A method was presented, for measuring the mean free path of a laterally gliding threading dislocation, which was based upon the growth of lattice-mismatched epitaxial layers on patterned substrates. The method required no post-growth annealing, and permitted the accurate measurement of glide as it occurred during epitaxial growth. The method was applied to an InGaAs/GaAs heterostructure with a lattice mismatch of 0.5%. Mean free paths of 960 and 1000 were measured for -type and -type dislocations, respectively. It was concluded that the interaction of threading dislocations with clusters of misfit dislocations, and/or edge-type dislocations, was the main mechanism of glide-length attenuation.

M.J.Matragrano, D.G.Ast, G.P.Watson, J.R.Shealy: Journal of Applied Physics, 1996, 79[2], 776-80