Metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy growth of GaAs on patterned GaAs substrates

Abstract

GaAs layers were grown on etch-patterned (100) GaAs substrates by MOMBE (metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy) using TEGa (triethylgallium) and thermally cracked TEAs (triethylarsine). Morphology and orientation dependencies of the grown facets on the growth temperature (400–630°C) and V/III ratio (2–4) are investigated. Good morphology of grown layers was obtained on (111)A side facets at a low V/III ratio of 3 and low growth temperatures of 450–500°C. We also found strong evidence that the formation of facets is not only governed by the migration of Ga precursors and/or Ga atoms, but also by a preferential catalytic decomposition of Ga precursors on the facet edges.