Abstract: A cycle of alternately or cyclically introducing external gases containing molecules of component elements of a compound semiconductor to be formed on a substrate is repeated while appropriately controlling the pressure, substrate temperature and gas introduction rate in a crystal growth vessel, so that a monocrystal which is dimensionally as precise as a single monolayer can grow on the substrate by making use of chemical reactions on the heated substrate surface.Doped molecular layer epitaxy of a compound semiconductor comprising individual steps of introducing and evacuating a first source gas, introducing and evacuating a second source gas, and introducing and evacuating an impurity gas which contains an impurity element. The doped impurity concentration varies almost linearly with the pressure during doping in a wide range.

Abstract: The thickness of a thin film of an element semiconductor may be determined by counting the number of cycles of gaseous component introductions within a crystal growth vessel. Each cycle permits at most one monolayer of growth since the pressure in the vessel during gaseous component introduction is maintained under a saturation condition. The temperature to which a substrate in the vessel is heated is that for which epitaxial growth results.

Abstract: In a semiconductor crystal growth apparatus, a growth vessel enclosing a substrate is evacuated to an ultrahigh vacuum, and gas molecules containing a component element of a semiconductor which should grow on the substrate is introduced according to a predetermined time sequence into the growth vessel from an external gas source. Infrared radiation from an infrared radiation emitting lamp associated with the growth vessel and controlled by a temperature control unit is directed toward and onto the substrate whose temperature is to be maintained at a predetermined setting. Crystal growth of one molecular layer after another can be achieved by the apparatus with dimensional accuracy of the thickness of a single molecular layer.