The Effect of Substrate Orientation on the Properties of (Ga, Al)As Grown by Gas Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe have carried out the first systemmatic investigation on the effect of substrate temperature and arsenic partial pressure on the morphology, growth rate, and compensation ratio of Si-doped GaAs, and the Al content of AlxGa1−xAs grown on just-cut (100), (110), (111)A&B, (311)A&B orientated GaAs substrates by gas source MBE (GSMBE). Triethylgallium ( TEG, Ga(C2H5)3 ) and triethylaluminium ( TEA, Al(C2H5)3 ) were used as group III sources, and solid arsenic ( As4 ) and silicon as a group V and IV sources, respectively. The best GaAs mophology was obtained at relatively high temperatures and arsenic pressures. The A orientations were identified as ‘fast surfaces,’ with the GaAs growth rate being comparable to the (100) orientation. The B orientations were identified as ‘slow surfaces,’ with the GaAs growth rate being much less (approximately 50% for the (111)B orientation ) than on the (100) orientation. The least compensated Si-doped GaAs was grown on the (311)A orientated substrate. The Al content, x, (nominally x=0.27 for (100)) of AlxGas1−xAs grown on (110), (111)A&B, was less than 0.05 and not affected by the growth conditions. The Al content of epilayers grown on (311)A&B ranged between x=0.1 to 0.27, strongly depending on the growth temperature.These results show that using GSMBE we can selectively modifying a large range of (Ga,Al)As crystal properties. Potential applications include the selective growth and realisation of ultra-fine and planar structures and devices.