Critical layer thickness on (111)B-oriented InGaAs/GaAs heteroepitaxy

The critical layer thickness of lattice-mismatched InGaAs on (111)B-oriented GaAs was investigated by monitoring surface lattice relaxation using streak spacing on the reflection high-energy electron diffraction pattern. The critical layer thickness (hc) grown on (111)B was about twice that of a (100) under the same growth conditions. A qualitative explanation for the enhancement of hc is given based on the mechanical equilibrium theory developed by J. W. Matthews and A. E. Blakeslee [J. Cryst. Growth 27, 118 (1974)] for a strained single heterostructure.