Effect of interaction in the Ga–As–O system on the morphology of a GaAs surface during molecular-beam epitaxy

Abstract

A thermodynamic analysis of processes of interphase interaction in the Ga–As–O system has been performed and their theoretical laws have been determined, taking into account nonlinear thermal physical properties of the compounds, the oxide film compositions, and modes of molecular-beam epitaxy of GaAs. The processes of interaction of the native oxide of GaAs with the substrate material and also with Ga and As₄ from a vapor gaseous phase have been studied experimentally. The experimental results correlate with the results of the thermodynamic analysis. The laws of influence of the removal of the proper oxide on the evolution of the GaAs surface morphology under conditions of the molecular-beam epitaxy have been proposed.