On the relation between low-temperature epitaxial growth conditions and the surface morphology of epitaxial Si and Si 1−xGe x layers, grown in an ultrahigh vacuum, very low pressure chemical vapour deposition reactor

Abstract

In this paper we describe the intimate relation between the surface morphology of epitaxial Si and Si 1−xGe x layers and the pressure during growth. All the experiments were done at a temperature of 625 °C and the pressure was varied between 10 −4 and 2×10 −1 Torr. The layers were grown in an ultrahigh vacuum very low pressure chemical vapour deposition reactor (UHV-VLPCVD) with a gas mixture of SiH 4 and GeH 4 without the addition of H 2. Based on the pressure and the growth-initiating conditions, we distinguish two different growth modes, based on a different surface morphology and growth rate. The first mode (mode I) is characterized by a high growth rate and good surface morphology, whereas in mode II the growth rate is significantly lower and the surface morphology substantially rougher. We present also a qualitative explanation for these observations in terms of hydrogen coverage and impingement rate of precursor molecules on the growing crystal surface.