Buried GaInAs/InP layers grown on nonplanar substrates by one-step low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

Growth of GaInAs/InP layers on nonplanar substrates by low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy has been investigated using InP substrates patterned with [011] and [011̄] oriented grooves and mesas. For a wide range of growth parameters we find that GaInAs does not grow on {111}A and {111}B surfaces whereas InP grows on all available crystal planes. This allows very narrow GaInAs layers to be embedded in InP within one growth step. We find that the growth rate on the (100) surface of a mesa increases for both materials when the mesa width is reduced below ∼2 μm. The results are explained with a growth model where crystal facet-dependent surface catalyzed reactions dominate the growth on a microscopic scale. These lead to blocking of low growth rate planes for the adsorption of arriving species and to local redistribution of adsorbed molecules by surface diffusion.