It was found, by carrying out atomic-scale growth simulations of an (001)-β2(2 x 4) surface, that the density of double As dimers evolved in parallel with the observed specular-reflection high-energy electron-diffraction intensities. It was also noted that the step density did not oscillate during growth. Structural transitions of growing islands, from a non-(2 x 4) structure to the β2(2 x 4) structure, could be detected in situ by means of specular reflection high-energy electron-diffraction observations. Fast and slow recovery processes after growth interruption were identified with the incorporation of Ga adatoms into surface structures, and with the phase ordering of various domains consisting of the β2(2 x 4) structure, respectively.

Relevance of Surface Reconstruction to Specular RHEED Intensity on GaAs(001). M.Itoh, T.Ohno: Physical Review B, 2000, 62[11], 7219-28