We have studied the growth by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GS-MBE) of SiGe virtual substrates. We have first determined the relationship existing between the Ge concentration in SiGe thick films and the gas phase ratio of disilane and germane, and its behaviour versus growth temperature. We find that Si atoms are 4.6 times more likely to be incorporated than Ge atoms at 550 °C. This incorporation probability decreases as the growth temperature increases, following a thermally activated law with a 0.082-0.126 eV characteristic energy. The dependence of SiGe growth rate on substrate temperatures has a cross-over point at approximately 8% of Ge, above which the growth rate decreases significantly as the temperature increases . Otherwise, we show what p-type or n-type doping levels are typically achievable in SiGe virtual substrates, and the influence diluted diborane and arsine have on the growth kinetics of SiGe. Additionally, we demonstrate that the `pre-build-up/flash-off' technique originally proposed by Iyer et al for solid-source MBE (1981 J. Appl. Phys. 52 5608) yields abrupt arsenic doping profiles in GS-MBE.