Growth mode and strain evolution during InN growth on GaN(0001) by molecular-beam epitaxy

摘要

The plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy technique was used to study the epitaxial growth of InN on GaN. A relationship between film growth mode and the deposition condition was established by combining reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The sustained RHEED intensity oscillations were recorded for 2D growth while 2D nucleation islands were revealed by STM. Results showed less than three oscillation periods for 3 D growth, indicating the Strnski-Krastanov (SK) growth mode of the film.