Surface morphology and crystallographic properties of GaAs films grown by the MBE process on vicinal Si(001) substrates

Abstract

Using the method of molecular-beam epitaxy, GaAs films are grown on Si substrates tilted from the (001) plane by 6° to the [110] direction. The GaAs films are grown both on Si surfaces terminated by arsenic atoms and on pseudo-morphic GaP/Si layers. The layers of GaAs are nucleated by the method of atomic-layer epitaxy at low temperatures. The resulting structures are found to differ in crystallographic orientation of the GaAs film with respect to the film tilt direction. The structures thus grown are examined by the methods of x-ray diffraction analysis and atomic force microscopy.