Publication
Applied Physics Letters
Paper
Evolution of buried semiconductor nanostructures and origin of stepped surface mounds during capping
Abstract
The authors apply selective wet chemical etching and atomic force microscopy to reveal the three-dimensional shape of SiGeSi (001) islands after capping with Si. Although the "self-assembled quantum dots" remain practically unaffected by capping in the temperature range of 300-450 °C, significant morphological changes take place on the Si surface. At 450 °C, the morphology of the capping layer (Si matrix) evolves toward an intriguing semifacetted structure, which we call a "ziggurat," giving the misleading impression of a stepped SiGe island shape. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.