Interplay between evolving surface morphology, atomic-scale growth modes, and ordering during SixGe1x epitaxy

Abstract
Atomic-scale compositional ordering in Six Ge1x alloys is directly linked to the formation of coherent islands during Stranski-Krastanow growth. The vicinal surfaces associated with nonequilibrium island shapes induce a bilayer step flow growth mode, and the ordering results from Ge segregation at DB kinks.