We describe step-graded digital-alloy buffers using alternate layers o
f Al0.5Ga0.5As and Al0.5Ga0.5As0.65Sb0.35 grown on GaAs substrates by
molecular beam epitaxy. The buffers consist of three sets of superlatt
ices with AlGaAs/AlGaAsSb layer thicknesses of 7.7/2.3 nm, 5.4/4.6 nm,
and 3.1/6.9 nm, respectively, terminating in a lattice constant equal
to that of bulk In0.32Ga0.68As. Transmission electron micrographs sho
w that most of the misfit-generated dislocations lie near the steps in
pseudoalloy composition, and atomic force micrographs indicate a rms
surface roughness of 3.6 nm. A 20.5-period lattice-matched InGaAs/InAl
As reflector stack grown on such a buffer has a peak reflectivity of 9
8% near 1.3 mu m. These buffers provide potentially useful substrates
for optoelectronic device applications near 1.3 mu m using strained In
GaAs active regions. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.