Composition fluctuations in strained InGaAlAs layers grown on (001) InP

摘要

A series of InGaAlAs/InP(001) heterostructures have been grown by MBE with misfit strains in the range -0.02 to 0.01. TEM studies show that composition modulations occur over a very wide range of InGaAlAs alloys. The composition fluctuations are unusual in that they can result in a highly asymmetric fine scale (3-17nm) lamellar structure having either a (110) or (110) habit plane. AFM studies suggest that the InGaAlAs epilayers also exhibit larger scale unidirectional surface undulations.