Formation of rippled surface morphology during Si/Si (100) epitaxy by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapour deposition

The Si epitaxial films are grown on Si (100) substrates using pure Si2H6 as a gas source using ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapour deposition technology. The values of growth temperature T_g are 650 ℃, 700 ℃, 730 ℃, 750 ℃, and 800 ℃. Growth mode changes from island mode to step-flow mode with T_g increasing from 650 ℃ to 700 ℃. Rippled surface morphologies are observed at T_g = 700 ℃, 730 ℃, and 800 ℃, but disappear when T_g = 750 ℃. A model is presented to explain the formation and the disappearance of the ripples by considering the stability of the step-flow growth.