Solid Phase Epitaxy of Strained Si1−xGex Alloys Formed by Highdose Ion Implantation into <001> Silicon

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper we propose a new method for the synthesis of Si1−xGex strained-layer alloys using high-dose ion implantation of 74Ge at 200 keV into a preamorphized <001> Si wafer followed by solid phase epitaxy (SPE). Cross-sectional TEM was performed on samples at various stages of regrowth which revealed the evolution of the amorphous/crystalline interface and the development of strain relieving defects during SPE. We report that stacking faults are kinetically favored during SPE of Si1−xGex but are energetically feasible only above a critical strain energy. We propose a model that is based on the well known Matthews and Blakeslee approach which predicts the onset of stacking faults during SPE of high-dose ion implant-synthesized Si1−xGex/Si.