Initial Stages of Gaas Growth on Scl-XErxas Surfaces

Abstract

ABSTRACTLattice matched ScxEr1-xAs (ScErAs) was grown on GaAs by MBE followed by a GaAs overlayer. The overgrowth of GaAs on ScErAs has been studied by Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED), Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), Nomarskii-interference microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In this study substrate temperature and crystal orientation have been varied. For GaAs growth on (100)ScErAs there is a strong tendency for island formation and three dimensional (3D) growth. For high substrate temperatures (>500 °C) and for moderate growth rates (10 ML/min) the growth can be described by the Volmer-Weber mode. For lower substrate temperatures we observe that one monolayer of GaAs on ScErAs is metastable. This monolayer shows a (3×1)/(1×3) surface reconstruction. The deposition of more than one monolayer, irrespective of substrate temperature, or the raising of the substrate temperature induces island growth. The metastable reconstructed surface layer of GaAs then partly dissolves into the islands. The strong tendency for 3D growth observed here is very similar to that seen in the growth on ErAs which is not lattice matched to GaAs. This observation demonstrates the significance of electronic bonding mismatch over lattice mismatch for heteroepitaxy between materials with ionic and covalent bonding character. Growth on {111}-polar surfaces yields smoother layers and a stronger tendency for 2D growth.