Lattice mismatch

Koma A 1992 Van Der Waals epitaxy—a new epitaxial growth method for a highly lattice mismatched system Thin Soiid Fiims 216 72-6... 

Some small lattice mismatch occurs as a result of high nitrogen doping level. 

Modulation Spectroscopy can be very usefiil in evaluating strains induced by growth (lattice-mismatched systems) or processing procedures, such as reactive-ion etching or oxide formation. The size and magnitude of the strain can be evaluated from the shifrs and splitdngs of various spectral lines, such as. ) or... 

RBS and channeling are extremely useful for characterization of epitaxial layers. An example is the analysis of a Sii-j Gejc/Si strained layer superlattice [3.131]. Four pairs of layers, each approximately 40 nm thick, were grown by MBE on a <100> Si substrate. Because of the lattice mismatch between Sii-jcGe c (x a 0.2) and Si, the Sii-j Ge c layers are strained. Figure 3.51 shows RBS spectra obtained in random and channeling directions. The four pairs of layers are clearly seen in both the Ge and Si... 

Figure 3 High resolution electron micrograph for Cu-Au LXq ordered phase [29]. Black and white dots indicate different species and black stripes are Anti Phase Domain boundaries. The lattice mismatch across the domain boundary is clearly observed by referring to the guide lines in white.

A schematic of epitaxial growth is shown in Fig. 2.11. As an example, it is possible to grow gallium arsenide epitaxially on silicon since the lattice parameters of the two materials are similar. On the other hand, deposition of indium phosphide on silicon is not possible since the lattice mismatch is 8%, which is too high. A solution is to use an intermediate buffer layer of gallium arsenide between the silicon and the indium phosphide. The lattice parameters of common semiconductor materials are shown in Fig. 2.12. 

Of special interest to intercalation studies are complex non-stoichiometric systems, such as the so-called misfit layer chalcogenides that were first synthesized in the 1960s [45]. Typically, the misfit compounds present an asymmetry along the c-axis, evidencing an inclination of the unit cell in this direction, due to lattice mismatch in, say, the -axis therefore these solids prefer to fold and/or adopt a hollow-fiber structure, crystallizing in either platelet form or as hollow whiskers. One of the first studied examples of such a misfit compound has been the kaolinite mineral. 

Similarly, the (111) GaAs substrate could be used to achieve epitaxial growth of zinc blende CdSe by electrodeposition from the standard acidic aqueous solution [7]. It was shown that the large lattice mismatch between CdSe and GaAs (7.4%) is accommodated mainly by interfacial dislocations and results in the formation of a high density of twins or stacking faults in the CdSe structure. Epitaxy declined rapidly on increasing the layer thickness or when the experimental parameters were not optimal. 

In fact, different techniques revealed cadmium segregation and decrease of the Pb/Se ratio near the InP/PbSe interface, indicating that during the first steps of deposition a CdSe layer is formed on InP prior to the PbSe growth. It was suggested that selective adsorption of Cd(0) on the InP surface gives rise to an epitaxial CdSe monolayer, which facilitates an ordered PbSe growth on account of the small lattice mismatch (0.7%) at the CdSe/(rock salt)PbSe interface. Importantly, it was found... 

Similar to PbSe, the controlled growth of lead telluride, PbTe, on (111) InP was demonstrated from aqueous, acidic solutions of Pb(II) and Cd(II) nitrate salts and tellurite, at room temperature [13]. The poor epitaxy observed, due to the presence of polycrystalline material, was attributed to the existence of a large lattice mismatch between PbTe and InP (9%) compared to the PbSe/InP system (4.4%). The characterization techniques revealed the absence of planar defects in the PbTe structure, like stacking faults or microtwins, in contrast to II-VI chalcogenides like CdSe. This was related to electronic and structural anomalies. 

A variety of compound semiconductors have been successfully prepared by this technique. Much of the work concerning ECALE has been concentrated on the deposition of CdTe on An substrates. Notwithstanding the inherent problems of the system (for instance, a 10% lattice mismatch), the formation of CdTe epitaxial layers became a model example of ECALE synthesis. In their pioneering studies, Stickney and co-workers [27, 28] have focused on the deposition of the compound on... 

Zinc sulfide, ZnS, has been epitaxially deposited by the dual bath approach on Au(lll) surface and studied by STM and XPS [48]. The first complete ECALE cycle resulted in the formation of nanocrystallites of ZnS randomly distributed across Au(l 11) terraces, on account of lattice mismatch induced strain between ZnS and Au(lll) - although the mismatch is only 0.13% for ZnS/Au(lll). Atomically resolved STM images showed the ZnS/Au(lll) monolayer to be sixfold symmetric. The average diameter of the crystallites was 10 5 nm and the apparent coverage 0.38. 

Some materials have a small lattice mismatch with the substrate, less then 1%, and can adopt the same lattice constants at the interface. This, however, still results in some strain, which builds until released, forming slip dislocations etc.. The thickness at which defects occur is of considerable interest and referred to as the critical thickness [14, 15]. Strain can be minimized by adjusting the lattice constants of the... 

There are many deposit-substrate combinations where the basic lattice mismatch is very large, such as when a compound is formed on an elemental substrate, but where excessive strain does not necessarily result. Frequently a non one-to-one lattice match can be formed. If a material can match up every two or three substrate surface unit cells, it may still form a reasonable film [16]. In many cases the depositing lattices are rotated from the substrate unit cells, as well. In a strict definition of epitaxy, these may not be considered, however, it is not clear why high quality devices and materials could not be formed. 

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