DEFECTS IN STRAINED LAYER SEMICONDUCTORS.

The improvement in vacuum deposition technologies such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has enabled the lattice-mismatched pseudomorphic growth of epitaxial systems. These strained layer systems allow for flexibility in tailoring semiconductor heterostructures for certain electronic band gaps. To the materials scientist, this means a wider choice of materials in band gap engineering. As in any engineering application of materials, defects play a major role in materials fabrication and device performance. This paper considers some of the unique features of defects in strained layer semiconductors - both process- and service-induced.