Passivating the surface of various semiconductors, such as the III-V family of materials, has been a long-standing unsolved problem, which limits the performance of many devices. We have recently developed the technique of Solution Monolayer Epitaxy (SoME) which has a potential to solve such problems better than previous methods.

UNMET NEED
Unlike silicon, where silicon oxide provides good surface passivation, in other semiconductors used for important microelectronics applications, such as GaAs, InSb, etc… surface defects lead to surface charging and consequent surface leakage currents, which hinder the performance of p/n junctions and other devices. In these cases, the oxides are not stable enough and many attempts to solve this issue by different chemical and physical treatments failed to provide a satisfactory simple and durable solution so far.
OUR CONCEPT
The monolayer coating process is done through catalytic thermal decomposition of metal-organic precursor, where surface defects or surface metal atoms (such as indium, gallium…) act as catalysts for this process. The process is therefore self-terminating at the full monolayer, due to complete blocking of available catalytic sites. As surface defects are prone to be good catalytic sites, the deposition of the alkaline-earth oxide at those sites should effectively passivate them and reduce the availability of free charge carriers.
APPLICATIONS
• CCD cameras, in particular near- and mid-IR cameras.
• High-frequency electronics (microwaves)
• IR LEDs
• Solar cells
STATUS
We have developed BaO monolayer coating for InSb. Can easily adapt it to form BaO, SrO, CaO, MgO monolayer coating on any III-V semiconductor. Other semiconductors/oxide coatings may require more development time. Effect of coating on passivation need to be specifically characterized on each sample.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
US Patent  11,062,902, (granted).