Self-organization of nanostructures in semiconductor heteroepitaxy

摘要: Abstract In semiconductor heteroepitaxy the growing film frequently undergoes a series of strain relief mechanisms that may include surface reconstruction, step bunching, faceting, and finally formation misfit dislocations. Under certain conditions, these their interplay result in self-organized nanostructure arrays with high degree uniformity. Using atomic force microscopy X-ray diffraction investigations, following are analyzed model system Si1−xGex molecular beam epitaxy Si(0 0 1): 1. ripple patterns by bunching preexisting steps on vicinal substrates, 2. bunch faceting miscut 3. correlated propagation heteroepitaxial superlattices, 4. three-dimensional island arrangement step-bunched patterns, 5. cross-hatched dislocation network, 6. three-dimensionally ordered multilayer films. The driving forces self-organization mechanisms—that not restricted to particular growth system—are discussed framework continuum elasticity theory. Besides optoelectronic applications (not extensively considered here) novel use nanostructures is proposed, namely utilization as large-area templates grow various materials them. This demonstrated for case magnetic thin films can be nanostructured this way.