A basic experimental study was made of low-temperature molecular beam epitaxial deposition which involved atomic H. It was recalled that films which had been grown at various substrate temperatures exhibited differing dislocation densities. Average dislocation densities which were as low as 30000/cm2 could be obtained in films which were grown at a temperature of 330C by using atomic H bombardment. These were among the lowest dislocation densities which had been reported. Surface cleaning effects, and the reconstruction of vicinal Si(100) surfaces during atomic H bombardment, were investigated and analyzed. The reasons for the sharp reduction in dislocation density were investigated by making cross-sectional and plan-view transmission electron microscopic observations, and by analyzing the growth kinetics.

Y.Okada, H.Shimomura, M.Kawabe: Journal of Applied Physics, 1993, 73[11], 7376-84