Transmission electron microscopy of liquid phase epitaxial Hg1−xCdxTe layers on CdTe substrates

Epitaxial Hg1−xCdxTe films were grown on (111)A CdTe substrates by the tellurium solvent, horizontal tube slider liquid phase epitaxy technique. Their microstructures were subsequently investigated by both planar and cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Planar TEM showed the top surface of the films to be precipitate free with a general dislocation density <106/cm2 except for localized regions containing high dislocation densities associated with linear surface features on the Hg1−xCdxTe. Cross‐sectional TEM showed the interface region to be nonplanar due to meltback during epilayer growth. A three‐dimensional dislocation structure was confined to a band in the interface region having a graded Hg composition.