ABSTRACT
The abrupt, reproducible transition from commensurate to incommensurate growth suggests a fundamental physical limitation and invites a comparison with theory. This chapter discusses the molecular beam growth and application, silicon-based semiconductor heterostructures. It deals with growth involving lattice-matched III-V and II-VI semiconductors. The chapter discusses the lattice-mismatched III-Vs and II-VIs. The balance of the molecular beam epitaxy work on lattice-mismatched heterostructures falls into two categories: growth of silicon (Si) on Gallium arsenide and growth of II-VI semiconductors on Si. For GexSi1-x strained layer heterostructures, the first clear indications of band alignment were derived from the modulation doping experiments of People. The actual transitions were then measured by electroreflectance for GexSi1-x/Si superlattices with x = 0.45 and 0.65. The chapter concerned with GexSi1-x/Si strained layer epitaxy and is divided into sections on synthesis, properties, and application. Device applications provide the ultimate test of material quality and for GexSi1-x yield important information on the ultimate stability of strained layers.
