Effect of a Stepped Si(100) Surface on the Nucleation Process of Ge Islands

Abstract

Nucleation of Ge islands on a stepped Si(100) surface is studied. It is shown by diffraction of fast electrons that at a temperature of 600°C, constant flux of Si, and deposition rate of 0.652 Å/s, a series of the 1×2 superstructure reflections completely disappears, if the Si (100) substrate deviated by an angle of 0.35° to the (111) face is preliminarily heated to 1000°C. The disappearance of the 1×2 superstructure reflexes is due to the transition from the surface with monoatomic steps to that with diatomic ones. Investigations of the Ge islands’ growth were carried out on the Si(100) surface preliminarily annealed at temperatures of 800 and 1000°C. It is shown that the islands tend to nucleate at the step edges.