The morphological evolution of strained low-mismatch, Si0.67Ge0.33 and Si0.75Ge0.25, films on Si(110) was considered for both the elastic, and early stages of plastic, relaxation during growth. It was noted that 3-dimensional island formation was suppressed on the Si(110) surface at 650 and 700C. Instead, a high density of ledges which were oriented along an elastically hard <111> direction, and a very low density of nanowires which were oriented along the single in-plane <110> azimuth, were observed. Continued growth led to the formation of misfit defects which were oriented along the <110> direction.

Role of Surface Instability and Anisotropy in Strain Relaxation of Epitaxial SiGe on Si(110) X.Deng, M.Krishnamurthy: Journal of Applied Physics, 1999, 85[11], 7689-93