Sulfur as a surface passivation for InP

Abstract

We have investigated the use of liquid and gas phase sulfur pretreatment of the surface of InP as a way to form a near ideal passivated surface prior to chemical vapor deposition of SiO2 . Results of high-frequency and quasi-static capacitance-voltage measurements as well as enhancement mode insulated gate field-effect transistor (FET) transconductance and drain current stability studies all support the efficacy of this approach for metal-insulator-semiconductor application of this semiconductor. In particular we have measured surface state values in the range of 1010 to a few 1011 cm−2 eV−1 and enhancement mode FET drain current drifts of <5% over a 12 h test period.