Largely defocused probe scanning transmission electron microscopy for imaging local modulation of strain field in a hetero interface

Journal Article · Mon Oct 13 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4898575· OSTI ID:22350886

Kim, Suhyun; Jung, Younheum; Kim, Joong Jung; Lee, Sunyoung; Lee, Haebum ^[1]; Oshima, Yoshifumi ^[2]

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1. Memory Analysis Science and Engineering Group, Samsung Electronics, San #16 Hwasung-City, Gyeonggi-Do 445-701 (Korea, Republic of)
2. School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan)

We present an innovative method for characterizing the strain field in three dimensions in a hetero interface. Largely defocused probe scanning transmission electron microscopy (LDP-STEM) was employed for imaging the inhomogeneous strain field in a germanium (Ge) layer deposited on a silicon (Si) substrate. In the LDP-STEM image, Ge-atomic columns that are relaxed or strained to the Si substrate in the Si/Ge hetero interface were observed to be distinguishable, allowing for the qualitative characterization of the coherency of the crystal growth. Our results revealed that the strain field is locally modulated along the in-plane direction in the Si/Ge hetero interface.

• OSTI ID: 22350886
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 15; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CRYSTAL GROWTH
GERMANIUM
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MODULATION
SILICON
STRAINS
SUBSTRATES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY