MBE Growth and Characterization of Strained HgTe (111) Films on CdTe/GaAs*

Strained HgTe thin films are typical three-dimensional topological insulator materials. Most works have focused on HgTe (100) films due to the topological properties resulting from uniaxial strain. In this study, strained HgTe (111) thin films are grown on GaAs (100) substrates with CdTe (111) buffer layers using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The optimal growth conditions for HgTe films are determined to be a growth temperature of 160°C and an Hg/Te flux ratio of 200. The strains of HgTe films with different thicknesses are investigated by high-resolution x-ray diffraction, including reciprocal space mapping measurements. The critical thickness of HgTe (111) film on CdTe/GaAs is estimated to be approximately 284 nm by Matthews’ equations, consistent with the experimental results. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy investigations indicate that high-quality HgTe films are obtained. This exploration of the MBE growth of HgTe (111) films provides valuable information for further studies of HgTe-based topological insulators.