Indium phosphide

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Indium phosphide (InP) is a binary semiconductor composed of indium and phosphorus. It has a face-centered cubic ("zincblende") crystal structure, identical to that of GaAs and most of the III-V semiconductors.

ManufacturingEdit

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Indium phosphide nanocrystalline surface obtained by electrochemical etching and viewed under scanning electron microscope. Artificially colored in image post-processing.

Indium phosphide can be prepared from the reaction of white phosphorus and indium iodide at 400 °C.,<ref>Indium Phosphide at HSDB. U.S. National Institute of Health</ref> also by direct combination of the purified elements at high temperature and pressure, or by thermal decomposition of a mixture of a trialkyl indium compound and phosphine.<ref>InP manufacture. U.S. National Institute of Health</ref>

ApplicationsEdit

The application fields of InP splits up into three main areas. It is used as the basis for optoelectronic components,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> high-speed electronics,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and photovoltaics<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

High-speed optoelectronicsEdit

InP is used as a substrate for epitaxial optoelectronic devices based other semiconductors, such as indium gallium arsenide. The devices include pseudomorphic heterojunction bipolar transistors that could operate at 604 GHz.<ref>Indium Phosphide and Indium Gallium Arsenide Help Break 600 Gigahertz Speed Barrier. Azom. April 2005</ref>

InP itself has a direct bandgap, making it useful for optoelectronics devices like laser diodes and photonic integrated circuits for the optical telecommunications industry, to enable wavelength-division multiplexing applications.<ref name=":0">The Light Brigade appeared in Red Herring in 2002. Template:Webarchive</ref> It is used in high-power and high-frequency electronics because of its superior electron velocity with respect to the more common semiconductors silicon and gallium arsenide.

Optical CommunicationsEdit

InP is used in lasers, sensitive photodetectors and modulators in the wavelength window typically used for telecommunications, i.e., 1550 nm wavelengths, as it is a direct bandgap III-V compound semiconductor material. The wavelength between about 1510 nm and 1600 nm has the lowest attenuation available on optical fibre (about 0.2 dB/km).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Further, O-band and C-band wavelengths supported by InP facilitate single-mode operation, reducing effects of intermodal dispersion.

Photovoltaics and optical sensingEdit

InP can be used in photonic integrated circuits that can generate, amplify, control and detect laser light.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Optical sensing applications of InP include

Air pollution control by real-time detection of gases (CO, CO₂, NO_X [or NO + NO₂], etc.).
Quick verification of traces of toxic substances in gases and liquids, including tap water, or surface contaminations.
Spectroscopy for non-destructive control of product, such as food. Researchers of Eindhoven University of Technology and MantiSpectra have already demonstrated the application of an integrated near-infrared spectral sensor for milk.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In addition, it has been proven that this technology can also be applied to plastics and illicit drugs.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

ReferencesEdit

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Cited sourcesEdit

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External linksEdit

Template:Indium compounds Template:Phosphorus compounds Template:Phosphides