Abrupt Si/Ge interface formation using atomic hydrogen in Si molecular beam epitaxy

Compositional abruptness of strained Si/Ge heterointerfaces grown by solid source Si molecular beam epitaxy under supply of atomic hydrogen (AH) was investigated using secondary ion mass spectrometry and reflection high-energy electron diffraction. Systematic variation of growth temperature and AH exposure pressure revealed that Ge segregation length is a steadily decreasing function of AH coverage on the growth surface.