Interfacial study of Si–Ge multilayers grown using ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we used scanning probe microscopy to observe the abrasion damage of annealed Si–Ge superlattices. Specimens were more amenable to plastic deformation after annealing, thereby providing higher friction coefficients as a result of decreased strain energy. Restricted dislocation movement appeared not only in the combined Si–Ge superlattices but also at the interfaces, suggesting that thermal treatment could decrease the shear resistance. The microstructures contained a relatively large number of defects after annealing; these defects presumably led to the change in the oscillation trends under the ramped force of the sliding cycles. The component damage and oscillation events of the specimen that had been treated only at room temperature were more serious than those of the diffusion annealing specimens.