Defect studies in strain-relaxed Si$_{1-x}$Ge$_x$ alloys

TL;DR

This study investigates optical defects in strain-relaxed SiGe alloys using Raman scattering, photoluminescence, and hydrogenation, revealing defect-related emissions, dislocation behavior, and compositional effects on optical properties.

Contribution

It provides detailed insights into defect-related optical emissions and the effects of Ge content on the optical and structural properties of strain-relaxed SiGe alloys.

Findings

Photoluminescence spectra depend on Ge composition and show defect-related emissions.

Dislocation-related bands decrease with increasing Ge content.

Hydrogenation enhances dislocation-related luminescence, indicating passivation.

Abstract

Raman light scattering, low-temperature photoluminescence, light-scattering tomography, and hydrogenation were used to investigate optical properties of defects in strain-relaxed Si_{1-x}Ge_x (0.05 \le x \le 0.50) alloys. The photoluminescence emission was characterized by typical zero-phonon, phonon-assisted, and dislocations-related emissions, which are dependent on Ge composition x. However, luminescence spectra exhibited above band-gap features, which are likely associated with the presence of Si-rich regions in the alloys. The results are correlated with light-scattering tomography, revealing the presence of dislocations and Si precipitates. The excess peak at 519 cm^{-1} in Ge-rich samples is supportive of this observation. At low Ge content, a dislocation-related band (D2 line) at 14,204 {\AA} dominates D-band emission for x < 0.25 while overall D-band emission intensity decreases with x. Hydrogenation was found to enhance D-band emission, indicating a passivation of nonradiative recombination centers inside dislocation cores. Si-Si, Si-Ge, and Ge-Ge phonons (TO, TA, and LA), which are participating in luminescence emission, evolve with increasing Ge content and Ge-Ge and Si-Ge TO lines dominate the Raman spectrum to the detriment of the Si-Si TO phonon line. Raman spectra reveal the presence of alloy fluctuations and possible presence of Ge particles, particularly in Ge-rich samples.