Structural characterization of embedded gallium arsenide on silicon by molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

A gallium arsenide film is grown embedded in masked pre-etched wells in silicon vicinal (001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The morphology and crystallinity of the embedded GaAs on Si layers are identical to those of large area GaAs on Si grown on the same wafer, as indicated by the comparison of Nomarski contrast photomicrographs and electron channeling patterns. High-resolution electron microscope images reveal the epitaxial relation of the GaAs/Si interface on the bottom and the sidewall of the wells. On the slope most of the dislocations are restricted to a narrow region near the interface. The same photoluminescent behavior is found for the GaAs deposit in the different silicon environments. This embedded growth technique is suitable for realization of a coplanar GaAs on Si surface.