Dislocation/stacking fault interactions and their effects on the hillock growth in epitaxial layers

InP homoepitaxial layers grown by the hydride VPE technique were investigated by electron microscopic methods. The defect structure was studied by varying the In/P ratio. For sufficient P supply only stacking faults and glide dislocations were found. Growth hillocks turn out to be essentially due to dislocation/stacking fault interactions which immobilize and concentrate the dislocations. Hillocks form at the captured dislocation via the faster spiral growth mechanism. Details of this hillock generation mechanism are discussed.