Relaxation of Metastable Semiconductor Strained-Layer Structures by Plastic Flow

摘要

The relaxation of misfit strain in metastable structures by plastic flow is described using a continuum model based on Haasen's picture of plastic flow in bulk diamond-phase semiconductors and the concept of excess strain. This model provides a unified explanation of the equilibrium critical thickness, the relaxation behavior of metastable strained-layer structures, and the ''metastable'' critical thicknesses reported in many semiconductor strained-layer geometries. 11 refs., 3 figs. (ERA citation 13:009328)