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.,[5] 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.[6]
Applications
The application fields of InP splits up into three main areas. It is used as the basis for optoelectronic components,[7] high-speed electronics,[8] and photovoltaics[9]
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).[12] Further, O-band and C-band wavelengths supported by InP facilitate single-mode operation, reducing effects of intermodal dispersion.
Photovoltaics and optical sensing
InP can be used in photonic integrated circuits that can generate, amplify, control and detect laser light.[13]
Optical sensing applications of InP include
Air pollution control by real-time detection of gases (CO, CO2, NOX [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.[14] In addition, it has been proven that this technology can also be applied to plastics and illicit drugs.[15]
^Sheng Chao, Tien; Lee, Chung Len; Lei, Tan Fu (1993), "The refractive index of InP and its oxide measured by multiple-angle incident ellipsometry", Journal of Materials Science Letters, 12 (10): 721, doi:10.1007/BF00626698, S2CID137171633.