Ultrathin pseudomorphic Sn/Si and SnxSi1−x/Si heterostructures

Ultrathin, coherently strained Sn/Si and SnxSi1–x/Si alloy quantum well structures with substitutional Sn incorporation far in excess of the equilibrium solubility limit have been fabricated via substrate temperature and growth flux modulations in molecular beam epitaxy. Sn/Si single and multiple quantum wells with Sn coverage up to 1.3 ML, Sn0.05Si0.95/Si multiple quantum wells of up to 2.0 nm, and Sn0.16Si0.84/Si multiple quantum wells of up to 1.1 nm are determined to be pseudomorphic, and coverage-dependent Sn segregation dynamics are observed.