EFFECT OF ION SPUTTERING ON GE EPITAXY ON GAAS(110)

The possibility that ion sputtering could be used to modify the growth mode of Ge on GaAs(110) was investigated by scanning tunneling micros copy. Analysis shows that the nucleation density was significantly inc reased following vacancy island creation by ion sputtering. The Ge/GaA s(110) structures were thermodynamically stable because of energy gain ed by saturating dangling bonds at steps. Accordingly, a uniform film could be obtained at a smaller thickness compared to conventional grow th. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.