Humidity-induced room-temperature decomposition of Au contacted indium phosphide

We have found that Au-contacted InP is chemically unstable at room temperature in a humid ambient due to the leaching action of indium nitrate islands that continually remove In from the contact metallization and thus, in effect, from the InP substrate. While similar appearing islands form on Au-contacted GaAs, that system appears to be stable since leaching of the group III element does not take place.