Role of Strain-Dependent Surface Energies in Ge/Si(100) Island Formation
Abstract
Formation energies for Ge/Si(100) pyramidal islands are computed combining continuum calculations of strain energy with first-principles-computed strain-dependent surface energies. The strain dependence of surface energy is critically impacted by the presence of strain-induced changes in the Ge {100} surface reconstruction. The appreciable strain dependencies of rebonded-step {105} and dimer-vacancy-line-reconstructed {100} surface energies are estimated to give rise to a significant reduction in the surface contribution to island formation energies.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- May 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.176102
- Bibcode:
- 2005PhRvL..94q6102S
- Keywords:
-
- 68.55.-a;
- 68.35.Bs;
- Thin film structure and morphology;
- Structure of clean surfaces