THE STRAIN RELAXATION OF IN0.1GA0.9AS ON GAAS(110) GROWN BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

The strain relaxation of In0.1Ga0.9As layers on GaAs (110) was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction. TEM observation showed that strain relief in the (110) interface is initially dominated in the [001] direction by the formation of 60 degrees type dislocations and stacking faults via {111}[011] slip systems for layer thicknesses up to approximately 200 nm. As the layer thickness increases, {113}[011] slip systems became active and the resultant misfit dislocations contribute strain relief in both [001] and [1 (1) over bar 0] directions. The efficiency of strain relief by the different misfit dislocations is discussed. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.