Single domain GaAs layers have been grown by atmosphere pressure metal
-organic vapor phase epitaxy on Ge(100) substrates misoriented to (111
) with different angles of 0 degrees-4 degrees, under various growth c
onditions. Epilayers have been studied by transmission electron micros
copy, molten KOH etch and optical interference contrast microscopy. It
is found that at an initial growth temperature of 550 degrees C the s
ublattice location of the GaAs layers grown on substrates with small m
isorientation angles (less than 3 degrees) is reversed as compared to
that of the layers grown on substrates with larger misorientation angl
es, independent of the initial growth rates and V/III ratios. When the
initial growth temperature is increased the transition from one type
of sublattice location to the other occurs at a lower misorientation a
ngle, while at an initial growth temperature of 700 degrees C the subl
attice location of the layers grown on the different substrates become
s the same. These results can hardly be explained by the existing theo
ries and a new model is proposed based on a concept that the sublattic
e location of GaAs on Ge is defined by the relative intensity of nucle
ation at steps and on terraces between steps, taking into account the
effects of the growth temperature and the step density of the substrat
e surface on the nucleation rhode, and the fact that single domain GaA
s can be obtained by the self-annihilation of antiphase boundaries.