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Presents a study which developed a theoretical model for the composition dependence of the activation energy in solid phase epitaxial growth of Si[sub1-x]Ge[subx] alloys. Description of the proposed models for the solid phase epitaxy mechanism (SPE); Requirements for the recrystallization in SPE; Comparison between the regrowth rate of stressed and stress-relaxed alloys.

The compensation effect, well known in catalytic reactions, is shown to apply equally well to the solid-phase epitaxial (SPE) growth of Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] alloys. A linear relationship exists between the logarithm of the pre-exponential factor and the activation energy of the SPE growth rate. This linear relationship, together with the activation energy obtained earlier, enables one to completely describe the growth rate of Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] alloys. The effect holds for both strained and unstrained SPE. The model is applicable to other binary alloys. © 1997 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]