STRAIN DISTRIBUTION IN INP GROWN ON PATTERNED SI - DIRECT VISUALIZATION BY CATHODOLUMINESCENCE WAVELENGTH IMAGING

InP has been grown on patterned Si substrates using a low temperature metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process which insures compatibi lity with integrated circuit technology. Two different patterns are in vestigated: wet chemically etched V-grooves and SiO2-masked dry etched grooves. Reduction of feature size leads to drastic defect reduction and quantum efficiencies up to those of homoepitaxially grown InP. Str ain relaxation and quantum efficiency are directly visualized by catho loluminescence wavelength imaging. On (001)- and {111}-facets of V-gro oves distinct relaxation of the tensile thermally induced strain are f ound. Surprisingly, in the bottom of V-grooves, close to or even at th e InP/Si interface, a high quantum efficiency is found with a recombin ation time constant typical for thick InP layers of high crystallograp hic quality.