Trimethyl indium (TMI)

Description

1. Product Overview

Trimethyl Indium (TMI) is a high-purity metalorganic compound of the formula In(CH₃)₃, serving as the critical indium precursor for Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) and Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE). Its primary industrial application is in the production of indium-containing compound semiconductors, including InGaAs, InP, and InAlAs, essential for optoelectronics and high-frequency electronics. The key value proposition lies in its unmatched ability to deposit uniform, high-mobility indium-based layers with atomic-level precision. Strategically, TMI is indispensable to the global 5G, photonics, and advanced LED supply chains, directly enabling next-generation telecommunications, LiDAR, and high-brightness displays.

2. Key Specifications & Technical Characteristics

• Chemical composition: Trimethylindium (In(CH₃)₃), >99.9999% (6N) purity minimum; 7N grade available upon request

• Physical form: Colorless to white crystalline solid at room temperature; liquifies upon gentle heating (melting point: 88°C)

• Vapor pressure: 2.2 Torr at 25°C – optimized for stable, reproducible MOCVD injection

• Density: Approximately 1.57 g/cm³ (liquid phase)

• Particle / residue: No particulate >0.5 µm; low residual chloride (<100 ppb) and oxygen (<50 ppb)

• Packaging options: Stainless steel bubbler cylinders (0.5L, 1L, 4L, 10L) with high-integrity diaphragm valves; leak-tested and UHP nitrogen-purged

• Shelf life: 12 months from date of analysis when stored at 0–30°C in original sealed container

3. Core Industrial Applications

• Optoelectronics & Photonics: Production of InP-based lasers (1310 nm / 1550 nm) for fiber-optic communication and LiDAR; InGaAs photodetectors for SWIR imaging

• High-brightness LEDs: Indium-containing quantum wells in red, green, and UV LEDs – TMI enables precise indium incorporation, directly improving luminous efficacy and color purity

• High-speed electronics: InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs and HBTs for 5G mmWave amplifiers and satellite communications – outperforms solid indium sources by eliminating flux instability and drift

• Cost/efficiency advantage: Unlike elemental indium, TMI provides atomically controlled indium incorporation at lower growth temperatures (450–650°C), reducing thermal budgets and increasing epitaxial wafer yield

4. Competitive Advantages

• Quality consistency: Lot-to-lot purity variance < 0.5% RSD; each cylinder undergoes ICP-MS, NMR, and particle-count QC – full traceability to source indium metal

• Supply reliability: Backward integration from crude indium refining to final TMI synthesis; dual-site manufacturing (Asia + Europe) with 6-month safety stock

• Logistics capability: UN3394-compliant dangerous goods packaging; real-time temperature-monitored door-to-door delivery to cleanrooms worldwide

• Price competitiveness: Volume pricing model with annual fixed-price contracts available – reduces volatility from indium metal spot markets

• Sustainability: Closed-loop bubbler return and refill program; zero-solvent synthesis route lowers carbon footprint by 35% vs. conventional methods

• Technical support: Dedicated application engineers for MOCVD recipe tuning; certificates of analysis (CoA) and material safety data sheets (MSDS) available digitally

5. Commercial & Supply Information

• Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ): 5 kg per product grade (6N or 7N)

• BULK 20MT Loading capacity: Not applicable – TMI is shipped in compressed gas bubblers. Maximum single 20FT container loading: 160 x 1L bubblers (approx. 320 kg net TMI) or 40 x 4L bubblers (approx. 320 kg net TMI) due to hazardous materials segregation and weight distribution limits.

• Lead time for first order: 4 weeks (standard grade); 6 weeks (7N ultra-high purity)

• Payment terms: Letter of Credit (L/C at sight) or Net 30 for approved strategic accounts

• Regulatory compliance: REACH, RoHS, TSCA, and GHS-compliant documentation provided