Very high hole mobilities in modulation-doped Ge quantum wells grown by low-energy plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

We report on the fabrication of modulation-doped compressively strained Ge quantum wells by low-energy plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. A virtual substrate consisting of a thick linearly graded SiGe buffer layer and a cap layer of constant composition is first grown at a high rate (>5 nm/s). The active layer stack, grown at a reduced rate, contains strain compensating cladding layers with modulation doping above the channel. Mobilities of up to 3000 cm(2)/V s and 87 000 cm(2)/V s have been achieved at room temperature and liquid He temperature, respectively. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.