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Heterostructures with an active region based on GaAs/Ge/GaAs layers are of interest for developing devices operating in the terahertz range and for topological insulators. Optical and electrophysical properties of such devices depend largely on their formation process specifications. In this work, a structure of GaAs layers in GaAs/Ge/GaAs heterostructures grown on a GaAs(001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, with specific growth conditions resulting in a 90° rotation of the crystal lattices between the upper and lower GaAs layers in one type of samples and no such rotation in samples of another type, was investigated. Subsequent analysis of the formed heterostructures was performed by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction analysis using thin cross-section foils prepared via the focused ion beam method. It has been established that the GaAs/Ge/GaAs layers exhibited high crystalline perfection in both types of samples; however, stacking faults and antiphase domains are formed in the GaAs layers positioned above Ge layer. The relative orientation of the upper and lower GaAs layers in GaAs/Ge/GaAs structures was determined by comparing the intensity distribution in disks and 002 in the diffraction patterns obtained by convergent beam electron diffraction. Simulation of these patterns demonstrated that orientation of the sample along the [310] zone axis is optimal for identification of differences in diffraction patterns within the pseudo-forbidden disks and 002 reflections. Experimental diffraction patterns obtained under these conditions have allowed the confirmation of identical orientation of the crystal lattices between the upper and lower GaAs layers in one type of samples while revealing a 90° rotation of these lattices around the [001] direction in the other type.

Key words: GaAs-based heterostructures, molecular beam epitaxy, transmission electron microscopy, antiphase domains, convergent beam electron diffraction, crystal structure defects
Published in: FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCHES
Bibliography link: Sazonov V. A., Borgardt N. I., Prikhodko A. S., Kazakov I. P., Klekovkin A. V. Structural investigation of GaAs layers in GaAs/Ge/GaAs heterostructures by transmission electron microscopy. Proc. Univ. Electronics, 2024, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 559–574. https://doi.org/10.24151/1561-5405-2024-29-5-559-574. – EDN: GPPNHA.
Financial source: the work has been supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within the framework of the state task (Agreement FSMR-2024-0004) and using the equipment of the CCP “Diagnostics and modification of microstructures and nanoobjects”.

Vadim A. Sazonov
National Research University of Electronic Technology, Russia, 124498, Moscow, Zelenograd, Shokin sq., 1

Nikolay I. Borgardt
National Research University of Electronic Technology, Russia, 124498, Moscow, Zelenograd, Shokin sq., 1

Alexander S. Prikhodko
National Research University of Electronic Technology, Russia, 124498, Moscow, Zelenograd, Shokin sq., 1

Alexey V. Klekovkin
Р. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia, 119991, Moscow, Leninsky ave., 53

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Information about the publication

UDK: 620.187.3:548.4
Publication type: Scientific article
Source lang: Russian
DOI: 10.24151/1561-5405-2024-29-5-559-574
RISC id: GPPNHA

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