Surface elemental segregation and the Stranski–Krastanow epitaxial islanding transition

It is shown that a new segregation-based mechanism underpins the Stranski–Krastanow (S–K) epitaxial islanding transition in both the InxGa1 xAs/GaAs and Si1 xGex/Si systems over wide ranges of growth conditions. Quantitative segregation calculations allow critical ‘wetting’ layer thicknesses to be derived and, for the InxGa1 xAs/GaAs system (x = 0.25–1), such calculations show good agreement with experimental measurements. The segregation-mediated driving force is considered to be important, also, for all other epitaxial systems which comprise chemically similar but substantially misfitting materials and which exhibit the S–K transition.