Investigation of the evolution of single domain (111)B CdTe films by molecular beam epitaxy on miscut (001)Si substrate

Abstract

A comprehensive view of the microstructure of (111)B CdTe films grown on miscut (001)Si substrates by molecular beam epitaxy has been obtained by transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. It is found that in the initial growth stage, CdTe nucleates with a dominance of one particular domain: a domain with (111)B polarity and orientation of [11-2]CdTe//[1-10]Si, although there are also some other domains of different polarity and orientation. The dominance of one type domain is due to the reduction of the surface symmetry by using the miscut substrate and by using optimum growth conditions. As the growth proceeds, a single-crystal film is produced by the dominating domain overgrowing the minority domains nucleated at the film-substrate interface. This results in the final film of single-crystal character having (111)B polarity with [11-2]CdTe along [1-10]Si. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.