Morphology transformations of GaAs high-index surfaces during the initial stages of strained-layer overgrowth

Abstract

We study the initial stage of InAs and Si growth on GaAs (311) and (211). In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction shows the morphology of these surfaces to transform from corrugated to flat during deposition of fractional InAs and Si monolayers. This result is confirmed by high resolution electron microscopy investigations of an InAs monolayer embedded in (311) GaAs showing perfectly flat heterointerfaces. Our findings negate the existence of lateral patterning effects due to the surface corrugation in strained, GaAs-based heterostructures with high-index orientation, but they simultaneously demonstrate a novel method to manipulate interfaces in semiconductor heterostructures.