Microstructural study of GaAs epitaxial layers on Ge(100) substrates

Abstract

GaAs layers grown by close-spaced vapor transport on (100) Ge substrates have been investigated as a function of the experimental growth conditions. The effects on the microstructure of the surface preparation, substrate misorientation, and annealing were studied using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Microtwins and threading dislocations are suppressed by oxide desorption before deposition. Single domain GaAs layers have been obtained using a 50 nm thick double domain buffer layer on an annealed Ge substrate misoriented 3°toward [011]. The mismatch strain is mainly accommodated by dissociated 60°dislocations. These misfit dislocations extend along the interface by the glide of the threading dislocations inherited from the substrate, but strong interaction with antiphase boundaries (APB's) prevents them from reaching the interface. These results are discussed and compared with previous reports of GaAs growth on Ge(100).