Liquid-metal-mediated homoepitaxial film growth of Ge at low temperature

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 59; no. 27; pp. 3586 - 3588
• Main Authors: FULIN XIONG, GANZ, E, LOESER, A. G, GOLOVCHENKO, J. A, SPAEPEN, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville, NY American Institute of Physics 30-12-1991
• 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; Crystal growth; Homoepitaxy; Scanning electron microscopy; Liquid solid interface; Heat treatment; Semiconductor materials; VLS growth; Evaporation; High temperature; Experimental study; Thin film; Rutherford backscattering; Transmission electron microscopy; Growth mechanism; Germanium; Diffusion
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.105640

We demonstrate liquid-metal-mediated homoepitaxial crystal growth of Ge on Ge(111) at temperatures in the range of 400–450 °C. Crystal growth proceeds by diffusion of Ge through a liquid layer, followed by precipitation onto the substrate by the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. The liquid-metal phase at the interface is a Au-Ge alloy formed by initial deposition of a thin Au layer above the eutectic temperature. Ge vapor is provided by a molecular-beam evaporator. The resulting films revealed high-crystalline quality by in situ high-energy ion scattering and channeling analysis and ex situ by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy.