Two-dimensional X-ray diffraction characterization of (Zn,Cd,Mg)Se wurtzite layers grown on Bi2Se3

•ZnSe, ZnCdSe and ZnCdMgSe layers are grown on Bi2Se3/sapphire (0001) by MBE.•Structures are characterized using two dimensional-XRD technique (XRD2).•Different cubic and hexagonal planes of the (Zn,Cd,Mg)Se family are investigated.•II-VI layers form the wurtzite phase when grown on Bi2Se3-on-sapphire (0001).

ZnSe, Zn0.49Cd0.51Se and Zn0.23Cd0.25Mg0.52Se layers grown on Bi2Se3/sapphire (0001) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are characterized by two-dimensional X-ray diffraction. Pole figures are calculated for cubic and hexagonal planes of the (Zn,Cd,Mg)Se family and compared to their expected values. The targeted wurtzite plane was (11-22), while the cubic ones were the (220) and (311). The results show that, under our MBE growth conditions, ZnSe, Zn0.49Cd0.51Se and Zn0.23Cd0.25Mg0.52Se layers prefer to form the hexagonal (wurtzite) phase rather than the cubic one when grown on Bi2Se3/sapphire in (0001) direction. These results have implications for the next generation devices combining semiconductors and topological insulator materials.