Ripple-to-dome transition: the growth evolution of Ge on vicinal Si(1 1 10) surface

Abstract

We present a detailed scanning tunnelling microscopy study which describes the morphological transition from ripple to dome islands during the growth of Ge on the vicinal Si(1 1 10) surface . Our experimental results show that the shape evolution of Ge islands on this surface is markedly different from that on the flat Si(001) substrate and is accomplished by agglomeration and coalescence of several ripples. By combining first principle calculations with continuum elasticity theory, we provide an accurate explanation of our experimental observations.

References in corpus (1)

• A continuum description of the energetics and evolution of stepped surfaces in strained nanostructures

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Abrupt changes in the graphene on Ge(001) system at the onset of surface melting
• Formation of extended thermal etch pits on annealed Ge wafers
• Electronic structure of the Ge/Si(105) hetero-interface
• Islanding, growth mode and ordering in Si heteroepitaxy on Ge(001) substrates structured by thermal annealing