Single Crystalline / Porous Amorphous Superlattice Formation by the Etching of MBE Grown Si/Si1−x Gex Layers on Si Substrates

ABSTRACTNovel porous amorphous/crystalline superlattices were produced by the etching of mesas containing superlattices of alternating layers of Si and Si1−xGex. These layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (100) Si substrates and etched in an aqueous HF:HNO3 solution. Preferential attack and amorphization of the Si1−x Gex layers was observed, leading to the formation of alternating layers of single crystal Si and porous amorphous Si1−xGex. The etchant is highly selective and it was possible to etch extremely thin (5nm) Si0.7Ge0.3 layers between 30nm Si layers. Complete conversion of the Si0.7Ge0.3 layers to the porous amorphous state was seen in lμm wide mesas. The role of composition and thickness of the Si1−xGex layers was studied. The variation in the lateral etch depths of the Si1−xGex layers in the superlattices demonstrates that lattice strain in these layers is an important factor in the selectivity of the etch process. As the thickness of the Si1−xGex layers is decreased, transport of the etchant to and the etch products from the reaction front is reduced, limiting the penetration of the etching process. The porosities of these etched Si1−xGex layers were determined to be comparable to measured values for thick etched alloy layers.