Low-temperature Ge and GeSn Chemical Vapor Deposition using Ge2H6

Abstract In this work, digermane (Ge 2 H 6 ) is investigated as low temperature Ge precursor for Chemical Vapor Deposition. High quality Ge epitaxial growth on Si substrates is reported at temperatures as low as 275 °C and a specific Ge 2 H 6 surface reaction is proposed to explain the growth mechanism at those very low temperatures. In addition, we highlight that Ge 2 H 6 provides solutions, not covered by conventional GeH 4 , for various original Ge-based materials: direct deposition of amorphous Ge layers directly on dielectric or metallic surfaces, as well as the epitaxial growth of smooth, fully strained, monocrystalline GeSn layers on Ge substrates.