Si–Ge interdiffusion under oxidizing and inert conditions was studied in epitaxial relaxed Si1−xGex/compressive Si1−yGey/relaxed Si1−xGex heterostructures. The interdiffusion was measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy and studied using simulations. Within the secondary ion mass spectroscopic accuracy, the measured Ge profiles showed that oxidation has a small effect, if any, on the Si–Ge interdiffusion of these structures. These results suggested that oxidation did not accelerate Si–Ge interdiffusion significantly, which lessens process integration constraints for SiGe devices such as high mobility dual channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors and heterostructure tunnelling field effect transistors.

Si–Ge Interdiffusion under Oxidizing Conditions in Epitaxial SiGe Heterostructures with High Compressive Stress. G.Xia, J.L.Hoyt: Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 96[12], 122107