Structure, interface abruptness and strain relaxation in self-assisted grown InAs/GaAs nanowires

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Cesare Frigeri - , National Research Council of Italy (CNR) (Author)
  • David Scarpellini - , University of Rome Tor Vergata (Author)
  • Alexey Fedorov - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN-CNR), IFN, L NESS Lab (Author)
  • Sergio Bietti - , University of Milan - Bicocca (Author)
  • Claudio Somaschini - , University of Milan - Bicocca (Author)
  • Vincenzo Grillo - , Ctr CNR S3 NANO (Author)
  • Luca Esposito - , University of Milan - Bicocca (Author)
  • Marco Salvalaglio - , University of Milan - Bicocca (Author)
  • Anna Marzegalli - , University of Milan - Bicocca (Author)
  • Francesco Montalenti - , University of Milan - Bicocca (Author)
  • Stefano Sanguinetti - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN-CNR), IFN, L NESS Lab (Author)

Abstract

The structure, interface abruptness and strain relaxation in InAs/GaAs nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy in the Ga self-catalysed mode on (111) Si have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The nanowires had the zincblende phase. The InAs/GaAs interface was atomically and chemically sharp with a width around 1.5 nm, i.e. significantly smaller than previously reported values. This was achieved by the consumption of the Ga droplet and formation of a flat top facet of the GaAs followed by the growth of InAs by splitting the depositions of In and As. Both elastic and plastic strain relaxation took place simultaneously. Experimental TEM results about strain relaxation very well agree with linear elasticity theory calculations by the finite element methods. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)29-36
Number of pages8
JournalApplied surface science
Volume395
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2017
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

Scopus 84999828392
ORCID /0000-0002-4217-0951/work/142237428

Keywords

Keywords

  • Nanowires, InAs/GaAs, Self-assisted, MBE, TEM, FEM, III-V NANOWIRES, GAAS NANOWIRES, HETEROEPITAXY, PHOTOVOLTAICS, DISLOCATIONS, DISPLACEMENT, EFFICIENCY