Auger profile study of the influence of lattice mismatch on the LPE InGaAsP-InP heterojunction interface

Auger depth profiles of InGaAsP-InP heterojunctions grown by liquid phase epitaxial techniques under different lattice-mismatch conditions have been measured. Results are presented for samples with Δa/a less than ±0.03, and equal to +0.20 and −0.11% grown from solutions with XlGa=0.40%, XlP=0.36%, and XlAs=3.53, 3.78, and 3.40%, respectively. Only small differences in the chemical transition width of InP-InGaAsP and InGaAsP-InP interfaces (the last grown layer is listed first) have been observed when the lattice mismatch is less than ±0.03%. However, the width of the chemical transition region of the InP-InGaAsP interface increases more rapidly than that of the InGaAsP-InP interface as the lattice mismatch increases. This result can be understood in terms of the growth kinetics at the heterojunction interfaces.