CATION DIFFUSION IN INP IN0.53GA0.47 AS SUPERLATTICES - STRAIN BUILDUP AND RELAXATION

InP and In0.53Ga0.47As are lattice matched and can form superlattices that are free of crystalline defects. Zn indiffusion enhances the diffusion of cations while leaving the anions unaffected; the resultant In1-xGa(x)P/In1-xGa(x)As superlattices are strained. Since the as-grown specimens are pseudomorphic, any defects observed after Zn diffusion must be attributed to strain relaxation. Studies of the post-growth strain build-up and relaxation in this novel system suggest a new strain relief mechanism for buried strained layers of face-centred-cubic (fcc) structures. The signature defect of the proposed mechanism is a microtwin along a {111} plane spanning the buried strained layer and terminating at both interfaces with partial dislocations of 1/6<112> type. Energy analysis indicates that this new partial-dislocation strain relief mechanism is more effective than the conventional 60-degrees perfect-dislocation mechanism for relieving the in-plane strain in buried strained layers. Therefore, the proposed mechanism is an energetically favourable relaxation channel and limits the useful thicknesses of strained layers in electronic and optoelectronic devices.