Metalorganic vapour-phase epitaxy

Metalorganic vapour-phase epitaxy (MOVPE), also known as organometallic vapour-phase epitaxy (OMVPE) or metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD),[1] is a chemical vapour deposition method used to produce single- or polycrystalline thin films.

[2] In contrast to molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE), the growth of crystals is by chemical reaction and not physical deposition.

As such, this technique is preferred for the formation of devices incorporating thermodynamically metastable alloys,[citation needed] and it has become a major process in the manufacture of optoelectronics, such as light-emitting diodes, its most widespread application.

[3] It was first demonstrated in 1967 at North American Aviation (later Rockwell International) Autonetics Division in Anaheim CA by Harold M. Manasevit.

In MOCVD ultrapure precursor gases are injected into a reactor, usually with a non-reactive carrier gas.

Surface reaction of the precursor subspecies results in the incorporation of elements into a new epitaxial layer of the semiconductor crystal lattice.

In contrast, the walls of the reaction chamber in a cold-wall reactor are typically made of quartz which is largely transparent to the electromagnetic radiation.

As MOCVD has become well-established production technology, there are equally growing concerns associated with its bearing on personnel and community safety, environmental impact and maximum quantities of hazardous materials (such as gases and metalorganics) permissible in the device fabrication operations.

The safety as well as responsible environmental care have become major factors of paramount importance in the MOCVD-based crystal growth of compound semiconductors.