Surfactants in epitaxial growth

作者：Matthew Copel, Mark C. Reuter, Efthimios Kaxiras, Rudolf M. Tromp · 发表于：Physical Review Letters · 年份：1989 · DOI：10.1103/physrevlett.63.632 · 被引用次数：1102 · 研究领域：Semiconductor materials and devices、Nanowire Synthesis and Applications、Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices

We have investigated the role of surface-active species (surfactants) in heteroepitaxial growth. In general, the growth mode is determined by the balance between surface, interface, and film free energies. Thus, if A wets B, B will not wet A. Any attempt at growing an A/B/A heterostructure must overcome this fundamental obstacle. We propose the use of a segregating surfactant to reduce the surface free energies of A and B and suppress island formation, as demonstrated in the growth of Si/Ge/Si(001) with a monolayer of As. Control of growth by amnipulation of surface energetics provides a new avenue to achieve high-quality man-made microstructures against thermodynamic odds.