Structural quality and the growth mode in epitaxial ZnSe/GaAs(100)

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of the initial growth mode on the structural quality and dislocation configuration in epitaxial ZnSe/GaAs(100). We find that a three-dimensional initial growth mode strongly degrades the crystal quality and results in a high density of threading dislocations and short misfit dislocation segments. On the other hand a two-dimensional growth mode, achieved by a Zn exposure treatment of GaAs surfaces, results in few threading dislocations and long misfit dislocations. These differences are explained by postulation of new dislocation generation sites created by island coalescence.