Abstract
Fabricating a low-cost virtual germanium (Ge) template by epitaxial growth of Ge films on silicon wafer with a Ge <sub>x</sub> Si <sub>1-x</sub> (0 < x < 1) graded buffer layer was demonstrated through a facile chemical vapor deposition method in one step by decomposing a hazardousless GeO <sub>2</sub> powder under hydrogen atmosphere without ultra-high vacuum condition and then depositing in a low-temperature region. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the Ge film with an epitaxial relationship is along the in-plane direction of Si. The successful growth of epitaxial Ge films on Si substrate demonstrates the feasibility of integrating various functional devices on the Ge/Si substrates. © 2011 American Chemical Society.