Structural properties of layers grown on CdTe substrates by liquid phase epitaxy

layers thick were grown on CdTe (111) substrates by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) from an source with z = 0.02 - 0.08 and y = 0.7 - 0.8 at . The structural properties of the layers were investigated by a number of characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray topography (XRT), high-resolution x-ray diffractometry (HRXRD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS).

It has been shown that the layers grown with source supercooling of are macrodefect free, with a good surface morphology and a uniform composition. The main structural defects of the layers are misfit dislocations due to the lattice mismatch; these are arranged in bands and are parallel to the three directions lying on the (111) growth surface plane, with a symmetry. The Bragg peak of the layers has an FWHM value of about 50 arcsec and its shape is sensitive to the crystalline quality of the substrates. The structural inequality of the main crystallographic axes of the layers was characterized quantitatively by the minimum yield values determined from the RBS/channelling spectra. The data obtained enabled a comparison to be made of the crystalline quality of and LPE layers and thus provide information concerning LPE growth.