A study was made, of epilayers of various thickness which had been grown by means of hot-wall epitaxy, using optical and X-ray rocking-curve methods. Samples of ZnTe were used which had been annealed in vacuum or in an As atmosphere, as well as free-standing ZnTe samples with the GaAs substrates removed. On the basis of the experimental results, a model for acceptor and strain distributions in ZnTe/GaAs epilayers was developed which involved 3 differently distributed acceptor types that originated from source contamination, from As atoms which diffused from the GaAs substrate, and from dislocation-related centers. A large relaxation of the thermally induced strain was observed with increasing layer thickness.

G.Kudlek, N.Presser, J.Gutowski, K.Hingerl, E.Abramof, A.Pesek, H.Pauli, H.Sitter: Journal of Crystal Growth, 1992, 117, 290-6