IMPURITY-MEDIATED GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THIN PSEUDOMORPHIC GERMANIUM LAYERS IN SILICON

We deposited thin germanium layers (among 4 and 12 monolayers thick) i n silicon with antimony-mediated molecular beam epitaxy. All layers we re investigated with Raman spectroscopy, electroreflectance measuremen ts, and transmission electron microscopy in the lattice-imaging mode. The layers are continuous, no islanding could be observed even for the 1.8-nm-thick layers. Raman spectroscopic and electroreflectance measu rements indicate some relaxation of the strained Ge layers. The interf ace between germanium layers and silicon buffer and cap layer are not sharp; significant intermixing could be detected.