Ordering of germanium islands in the Si1-xGex/Si system pre-structured by misfit dislocations

We have investigated the ordering of germanium islands on a relaxed uniform Si0.84Ge0.16 buffer layer by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A pronounced ordering with the islands situated along dislocation slip band lines was observed. The resemblance of this ordering to the ordering obtained with compositionally graded buffer layers is discussed.

Finally, the relaxed uniform Si0.84Ge0.16 buffer layer structures are used ro investigate the kinetics of the ordering of the islands, either by changing the amount of deposited material or by changing the deposition temperature and exposing the islands to different annealing conditions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.