Ge_xSi_1-x/Si heterostructures involving two elemental semiconductors are becoming an important element in microelectronics. Their epitaxial growth requires a detailed knowledge of the mechanisms of elastic and plastic deformations in continuous and island films both at the early stages of epitaxy and during the subsequent heat treatment. The present work is a systematic review of current ideas on the fundamental physical mechanisms governing the formation of elastically strained and plastically relaxed Ge_xSi_{1- x}/Si heterocompositions. In particular, the use of compliant and soft substrates and the epitaxial synthesis of nanometer-sized islands (’quantum dots’) are discussed.

PACS: 61.72.Lk, 62.25.+g, 73.40.Kp, 81.15.−z (all) DOI: 10.1070/PU2001v044n07ABEH000879 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2001/7/a/ 000173467700001 Citation: Bolkhovityanov Yu B, Pchelyakov O P, Chikichev S I "Silicon-germanium epilayers: physical fundamentals of growing strained and fully relaxed heterostructures" Phys. Usp. 44 655–680 (2001) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Оригинал: Болховитянов Ю Б, Пчеляков О П, Чикичев С И «Кремний-германиевые эпитаксиальные пленки: физические основы получения напряженных и полностью релаксированных гетероструктур» УФН 171 689–715 (2001); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0171.200107a.0689