Misfit-Dislocation Distributions in Heteroepitaxy: From Mesoscale Measurements to Individual Defects and Back

Abstract

As device sizes in micro- and optoelectronics continue to shrink, accurate control over defect distributions in semiconductor thin films becomes ever more important---particularly for extended defects that spoil the crystal quality of important material systems such as Ge/Si heterostructures. The authors combine state-of-the-art characterization techniques with advanced modeling to understand the impact of misfit dislocations on the lattice of Si-Ge/Si layers. Strong agreement between the predicted and measured distribution of tilt angles is obtained, shedding further light on plastic relaxation in semiconductor heterostructures.