EPD investigation in LEC‐grown silicon‐doped gallium arsenide

Abstract The EPD distribution is investigated in silicon‐doped LEC‐grown gallium arsenide crystals, 30 ÷ 40 mm in mainbody diameter and weighing within 300 ÷ 500 grams. The silicon‐doping‐dependent hardening effect, previously observed in S‐doped and Bridgman grown silicon‐doped gallium arsenide is here confirmed. The EPD decreasing with silicon‐doping increase is observed to be less pronounced than in the case of S‐doped and Bridgman grown silicon‐doped samples and possible reasons for this different behaviour are discussed. In any case, a large microprecipitate density together with the EPD reduction appears as a clustering of shallow‐pits around dislocation pits.