Distribution of dislocation density in deformed polycrystals

Dislocation density fluctuations over randomly oriented crystals are reliably distinguishable against the Poisson noise background. A systematic reduction of fluctuations is observed with increasing order in crystal orientations.     

X-ray diffraction study and quantitative measurements of high dislocation densities in superlattices and single crystal layers of heteroepitaxial systems with pronounced lattice mismatch

Plastic deformation in a single-crystal layer of the In_0.12Ga_0.88As/(111)InP solid solution is identified by the methods of X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and the double-crystal pseudorocking curves (DCPRC). X-ray topographs showed the generation of three intersecting systems of straight dislocations in the layer. In a one-layer ZnSe/GaAs structure and multilayer ZnSe/ZnSe_{1 − x} S_x/ZnSe/GaAs structures, the elastic and plastic strains were detected by the combined XRD-DCPRC method. The major components of the thermoelastic and plastic-deformation tensors were determined as ε_xx = ε_yy = 3.5 × 10⁻³ and ε_zz = 2.35 × 10⁻³. Using these data, the dislocation densities were determined as N _d ∼ 2.5 × 10⁸ cm⁻² and N _d ∼ 3 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻² for the 7 μm-thick ZnSe and 1 μm-thick InAs layers, respectively. In a superlattice of the Al_xGa_{1 − x} As/GaAs/⋯/GaAs-type with a large lattice parameter, the plastic deformation was detected. X-ray topography confirmed that the dislocation density in this superlattice equals ∼10⁵ cm⁻². __________ Translated from Kristallografiya, Vol. 45, No. 2, 2000, pp. 326–331. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2000 by Kuznetsov.     

Nature,origin and effect of dislocations in epitaxial semiconductor layers

The paper is concerned with the manner in which dislocations in Group 3–5 compound epitaxial layer structures are generated, propagate and interact with one another. The different types of epitaxial layer and dislocation behaviour are initially reviewed. The examination methods used are based on electron microscopy. The TEM is used in conjunction with plan-view, cross-section, and angle-lap specimens to determine the detailed nature and three-dimensional distribution of the dislocations. The SEM EBIC and CL methods are used with bulk specimens to obtain electrical and luminescent information. In particular, the latter methods give micrograph-type images showing dark spots and lines corresponding to individual dislocations, the contrast arising because of electrical carrier recombination taking place at the dislocations. These methods are used to investigate the dislocation behaviours occurring in a wide range of specimens including homo- and hetero-epitaxial layers, and embracing small, medium and large mismatches. An attempt is made to obtain quantitative data concerning the processes occurring. The work has provided a better understanding in many instances, and sometimes allowed the occurrence of the dislocations to be better controlled. An example is given of the application of the results to the improvement in the quality of a GaAs transmission photocathode device-type structure.     

Evolution of dislocation structures in a crystal under deformation

The system of equations describing the dislocation kinetics which provides plastic deformation in fcc and bcc metal crystals over a wide range of temperatures and stresses has been studied. The general types of solution and the two-parameter diagram of solution bifurcation are obtained as functions of stresses and temperatures. The diagrams of various types of solution are compared with the diagram of experimentally observed dislocation structures.     

Formation of dislocation structure in silicon layers on non-orienting substrates

A dislocation structure of Si layers crystallized from a floating grain on quartz glass and mullite ceramics substrates has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) including the high-voltage one. The effect of the layer orientation on the crystallographic features of dislocation distribution and brittle fracture in Si-SiO₂ system has been considered. The dislocation structure is proved to form mainly at temperatures lower than 0.8 of absolute melting temperature (T_m) of Si. Dislocation sources are located inside the crystallizable layer, and they are dislocations appearing from grain as well as the dislocation bundles near the interface. The cross slip of screws plays an essential role in dislocation multiplication. The difference of thermal expansion coefficients of the layer and substrate determines the finite dislocation density near the interface and in the bulk of the layer.     

Dislocation density in heteroepitaxial indium arsenide layers

In As layers have been grown by CVD on (111)B-oriented GaAs substrates. The dislocation density (N_D) distribution through the layer thickness has been studied. N_D is dependent on the mole fraction of AsCl₃ in the gaseous phase and, consequently, on the current carriers concentration. This results in the supposition that the decreasing of N_D in the layers after a “critical” thickness is due to the “pinning” of dislocations at impurity atoms which form stronger bonds with the host In or As atoms than the bond In–As, an effect which is known for bulk GaAs and InP crystals.     

Screw dislocation core structure and plastic deformation of BCC Metals

The core structure and an energy distribution around a screw dislocation core in model bcc lattice have been investigated in both unstressed and stressed states to clarify the controlling factors which determines the core type and the shape of PEIERLS potential. In the case of iron total four types of core structure were obtained, namely, unpolarized, polarized, split and high energy position and the shape of PEIERLS potential was so-called camel hump type which gives a steadfast explanation for the presence of a hump on the yield stress — temperature curve of iron single crystal. The calculated results for the spatial distribution of the PEIERLS potential around a core show that the range of distribution is relatively small in the low PEIERLS stress case (iron), but is large in high PEIERLS stress case (vanadium).     

X-ray trajectories in crystals with x-depending deformation gradients

Based on the Eikonal theory analytical solutions of the trajectory-equation were calculated for some special x-depending deformation gradients, where x shows in the direction of the diffraction vector. For the discussion deformation gradients are chosen which are similar to those in crystals with varying concentrations of impurity atoms. The calculated trajectories allow to obtain properties of section- and traverse-topographs.     

Determination of the inhomogeneous dislocation density in a crystallographic texture

Diffraction analysis of the mixed dislocation structure of a polycrystal with an orthorhombic texture is reported. A significant difference in the dislocation densities in the texture components of cold-deformed low-carbon steel has been revealed.     

Effect of buffer layers on the dislocation structure of heteroepitaxial systems

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as X-ray topography (XRT) and X-ray diffractometry have been used for investigation of the structure of the LPE heteroepitaxial system In_0.05Ga_0.95As-In_yGa_1−yAs_1−xP_x-GaAs(111) A. A critical value of the lattice misfit has been shown to exist at the metallurgical boundary ((Δa/a)* ≈ 10⁻³) which results in the change of the film nucleation and growth mechanism as well as the change of misfit dislocations (MDs) generation mechanism. With (Δa/a)₀ > (Δa/a)* the nucleation and growth mechanism is mixed: island growth at the first stages of growth and layer-by-layer growth at large thicknesses. MDs are created in an “island film” developing a non-ordered dislocation network. The density of threading dislocations (N_d) is ∼ 10⁸ cm⁻². With (Δa/a)₀ < (Δa/a)* there is layer-by-layer mechanism of film's nucleation and growth from the very first stages of crystallization. MDs are injected into continuous layer along the inclined slip planes {111}, thus forming a regular three-dimensional grid of MDs. N_d is less than 10⁶ cm⁻² in the case. A model of dislocation structure formation in heterolayers has been proposed. Within the frame of this model the two critical values of phosphorus concentration in the quaternary melt have been quantitatively determined. These are corresponding to the change of MD generation mechanism. The expected values of N_d for (Δa/a)₀ > (Δa/a)* and (Δa/a)₀ < (Δa/a)* have been theoretically determined.     

Growth of GaN single crystals with extremely low dislocation density by two-step dislocation reduction

We have discovered a mechanism which can significantly reduce the dislocation density during the growth of GaN single crystals in the Na flux method. The significant reduction of the dislocation density occurs in the later stage of LPE growth, rather than solely at the seed-LPE interface for which we have already reported evidence indicating the presence of bundling dislocations. The two-step dislocation reduction is the key in achieving extremely low dislocation density using this method.     

The strain energy density of cubic epitaxial layers

We obtain a compact exact expression for the strain energy density of a cubic epitaxial medium in the limit of linear elasticity theory. Only the result for 001 is identical to the isotropic case: the greatest departure from isotropic theory occurs for 111. We have evaluated this difference for a large number of cubic media and have obtained an estimate of its impact on epilayer critical thickness t_c for [001] oriented growth. We suggest that it tends to lower t_c for [001] oriented growth relative to that given by isotropic theory: by 15%–30% for common semiconductors and by up to a factor of 3 for metals.     

Broadening of X-ray diffraction lines of crystals containing dislocation distributions

The first part of the paper deals with a brief review over the present stage of the (kinematical) theory of the broadening of X-ray diffraction lines of crystals containing dislocation distributions. In the second part experiments of X-ray line broadening of plastically deformed Cu and NaCl single crystals are reported by which the validity of the theoretical approaches are tested. It is shown that values of the dislocation density and the elastically stored energy derived from broadened X-ray diffraction lines agree well with corresponding data obtained by other experimental techniques.     

X-ray diffraction in thick perfect crystals with deformed subsurface layers

The diffraction of X-rays in thick perfect crystals with deformed subsurface layers has been investigated. It was shown that the kinematic scattering of X-rays took place in deformed layers, while the dynamical one occurred in the perfect part of the crystal, -its bulk; also, that in beams of X-rays diffracted on surface defects, the role played by the second harmonics of the applied characteristic radiation MoKα₁ was essential.     

Structural characterization of quantum-well layers by double-crystal X-ray diffractometry

It is demonstrated that double-crystal X-ray diffractometry, which has been known for more than 50 years, is a powerful tool for the characterization of modern materials used in microelectronics and nanoelectronics that makes it possible to thoroughly investigate very thin layers and interfaces of nanometer sizes in complex heterostructures. The physical and mathematical principles of this method are analyzed, and the most prominent examples of its application are given. It is established that, in a number of cases, quantum-layer displacements as small as several hundredths of a nanometer can be reliably determined in heterostructures.     

The features of X-ray topographic contrast formation in silicon with dislocation clusters

The features of formation of diffraction images of edge dislocation sets forming clusters (of two, three and more dislocations) as well as small-angle dislocation boundaries (walls) have been studied. A variety of diffraction effects of wave fields created in strongly distorted crystals regions along dislocation lines have been observed. Various intensity interference effects of rescattering and internal reflection of the newly formed and already existing wave fields on thickness distributions of intensity for the case of presence in the same glide plane of edge dislocations with parallel and anti-parallel Burgers vectors were discovered.