Misfit dislocations which were generated by inhomogeneous sources, in strained-layer heterostructures that had been grown by means of molecular beam epitaxy, were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and lift-off techniques. The inhomogeneous sources were suggested to be particles. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the critical thicknesses for misfit dislocation generation from inhomogeneous sources were the same as those for generation from pre-existing threading dislocations. Each inhomogeneous source could generate a number of misfit dislocations. It was concluded that the inhomogeneous sources were a prime source of misfit dislocations.

J.Zou, D.J.H.Cockayne, J.J.Russell-Harriott: Applied Physics Letters, 1997, 70[23], 3134-6