A. R. Tuktamyshev

Strained multilayer structures with pseudomorphic GeSiSn layers

The temperature and composition dependences of the critical thickness of the 2D–3D transition for a GeSiSn film on Si(100) have been studied. The regularities of the formation of multilayer structures with pseudomorphic GeSiSn layers directly on a Si substrate, without relaxed buffer layers, were investigated for the first time. The possibility of forming multilayer structures based on pseudomorphic GeSiSn layers has been shown and the lattice parameters have been determined using transmission electron microscopy. The grown structures demonstrate photoluminescence for Sn contents from 3.5 to 5% in GeSiSn layers.

Splitting of frequencies of optical phonons in tensile-strained germanium layers

Tensile-strained germanium films in Ge/GeSn/Si/GeSnSi multilayer heterostructures grown by molecularbeam epitaxy on Si(001) substrates are investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Biaxial tensile strains in the films reach 1.5%, which exceeds values previously obtained for this system. Splitting of frequencies of long-wavelength optical phonons is experimentally observed; i.e., the shift of the frequency of the singlet induced by biaxial tensile strains is larger than the shift of the frequency of the doublet in agreement with calculations. The strain-induced shift of Raman scattering peaks from two-phonon scattering in germanium is also detected.

Initial growth stages of Si–Ge–Sn ternary alloys grown on Si (100) by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy

Temperature dependence of the critical thickness of the transition from two-dimensional to threedimensional growth of the Ge1–5xSi4xSnx films grown on Si (100) by molecular-beam epitaxy in the temperature range 150–450°C has been experimentally determined. This dependence is nonmonotonic and is similar to that of the critical thickness for the transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional growth in the case of the deposition of pure Ge on Si (100) and is caused by a change in the mechanism of two-dimensional growth. Data on the average size and the density of islands, and the ratio between the height of the islands and their lateral size are obtained by the methods of atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. As the growth temperature is increased from 200 to 400°C, the average size of the nanoislands increases from 4.7 to 23.6 nm.

Formation of a Stepped Si(100) Surface and Its Effect on the Growth of Ge Islands

The transition from a two-domain to one-domain surface on a Si(100) substrate is investigated. It is demonstrated using reflection high-energy electron diffraction that at a temperature of 600°C and a deposition rate of 0.652 Å/s onto a Si(100) substrate pre-heated to 1000°C and inclined at an angle of 0.35°C to the plane, a series of reflections from the 1 × 2 superstructure completely vanishes at a constant flow of Si. This is attributed to the transition of the surface from monoatomic to diatomic steps. At growth rates lower than 0.652 Å/s, the transition from a two-domain to one-domain surface is also observed; with a decrease in the growth rate, the intensity ratio I2 × 1/I1 × 2 decreases and the maximum of the dependences shifts toward lower temperatures. The complete vanishing of the series of superstructural reflections after preliminary annealing at a temperature of 700°C is not observed; this series only vanishes after annealing at 900 and 1000°C. The growth of Ge islands on a Si(100) surface preliminary annealed at a temperature of 800°C is studied. It is shown that the islands tend to nucleate at the step edges. A mechanism of Ge island ordering on the Si(100) surface is proposed.

Valence-band offsets in strained SiGeSn/Si layers with different tin contents

Admittance spectroscopy is used to study hole states in Si0.7–yGe0.3Sny/Si quantum wells in the tin content range y = 0.04–0.1. It is found that the hole binding energy increases with tin content. The hole size-quantization energies in structures containing a pseudomorphic Si0.7–yGe0.3Sny layer in the Si matrix are determined using the 6-band kp method. The valence-band offset at the Si0.7–yGe0.3Sny heterointerface is determined by combining the numerical calculation results and experimental data. It is found that the dependence of the experimental values of the valence-band offsets between pseudomorphic Si0.7–yGe0.3Sny layers and Si on the tin content is described by the expression ΔEVexp = (0.21 ± 0.01) + (3.35 ± 7.8 × 10–4)y eV.