The effect of concurrent Zn diffusion upon interdiffusion in a In0.72Ga0.28As0.61P0.39/InP heterostructure was investigated by using Auger electron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The measured profiles showed that Zn diffusion (600C, 1 to 4h) mainly enhanced cation (In, Ga) interdiffusion. This could not be explained in terms of the Zn-vacancy complex model. Results which were obtained under conditions of group-V element over-pressure suggested that cation interstitials could control both the rate of Zn diffusion and the mixing of group-III sub-lattices in the InP-based alloy system.

Zn Diffusion Enhancement of Interdiffusion in a GaInAsP-InP Heterostructure. H.H.Park, B.K.Kang, E.S.Nam, Y.T.Lee, J.H.Kim, O.Kwon: Applied Physics Letters, 1989, 55[17], 1768-70