Inelastic light scattering spectroscopy in Si/SiGe nanostructures: Strain, chemical composition and thermal properties

•Processes associated with inelastic light scattering in Si/SiGe nanostructures are reviewed.•Raman analysis of strain and chemical composition in Si/SiGe nanostructures is presented.•Si/SiGe nanostructure thermal properties are studied using Raman scattering.•Polarized Raman scattering is used in detecting strain in Si/SiGe nanostructures.

We present a review of recent studies of inelastic light scattering spectroscopy in two types of Si/SiGe nanostructures: planar superlattices and cluster (dot) multilayers including first- and second-order Raman scattering, polarized Raman scattering and low-frequency inelastic light scattering associated with folded acoustic phonons. The results are used in semi-quantitative analysis of chemical composition, strain and thermal conductivity in these technologically important materials for electronic and optoelectronic devices.