IR laser CVD of nanostructured Si/Ge alloy from silane–germane mixture

IR laser irradiation of an equimolar silane–germane mixture in Ar results in the decomposition of both compounds and allows chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of solid nanostructured Si/Ge film that was analyzed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The film is deduced to be formed via coalescence/intermixing of extruded Si and Ge atoms and revealed as metastable and consisting of the crystalline d-c Ge and crystalline Si/Ge alloys embedded in an amorphous Si and Si/Ge phase. The reported IR laser CVD of the nanostructured Si/Ge film represents a simple way for synthesis of binary alloys from volatile hydride precursors.