Peculiarities of behaviour of rare earth impurities in crystallization of A3B5 compounds from gallium-containing melts

A study was mode on rare earth behaviour during liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) of A3B5 compounds from Ga-containing solutions-melts and their influence on properties of epitaxial layers (EL). Special studies on interaction of impurities in molten Ga were conducted. The choice of rare earth as gettering agent for purification of gallium base solutions-melts, used for LPE of A3B5 compounds from background impurities was substantiated. The main reason of change of EL characteristics lies in formation of rare earth associates with atoms of background impurities. The type of associate depend on their chemical nature, stability of formed compounds and thermodynamics of the melt. 13 refs.; 2 tabs