Large-scale preparation of thin strain-relaxed SiGe is achieved by combining ion implantation and ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition. The resulting materials were analyzed by double crystal X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and tapping mode atomic force microscope. Results revealed that 100-nm-thick Si0.7Ge0.3 layers with the diameter of 125 mm and full strain relaxation are successfully prepared by pre-modifying the Si substrates using 50 keV Ar+ ions. The strain relaxation is also disclosed to change with both ion species and energy. However, post-modification of SiGe by ion implantation will cause serious damage to the crystal structures, and result in the formation of polycrystal SiGe. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.