Confined phase separation in SiO{sub X} nanometric thin layers

Journal Article · Mon Nov 11 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4830375· OSTI ID:22217813

Roussel, M.; Talbot, E.; Pareige, C.; Pareige, P. ^[1]; Pratibha Nalini, R.; Gourbilleau, F. ^[2]

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1. Groupe de Physique des Matériaux (GPM) UMR 6634, Normandie Université, Université et INSA de Rouen-CNRS, Av. de l’Université, BP 12, 76801 Saint Etienne du Rouvray (France)
2. Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la Photonique (CIMAP), CEA/CNRS/ENSICAEN/UCBN, 6 Bd. Maréchal Juin, 14050 Caen Cedex 4 (France)

Phase separation in silicon-rich silica/silica multilayers was investigated using Atom Probe Tomography and Atomistic Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation. It is shown that the thickness of silicon-rich silicon oxide sublayers plays an important role during phase transformation. It determines the morphology of Si-rich phase formed after subsequent annealing, which is of prime interest for microelectronic and optoelectronic applications. Monte Carlo simulation reveals that the formation of isolated Si clusters can be achieved even in the case of spinodal decomposition and is directly related to the ratio between the spinodal wavelength and the sublayer thickness.

• OSTI ID: 22217813
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 20; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ANNEALING
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DECOMPOSITION
LAYERS
METALS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MORPHOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SILICA
SILICON
SILICON OXIDES
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
TOMOGRAPHY