(566b) The Combined Role of Transport Phenomena and Interfacial Attachment Kinetics during Liquid Phase Epitaxy of Mercury Cadmium Telluride

Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) is an important infrared detector material. Relevant devices are often manufactured by depositing thin films of this material, via Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE), on lattice-matched CdZnTe substrates. Although generally successful, this process could benefit from significant optimization procedures e.g. aimed at improving uniformity of properties across the as-grown film. As a precursor to the application of such procedures it is important to investigate physics underlying the growth process, thereby uncovering the relevant importance of the different physical phenomena.

In this contribution we will present a combined computational and experimental analysis of basic physical phenomena underlying the HgCdTe LPE growth process. Specifically, we will discuss a dynamic three-dimensional model of mass and momentum transport, combined with interfacial attachment kinetics, which we have developed and applied in the investigation of this system. As will be demonstrated, among the benefits of combining numerical and experimental analyses is our ability to uncover the importance of a specific interfacial attachment kinetics mechanism in this system. Additional results to be presented include a quantitative estimation of kinetic parameters as well as an improved understanding of the role of different transport and kinetic phenomena underlying this growth process.