Shape, size evolution and nucleation mechanisms of GaAs nanoislands grown on (111)Si by low temperature metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

The shape, size evolution, and nucleation mechanisms of GaAs nanoislands grown at 400 degrees C on As-stabilized (111)Si by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy are reported for the first time. GaAs crystallizes in the zincblende phase in the very early nucleation stages until a continuous epilayer is formed. GaAs nanoislands grow (111)-oriented on Si as truncated hexagonal pyramids, bound by six equivalent {120} side facets and a (111) facet at the top. Their diameter and height appear to increase linearly with the deposition time, yielding a constant aspect ratio of similar to 1/4. The nanoisland density (before coalescence) stays constant with time at similar to 2 x 10^(10) cm(-2), suggesting that the nucleation occurs at specific Si surface sites (defects) during the very early growth stages, rather than being due to the continuous formation of new nuclei. To understand the molecular-level mechanisms driving the low-temperature MOVPE growth of GaAs on Si, we applied a deposition-diffusion-aggregation (DDA) nucleation model, which predicts a linear evolution of the overall GaAs growth rate with surface coverage, in good agreement with experimental observations, under the assumption that direct impingement of trimethylgallium (Me3Ga) molecules onto the nanoisland surface dominates the material nucleation and growth rate; the contribution of Me3Ga adsorbed onto the As-stabilized (111)Si is negligible, pointing out the reduced reactivity of the Si surface (As passivation). Our DDA model allows estimation of the effective reactive sticking coefficient of Me3Ga onto GaAs, which is equal to 2.82 X 10^(-5) : the small value is compatible with the Me3Ga large steric hindrance and the competitive role of methyl radicals in surface adsorption at low temperature.