The effect of nanosecond pulsed laser excitation on surface diffusion during the growth of Ge on Si(100) at 250 C was studied. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction was used to measure the surface diffusion coefficient while ex situ atomic force microscopy was used to probe the structure and morphology of the grown quantum dots. The results showed that laser excitation of the substrate increased the surface diffusion during the growth of Ge on Si(100), changed the growth morphology, improves the crystalline structure of the grown quantum dots, and decreased their size distribution. A purely electronic mechanism of enhanced . surface diffusion of the deposited Ge was proposed.

Electronically Enhanced Surface Diffusion during Ge Growth on Si(100). A.O.Er, H.E.Elsayed-Ali: Journal of Applied Physics, 2011, 109[8], 084320