Fabricating a semiconductor device by means of molecular beam epitaxy.

摘要

Molecular beam epitaxy is employed to produce a semiconductor layer on a substrate and a protective layer is provided over the semiconductor layer after formation thereof by the epitaxy process. Etching of the substrate may be necessary to prepare it for the epitaxy process. For such etching a hydrogen plasma etching process may be employed. Steps are taken to ensure that the substrate is maintained under vacuum during the epitaxy process and each such subsidiary process without any break in the vacuum between those processes, thereby reducing the danger of impurities entering the said semiconductor layer.