Early stage of heteroepitaxial Ge growth on Si(100) substrate with surface treatments using inductively coupled plasma (ICP)

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) treatment on the early growth stage of heteroepitaxial Ge layers grown on Si(100) substrates using low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The Si(100) substrates were treated by ICP process with various source and bias powers, followed by the Ge deposition. The ICP treatment led to the enhancement in the coalescence of Ge islands. The growth rate of Ge on Si(100) with ICP surface treatment is about 5 times higher than that without ICP surface treatment. A missing dimer caused by the ICP surface treatment can act as a nucleation site for Ge adatoms, which could be responsible for the improvement in growth behavior of Ge on Si(100) substrates.