MISFIT DISLOCATIONS IN PBTE-PBSNTE HETEROJUNCTION

Misfit dislocations at the heterojunction of PbTe-PbSnTe layers grown by liquid phase epitaxy have been investigated by etch pit studies. The linear density of misfit dislocations along the 〈100〉 direction parallel to the heterojunction was in good agreement with the predicted value. This agreement indicates that the strain due to lattice mismatch between PbTe and PbSnTe is completely relieved by the introduction of misfit dislocations. It has been shown from the distribution of etch pits, electron probe analysis, and calculations, that the misfit dislocations spread around the heterojunction in the region determined by Sn self-diffusion during epitaxial growth. © 1979.