Virtual-surfactant epitaxy of strained InAs/Al0.48In0.52As quantum wells

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Abstract
The solid-source molecular beam epitaxy growth of strained InAs films embedded in an Al0.48In0.52As matrix on InP substrates is studied by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction. Under standard As stable conditions, the highly (3.2%) strained InAs film grows on Al0.48In0.52As in the Stranski–Krastanov mode. Islanding starts at a thickness of 8 monolayers. On the contrary, when growing InAs under In stable conditions, islanding is inhibited. The highly reactive In stable surface imposes kinetic limitations to the sticking atoms and forces two-dimensional nucleation, thus acting as a virtual surfactant. This growth technique produces samples of superior quality and opens a new route for the preparation of strained heterostructures.