Abstract
The interface microstructure of AlAs/GaAs quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) yields information about the width of the chemical transition between the binary components and about the lateral step distances along the interface. The chemical composition is quantitatively determined by the application of a pattern recognition procedure based on the Fourier transformation of image unit cells. Along the 〈100〉 zone axis the composition across the interfaces is obtained with a precision of ±10 atomic percent and with a spatial resolution of 0.28 nm. Despite a lower chemical sensitivity a quantitative chemical analysis was also carried out for images along the 〈110〉 projection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Warwick, W.Y. Jan, A. Ourmazd, T.D. Harris: Appl. Phys. Lett. 56, 2666 (1990)
M. Bode, A. Ourmazd: J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 10, 1787 (1992)
D. Bimberg, F. Heinrichsdorff, R.K. Bauer, D. Gerthsen, D. Stenkamp, D.E. Mars, J.N. Miller: J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 10, 1793 (1992)
D. Bruno, J.S. Hurley: Superlattices Microstructures 11, 23 (1992)
A. Förster, J. Lange, D. Gerthsen, Ch. Dieker, H. Lüth: J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 11 (1993), to be published
C.J.D. Hetherington, J.C. Barry, J.M. Bi, C.J. Humphreys, J. Grange, C. Wood: Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 37, 41 (1985)
A. Ourmazd, F.H. Baumann, M. Bode, Y. Kim: Ultramicroscopy 34, 237 (1990)
A. Ourmazd, D.W. Taylor, J. Cunningham, C.W. Tu: Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 933 (1989)
S. Thoma, H. Cerva: Ultramicroscopy 35, 77 (1991)
S. Thoma, H. Cerva: Ultramicroscopy 38, 265 (1991)
T. Walther, D. Gerthsen, R. Carius, A. Förster, K. Urban: Inst. Phys. Conf. Ser., paper presented at the Conf. of Microscopy of Semiconducting Materials, Oxford, 5.–8. April 1993, to be published
J.C. Bravman, R. Sinclair: J. Electron. Microsc. Technol. 1, 53 (1984)
P.A. Stadelmann: Ultramicroscopy 21, 131 (1987)
R. Spycher, P.A. Stadelmann, P.A. Buffat: Mater. Res. Soc. Proc. 198, 135 (1990)
D. Stenkamp, W. Jäger: Ultramicroscopy, to be published
N. Ikarashi, M. Tanaka, H. Sakaki, K. Ishida: Appl. Phys. Lett. 60, 1360 (1992)
N. Ikarashi, A. Sakai, T. Baba, K. Ishida, J. Motohisa, H. Sakaki: Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 1983 (1990)
A. Madhukar: Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 102, 3 (1988)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Walther, T., Gerthsen, D. Quantitative characterization of AlAs/GaAs interfaces by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy along the 〈100〉 and the 〈110〉 projection. Appl. Phys. A 57, 393–400 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331777
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331777