Quaternary Phase Equilibria vs. Strain-Energy at the In.53Ga.47As/InP Interface

Extensive new data and modeling in the In-Ga-As system has allowed the authors to reexamine the phase equilibria between the melt and the epitaxial solid. A detailed thermodynamic model was constructed with the following improvements: (1) The solid-solid interaction parameters were based on InAs-GaAs miscibility gap data, and (2) liquid-bulk solid, as well as liquid-epitaxial solid, tie-lines were used. Comparison of tie- lines from epitaxial systems and bulk systems demonstrated that strain energy is not the dominant factor in equilibrium growth of epitaxial solid films of In1-xGaxAs on any Ill-V binary substrate. Both the “lattice- pulling” effect and the “substrate-orientation” effect were shown to be caused by different quaternary equilibria at the In1-xGaxAs/InP interface, and not by film-substrate strain.

Quaternary Phase Equilibria in the Ti-Si-N-O System: Stability of Metallization Layers and Prediction of Thin Film Reactions

ABSTRACTDuring high temperature circuit fabrication, metallization layers can come in contact with both solids and gases. Their stability can be addressed with the aid of phase equilibria. Using the Gibbs phase rule as a basis, a method for generating phase diagrams for multicomponent systems can be established. This procedure is described and illustrated by reference to the quaternary phase diagram of Ti-Si-N-O. This phase diagram can then be used to predict stability and/or reactions in metallization layers and thin films.