Characterization of GaSb/GaAs interfacial misfit arrays using x-ray diffraction

We report a nondestructive, large-area method to characterize dislocation formation at a highly lattice-mismatched interface. The analysis is based on x-ray diffraction and reciprocal space mapping using a standard, lab-based diffractometer. We use this technique to identify and analyze a two-dimensional array of 90 degrees misfit dislocations at a GaSb/GaAs interface. The full width at half maximum of the GaSb 004 reciprocal lattice point is shown to decrease with increasing GaSb epilayer thickness, as expected from theoretical models. Based on these measurements, the variation in the spatial dislocation frequency is calculated to be 1%. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3666234]