Near band-edge photoluminescence from strained and relaxed quantum wells which had been grown via molecular beam epitaxy, and annealed at 850 to 1100C, was observed. Changes in the photoluminescence line energies were monitored, and the extent of interdiffusion and relaxation during annealing was estimated. Strain relaxation was observed only in quantum-well structures which were annealed above 950C. The results confirmed the existence of an abrupt transition between stable and strain-relaxed quantum-well structures. It was found that the activation energy for interdiffusion was equal to 2.2eV in strained quantum-wells and was equal to 2.6eV in partially relaxed quantum-wells.

Near band-edge photoluminescence in strained and relaxed Si1-xGex/Si quantum wells Y.Yang, S.Jiang, Z.Tian, X.Wu, C.Sheng, X.Wang: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics - 1, 1998, 37[4A], 1884-8