METHOD FOR ELIMINATING PRECIPITATE IN GROUP II-IV SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL BY ANNEALING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an annealing method for eliminating precipitates contained in a II-IV solid semiconductor material. SOLUTION: In a method for eliminating the precipitates 3 contained in a group II-VI solid semiconductor material 2 by annealing, the solid semiconductor material 2 is a congruent sublimation solid semiconductor material 2, and following successive steps are carried out: the solid semiconductor material 2 is heated under an inert gas flow 8 up to a temperature T, between a first temperature T1, corresponding to the group II-VI compound/group VI element eutectic, and a second temperature T2, corresponding to maximum congruent sublimation temperature; the solid semiconductor material 2 is held at this temperature T under the neutral gas flow 8 for a time period sufficient to eliminate the precipitates 3; the solid semiconductor material 2 is cooled under the inert gas flow 8 from the temperature T to ambient temperature, at a rate such that, during cooling, the solid material 2 merges with its congruent sublimation line; and the precipitate 3-free solid semiconductor material 2 is recovered. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT