Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes for forming Te-containing thin films, such as Sb—Te, Ge—Te, Ge—Sb—Te, Bi—Te, and Zn—Te thin films are provided. ALD processes are also provided for forming Se—containing thin films, such as Sb—Se, Ge—Se, Ge—Sb—Se, Bi—Se, and Zn—Se thin films are also provided. Te and Se precursors of the formula (Te,Se)(SiR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3).sub.2 are preferably used, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are alkyl groups. Methods are also provided for synthesizing these Te and Se precursors. Methods are also provided for using the Te and Se thin films in phase change memory devices.

A method of performing heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and a second precursor gas, to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN on the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the second precursor is one of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), H.sub.2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), and NH.sub.3 (ammonia). The process may be an HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) process.

A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is H.sub.2, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), H.sub.2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH.sub.3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.

A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), HzTe (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH.sub.3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.

The present invention proposes a method to form a CdSeTe thin film with a defined amount of selenium and with a high quality. The method comprises the steps of providing a base substrate and of depositing a partial CdSeTe layer on a first portion of the base substrate. The step of depositing a partial CdSeTe layer is performed at least twice, wherein a predetermined time period without deposition of a partial CdSeTe layer on the first portion of the base substrate is provided between two subsequent steps of depositing a partial CdSeTe layer. The temperature of the base substrate and the CdSeTe layer already deposited on the first portion of the base substrate is controlled during the predetermined time period such that re-evaporation of Cd and/or Te from the CdSeTe layer already deposited takes place.

A method of performing heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and a second precursor gas, to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN on the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the second precursor is one of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), H.sub.2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), and NH.sub.3 (ammonia). The process may be an HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) process.

A method of performing heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and a second precursor gas, to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN on the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the second precursor is one of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), HzTe (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), and NH.sub.3 (ammonia). The process may be an HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) process.

A method of performing heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and a second precursor gas, to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN on the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN; wherein the carrier gas is H.sub.2, wherein the first precursor is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the second precursor is one of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), H.sub.2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), and NH.sub.3 (ammonia). The process may be an HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) process.

A method of performing heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and a second precursor gas, to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN on the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the second precursor is one of AsH.sub.3 (arsine), PH.sub.3 (phosphine), H.sub.2Se (hydrogen selenide), H.sub.2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH.sub.3 (hydrogen antimonide), H.sub.2S (hydrogen sulfide), and NH.sub.3 (ammonia). The process may be an HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) process.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for making polycrystalline thin films having very large grains sizes and exhibiting improved properties over existing thin films.