Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction Intensity Oscillations during GexSi1-x MBE Growth on Si(001) Substrates

Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) intensity oscillations during the heteroepitaxy of GexSi1-x on a Si(001) substrate were observed for the first time. The oscillation amplitude decreased rapidly during GexSi1-x growth due to the three-dimensional growth, which had a strong dependence on the Ge mole fraction. The layer thickness of GexSi1-x/Si strained-layer superlattices was controlled precisely by monitoring the RHEED intensity oscillation. The interface roughness of GexSi1-x/Si heterojunctions was examined by the observations of RHEED intensity oscillations and high-resolution transmission electron microscope images.