Structural characterization and surface lattice strain determination of ZnS/GaAs heterostructures grown by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy

Abstract

We report on the structural characterization of ZnS epilayers grown on (1 0 0)GaAs by metalorganic vapour-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The crystalline quality at the ZnS epilayer surface and the defect depth distribution was studied by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS)-ion channeling measurements as a function of the epilayer thickness. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations were performed on selected ZnS/GaAs heterostructures. Misfit dislocations (MD) were observed at the ZnS/GaAs interface. In addition, a high density of planar defects such as stacking faults (SF) and microtwins (MT) were identified into the epilayer up to 200–300 nm. The density of these defects decreases by increasing the epilayer thickness, but a quite high and constant density of microtwins still occurs in epilayers thicker than 400 nm. However, absorption measurements point out a high optical quality for all the measured ZnS epitaxial layers. Finally, surface lattice strain was determined in the ZnS/GaAs samples by ion channeling measurements. Our data indicate that the initial lattice misfit is already fully relaxed in epilayers as thick as 400 nm and only a small residual thermal strain is measured in thicker samples.