Step-bunching in SiGe layers and superlattices on Si(0 0 1)

The vicinal Si(0 0 1) surfaces exhibit a bunching instability of the atomic height steps. Here we present a study to investigate the effect of germanium on the kinetic instability which occurs in silicon homoepitaxy. For the growth parameters employed we find no evidence for strain-induced step-bunching neither in single Si1−xGex layers nor in Si/Si1−xGex superlattices. The effect of germanium is to kinetically suppress the formation of step-bunches. No significant influence of the Ge-related strain on the surface morphology can be found. The effects of growth temperature and the influence of the amount of deposited pure Si are very pronounced.