An investigation was made of (001) surfaces and of the bulk structures of molecular beam epitaxially grown Si/Si:C heterolayers which exhibited plateau-like surface defects having a hill shape. The diameters of such surface defects were of the order of several 100nm, and their heights were of the order of a few nm. Plan-view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic bulk analysis of the Si/Si:C heterolayers suggested that there was a correlation between the plateau-like defects at the surface, and extended dislocation structures in the bulk. The nucleation of the defects seemed to be related to the C content.

Dislocation Structures in Si:C Films: Generating “Plateau-Like” Surface Defects? T.Marek, M.Werner, P.Laveant, G.Gerth, P.Werner: Crystal Research and Technology, 2000, 35[6-7], 769-73