Distribution of germanium in Si1 − x Ge x (x < 0.1) layers grown on the Si(001) substrate as a function of layer thickness

Abstract

The germanium distribution in Si(001)/Si1 − xGex layers as a function of the layer thickness at a low dopant concentration (x < 6%) has been investigated using high-resolution X-ray diffractometry and low-temperature photoluminescence. It has been shown that the germanium concentration increases with increasing thickness of the SiGe layer with the formation of lateral inhomogeneities at the boundary between this layer and a silicon cap layer for a layer thickness of 30 nm or more. These inhomogeneities have an oriented character and give rise to anisotropic diffuse scattering for the system of (113) and (224) asymmetric reflections from SiGe. The luminescence of these films at low temperatures and low excitation densities is an emission of localized and delocalized excitons, which is characteristic of systems with disorder. The revealed nonuniform germanium distribution in the lateral direction is associated with the accumulation of germanium in the near-surface SiGe layer and with the partial relaxation of elastic strains due to the development of surface roughness and the preferred incorporation of germanium atoms into one side of the surface ripples.