Nucleation and characterization of pseudomorphic ZnSe grown on molecular beam epitaxially grown GaAs epilayers

The heteroepitaxial growth of ZnSe on GaAs epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy is found to occur via a two-dimensional growth mechanism. Alternatively, nucleation on a GaAs substrate exhibits three-dimensional growth characteristics. The differentiation of the type of nucleation is evidenced by reflection high-energy electron diffraction intensity oscillations, as well as the dynamic behavior of the diffraction patterns. Photoluminescence measurements of pseudomorphic ZnSe epilayers grown on GaAs epilayers provide a direct measurement of ZnSe deformation potentials.