Preparation and structural properties of MgO films grown on GaAs substrate

Epitaxial MgO thin films have been grown on semiinsulating GaAs (0 0 1) substrates using electron beam (e-beam) evaporation. X-ray diffraction indicates c-axis oriented MgO with (0 0 2) reflection only and rocking curve widths ∼2.2–3°. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirm an epitaxial growth of the MgO films. We study the microstructure and the defects at the interface between the MgO film and the GaAs substrate. Auger electron Spectroscopy (AES) concentration depth profiles reveal no contamination of the MgO films by As and Ga at different temperatures of the deposition process.