Geometry dependent nucleation mechanism for SiGe islands grown on pit-patterned Si(001) substrates

SiGe islands grown on pit-patterned Si(001) substrates show significant dependence on the surface geometry of the substrate, especially when the period of the patterning is reduced to below 300 nm. With different geometry of pit-patterned substrates, SiGe islands are observed to preferentially nucleate at the bottom of shallow pits after a ripple formation of the SiGe wetting layer, or at the top terrace when the pits are deep and steep.