Site-controlled and size-homogeneous Ge islands on prepatterned Si (001) substrates

We report on a combination of lithography and self-assembly techniques which results in long-range two-dimensionally ordered Ge islands. Island lattices with perpendicular but also with obliquely oriented unit vectors were realized. Quantitative analysis of the island topographies demonstrates that the size dispersion of these islands is smaller than that found on flat substrates. Furthermore, island formation on the patterned substrates is observed for a smaller amount of Ge deposition. However, with further Ge deposition an increasing amount is incorporated into the sidewalls.