Applied Surface Science, Vol.161, No.1-2, 286-290, 2000
Energy barrier for the growth transition step-flow/step-bunching during epitaxy of InP/InP
We report the growth mode evolution of homoepitaxially grown InP by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy examined by ex-situ atomic force microscope (AFM). We varied the growth temperature between 500 degrees C and 630 degrees C and used substrates with different miscut angle from 0.15 degrees to 2 degrees off towards (111)A. After annealing under phosphine above 500 degrees C, the wafer surface recovers its terrace structure with nominal width terraces. At growth temperatures of 580-600 degrees C, the step flow is dominantly observed. At higher temperatures of 630 degrees C, the step flow growth evolves towards step bunching when increasing the miscut angle from 0.2 degrees to 2 degrees off and the terrace width saturates at approximate to 40 nm. The effect of the growth temperature is analysed taking account for the different surface energy barrier for the transition step flow/step bunching. A clear evidence of the dependence of the activation energy with miscut angle will be shown. The Schwoebel's barrier evolution is shown from the growth onto differently misoriented substrates.