Silicon/Germanium Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Abstract: Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) is a well-established method to grow low-dimensional structures for research applications. MBE has given many contributions to the rapid expanding research-area of nano-technology and will probably continuing doing so. The MBE equipment, dedicated for Silicon/Germanium (Si/Ge) systems, at Karlstads University (Kau) has been studied and started for the first time. In the work of starting the system, all the built in interlocks has been surveyed and connected, and the different subsystems has been tested and evaluated. Service supplies in the form of compressed air, cooling water and electrical power has been connected. The parts of the system, their function and some of the theory behind them are described. The theoretical part of this master’s thesis is focused on low-dimensional structures, so-called quantum wells, wires and dots, that all are typical MBE-built structures. Physical effects, and to some extent the technical applications, of these structures are studied and described. The experimental part contains the MBE growth of a Si/Ge quantum well (QW) structure and characterisation by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). The structure, consisting of three QW of Si0,8Ge0,2 separated by thicker Si layers, was built at Linköpings University (LiU) and characterised at Chalmers University of Technology (CTH). The result of the characterisation was not the expected since almost no Ge content could be discovered but an extended characterisation may give another result. Keywords: Silicon, Germanium, Molecular Beam Epitaxy, MBE, Quantum wells