Tensile strain mapping in flat germanium membranes

Journal Article · Mon Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4874836· OSTI ID:22267707

Halpin, J. E.; Myronov, M.; Patchett, D. H.; Allred, P. S.; Wilson, N. R.; Leadley, D. R. ^[1]; Shah, V. A. ^[1]; Kachkanov, V.; Dolbnya, I. P. ^[2]; Reparaz, J. S. ^[3]; Sotomayor Torres, C. M. ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)
2. Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE (United Kingdom)
3. ICN2 - Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona) (Spain)

Scanning X-ray micro-diffraction has been used as a non-destructive probe of the local crystalline quality of a thin suspended germanium (Ge) membrane. A series of reciprocal space maps were obtained with ∼4 μm spatial resolution, from which detailed information on the strain distribution, thickness, and crystalline tilt of the membrane was obtained. We are able to detect a systematic strain variation across the membranes, but show that this is negligible in the context of using the membranes as platforms for further growth. In addition, we show evidence that the interface and surface quality is improved by suspending the Ge.

• OSTI ID: 22267707
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 17; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
GERMANIUM
MEMBRANES
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION