Strain relief via trench formation in Ge/Si(100) islands

Trenches formed at Ge/Si(100) island bases become an effective strain-relief mechanism at high growth temperatures. Trenches result from diffusion of the most highly strained material to regions of lower strain. The trench depth self-limits, scaling linearly with island diameter. A simple atomistic model of island elasticity indicates that this self-limiting behavior is of kinetic rather than energetic origin. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)02224-5].