D(A) steps and 2D islands of double layer height in the SiGe(001) system

The surfaces of step graded, partially relaxed Si(1-x)Ge(x)/Si(001) buffers were studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. The surface slips along <110> forming the crosshatch pattern, consisting of bunches of D(A) steps of double layer height. The D(A) steps are present in regions of large surface gradients close to the slips, as well as in planar regions between the slips. These regions are also characterized by the appearance of 2D islands of double layer height. The observations can be explained by assuming the strain due to the misfit dislocations to be locally anisotropic. Anisotropic misfit strain and efficient strain relaxation by the ( 2x8) Ge reconstruction were identified as the main factors causing the unusual step structure.     

Ge/Pb/Si(111)生长中Ge原子沿团簇边缘扩散的三维Monte-Carlo模拟

用动态Monte-Carlo方法对Ge在单层表面活性剂Pb覆盖的Si(111)表面上沿团簇边缘扩散进行三维模拟.重点讨论Ge原子是否沿团簇边缘扩散,沿边缘扩散时的最大扩散步数及最近邻原子数对三维生长的影响,并计算薄膜表面粗糙度研究三维生长模式.模拟表明Ge沿团簇边缘扩散的行为对薄膜生长模式的影响很大,同时讨论了ES势对三维生长模式的影响.     

Photoemission studies of the surfactant-aided growth of Ge on Te-terminated Si(100)

The interactions of Ge adatoms with a Si(100) surface terminated by an ordered layer of Te have been studied in detail using XPS, SXPS, STM and LEED. It has been demonstrated that the Te layer has a surfactant action on the growth mode of the Ge in that the two dimensional growth regime is extended to at least 200 Å and the Te is seen to segregate to the growing Ge surface. The surface reconstruction of the Ge layer changes from (1 × 1) in the initial stages to (2 × 2) as growth proceeds and the surface population of Te is reduced. SXPS line shape analysis has indicated that the initial stages of Ge incorporation are characterised by the formation of small islands above those surface Si sites not fully coordinated with Te. Continued growth of such islands is, however, restricted due to their high surface free energy with respect to the surrounding Te-terminated areas. Ge atoms therefore site-exchange with Te atoms in bridge sites, thus becoming incorporated onto the Si lattice and displacing the Te to bridge sites on the growing surface. In this manner islanding is prevented and two-dimensional growth continues beyond the critical thickness. No evidence is seen for any significant incorporation of the Te within the growing Ge layer.     

Pathway for the strain-driven two-dimensional to three-dimensional transition during growth of Ge on Si(001)

The two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) morphological transition in strained Ge layers grown on Si(001) is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy. The initial step takes place via the formation of 2D islands which evolve into small ( approximately 180 A) 3D islands with a height to base diameter ratio of approximately 0.04, much smaller than the 0.1 aspect ratio of 105-faceted pyramids which had previously been assumed to be the initial 3D islands. The "prepyramid" Ge islands have rounded bases with steps oriented along <110> and exist only over a narrow range of Ge coverages, 3.5-3.9 monolayers.     

Direct evidence for Ge preferential growth at steps and out-of-phase boundaries of (7 × 7) domains on Si(111) in solid phase epitaxy

Ge solid phase epitaxy on a Si(111) surface has been directly observed by secondary electron surface microscopy which is based on scanning electron microscopy. Ge island formation initially occurs at steps and out-of-phase boundaries of (7 × 7) domains. These results confirm the origin of previously reported mesh patterns of Ge islands grown on Si(111).     

溅射沉积自诱导混晶界面与Ge量子点的生长研究

在不同的沉积温度下采用离子束溅射技术,在Si基底上生长得到分布密度高、尺寸单模分布的圆顶形Ge量子点.研究发现:随沉积温度的升高Ge量子点的分布密度增大,尺寸减小,当沉积温度升高到750 ℃时,溅射沉积15个单原子层厚的Ge原子层,生长得到高度和底宽分别为14.5和52.7 nm的Ge量子点,其分布密度高达1.68×10¹⁰ cm^-2;Ge量子点的形貌、尺寸和分布密度随沉积温度的演变规律与热平衡状态下气相凝聚的量子点不同,具有稳定形状特征和尺寸分布的Ge量子点是 关键词： Ge量子点 离子束溅射沉积 表面原子行为 混晶界面     

Growth mechanism and morphology of Ge on Pb covered Si(111) surfaces

We study the mechanism and surface morphology in epitaxial growth of Ge on Pb covered Si(111) using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). We find that Ge adatoms have a very large diffusion length at room temperature. The growth is close to perfect layer-by-layer for the first two bilayers. Surface roughness increases gradually with the film thickness, but no 3D islands are found at room temperature. For growth at 200°C, 3D Ge islands appear after completion of the second bilayer. At room temperature, we believe, the Pb layer enhances surface diffusion and the descending-step motion of Ge adatoms, but the ascending-step motion is hindered and thus 3D island growth is suppressed.     

Ge在Si(111)7×7表面的选择性吸附

利用超高真空扫描隧道显微镜研究了室温条件下Ge在Si(111)7×7表面上初期吸附过程.在Ge所形成团簇中存在一个临界核.这些Ge团簇的吸附中心总是在三个增原子所围成的区域中.它们的电子结构具有类似半导体的性质,即其局域态密度在远离费米面的能级处很大,而在费米面附近的能级处非常小. 关键词： 扫描隧道显微镜 Si(111)7×7表面 Ge团簇     

Features of atomic processes at the formation of a wetting layer and nucleation of three-dimensional Ge islands on Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces

The intermediate stages of the formation of a Ge wetting layer on Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces under quasiequilibrium grow conditions have been studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The redistribution of Ge atoms and relaxation of mismatch stresses through the formation of surface structures of decreased density and faces different from the substrate orientation have been revealed. The sites of the nucleation of new three-dimensional Ge islands after the formation of the wetting layer have been analyzed. Both fundamental differences and common tendencies of atomic processes at the formation of wetting layers on Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces have been demonstrated. The density of three-dimensional nuclei on the Si(111) surface is determined by changed conditions for the surface diffusion of Ge adatoms after change in the surface structure. Transition to three-dimensional growth on the Si(100) surface is determined by the nucleation of single {105} faces on the rough Ge(100) surface.     

A channeled ion energy loss study of the surfactant-mediated growth of Ge on Si(100)

Scattered ion energy distribution for the system Sb/Ge/Si(100) are studied using transmission ion channeling. One monolayer (ML) of Sb was deposited on the clean Si(100) surface prior to deposition of one ML of Ge at 350°C. Experimental energy distributions for the <100>, {110}, and “random” directions are compared with simulated energy distributions obtained by overlapping trial absorbate positions (relative to bulk positions) with ion positions in the channel at the beam-exit surface. Ion positions and energies are calculated via a Monte Carlo simulation of channeling that incorporates a model for channeled ion energy loss. We find that the energy distributions clearly show that the surfactant, Sb, moves to the surface upon Ge deposition at 350°C. Further, our results are consistent with the sites recently reported by Grant et al. [Surf. Sci. 316 (1994) L1088], for Sb deposited on Ge/Si(100), namely, tilted Sb dimers on Ge asymmetrically displaced from bulk sites.     

Effect of chemical surface treatments on interfacial and electrical characteristics of atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 films on Ge substrates

The Ge surfaces were cleaned and passivated by two kinds of chemical pretreatments: conventional combination of HF + (NH₄)₂S, and new one of HBr + (NH₄)₂S. The chemical states and stability at passivated Ge surfaces were carefully characterized. The influence of chemical surface treatments on the interface and electrical properties of Al₂O₃ gate dielectric films on Ge grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been investigated deeply. It is found that the combination of HBr and (NH₄)₂S can remove more Ge-O bonds on the Ge surface compared to that of conventional HF and (NH₄)₂S with excellent stability. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that HBr and (NH₄)₂S treated Ge surface has a mixture states of GeO_x (9.25%) and GeS (7.40%) while HF and (NH₄)₂S treated Ge surface has a mixture states of GeO_x (16.45%) and GeS (3.37%). And the Ge-S peak from the surface of Ge substrates decreases a little after the HBr and (NH₄)₂S treated Ge surface was exposed in the ambient for 300 min, which suggests the Ge surface is stable to oxidants. The Al₂O₃ films on HBr and (NH₄)₂S treated Ge substrates exhibits better electrical properties such as large capacitance, decreased leakage current density by ∼two orders of magnitude, and less C-V hysteresis. This indicates that a reduction in charge traps possibly at the interface and more interface traps are terminated by sulfur. The surface treatment of HBr and (NH₄)₂S seems to be very promising in improving the quality of high-k gate stack on Ge substrates.     

Orientation dependence of the surface segregation kinetics in Cu-6 at % Ge alloy

The surface segregation kinetics of germanium on the (110), (111), and (100) faces of Cu-6 at % Ge alloy has been investigated in the temperature range of 525–700 K by electron spectroscopy. In the initial annealing stage, Ge is accumulated on the surface, forming a phase similar to a supersaturated solid solution. When the Ge concentration reaches 25–40 at % (depending on the face), it forms well-ordered 2D phases, whose structure is determined by the face orientation. In the surface region the bulk diffusion parameters exhibit anisotropy; the Ge diffusion activation energy is minimum near the (110) face.     

An in-situ study of structure and magnetic properties of Fe films on the sulphur passivated Ge(100) surface at 150°C

Ultra-thin Fe films have been grown on the sulphur passivated Ge(100) surface at 150°C. The growth, structure and the magnetic properties of the thin films were studied with LEED, AES, angle resolved AES and in-situ magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements. For the first five monolayers of Fe, no long-range order was observed . However, angle resolved AES data suggest that local order occurs with a small fraction of the Fe atoms adsorbed on bcc sites. For thicker Fe films, the growth becomes ordered. A comparison of the present study and with a previous study of the growth of Fe on sputter cleaned Ge(100)(2×1) surface, shows that sulphur passivation effectively prevents Fe–Ge intermixing. During the Fe deposition process, most of the sulphur atoms migrate to the growing surface, thus acting as surfactants. The presence of sulphur at the surface also affects the growth and magnetic properties of the thin films.     

Effect of Ge surface termination on oxidation behavior

Sulfur-termination was formed on the Ge(1 0 0) surface using (NH₄)₂S solution. Formation of Ge-S and the oxidation of the S-terminated Ge surface were monitored with multiple internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the 0.5, 5, or 20% (NH₄)₂S solution, H-termination on the Ge(1 0 0) surface was substituted with S-termination in 1 min. When the S-terminated Ge(1 0 0) surface was exposed in air ambient, the oxidation was retarded for about 3600 min. The preservation time of the oxide layer up to one monolayer of S-terminated Ge(1 0 0) surface was about 120 times longer than for the H-terminated Ge(1 0 0) surface. However, the oxidation of S-terminated Ge(1 0 0) surface drastically increased after the threshold time. There was no significant difference in threshold time between S-terminations formed in 0.5, 5, and 20% (NH₄)₂S solutions. With the surface oxidation, desorption of S on the Ge surface was observed. The desorption behavior of sulfur on the S-terminated Ge(1 0 0) surface was independent of the concentration of the (NH₄)₂S solution that forms S-termination. Non-ideal S-termination on Ge surfaces may be related to drastic oxidation of the Ge surface. Finally, with the desulfurization on the S-terminated Ge(1 0 0) surface, oxide growth is accelerated.     

SiH4 adsorption on SiGe(0 0 1)

The adsorption process of silane (SiH₄) on a SiGe(0 0 1) surface has been investigated by using infrared absorption spectroscopy in a multiple internal reflection geometry. We have observed that SiH₄ dissociatively adsorbs on a SiGe(0 0 1) surface at room temperature to generate Si and Ge hydrides. The dissociation of Si- and Ge-hydride species is found to strongly depend on the Ge concentration of the SiGe crystal. At a low Ge concentration of 9%, Si monohydride (SiH) and dihydride (SiH₂) are preferentially produced as compared to the higher Si hydride, SiH₃. At higher Ge concentrations of 19%, 36%, on the other hand, monohydrides of SiH and GeH and trihyderide SiH₃ are favorably generated at the initial stage of the adsorption. We interpret that when SiH₄ adsorbs on the SiGe surface, hydrogen atoms released from the SiH₄ molecule stick onto Ge or Si sites to produce Si or Ge monohydrides and the remaining fragments of -SiH₃ adsorb both on Si and Ge sites. The SiH₃ species is readily decomposed to lower hydrides of SiH and SiH₂ by releasing H atoms at low Ge concentrations of 0% and 9%, while the decomposition is suppressed by Ge in cases of 19% and 36%.     

LEED investigation of germanium surfaces cleaned by sublimation of sulphide films; structural transitions on clean Ge(110) surface

Sublimation of deposited germanium sulphide films at the temperatures as low as 350°C results in the appearance of LEED patterns of clean surfaces of germanium. In the interface between Ge(111) or Ge(110) and germanium sulphide, ordered structures are observed, namely Ge(111)?(2 × 1)S and Ge(110)?(10 × 5)S. The conclusion about the structure of the Ge(100) germanium sulphide interface cannot be made unambiguously. The structures of clean Ge(110) surfaces are described. The annealing of clean surfaces of Ge(110) at different temperatures leads to the formation of one of two possible surface structures. After annealing at temperatures below 380°C and above 430°C the Ge(110)?c(8 × 10) clean superstructure is observed. After annealing at temperatures from 380 up to 430°C the surface (110) is rearranged in vicinal planes of the (17 15 1) type with the (2 × 1) superstructure. These structures undergo reversible transitions from one to another at temperatures of about 380 and 430°C.     

Structure determination of Pb/Ge(111)-β-(√3 × √3)R30° by dynamical low-energy electron diffraction analysis and first-principles calculation

We have determined the atomic structure of the Pb/Ge(111)-β-(√3 × √3)R30° surface, which was shown to exhibit a large Rashba spin splitting in a metallic surface state by dynamical low-energy electron diffraction analysis. The Pb coverage for the optimized atomic structure is 4/3 with one Pb atom located at every third H(3) site of the bulk-truncated Ge(111) surface and the other three near the T(1) sites but slightly displaced towards the T(4) sites. The determined atomic structure agrees well with the energetically optimized one obtained from the first-principles calculation. The calculation also revealed that the potential for the Pb atoms on the H(3) sites is very soft along the surface normal, suggesting that their vertical position is distributed within a range of about 0.2-0.3 ?. The previously proposed phase transition associated with the surface melting is discussed.     

Novel sb induced reconstruction of the (113) surface of ge

Sb induces on Ge(113) a c(2 x 2) reconstruction in which Sb breaks one Ge-Ge bond and occupies an interstitial site, in contrast to Sb adsorption on other Si or Ge surfaces. Sb saturates the three dangling bonds per unit cell of the (113) surface inducing a large strain which is released by occupation of the interstitial site. Two neighboring Sb at interstitial sites form a dimer. The structure has been determined by x-ray diffraction, applying direct methods, and ab initio density-functional-theory calculations. The adsorption geometry and the high binding energy lead one to expect that Sb cannot be used as a surfactant for the growth of Si/Ge layers on the (113) surface.     

Symmetry breaking in the growth of two-dimensional islands on Si(111)

We find that the shape of two-dimensional (2D) Si or Ge islands has a lower symmetry than the threefold symmetry of the underlying Si(111) substrate if Bi is used as a surfactant during growth. Arrow-shaped or rhomb-shaped 2D islands are observed by scanning tunneling microscopy. This symmetry breaking is explained by a mutual shift between the surface reconstructions present on the substrate and on the islands. Using the kinematic Wulff construction the growth velocities of the steps could be determined from the island shape if the nucleation center has been located by a marker technique.     

Nanowires and nanorings at the atomic level

The step-flow growth mode is used to fabricate Si and Ge nanowires with a width of 3.5 nm and a thickness of one atomic layer (0.3 nm) by self-assembly. Alternating deposition of Ge and Si results in the formation of a nanowire superlattice covering the whole surface. One atomic layer of Bi terminating the surface is used to distinguish between the elements Si and Ge. A difference in apparent height is measured in scanning tunneling microscopy images for Si and Ge. Also, different kinds of two-dimensional Si/Ge nanostructures like alternating Si and Ge nanorings having a width of 5-10 nm were grown.