Surface reaction of III–V compound semiconductors irradiated by As and Sb molecular beams

Abstract For the growth of III–V A /III–V B heterostructures with a sharp interface, it is important to suppress the interchanging reaction of column V elements between the impinging molecules (V A ) and atoms of the substrates (V B ). In order to obtain a systematic understanding, the chemical reaction has been examined for eight different substrate materials with beams of As and Sb. We have determined the critical temperature at which this reaction becomes predominant by using reflection high energy electron diffraction. Raman scattering measurement was also used to analyze the composition of beam-irradiated surface. Experimental results are interpreted reasonably well by the thermochemical property of these III–V compound semiconductors.