Hj. Osten et al., CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE CRITICAL THICKNESS FOR PSEUDOMORPHIC SI1-XGEX GROWTH ON SI(001), Journal of crystal growth, 143(3-4), 1994, pp. 194-199
Thin epitaxial Si1-xGex layers were grown on Si(001) substrates and an
alysed with transmission electron microscopy. We show that the critica
l thickness for perfect two-dimensional pseudomorphic Si1-xGex layer g
rowth depends on two different mechanisms for strain relief. For low G
e concentrations (x < 50%) the critical thickness is determined by the
formation of misfit dislocations, whereas for high Ge concentrations
it is rather governed by the formation of Stranski-Krastanov islands.
In the concentration range between 50% and 60% both mechanisms become
equally likely. We show that the critical Stranski-Krastanov thickness
increases with decreasing lattice mismatch, in agreement with recent
theoretical predictions.