SELF-ORGANIZED NANOSTRUCTURES IN SI1-XGEX FILMS ON SI(001)

In Stranski-Krastanov growth of SiGe films on Si(001) a series of stre ss-induced morphologies occurs including step-bunching of the pre-exis ting substrate steps and formation of faceted three-dimensional island s. We demonstrate how one can utilize these elastic strain-relief mech anisms to create a variety of large-scale arrays of uniform nanostruct ures simply by growing under appropriate conditions of substrate vicin ality and misfit. By tuning substrate miscut periodic ripple structure s down to a few ten nm are obtained. Self-organized growth of faceted islands can be achieved either by stress-induced self-organization in SiGe/Si multilayer films or in a single alloy film by combining step b unching and island formation mechanisms. We expect these concepts to b ecome useful for the fabrication of large-scale arrays that may serve, for example, as quantum wire and quantum dot arrays or act as pattern ed substrates for deposition of various materials.