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Observation of compound semiconductors and heterovalent interfaces using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2016

David J. Smith ,
Jing Lu ,
Toshihiro Aoki ,
Martha R. McCartney  and
Yong-Hang Zhang
David J. Smith*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; and Center for Photonic Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
Jing Lu
Affiliation:
Center for Photonic Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; and School of Engineering for Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
Toshihiro Aoki
Affiliation:
LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
Martha R. McCartney
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; and Center for Photonic Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
Yong-Hang Zhang
Affiliation:
Center for Photonic Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; and School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper reviews our recent investigations of compound semiconductors and heterovalent interfaces using the technique of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Bright-field imaging of compound semiconductors with a collection angle that is comparable in size to the incident-beam convergence angle is demonstrated to provide better atomic-column visibility for lighter elements in comparison with the more traditional high-angle annular-dark-field approach. Several pairs of Group II–VI/Group III–V compound semiconductors with zincblende structure have been studied in detail. These combinations are all valence-mismatched (i.e., heterovalent), and include CdTe/InSb (Δa/a ≤ 0.05%), ZnTe/InP (Δa/a = 3.8%), and ZnTe/GaAs (Δa/a = 7.4%). CdTe/InSb (001) interfaces are observed to be defect-free with a slight lattice contraction at the interface plane. For interfaces with larger lattice-parameter mismatch, the primary interfacial defects are identified as Lomer edge dislocations and perfect 60° dislocations. However, the atomic structure of the dislocation cores has not yet been unambiguously determined.

Keywords

epitaxyIII–VII–VI
Type
Invited Feature Paper
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 32 , Issue 5: Focus Issue: Aberration Corrected Transmission Electron Microscopy , 14 March 2017 , pp. 921 - 927
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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

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Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Eric Stach

This paper has been selected as an Invited Feature Paper.

References

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