ADVANCES IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF CHEMICAL BEAM EPITAXY GROWTH MECHANISMS

The advanced epitaxial growth capabilities provided by chemical beam e pitaxy (CBE) have generated significant interest in the technique for the growth of next-generation device structures. Furthermore, this gro wth potential is complemented by the control and characterization faci lities provided by the ultra-high vacuum environment. Considerable ins ight is therefore being gained into the detailed growth mechanisms inv olved in CBE, and particularly the decomposition of the precursor sour ces. This current paper reviews the current understanding of the CBE-g rowth process, and highlights some important recent developments.