CHARACTERIZATION OF GAAS FILMS GROWN ON VICINAL SI(110) SUBSTRATES BYMOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

The optical and structural properties of GaAs films grown at temperatu res of between 460 and 690 degrees C on vicinal Si(110) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy are discussed and compared with the optical pro perties of (110) GaAs with (100) GaAs. We have discussed the residual strain and stress after annealing. The residual stress in films shifte d the PL spectra to lower photon energies as the off-angle increased t oward the [001] direction. The orientation dependence of the stress is explainable by the mechanical properties of GaAs films. The thermal s tress and strain of (110) GaAs were larger than those of (100) GaAs af ter annealing. The thermal stress of GaAs on vicinal Si(110) tilted at 6 degrees toward the [001] direction increased from 3 x 10(9) to 4.1x 10(9) dyn/cm(2) after 1000 degrees C annealing.