Under a compressive biaxial strain of ∼ 0.71%, Ge self-diffusion was measured using an isotopically controlled Ge single-crystal layer grown on a relaxed Si0.2Ge0.8 virtual substrate. The self-diffusivity was enhanced by the compressive strain and its behaviour was fully consistent with a theoretical prediction of a generalized activation volume model of a simple vacancy mediated diffusion, reported by Aziz et al. (2006). The activation volume of (-0.65) times the Ge atomic volume quantitatively described the observed enhancement due to the compressive biaxial strain very well.

Self-Diffusion in Compressively Strained Ge. Y.Kawamura, M.Uematsu, Y.Hoshi, K.Sawano, M.Myronov, Y.Shiraki, E.E.Haller, K.M.Itoh: Journal of Applied Physics, 2011, 110[3], 034906