An ordered Ga2Te3 phase in the ZnTe/GaSb interface

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Abstract
A Ga2Te3 interfacial phase has been observed in a ZnTe/(001)GaSb heterostructure by high resolution electron microscopy under special imaging conditions. This phase exists in domains 5–10 nm in size on the ZnTe side of, and usually 2–4 nm away from, the interface. A structural model has been proposed for this phase that is derived from the sphalerite cell with cation sites occupied either fully (occupancy 1) or partially (occupancy 5/9) by Ga atoms. The fully occupied Ga sites form a regular array of uninterrupted chains along the [110] direction of the sphalerite unit cell. The partially occupied Ga sites can also be considered as forming chains containing both Ga atoms and vacancies along the [110] direction. Within these chains vacancies are highly mobile, resulting in an average Ga occupancy of 5/9. The unit cell of Ga2Te3 is orthorhombic with the space group Amm2. The lattice parameters of the unit cell have been derived from electron diffraction data.