Onset of Misfit Dislocation Generation in As-Grown and Annealed Sil-XGex/Si Films

Abstract

AbstractX-ray topography and transmission electron microscopy were used to quantify misfit-dislocation spacings in as-grown Si1-xGex films formed by Limited Reaction Processing (LRP), which is a chemical vapor deposition technique. These analysis techniques were also used to study dislocation formation during annealing of material grown by both LRP and by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The thickness at which misfit dislocations first appear in as-grown material was similar for both growth techniques. The thermal stability of capped and uncapped films was also investigated after rapid thermal annealing in the range of 625 to 1000°C. Significantly fewer misfit dislocations were observed in samples containing an epitaxial silicon cap. Some differences in the number of misfit dislocation generated in CVD and MBE films were observed after annealing uncapped layers at temperatures between 625 and 825°C.