High spatial resolution and high-sensitivity techniques, such as DSL etchin
g, AFM and TEM, have been used to analyse peculiar structural defects creat
ed in GaAs by Cu diffusion. They consist of(lj entangled grown-in dislocati
ons surrounded by dislocation loops, (2) clusters of dislocation loops and
(3) (0 0 1) complex planar defects revealed as square-like etch features on
the (0 0 1) etch surface or as (I 0 0) linear etch features when these pla
nar defects lie in the (1 0 0) or (0 1 0) planes perpendicular to the sampl
e surface. The (1 0 0) linear defects are due to straight dislocation segme
nts decorated by precipitates whereas the (0 0 1) defects are ascribed to l
oops from the clusters of type (2) that have selectively grown to a size mu
ch larger than the other ones. All these defects are surrounded by regions
of enhanced etch rate. Their formation is ascribed to the interaction betwe
en point defects created during Cu diffusion that presumably occurs by the
kick-out mechanism, whereby Cu-Ga and Ga interstitials are formed. (C) 2000
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