Mechanisms of dislocation generation in Si structures with strained layers: Intrinsic point defects in dislocation nucleation

Abstract

The peculiarities of dislocation production in silicon compositions with elastically strained layers fabricated by the molecular-beam epitaxy technique (SiGe/Si heterostructures) and by direct bonding of Si(110)/Si(100) wafers are studied with transmission electron microscopy. The role of intrinsic point defects during the process of nucleation of misfit dislocations is explained. The surplus concentration of these defects in heterostructures was produced via low-temperature epitaxial growth of buffer layers or with ion implantation of elastically strained heterostructures. The model of “optimal” and “inverse” intrinsic point defects providing an explanation for the relaxation of misfit strains in heterostructures is proposed.