Role of kinetics and thermodynamics in alloy clustering and surface quality in InAlAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy: Consequences for optical and transport properties

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Abstract
We present results of a Monte Carlo computer simulation which was carried out to understand the molecular‐beam epitaxial (MBE) growth of InAlAs. We focus on developing an understanding of the role of growth conditions on the short‐range order (alloy clustering) in the system as well as the quality of the growth front during growth. We find that for common anion alloy systems for which thermodynamics favor phase separation, the conditions for high‐quality alloy and high‐quality surfaces (and heterointerfaces) are incompatible if the conventional MBE growth approach is used. We also examine the effect of the alloy clustering on the optical and transport properties of InAlAs.