Indium phosphide

Electronic grade in semiconductor devices, injection lasers, and experimental solar cells.

In electronics for research on semiconductors.

Used primarily for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices.

Used in the fabrication of laser diodes, LEDs, heterojunction bipolar transistors for optoelectronic integration, and in solar cells. Indium phosphide is also used in certain niche areas such as high-performance ICs (integrated circuits). The use of indium phosphide in field effect transistor ICs is being driven by two application areas: microelectronics, where indium-aluminium arsenide/indium-gallium arsenide/indium phosphide-based high electron mobility transistors are used in millimetre-wave frequencies, and optoelectronics, where indium phosphide-based field effect transistors are incorporated into long-wavelength optoelectronic components such as lasers and photodetectors in optoelectronic ICs.

Single crystals of indium phosphide for the manufacture of semiconductor wafers are prepared by the liquid encapsulated Czochralski method. In this method, a single crystal is pulled through a boric oxide liquid encapsulant starting from a single crystal seed and a melt of polycrystalline indium phosphide. For specifications that require doping, the dopant (Fe, S, Sn or Zn), is added to the melt before extrusion of the single crystal. High pressure is applied inside the chamber to prevent decomposition of the indium phosphide.