Self-assembling of Ge on finite Si(001) areas comparable with the island size

Voids in ultrathin oxide and electron-beam lithography-patterned windows were used to deposit Ge selectively. The number of islands is a function of the total amount of Ge deposited in a void or window. Our results show that islands smaller than the void/window size nucleate mainly near the periphery. This might be due to the tensile strain in the Si substrate near the oxide edge. The interruption of the wetting layer reduces the loss of excitons by lateral diffusion, resulting in considerable increase in optical emission from islands. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.