Semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate interfaced to a dissimilar material by means of a single crystal pseudomorphic interlayer

Abstract

A semiconductor device including a single crystal semiconductor host material having a surface; an ultrathin pseudomorphic single crystal epitaxial interlayer formed on the surface of the host material, wherein the interlayer is formed of a material and has a thickness selected so that the material of the interlayer is elastically deformed on the surface of the host material to match the lattice constant of the interlayer material with the lattice constant of the host material; and a further material incompatible with the host material when interfaced directly with the host material, but compatible with the interlayer, provided on the interlayer and thereby interfaced with the host material to perform a predetermined function with respect to the interlayer and the host material. In a preferred embodiment, the host material is a material selected from the group consisting of Ge, GaAs, InSb, InP, group II-V compounds and alloys thereof; the interlayer material is formed of pseudomorphic silicon, having a thickness of approximately 10 .ANG. and the further material is formed of SiO.sub.2 or a conductive material.