Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
The initial stages of heteroepitaxial growth of Ge0.85 Si0.15 on Si(001) grown from Bi solution (liquid phase epitaxy) are studid by transmission electron microscopy. Stranski-Krastanov growth is observed to take place. After growth of a pseudomorphic Ge0.85 Si0.15 layer of 4 monolayer thickness, islands form and grow pseudomorphically up to a thickness of 30 nm. Then first misfit dislocations form. The formation process of these dislocations is analyzed and discussed in terms of half loop nucleation at the surface and dislocation glide. Evidence for glide on (110) planes is put forward.