Epitaxial low-temperature growth of In0.5Ga0.5As films on GaAs(100) and GaAs(111)A substrates using a metamorphic buffer

A complex investigation of epitaxial In0.5Ga0.5As films grown on GaAs substrates with crystallographic orientations of (100) and (111)A in the standard high- and low-temperature modes has been performed. The parameters of the GaAs substrate and In0.5Ga0.5As film were matched using the technology of step-graded metamorphic buffer. The electrical and structural characteristics of the grown samples have been studied by the van der Pauw method, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission/ scanning electron microscopy. The surface morphology is found to correlate with the sample growth temperature and doping with silicon. It is revealed that doping of low-temperature In0.5Ga0.5As layers with silicon significantly reduces both the surface roughness and highly improves the structural quality. Pores 50–100 nm in size are found in the low-temperature samples.