Surface structure of thin pseudomorphous GeSi layers

Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) was used to study the evolution of thin GexSi1−x film surface superstructures s in the course of molecular beam epitaxy. The (2 × N) superstructure of the epitaxial film surface at periodicity N from 14 to 8, the latter being characteristic of pure germanium at the Si(1 0 0) surface. The epitaxial film thickness that is required for the formation of the (2 × 8) superstructure depends on the deposition temperature and germanium content in the solid solution. The germanium segregation on the growing film surface is shown to be responsible for the observed superstructural changes