Dislocation Distribution in Graded Composition IngaAs Layers

Abstract

The defect distribution of a graded composition InGaAs layer grown on GaAs by MBE has been characterized by TEM (XTEM, PVTEM, HREM). The observed configuration does not correspond completely with that theoretically predicted. Dislocation misfit segments are in a quantity much bigger than in constant composition layers. Dislocation density is quite uniform up to a certain layer thickness t1. Few dislocations are observed between this t1 thickness and a larger thickness t2. Dislocation density is below the detection limit of XTEM for thicknesses bigger than t2. Some dislocations are observed to penetrate in the GaAs substrate.Several mechanisms (reactions between 600 dislocations, Hagen-Strunk and modified Frank-Read processes) are proposed to explain the interactions of dislocations in the epilayer and their penetration in the substrate.