Existence and atomic arrangement of microtwins in CdTe epilayers grown on GaAs (211) B substrates

Selected area electron diffraction pattern (SADP) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements were carried out to investigate the existence and the atomic arrangement of microtwins in CdTe epilayers grown on GaAs (211) B substrates by using molecular beam epitaxy. The SADP results showed that an epitaxial relationship between the CdTe epilayer and the GaAs substrate was formed. The lattice of the CdTe (211) tilts about 2° with respect to the GaAs (211) B substrate about the CdTe [110]∥GaAs [110] common zone axis. The HRTEM images showed that microtwins were formed in the CdTe epilayers. A possible atomic arrangement of the microtwins is presented on the basis of the HRTEM result. The present observations can help to improve understanding of the microstructural properties in CdTe epilayers grown on GaAs substrates.