Scanning tunnelling microscopy was used to study misfit dislocation-induced lattice distortions of the epilayer in InAs thin films which had been grown onto GaAs(110). Two-dimensional islands with a regular size were observed in the first 2 monolayers. Interfacial misfit dislocations were revealed in the images by an array of dark lines, and appeared following the coalescence of the 2-dimensional islands. The growth mode remained 2-dimensional at all coverages, and the vertical contrast of the lines decreased with film thickness. The surface contrast could be explained by classical elasticity theory only if the properties of a thin InAs film with an exposed surface were considered.

J.G.Belk, J.L.Sudijono, X.M.Zhang, J.H.Neave, T.S.Jones, B.A.Joyce: Physical Review Letters, 1997, 78[3], 475-8