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Dynamics of Periodic Step-Bunching During Growth on Vicinal GaAs(110) Surfaces: Computer Simulations and Experiments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Mohan Krishnamurthy,
D. R. M. Williams and
P. M. Petroff
Mohan Krishnamurthy
Affiliation:
Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
D. R. M. Williams
Affiliation:
Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
P. M. Petroff
Affiliation:
Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
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Abstract

Molecular beam epitaxial growth on GaAs(110) vicinal surfaces results in the formation of periodic micro-facets. We compare experimental results with computer simulations of a simple one dimensional step-flow growth model. The simulations show that preferential adatom attachment to the down step in a step array results in the destruction of step uniformity. A kinetic limitation due to adatom diffusion length along the terraces leads to stabilization of a periodic array of step-bunches. We extend our simulations to show the effects of the attachment and diffusion parameters on the dynamics of facet evolution.

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