Stability of (114) and (114) facets in III–V compounds under usual MBE conditions

Abstract Tensile GaInAs layers grown by MBE on InP(001) with lattice mismatch of −0.5% to −1.7% have been examined by transmission electron mictoscopy (TEM). Elastic relaxation occurs by drastic thickness modulations which are built first on (114) and (114) facets, then on (113) and (113) facets. Many examples of spontaneous development of (114) facets from (001) surface have also been reported by other groups. This is observed under usual MBE conditions and for various chemical compositions and lattice mismatches, positive as well as negative, for instance in compressively strained (Ga)InAs islands grown on GaAs(001) or InP(001). This is discussed in terms of surface reconstruction. It is suggested that (114) and (114) facets could be reconstructed in a way very similar to the usual 2 × 4 reconstruction of the (001) GaAsAs surface which is considered very stable. This is due to their crystallographic structure which involves exactly two gallium steps per 2 × 4 unit cell.