IN(4 X-3) RECONSTRUCTION MEDIATED HETEROEPITAXIAL GROWTH OF INSB ON SI(001) SUBSTRATE

In the present letter we report the epitaxial growth of 9000-Angstrom- thick InSb on a Si(001) surface via In(4x 3) reconstruction by molecul ar beam epitaxy. The growth was monitored in situ using RHEED, Auger e lectron spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy and the exsitu cha racterization was done using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscop y, and optical microscopy. The heteroepitaxy of InSb on Si(001) surfac e is achieved despite the presence of a large lattice mismatch (over 1 9%) by incorporating a 0.5ML In(4x3) reconstruction at the InSb/Si int erface. Based on these results a model for the interface formation is developed.