Effect of surface energy minima on the shape of self‐induced SiGe nanoislands

Abstract

The results of a numerical modelling of the influence of discrete surface energy minima on the island shape transition are reported. The real composition of self-induced (Ge)SiGe/Si nanoislands grown at high temperatures is taken into account in deriving the expression of the island total energy. The simulated values of the critical island size at which the transition occurs are compared with those observed in experiments.