Impact of surface stoichiometry control during the initial stages of growth on the stacking fault concentration in ZnSe epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We have determined that the surface stoichiometry maintained during the first five monolayers of ZnSe epitaxial growth can have a significant influence on the stacking fault concentration in 2 mu m thick epilayers. In particular, we have been able to minimize the stacking fault concentration to a level in the 10(4) cm(-2) range (comparable to the stacking fault concentration in the ZnSe substrates used for epitaxy) by appropriate selection of a delay time (similar to 30 s for a substrate temperature of 300 degrees C) employed during an alternate element (Zn and Se) exposure phase of growth. The delay time in question is the time elapsed between closing the Se shutter and opening the Zn shutter. We show that the surface stoichiometry (Zn to Se atomic ratio) can be tailored during the delay phase since Se thermal desorption occurs at the growth temperature in a controlled fashion from an initially Se-terminated surface, and, it is postulated that selection of an optimum delay time corresponding to the attainment of a near-stoichiometric surface results in the growth of low stacking fault concentration material. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.