Initial stages in the formation of epitaxial films of II–VI compounds on a muscovite mica substrate under highly nonequilibrium conditions

Abstract

A discussion is presented regarding the results obtained from investigations of the initial stages of the epitaxial growth of CdTe and CdS films on substrates cooled to negative temperatures Celsius. Electron diffraction patterns and photographs of the surface are shown, corresponding to the early stages of growth. The features that are revealed (island size 20–25 nm, a δ-function size distribution of the islands, and a monotonic orientation process of the islands) are explained in the framework of a phenomenological theory of heterophase fluctuations and nucleation with the use of a model of the motion of misfit dislocations.