Collective Shape Oscillations of SiGe Islands on Pit-Patterned Si(001) Substrates: A Coherent-Growth Strategy Enabled by Self-Regulated Intermixing

J. J. Zhang, F. Montalenti, A. Rastelli, N. Hrauda, D. Scopece, H. Groiss, J. Stangl, F. Pezzoli, F. Schäffler, O. G. Schmidt, L. Miglio, and G. Bauer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 166102 – Published 12 October 2010
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Abstract

The shape of coherent SiGe islands epitaxially grown on pit-patterned Si(001) substrates displays very uniform collective oscillations with increasing Ge deposition, transforming cyclically between shallower “dome” and steeper “barn” morphologies. Correspondingly, the average Ge content in the alloyed islands also displays an oscillatory behavior, superimposed on a progressive Si enrichment with increasing size. We show that such a growth mode, remarkably different from the flat-substrate case, allows the islands to keep growing in size while avoiding plastic relaxation.

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  • Received 26 May 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.166102

© 2010 The American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

J. J. Zhang1,*, F. Montalenti2, A. Rastelli3, N. Hrauda1, D. Scopece3, H. Groiss1, J. Stangl1, F. Pezzoli3, F. Schäffler1, O. G. Schmidt3, L. Miglio2, and G. Bauer1

  • 1Institut für Halbleiter-und Festkörperphysik, Universität Linz, A-4040 Linz, Austria
  • 2L-NESS and Materials Science Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, I-20125 Milano, Italy
  • 3Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, IFW Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany

  • *j.zhang@ifw-dresden.de

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Vol. 105, Iss. 16 — 15 October 2010

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