Method of vacuum depostion of pnictide films on a substrate using a pnictide bubbler and a sputterer

Accurate metered amounts of Pnictide4 species are delivered via an argon carrier gas into an evacuated sputtering deposition chamber. The pnictide is maintained at a high temperature in a tall column by means of a constant temperature oil bath. An inert gas, such as argon, is passed through the column of Pnictide and the Pnictide4 enriched carrier gas delivered to the vacuum chamber. Films of pnictide, polypnictide, and other pnictide compounds may be deposited for semiconductor, thin film transistors, and other applications including insulation and passivation, particularly on III-V semiconductors. The local order of the deposited films may be controlled by varying the amount of energy delivered to the surface of the substrate, which is a function of its temperature, the RF power used, and the amount of excess P4 supplied. The pnictides used in the invention may include phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. Phosphorous and KP15, and KPx wherein x ranges from 15 to infinity are discussed. Deposition onto III-V semiconductors (InP, GaP, and GaAs) are disclosed.