Simulations of germanium epitaxial growth on the silicon (1 0 0) surface incorporating intermixing

We present kinetic lattice Monte Carlo simulations of Ge deposition onto a reconstructed Si (1 0 0) surface. We account for the exchange of Ge with Si atoms in the substrate, considering two different exchange mechanisms: a dimer exchange mechanism whereby Ge-Ge dimers on the surface become intermixed with substrate Si atoms, and the exchange of Ge atoms below the surface to relieve misfit strain. We examine how Si-Ge exchange affects the interface between the materials when the growth simulations are done at different temperatures.