Hg1−xCdxTe epitaxial layers by the organometallic process

An organometallic process for the epitaxial growth of Hg1−xCdxTe is described in this letter. This process involves the simultaneous pyrolysis of dimethylcadmium and diethyltelluride in mercury vapor at 415 °C, using hydrogen as the carrier gas. It is shown this process results in device quality layers of uniform composition. Layers with x=0.17 exhibited n-type conduction, with an approximate carrier concentration of 3.8×1015 cm−3, and a Hall mobility of 2.45×105 cm2/Vs at 77 K. Thus, they are comparable to the best grown by liquid phase epitaxy. A p-type layer, with anomalous electrical characteristics, has also been described in this letter. Reasons for these anomalous characteristics are outlined briefly.