The strain dependence of Si–Ge interdiffusion in epitaxial Si/Si1–yGey/Si heterostructures on relaxed Si1–xGex substrates was studied using secondary ion mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and simulations. At 800 and 880C, significantly enhanced Si–Ge interdiffusion was observed in Si/Si1–yGey/Si heterostructures (y = 0.56, 0.45, and 0.3) with Si1–yGey layers under compressive strain of –1%, compared to those under no strain. In contrast, tensile strain of 1% in Si0.70Ge0.30 layer has no observable effect on interdiffusion in Si/Si0.70Ge0.30/Si heterostructures. These results were relevant to the device and process design of high mobility dual channel and heterostructure-on-insulator metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

Strain Dependence of Si–Ge Interdiffusion in Epitaxial Si/Si1-yGey/Si Heterostructures on Relaxed Si1-xGex Substrates. G.Xia, O.O.Olubuyide, J.L.Hoyt, M.Canonico: Applied Physics Letters, 2006, 88[1], 013507 (3pp)