Stepwise monolayer growth of GaAs by switched laser metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

Growth of GaAs by repeated deposition of single atomic layers using the switched laser metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy technique is reported. Suspension of Ga deposition at 100% coverage is an essential part of the growth mechanism for stepwise epitaxy—the ideal atomic layer epitaxy. This is achieved by suppressing pyrolytic decomposition and favoring photocatalytic decomposition of trimethylgallium (TMG). A growth model for stepwise monolayer epitaxy is proposed which suggests that photocatalytic decomposition of TMG occurs only at surface As atoms and not at Ga atoms.