In situ TEM observations of surfactant-mediated epitaxy: growth of Ge on an Si(111) surface mediated by In

Abstract

A study of surfactant-mediated epitaxial growth of Ge on Si(111) surfaces was carried out by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Most Ge islands grown on the Si(111) surfaces with and without surfactant (In) were triangular. Growth of Ge was in parallel orientation to that of the substrate crystal. The size of Ge islands on the surfaces with In was larger than that on surfaces without In. Ge films with In were smoother than those without In. It was found that formation of misfit dislocations (MDs) was promoted by In predeposition at the interfaces between Si and Ge films. The density of MDs with In is higher than that without In. This fact is one of the reasons for suppression of 3D island formation on an Si surface with In.