Growth parameter dependence of step patterns in AlGaAs molecular beam epitaxy on vicinal GaAs(1 1 0) inclined toward (1 1 1)A

Abstract

Abstract We have studied growth parameter dependence of macrostep patterns in AlGaAs molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth using As2 molecular beams with the use of atomic force microscopy. It is found that MBE growth by using As2 molecular beams leads to the formation of coherently aligned macrosteps. From the analysis of the macrostep patterns, we deduce the characteristic that increasing growth temperatures leads to the formation of wider macrosteps. In contrast, MBE growth using solid As source (As4) gives rise to highly connected zigzag networks of macrosteps. We will discuss the difference in macrostep patterns between MBE growth using As2 and As4 in terms of the presence of As4 physisorption states and the difference in the diffusion length of As species.