Lateral Motion of SiGe Islands Driven by Surface-Mediated Alloying

U. Denker, A. Rastelli, M. Stoffel, J. Tersoff, G. Katsaros, G. Costantini, K. Kern, N. Y. Jin-Phillipp, D. E. Jesson, and O. G. Schmidt
Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 216103 – Published 3 June 2005

Abstract

SiGe islands move laterally on a Si(001) substrate during in situ postgrowth annealing. This surprising behavior is revealed by an analysis of the substrate surface morphology after island removal using wet chemical etching. We explain the island motion by asymmetric surface-mediated alloying. Material leaves one side of the island by surface diffusion, and mixes with additional Si from the surrounding surface as it redeposits on the other side. Thus the island moves laterally while becoming larger and more dilute.

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  • Received 10 November 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.216103

©2005 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

U. Denker1,2, A. Rastelli1,*, M. Stoffel1, J. Tersoff3, G. Katsaros1, G. Costantini1, K. Kern1, N. Y. Jin-Phillipp4, D. E. Jesson2, and O. G. Schmidt1

  • 1Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstr. 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
  • 2School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
  • 3IBM Research Division, T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, USA
  • 4Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Heisenbergstr. 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany

  • *Electronic address: a.rastelli@fkf.mpg.de

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Vol. 94, Iss. 21 — 3 June 2005

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