Growth of Sb and InSb by molecular-beam epitaxy

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the surface lifetime of free antimony on InSb has been determined using 10-kV reflection electron diffraction (RHEED). A desorption activation energy was extracted from these data and found to have a value of 64.2±3 K cal/mole which is within experimental error of ΔH (sublimation) for monatomic Sb. At substrate temperatures of 280 °C, it was possible to nucleate antimony in an epitaxial relationship with (111)A- and (111)B-oriented InSb surfaces; subsequent epitaxial growth could continue at temperatures as low as 40 °C. Films of InSb were grown homoepitaxially on (111)A-, (111)B-, and (001)-oriented InSb substrates and heteroepitaxially on (001)-oriented InAs and GaAs over a wide temperature range, 280 °<T<450 °C. Surface-atom reconstructions for Sb-stabilized and In-stabilized films are identified.