Method for growing a hgcdte epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate

Abstract

A method for growing an epitaxial layer of a group II-VI tenary or quaternary compound on a substrate. In particular a HgCdTe semiconductor layer is grown on a substrate such as sapphire which does not interdiffuse with the materials in the semiconductor layer. Initially a crystalline CdTe semiconductor layer is formed on the substrate and then the substrate with the CdTe layer thereon is placed into an enclosure along with a Hg-Cd-Te source that is rich in Te. The substrate and the source are then heated so as to establish three-phase equilibrium conditions in the enclosure whereby vapors from the source are transported to the CdTe layer and the latter is converted into a ternary semiconductor compound having the composition Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te. The substrate with the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te epitaxial layer thereon is useful as a sensing device.