Chemical depth profiling and 3D reconstruction of III–V heterostructures selectively grown on non-planar Si substrates by MOCVD

The chemical characterization of novel 3D architectures with nanometre-scale dimensions is extremely challenging. The chemical composition of InGaAs/AlAs quantum wells selectively grown in SiO2 trenches, 100–300 nm wide, is studied. Combining high lateral resolution 3D ToF-SIMS analysis and Auger measurements, the chemical composition of individual trenches was obtained confirming the uniformity of these III–V heterostructures. These results correlate well with an average approach using SIMS depth profiling. The effects of ion beam orientation on the surface topography of confined structures were highlighted. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)