Surface morphology of metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy grown GaAs observed by atomic force microscopy

Abstract

Steps of monolayer height (0.28 nm) are observed by atomic force microscope on a metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy grown GaAs surface. Monolayer terrace width was found to be as large as 430 nm, the same as the vicinal substrate surface. The growth mechanism is according to the classical Burton–Cabrera–Frank theory. We may have a larger (≳500 nm) terrace width and surface diffusion length if an exactly oriented [100] substrate is used.