High electron mobility in modulation-doped Si/SiGe

Ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition has been exploited to grow single-heterojunction n-type modulation-doped Si/SiGe structures. Phosphorus dopant is imbedded in the SiGe layer at two distinct positions: one at the surface to prevent depletion by surface states, and the other separated from the Si heterointerface by an intrinsic SiGe spacer, to supply electrons to the two-dimensional electron gas. With a 4-nm-thick spacer layer, peak mobilities of 1800 cm2/V s, 9000 cm2/V s, and 19 000 cm2/V s were measured at room temperature, 77 and 1.4 K, respectively. These are the highest values reported for this material system.