INITIAL GROWTH MODES OF INP LAYER GROWN BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY AND MIGRATION-ENHANCED EPITAXY ON SI FILMS GROWN ON INP(100) SUBSTRATES

The growth modes of InP on Si interlayers grown on InP(100) substrates were studied by using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE) for the first time. The thickness of the Si interlayer (t(Si)) was varied from 0 to 2 monolayers (ML). The growth mode was investigated by observing the behavior of reflection high-energy electron diffraction intensity. From the measurements it was concluded that a three-dimensional growth mode tended to occur with increasing Si interlayer thickness because the surface migration of the indium atoms was disturbed by the phosphorus-stabilized surface on the area covered by the Si films. Using MEE at low temperature, InP top layers with relatively flat surfaces were obtained on thicker Si interlayers.