Mechanism of induced nucleation of misfit dislocations in the Ge-on-Si(001) system and its role in the formation of the core structure of edge misfit dislocations

Ge-on-Si(0 0 1) films are grown by molecular beam epitaxy via a three-step epitaxial growth method (Ge/Ge seed/GeSi buffer/Si(0 0 1)). The dislocation structure of the Ge/GeSi buffer interface is studied by high-resolution electron microscopy. Misfit dislocations on the interface are edge dislocations and are aligned regularly with a period of 9-10 nm. A variety of atomic structures of the dislocation core is observed, known in the literature as dissociated or asymmetric Lomer edge dislocations. The assumption that atomic structures of various degrees of complexity are intermediate states in the formation of a perfect edge misfit dislocation in the course of plastic relaxation of a stressed film is justified. A model is proposed which explains the intermediate states in terms of statistical variation of the nucleation site of the complementary 60 degrees dislocation which forms, together with the primary dislocation, a Lomer dislocation at the interface. (c) 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.