Site-Specific Processes During MBE and MOMBE Growth of III–V Compounds on Singular and Vicinal Surfaces

This paper discusses three ways in which specific sites on a substrate can influence either the reactivity of precursor species or the subsequent growth morphology of III-V semiconductor films during molecular beam epitaxy. Different step structures on vicinal surface have a strong influence on the growth mode transition from two-dimensional nucleation to step propagation, but it is shown that steps are not perfect sinks for adatoms. The choice of organometallic precursors can affect site-specific reaction pathways, but incorporation and detachment processes at step edges may still be dominant in determining morphology. Different substrate orientations have a profound effect on precursor reactivity and on morphology, especially in the growth of mismatched systems.