Formation of two-dimensional arsenic-precipitate arrays in GaAs

Abstract

GaAs epilayers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy under normal conditions, except a substrate temperature of 250°C was used instead of the normal 600°C. This results in an excess of arsenic of about 1.5% in the epilayer. The epilayers also contained regions that were delta doped with silicon, beryllium, and indium. Samples were annealed for 30 s at 600, 700, and 800°C to investigate the effects of the Si, Be, and In impurities on the precipitation of the excess As. It was found that the As precipitates form preferentially on planes of Si while forming preferentially between planes of Be. The isoelectronic impurity In appeared to have no effect on the precipitation process.