Published in J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 21, 18 (2003).
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Images of III-V Semiconductor
Alloys: Strain Effects
H. A. McKay (a), Huajie Chen (a), R. M. Feenstra (a), and P.J. Poole (b)
(a)Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(b)Institute for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council
of Canada, Ottawa, K1A0R6, Canada
Abstract
Scanning tunneling microscope images of lattice-matched InGaAs/InP
structures were investigated using autocorrelation analysis.
Correlation lengths and correlation amplitudes were calculated from
constant-current empty-state images. Theoretical STM images were
calculated from a model which only considered surface displacements
due to strain relaxation. By comparing model and experimental
correlation lengths and amplitudes it is concluded that contrast
variations in constant-current images are dominated by strain
relaxation effects. Changes in probe tip geometry and applications of
this technique to study clustering in III-V alloys are also discussed.
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