ANTIMONY-MEDIATED GROWTH OF EPITAXIAL GE1-YCY LAYERS ON SI(001)

Ge1-yC(y) layers were grown epitaxially on Si(001) with molecular beam epitaxy. The Stranski-Krastanov islanding can be completely suppresse d by using the surfactant growth technique. We could not observe any i nterference between the presence of the antimony monolayer and the car bon incorporation into the growing Ge layer. The degree of relaxation determined independent of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy investigations is surprisingly low. Also, the onset of rela xation is significantly delayed. The Ge1-yC(y) layer does not behave i dentically with a pseudomorphic Ge film with an artificially reduced s train; it should therefore rather be considered as a new material with its own specific strain degree.