Strain Relaxation in GaAs on Si by Two Groups of Misfit Dislocations

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh-resolution cross-sectional and conventional plan-view transmission electron microscope observations have been carried out for molecular beam epitaxially grown GaAs films on vicinal Si (001) as a function of film thicknesses and observation directions between two orthogonal <110> directions before and after annealing. Two groups of misfit dislocations are characterized by analyzing whether their extra half planes exist in the film and the substrate side. The group I misfit dislocations due to a stress caused by a lattice misfit between GaAs and Si consist of partial and, 60° and 90° complete dislocations in an as-grown state. After annealing partial dislocations almost disappear and 90° perfect dislocations are predominantly observed. The group II misfit dislocations due to a thermal-expansion misfit-induced stress are all of the 60° type complete dislocations, independent of film thickness and annealing.