INVESTIGATION OF GROWTH MODE BEHAVIOR AND SURFACE-MORPHOLOGY EVOLUTION OF METALORGANIC VAPOR-PHASE EPITAXY-GROWN ZNTE LAYERS ON (001)GAAS

A systematic investigation on the mechanisms of nucleation and surface morphology evolution was performed on ZnTe epilayers, deposited on ch emically etched GaAs(001) by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. A 2D-3D growth mode transition was observed at around two ZnTe equivalent mon olyers (ML), which was ascribed to a Stransky-Krastanow growth mode. T he 3D growth behavior was correlated to the development of {n11}-type planes, leading to a surface ridging effect along the [1 (1) over bar 0] direction for 4000-ML-thick ZnTe epilayers. The use of a solid-on- solid kinetic roughening model allowed the identification of a mechani sm that limits the self- organization of ZnTe nanosized islands, namel y, the high density of kink sites found in non- atomically flat GaAs s ubstrates. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society.