Abstract
Si:C films have been successfully grown by the gas-source molecular beam epitaxy. The thermal stability of Si:C was comprehensively studied, and the formation of SiC and the diffusion of carbon atoms from the substitutional sites were observed when the film was annealed higher than 800 C. It was shown that the SOI substrate was very promising substrate in order to realize the strained Si/strain-relaxed Si:C structure, which is applicable to the vertical MOSFETs. Finally, the relaxation mechanism of Si:C was studied. It was shown that the Si:C was hard to form the misfit dislocations at the interface and that the stress was released by the cusp formation. The phenomenon is suitable for the application of Si:C to the source/drain stressor.