Role of the substrate imperfections on the island nucleation and defect formation: case of GaSb/GaAs(001)

We have used the kinetic Monte Carlo technique to reproduce some features of 3D growth with experimental reference to the case of GaSb/GaAs(001). We have shown that step edges can act as preferential sites for the nucleation of misfit dislocations. We have observed that their nucleation is anisotropic with respect to [110] and [1−10] orientation of step edges. Finally, introducing second neighbour interactions, we have shown that kinks act as preferential sites for island nucleation.