Anisotropy of selective epitaxy in nanoscale-patterned growth: GaAs nanowires selectively grown on a SiO2-patterned (001) substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy

Abstract

Anisotropic selective epitaxy in nanoscale-patterned growth (NPG) by molecular-beam epitaxy is investigated on a 355nm period two-dimensional array of circular holes fabricated in a 30-nm-thick SiO2 film on a GaAs(001) substrate. The hole diameter ranged from 70to150nm. The small hole diameter and the very thin masking layer stimulated lateral growth over the SiO2 surface at an early stage of selective epitaxy on this patterned substrate. Lateral overgrowth associated with selective epitaxy, however, did not proceed isotropically along the circular boundary between the open substrate surface and the SiO2 mask. There was preferential growth direction parallel to ⟨111⟩B. This anisotropy in the selective epitaxy resulted in the formation of a nanoscale, nontapered, straight-wire-type epitaxial layer (GaAs nanowires), which had a length of up to 1.8μm for a nominal 200nm deposition. Every GaAs nanowire had a hexagonal prismatic shape directed along ⟨111⟩B and was surrounded by six (110) sidewalls. The anisotropy of selective epitaxy and faceting in NPG were affected by the profile of the SiO2 mask and are interpreted using a minimization of the total surface energy for equilibrium crystal shape.