The effect of the implantation temperature and annealing conditions upon the defect structure and strain state of Ge-implanted material was studied. It was shown that ion-beam synthesized SiGe/Si strained-layer heterostructures were most effectively fabricated by implantation at low temperatures to form a thick amorphous layer. This was then followed by solid-phase epitaxial crystallization. In cases where extended defects were produced during implantation, high-temperature (1050C) annealing markedly reduced the dislocation density. However, the annealed layers contained dislocation densities of some 2 x 108/cm2, and appreciable Ge diffusion was observed. The dislocations did not cause appreciable strain relief in the SiGe alloy layer.

W.C.Wong, R.G.Elliman: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 1995, 106[1-4], 271-6