Synthesis of InSb and InxGa1-xSb Thin Films from Electrodeposited Elemental Layers

The synthesis of thin films of indium and indium-gallium antimonides was performed by a method involving electrodeposition steps and thermal annealing. Successive layers of the elements were deposited in the order Sb, In and, when necessary, Ga. The binary InSb compound was obtained when annealing was performed at temperatures slightly higher than the In melting point. Ternary InxGa1-xSb films were also prepared by a similar method. These were found to consist of a single phase for x>>-0.91 and of two phases, one rich in In and the other in Ga, for x<=0.84. The cubic lattice parameter was determined for all phases and used for calculating their composition, assuming Vegard's law as valid.