Influence of surfactant coverage on epitaxial growth of Ge on Si(001)

The growth of Ge on Si(001) at elevated temperatures has been monitored in real time using coaxial impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy in the presence of various constant coverages of surfactant, Bi or Sb, with thermal evaporation of the surfactant being compensated automatically. As the coverage of surfactant increases, the intermixing of Ge and Si is suppressed, the crystalline quality of the resulting Ge film is improved, and the nucleation and growth of macroscopic Ge islands is suppressed. © 1996 The American Physical Society.