BULK GROWTH OF SILICON-GERMANIUM SOLID-SOLUTIONS - REVIEW

This paper provides an overview of the technology for growing bulk silicon-germanium solid solutions and of the structural properties of the solidified materials. It is an attempt to summarize and value the methods and efforts applied to the controlled crystallization of silicon-germanium melts which were employed during the last four decades. The especially high degree of segregation make's the system sensitive to small changes of growth conditions, which leads to inhomogeneities and strain. The future availability of homogeneous, low-defect Si-Ge crystals through the whole composition range is briefly discussed.