Solid-State Dewetting Dynamics of Amorphous Ge Thin Films on Silicon Dioxide Substrates

We report on the dewetting process, in a high vacuum environment, of amorphous Ge thin films on SiO₂/Si (001). A detailed insight of the dewetting is obtained by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex situ scanning electron microscopy. These characterizations show that the amorphous Ge films dewet into Ge crystalline nano-islands with dynamics dominated by crystallization of the amorphous material into crystalline nano-seeds and material transport at Ge islands. Surface energy minimization determines the dewetting process of crystalline Ge and controls the final stages of the process. At very high temperatures, coarsening of the island size distribution is observed.