Brandt, O.O.BrandtCrook, G.G.CrookPloog, K.K.PloogBierwolf, R.R.BierwolfHohenstein, M.M.HohensteinMaier, M.M.MaierWagner, J.J.Wagner2022-03-032022-03-031993https://publica.fraunhofer.de/handle/publica/18330510.1143/JJAP.32.L24We study the structural properties of Si layers of different thickness (0.1-1.3 nm) inserted in GaAs by solidsource molecular beam epitaxy. Using high- resolution electron microscopy, we demonstrate that the Si nucleation on GaAs takes place via the formation of Si nanoclusters in a highly regular arrangement. Thicker films (several monolayers) are found to be partially intermixed with GaAs. This intermixing is caused by the segregation of a considerable fraction of the deposited Si during overgrowth, as observed by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Finally, we show that the strain relief of Si films on GaAs occurs at a thickness of about 1.2 nm via the generation of stacking faults, whereas complete dislocations are not detected.enGaAshigh-resolution electron microscopyhochauflösende Transmissionselektronenmikroskopiemolecular beam epitaxyMolekularstrahlepitaxiesecondary ion mass spectrometrySekundärionen-MassenspektroskopieSi621667530journal article