The influence of Ga-As-Te interfacial phases on the orientation of epitaxial CdTe on GaAs.

When CdTe is grown by molecular beam or organometallic vapor phase epitaxy on (100) GaAs, the layer can grow with either a (100) or (111) orientation. Rheed and Auger studies are presented here which imply that (111) growth is initiated by the formation of a Ga-As-Te surface phase which has elements of (111) symmetry. This layer is Te-poor. If a Te-rich layer is formed on the GaAs surface, the surface reverts to (100) symmetry, and the CdTe layer grows (100).