TEM characterization of SiGe heterolayers grown on SIMOX
SiGe heterolayers are of interest for use in heterojunction transistors, infrared detectors and field-effect transistors. SIMOX (Separation of silicon by IMplanted OXygen) is useful for fabrication of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures (electrically isolated from the substrate). SIMOX could potentially be used for isolation of SiGe structures from the substrate. Epitaxial-Si grown on SIMOX (required for some device structures) can have grown-in dislocations that arise due to STMOX-related damage. If SiGe heterolayers were grown on silicon, dislocations could interact with the strain fields associated with the SiGe layers. Such interaction could possibly lead to a reduction in defect densities in upper layers of the structures. In the present study, SiGe heterolayers grown on SIMOX by chemical vapor deposition were characterized using TEM. The structures consisted of epi-silicon grown on a Si/Sii-xGex superlattice which was in turn grown on a Si/SiO2 (SIMOX) structure. The behavior of defects in the structures was of interest.