Control of surface defects in zinc blende MgS grown by MBE

► MBE growth of thick ZB MgS has been investigated using AFM, XRI, XRD and RHEED. ► The thickest ZB MgS layers grown to date at 200 nm have been produced. ► The formation and density of two different types of pits with respect to Mg BEP have been studied. ► Effect of the addition of a ZnSe/MgS smoothing layer has been investigated.