Nanoscale Structuring by Misfit Dislocations inSi1xGex/SiEpitaxial Systems

Abstract
New capabilities of misfit dislocations for spatial manipulation of islands in Si1xGex/Si heteroepitaxial systems have been elucidated. Formation of highly ordered Ge-island patterns on substrates prestructured by slip bands of misfit dislocations is revealed. The major sources leading to the ordering are identified to be dislocation strain fields at the surface and modifications of the near-surface-layer morphology induced by dislocation slip.