EARLY GROWTH-STAGES OF GE-0.85 SI-0.15 ON SI(001) FROM BI SOLUTION

We investigate by atomic force microscopy the early growth stages of G e0.85Si0.15 grown by solution epitaxy on Si(001). The layers grow in t he Stranski-Krastanov growth mode with facetted islands of pyramidal a nd, with further growth, truncated pyramidal shape. Finite element cal culations of the strain fields within the islands at different growth stages yield an increasing strain energy density near the island basis edges. The effect of the increase in strain energy density is to limi t the lateral growth, whereas the relaxed top regions enhance growth i n height.