Substrate stabilized metastable single crystal germanium (1-x) stannide (x) films can be grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We have grown for the first time single crystal Ge (1-x) Sn(x) alloys on lattice matched gallium antimonide (with x=0.5) and indium phosphides substrates up to a thickness of 0.3 micrometer. Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) observations and x-ray measurements show that even at very small lattice mismatch, single crystal Ge(1-x)Sn(x) films cannot be grown thicker than 0.3 micrometer. Our x-ray results suggest that the critical thickness of alpha-Sn and Ge(1-x)Sn(x) single crystal films is mainly determined by a phase transition mechanism, and the dislocation generation equivalent critical thickness is an overestimate. Under practical MBE growth conditions, it is very difficult to grow thick films, due to the sensitivity of the critical thickness to composition fluctuations. We have shown that even under an exact lattice match between substrate and film, the critical film thickness is limited. Keywords: Metastable alloys; Single crystals; Germanium; Antimony; X-Ray diffraction; Aluminum; Gallium; Tin; Surface structure; Infrared detectors. (jg).

This first-ever monograph on molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) gives a comprehensive presentation of recent developments in MBE, as applied to crystallization of thin films and device structures of different semiconductor materials. MBE is a high-vacuum technology characterized by relatively low growth temperature, ability to cease or initiate growth abruptly, smoothing of grown surfaces and interfaces on an atomic scale, and the unique facility for in situ analysis of the structural parameters of the growing film. The excellent exploitation parameters of such MBE-produced devices as quantum-well lasers, high electron mobility transistors, and superlattice avalanche photodiodes have caused this technology to be intensively developed. The main text of the book is divided into three parts. The first presents and discusses the more important problems concerning MBE equipment. The second discusses the physico-chemical aspects of the crystallization processes of different materials (mainly semiconductors) and device structures. The third part describes the characterization methods which link the physical properties of the grown film or structures with the technological parameters of the crystallization procedure. Latest achievements in the field are emphasized, such as solid source MBE, including silicon MBE, gas source MBE, especially metalorganic MBE, phase-locked epitaxy and atomic-layer epitaxy, photoassisted molecular layer epitaxy and migration enhanced epitaxy.

The NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Heterostructures" was held at the Ettore Majorana Center for Scientific Culture, Erice, Italy, on March 7-19, 1983, the second course of the International School of Solid-State Device Re search. This volume contains the lectures presented at the Institute. Throughout the history of semiconductor development, the coupling between processing techniques and device structures for both scientific investigations and technological applications has time and again been demonstrated. Newly conceived ideas usually demand the ultimate in existing techniques, which often leads to process innova tions. The emergence of a process, on the other hand, invariably creates opportunities for device improvement and invention. This intimate relationship between the two has most recently been witnessed in MBE and heterostructures, the subject of this Institute. This volume is divided into several sections. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction by providing a perspective of the subject. This is followed by two sections, each containing four chapters, Chapters 2-5 addressing the principles of the MBE process and Chapters 6-9 describ ing its use in the growth of a variety of semiconductors and heteros tructures. The next two sections, Chapters to-II and Chapters 12-15, treat the theory and the electronic properties of the heterostructures, respectively. The focus is on energy quantization of the two dimensional electron system. Chapters 16-17 are devoted to device structures, including both field-effect transistors and lasers and detec tors.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE): From Research to Mass Production, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive overview of the latest MBE research and applications in epitaxial growth, along with a detailed discussion and ‘how to’ on processing molecular or atomic beams that occur on the surface of a heated crystalline substrate in a vacuum. The techniques addressed in the book can be deployed wherever precise thin-film devices with enhanced and unique properties for computing, optics or photonics are required. It includes new semiconductor materials, new device structures that are commercially available, and many that are at the advanced research stage. This second edition covers the advances made by MBE, both in research and in the mass production of electronic and optoelectronic devices. Enhancements include new chapters on MBE growth of 2D materials, Si-Ge materials, AIN and GaN materials, and hybrid ferromagnet and semiconductor structures. Condenses the fundamental science of MBE into a modern reference, speeding up literature review Discusses new materials, novel applications and new device structures, grounding current commercial applications with modern understanding in industry and research Includes coverage of MBE as mass production epitaxial technology and how it enhances processing efficiency and throughput for the semiconductor industry and nanostructured semiconductor materials research community

This subject is divided into two volumes. Volume I is on homoepitaxy with the necessary systems, techniques, and models for growth and dopant incorporation. Three chapters on homoepitaxy are followed by two chapters describing the different ways in which MBE may be applied to create insulator/Si stackings which may be used for three-dimensional circuits. The two remaining chapters in Volume I are devoted to device applications. The first three chapters of Volume II treat all aspects of heteroepitaxy with the exception of the epitaxial insulator/Si structures already treated in volume I.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy introduces the reader to the use of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) in the generation of III-V and IV-VI compounds and alloys and describes the semiconductor and integrated optics reasons for using the technique. Topics covered include semiconductor superlattices by MBE; design considerations for MBE systems; periodic doping structure in gallium arsenide (GaAs); nonstoichiometry and carrier concentration control in MBE of compound semiconductors; and MBE techniques for IV-VI optoelectronic devices. The use of MBE to fabricate integrated optical devices and to study semiconductor surface and crystal physics is also considered. This book is comprised of eight chapters and opens with an overview of MBE as a crystal growth technique. The discussion then turns to the deposition of semiconductor superlattices of GaAs by MBE; important factors that must be considered in the design of a MBE system such as flux uniformity, crucible volume, heat shielding, source baffling, and shutters; and control of stoichiometry deviation in MBE growth of compound semiconductors, along with the effects of such deviation on the electronic properties of the grown films. The following chapters focus on the use of MBE techniques for growth of IV-VI optoelectronic devices; for fabrication of integrated optical devices; and for the study of semiconductor surface and crystal physics. The final chapter examines a superlattice consisting of a periodic sequence of ultrathin p- and n-doped semiconductor layers, possibly with intrinsic layers in between. This monograph will be of interest to chemists, physicists, and crystallographers.