X-ray in situ observation of relaxation and diffusion processes in Si1−xGex layers on silicon substrates

Abstract
A method is presented to simultaneously investigate in situ the relaxation and diffusion behavior of Si1−xGex layers on silicon substrates using a conventional x-ray powder diffractometer with a high-temperature attachment. The method allows the direct determination of the time and temperature dependence of the relaxation and of the maximum Ge content. The diffusivity of Ge in silicon was studied by x-ray diffraction and secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements. A nonlinear dependence of the effective diffusion coefficient on the Ge content was deduced by solving a diffusion equation.