Improvement in the crystallinity and electrical properties in Hg1-xCdxTe epilayers utilizing CdTe buffer layers grown on GaAs substrates by a two-step annealing process

High-quality Hg1-xCdxTe epilayers on CdTe buffer layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy using various growth methods. The reflection high-energy electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements showed that the crystallinity and electrical properties of the Hg1-xCdxTe epilayers grown on CdTe buffer layers deposited by using a two-step annealing growth method were improved. These results indicate that high-quality Hg1-xCdxTe films can be obtained by using CdTe buffer layers grown by the two-step. annealing growth method and that the grown Hg1-xCdxTe epilayers hold promise for potential applications in optoelectronic devices in the area of infrared detectors.