T. Kawai et al., GROWTH-MECHANISM OF (INAS)M(GAAS)N STRAINED SHORT-PERIOD SUPERLATTICES GROWN BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY, Journal of applied physics, 74(12), 1993, pp. 7257-7263
The growth mechanism of (InAs)m(GaAs)n strained short-period superlatt
ices grown on GaAs(001) and InAs(001) substrates was investigated by r
eflection high-energy electron diffraction and transmission electron m
icroscopy. In the growth on a GaAs substrate, the two-dimensional laye
r-by-layer growth mode (Frank-Van der Merwe mode) was successfully rea
lized even over the critical thickness when the lattice mismatch is le
ss than approximately 2.4%. In this case, the critical thickness of th
e grown layer on GaAs was remarkably increased by applying the superla
ttice structures. However, the strained short-period superlattices on
InAs substrate were grown in the Stranski-Krastanov mode. The growth m
ode of strained short-period superlattices can be explained by the bal
ance of surface and interface free energies, which could relate to the
difference of the bonding energy between In-As and Ga-As. The growth
mode of strained short-period superlattices depended strongly on the g
rowth temperature. In the relatively high temperature growth, the grow
th mode of strained short-period superlattice grown on a GaAs substrat
e was changed from the Frank-Van der Merwe mode to the Stranski-Kranst
anov mode. It could be attributed to intermixing of superlattice struc
ture due to the surface segregation of In atoms assisted by thermal en
ergy.