Lateral motion of terrace width distributions during step-flow growth

Journal Article · Mon Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Applied Physics Letters; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.107809· OSTI ID:7201763

Chalmers, S A; Tsao, J Y ^[1]; Gossard, A C ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Division 1311, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
2. Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

We have observed two phenomena that occur during (Al,Ga)Sb lateral superlattice (LSL) growth which have implications on our understanding of adatom/step edge interactions on vicinal surfaces: shifts of the lateral distribution of terrace widths in the direction of step propagation, and lateral variations in the superlattice tilt angle that are correlated with the terrace width distribution. Both phenomena can be explained with a model of step-flow growth that includes both asymmetric adatom attachment at step edges and anisotropic adatom crossing over multiple step edges. A comparison between numerical simulations of this model and experimentally observed (Al,Ga)Sb LSL terrace width distributions leads to quantitative estimates of adatom migration characteristics. We find that at least one type of adatom, probably Ga, has a migration length equivalent to several terrace widths, and moves up and down step edges nearly isotropically. This method of determining adatom migration characteristics can be extended to any material that LSL layers can be grown above and below as terrace width markers.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7201763
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters; (United States), Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters; (United States) Vol. 61:6; ISSN APPLA; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
ADSORPTION
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ANTIMONIDES
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
EPITAXY
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION
MICROSTRUCTURE
MIGRATION
PNICTIDES
SIMULATION
SORPTION
SUPERLATTICES
SURFACE PROPERTIES