Lattice-matched heterostructures were prepared, by means of molecular beam epitaxy, on GaAs(001) 2 x 4 surfaces. It was found that some of the strain relaxation within the ternary layer could be compensated by a suitable excess of In concentration; so as to match the free-surface lattice parameter to ZnSe. However, the surface of the II-VI epilayer exhibited a cross-hatched pattern of surface corrugations which was oriented along orthogonal <110> directions. This complex surface morphology reflected the formation of surface slip steps during the nucleation of dislocation half-loops at the surface, and the establishment of a misfit dislocation network at the InGaAs/GaAs interface.

S.Heun, J.J.Paggel, L.Sorba, S.Rubini, A.Bonanni, R.Lantier, M.Lazzarino, B.Bonanni, A.Franciosi, J.M.Bonard, J.D.Ganière, Y.Zhuang, G.Bauer: Journal of Applied Physics, 1998, 83[5], 2504-12