Edge misfit dislocations in the GeSi/Si(001) pair: Conditions and specific features of high-quantity generation

Dislocation structure of GexSi1−x films (x=0.4−0.8) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on Si(001) substrates was studied by means of transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the density of edge MDs formed at the early stage of plastic strain relaxation in the films could exceed the density of 60° MDs. In our previous publications, a predominant mechanism underlying the early formation of edge misfit dislocations (MD) in GexSi1−x/Si films with x>0.4 was identified; this mechanism involves the following processes. A 60° glissile MD provokes nucleation of a complementary 60° MD gliding on a mirror-like tilted plane (111). A new edge MD forms as a result of interaction of the two complementary 60° MDs, and the length of the newly formed edge MD can then be increased following the motion of the “arms” of the complementary 60° MDs. Based on this scenario of the edge MD generation process, we have calculated the critical thickness of insertion of an edge MD into GeSi layers of different compositions using the force balance model. The obtained values were found to be more than twice lower than the similar values for 60° MDs. This result suggests that a promising strategy towards obtaining dislocation arrays dominated by 90° dislocations in MBE-grown GexSi1−x/Si films can be implemented through preliminary growth on the substrate of a thin, slightly relaxed buffer layer with 60° MDs present in this layer. The dislocated buffer layer, acting as a source of threading dislocations, promotes the strain relaxation in the main growing film through nucleation of edge MDs in the film/buffer interface. It was shown that in the presence of threading dislocations penetrating from the relaxed buffer into the film nucleation of edge MDs in the stressed film can be initiated even if the film thickness remains small in comparison with the critical thickness for insertion of 60° MDs. Examples of such unusual MD generation processes are found in the literature.

► Threading dislocations facilitate the formation of edge misfit dislocations (MD).
► An edge MD can lengthen by glide of the threading segments.
► Partially relaxed buffer layer favors the formation of edge MDs.
► The force balance for edge MD can be used for calculating the critical thickness.
► Edge MDs can appear earlier than 60° misfit dislocations.