Abstract
Crystal growth of III-V semiconductors has been extensively studied. Some of growth technologies have been well developed. Thus, the article here focuses on currently interested subjects of III-V semiconductor crystal growth: self-assembled quantum structure, stacked layers of quantum structure, surfactant effects, and narrow band crystal for an infrared wavelength region. The quantum structures are naturally formed with Stranski-Krastanov growth mode, composition inhomogeneity, and/or mutual diffusion. The nucleation points of quantum dots must be controlled for device applications. They have been well controlled with the nanoscaled mask by scanning tunneling microscope or lithography. The surfactant is very useful means for the surface atomic arrangement and then thickness increase of flat layer, promotion of island formation, suppression of spontaneous ordering, and the likes. A large lattice mismatch causes the difficulty in growing a narrow band semiconductors on GaAs substrate. Two step growth, as a buffer layer is grown prior to a regular epitaxial growth, has improved quality of the epitaxial layer. III-V semiconductors are now expanding their device application fields year by year and are inevitable materials in microwave- and opto-electronics.
