An investigation was made of the effect of a thin low-temperature-grown ZnSe (LT-ZnSe) buffer layer in improving ZnSe crystallinity by inserting it between the high-temperature-grown ZnSe epilayer and the GaAs substrate. In particular, the density of stacking fault defects, which was normally observed in ZnSe-based films grown on GaAs substrate, could be well reduced by inserting a thin LT-ZnSe buffer layer. A ZnSe film with stacking fault densities as low as ~5.4 x 104/cm2 was obtained by growing on Zn exposed (2x4) As-stabilized surfaces of GaAs buffer layer with LT-ZnSe buffer, in contrast, ~7 x 108/cm2 was obtained by directly growing on GaAs substrate, that is, without Zn exposure, LT-ZnSe, and GaAs buffer layers.

Reduction of Stacking Faults in the ZnSe/GaAs Heterostructure with a Low-Temperature Grown ZnSe Buffer Layer. J.S.Song, D.C.Oh, H.Makino, T.Hanada, M.W.Cho, T.Yao, Y.G.Park, D.Shindo, J.H.Chang: Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, 2004, 22[2], 607-10