Gallium arsenide (GaAs) films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on
a (511) silicon substrate and a compliant (511) silicon-on-insulator (SOI)
substrate. The top silicon layer of the compliant (511) SOI was thinned to
similar to 1000 Angstrom. The five inch diameter SOI wafer was created by
wafer bonding. The GaAs (004) x-ray diffraction (XRD) reflection showed a 2
5% reduction in the full width half maximum (FWHM) for GaAs on a compliant
(511) SOI as compared to GaAs on a silicon substrate. Cross section transmi
ssion electron microscopy (XTEM) clearly indicates a different dislocation
structure for the two substrates. The threading dislocation density is redu
ced by at least an order of magnitude in the compliant (511) SOI as compare
d to the (511) silicon. XTEM found dislocations and damage was generated in
the top silicon layer of the compliant SOI substrate after GaAs growth.