Morphology and microstructure of tensile-strained SiGe(001) thin epitaxial films

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1998 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.366799· OSTI ID:565665

Van Nostrand, J E; Cahill, D G; Petrov, I; Greene, J E ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science, and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

Tensile-strained Si{sub 0.6}Ge{sub 0.4} alloys are deposited on Ge(001) by molecular beam epitaxy. The morphology and microstructure of as-deposited (6.5{endash}130 nm thick deposited at 325{endash}500{degree}C) and annealed (2 min at 625 or 700{degree}C) epitaxial films are studied by {ital in situ} scanning tunneling microscopy, {ital ex situ} atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. 6.5 nm thick films deposited at 325 and 410{degree}C are atomically flat with low densities of partial dislocations; stress relaxation of 6.5 nm thick films is limited by dislocation blocking. The surface morphology of thicker films grown at 410{degree}C is strongly influenced by the interactions of stacking faults and surface steps. Annealing of 13 nm thick films at 700{degree}C produces a severe roughening with the formation of a regular pattern of 50 nm deep surface pits bounded by {l_brace}113{r_brace} facets. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 565665
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 83; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANNEALING
DISLOCATIONS
GERMANIUM SILICIDES
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MORPHOLOGY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
STACKING FAULTS
STRAINS
STRESS RELAXATION
TENSILE PROPERTIES
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY