Aluminium Arsenide
Aluminium arsenide (AlAs) is a compound semiconductor material that consists of aluminium and arsenic. It has a zincblende crystal structure and a lattice constant of approximately 5.66 angstroms.
AlAs has a wide bandgap of about 2.16 electron volts, which makes it useful for electronic and optoelectronic applications such as high-speed transistors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and laser diodes. It also has a high thermal conductivity and a low coefficient of thermal expansion, which make it suitable for use in high-power and high-temperature applications.
AlAs can be grown using various methods such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). MBE involves heating aluminium and arsenic sources in a vacuum chamber to create a beam of atoms that is directed onto a substrate to form a thin film of AlAs. MOVPE, on the other hand, involves reacting trimethylaluminium and arsine gases in a reactor chamber at high temperatures and pressures to deposit AlAs on a substrate.
AlAs is highly toxic due to its arsenic content and should be handled with care. Proper safety precautions should be taken when working with this material, including using appropriate protective equipment and handling it in a well-ventilated area.