In-situ microscopic observation of GaAs surfaces during molecular beam epitaxy and metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy by scanning microprobe reflection high energy electron diffraction

Abstract

Microscopic observations of epitaxial growth layers of GaAs were made with a scanning microprobe reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). A scanning microprobe electron gun has been combined with a specially designed molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system with both solid sources and gas sources. Scanning reflection electron microscope (SREM) images using the specular beam spot revealed granular features over the entire surfaces of MBE-grown GaAs layers, which were thought to come from undulation of the surface. Similar features of the surface were observed on the layers grown by gas-source MBE using trimethylgallium and arsine. A microscopic surface morphology was found to be fairly rough and the features depended on the species of the sources and growth conditions.