Atomic-force-microscopy investigation of the formation and evolution of Geislands on GexSi1-x strained layers

A constant amount of Ge was deposited on strained GexSi1-x layers of approx imately the same thickness but with different alloy compositions, ranging f rom x = 0.06 to x = 0.19. From their atomic-force-microscopy images, we fou nd that both the size and density of Ge islands increased with the Ge compo sition of the strained layer. By conservation of mass, this implies that th ese islands must incorporate material from the underlying strained layer. ( C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03529-4].