A critical study of the initial growth stages of highly strained indium gallium arsenide on gallium arsenide.

Abstract

In this dissertation we present the results of a study of the growth dynamics of highly strained heteroepitaxy during the initial stages of growth. Experiments using reflection high energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy investigate the effects strain, surface diffusion, and surface tension have on the growth mode of highly strained InGaAs on GaAs(100). These investigations lead us to propose a new, dislocation-free model for the growth mode and strain relaxation of highly strained heteroepitaxy. The role of surfactants in altering the growth mode of lattice-mismatched overlayers is discussed within this context.