Model of the adsorption/desorption kinetics on a growing III-V compound surface

A kinetic approach for surface processes occurring on growing III-V compound (001)-oriented surfaces is proposed. The model assumes the processes proceeding in a single adsorption layer. Four kinetic constants are introduced to describe species desorption, incorporation of atoms from adsorption layer to crystal and decomposition of the crystal. The approach allows one to determine growth rate of the crystal, conditions of extra phase appearance on the surface, minimum temperature of epitaxy and temperature of congruent evaporation, sticking coefficients of Group V species on the growing surface, etc. The proposed model is verified by comparing the theoretical predictions with available experimental data obtained for the GaAs(001) surface. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.