Method of producing defectless epitaxial layer of gallium

Claim 1

A method of healing defects and strains in an n-type epitaxial layer of gallium phosphide, which layer is deposited by vapor phase growth on an n-type gallium phosphide substrate and has a surface region doped with nitrogen, comprising prior to formation of a p-n junction heating the epitaxial layer at a temperature and for a period of time lying within the polygonal area A-B-C-D-E-F shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing which is bounded by the lines connecting the coordinates ______________________________________ temperature, °C time, hr ______________________________________ A 740 0.25 B 740 7.0 C 850 6.0 D 900 2.5 E 950 0.75 F 1000 0.5 ______________________________________ and said heating taking place with said epitaxial layer in a stream of a gas inactive with said epitaxial layer and in the presence of a gallium melt saturated with gallium phosphide so that evaporation of any component of said epitaxial layer is prevented and chemical action with any foreign substance thereon is prevented during said heating.

Claim 2

A method of healing defects and strains in an n-type epitaxial layer of gallium phosphide, which layer is deposited by vapor phase growth on an n-type gallium phosphide substrate and has a surface region doped with nitrogen, comprising prior to formation of a p-n junction heating the epitaxial layer at a temperature and for a period of time lying within the polygonal area A-B-C-D-E-F shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing which is bounded by the lines connecting the coordinates ______________________________________ temperature, °C time, hr ______________________________________ A 740 0.25 B 740 7.0 C 850 6.0 D 900 2.5 E 950 0.75 F 1000 0.5 ______________________________________ and said heating taking place with said epitaxial layer in a stream of a gas inactive with said epitaxial layer and in the presence of a gallium melt saturated with gallium phosphide so that evaporation of any component of said epitaxial layer is prevented and chemical action with any foreign substance thereon is prevented during said heating.

Claim 6

A method of healing defects and strains in an n-type epitaxial layer of gallium phosphide, which layer is deposited by vapor phase growth on an n-type gallium phosphide substrate and has a surface region doped with nitrogen, comprising prior to formation of a p-n junction heating the epitaxial layer at a temperature and for a period of time lying within the polygonal area A-B-C-D-E-F shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing which is bounded by the lines connecting the coordinates ______________________________________ temperature, °C time, hr ______________________________________ A 740 0.25 B 740 7.0 C 850 6.0 D 900 2.5 E 950 0.75 F 1000 0.5 ______________________________________ and before heating the epitaxial layer coating said epitaxial layer with a film of a protective material selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and aluminum oxide.

Claim 7

A method of healing defects and strains in an n-type epitaxial layer of gallium phosphide, which layer is deposited by vapor phase growth on an n-type gallium phosphide substrate and has a surface region doped with nitrogen, comprising prior to formation of a p-n junction heating the epitaxial layer at a temperature and for a period of time lying within the polygonal area A-B-C-D-E-F shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing which is bounded by the lines connecting the coordinates ______________________________________ temperature, °C time, hr ______________________________________ A 740 0.25 B 740 7.0 C 850 6.0 D 900 2.5 E 950 0.75 F 1000 0.5 ______________________________________ and before heating the epitaxial layer coating said epitaxial layer with a film of a protective material selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and aluminum oxide.