Growth and strain symmetrization of Si/Ge/C/Sn quaternary alloys by molecular beam epitaxy

We have synthesized, via molecular beam epitaxy alloys of Si xSnyC1-x-y with symmetric strain. In this work we report the growth of systems with varying compositions/band gaps including the first silicon-based quaternary (Si/Ge/Sn/C) system, which offers an additional degree of freedom for strain and band gap engineering in Si-based alloys. We report the growth of Si.955Sn.03C .015 alloys up to 4500 Å in thickness and quaternaries of composition in the neighborhood of Si.835Ge.125Sn .03C.01. Infrared absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence data have provided evidence of the potential for significant band gap modification in these alloys.© 1996 American Institute of Physics.