Calculation of Misfit Dislocations and Dangling Bond Densities in Abrupt Hg1-xCdxTe Heterojunctions

Based on the classical theory of epitaxial crystal growth, the misfit dislocations and dangling bond densities of abrupt (111) Hg _{l- x}Cd_xTe heterojunctions have been calculated. It is assumed that the misfit between layers with compositions xi and x2 is accommodated by edge dislocations lying along the <111> directions. This is in agreement with recent experiments on the growth of Hg_l-xCd_xTe epitaxial layers. For the case where (x_{2 -x}1) >0.1 the dangling bond density is on the order of 10¹¹cm^-2. Such large dangling bond densities may produce high interface recombination velocities or band-bending at the interface.