Structures on heteroepitaxial layers of PbTe(111)-ON-Si with stepped submicron surface relief

Abstract

A metrological stepped surface with atomically smooth edges, the heights of which have a calibrated size that is a multiple of the height of one monolayer, was obtained by using the example of epitaxial layers of lead telluride with a sublayer of calcium fluoride on (111) single-crystalline silicon substrate. The morphology of the relief was studied using atomic force microscopy. An assessment was made of the stepped relief resulting from the occurrence of mechanical stresses at the «epitaxial layer-substrate» interface. It has been established that the side walls of the steps are cut along crystallographic planes belonging to the {100} set and the walls of the steps are inclined at angles of 54,7° and 144,7° to the plane of the base of the test sample. Recommendations are proposed for the use of calibration samples for a series of epitaxial layers of lead telluride to evaluate the instrumental function of probes.

Keywords

• scanning probe microscopy
• atomic force microscopy
• lead chalcogenides
• nanomaterials
• test sample