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Solid phase epitaxy of stressed and stress-relaxed Ge-Si alloys

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.351212· OSTI ID:7207173
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States)
  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)

Solid phase epitaxy of 3500-A-thick Ge{sub {ital x}}Si{sub 1{minus}}{sub {ital x}} (0.04{le}{ital x}{le}0.12) films on (100) Si substrates has been investigated. The thickness of regrown layers increased linearly with annealing time in the temperature range of 475--575 {degree}C. The regrowth rates of stressed alloys were less than those of pure Si, while stress-relaxed alloys have larger rates than Si. The difference in regrowth rates was explained by the activation-strain tensor model (Aziz, Sabin, and Lu, to be published in Phys. Rev. B). The first element of the activation-strain tensor obtained in this experiment was in excellent agreement with that deduced by Aziz {ital et} {ital al}. For low Ge concentrations ({ital x}{lt}0.08), the recrystallized region was of good crystalline quality. However, threading dislocations were observed in a stressed Ge{sub 0.1}Si{sub 0.9} alloy after complete recrystallization. During the regrowth at 550 {degree}C, the Ge-Si alloy first regrew coherently up to 300 A, above which threading dislocations started to nucleate. On the other hand, no dislocations were detected in the regrown layer of a stress-relaxed Ge{sub 0.1}Si{sub 0.9} alloy sample.

DOE Contract Number:
FG03-84ER45156
OSTI ID:
7207173
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States) Vol. 71:4; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English