The growth of Ge on a Te/Si(001) surface: surface catalytic epitaxy

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 254; no. 1; pp. L465 - L468
• Main Authors: Higuchi, Shinji, Nakanishi, Yasuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.08.1991; Amsterdam Elsevier Science; New York, NY
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surface and interface dynamics and vibrations; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Adsorption; Growth; Epitaxy; Tellurium Silicon Alloys; Germanium; Crystallinity; Catalyst; Surface
• ISSN: 0167-2584; 0039-6028
• DOI: 10.1016/0167-2584(91)90010-O

The growth process in the initial deposition stage of Ge films on the Si(001) surface on which tellurium is adsorbed has been studied. The growth mode of Ge films is found to change into layered growth on a Te/Si(001) surface and tellurium moves on top of the Ge films and makes the Ge films higher in crystallinity. Thus tellurium operates as a catalyst not only to make Ge grow in a layer by layer mode on the Si substrate but also to make Ge films higher in crystallinity, i.e., surface catalytic epitaxy.