Compliant substrate versus plastic relaxation effects in Ge nanoheteroepitaxy on free-standing Si(001) nanopillars

We report on the structural characterization of Ge clusters selectively grown by chemical vapor deposition on free-standing 50 nm wide Si(001) nanopillars. Synchrotron based x-ray diffraction studies and transmission electron microscopy were performed to experimentally verify the nanoheteroepitaxy theory as a technique to grow high quality Ge on Si(001). Although the structure dimensions are comparable to the theoretical values required for the strain partitioning phenomenon, the compliant character of Si is not unambiguously proven. In consequence, the strain is relieved by nucleation of misfit dislocations at the Ge/Si interface. By gliding out of threading arms, high quality Ge nanostructures are achieved. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3644948]