Characterization of the absolute crystal polarity across twin boundaries in gallium phosphide using convergent-beam electron diffraction

The measurement of absolute crystal polarity is crucial to understanding th e structural properties of many planar defects in compound semiconductors. Grain boundaries, including twin boundaries, in the sphalerite lattice are uniquely characterized by the crystallographic misorientation of individual grains and the direction of the crystal polarity in domains adjoining the grain boundary. To evaluate crystal polarity in gallium phosphide (GaP), as ymmetrical interference contrast in convergent-beam electron-diffraction (C BED) patterns was used to ascertain the nature and direction of polar bonds . The direction of the asymmetry in the electron diffraction reflections wa s correlated with the crystal polarity of a sample with known polarity. The CBED technique was applied to determine the polar orientation of grains ad joining Sigma = 3 coherent and lateral twin boundaries in polycrystalline G ap.