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Title: Concentration-dependent self-diffusion coefficients in amorphous Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} solid solutions: An interdiffusion study

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4918926· OSTI ID:22402951
;  [1];  [1]
  1. Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (formerly Max Planck Institute for Metals Research), Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany)

Self-diffusion coefficients of Si and Ge in amorphous Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} (a-Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x}) solid solutions were determined quantitatively in the temperature range of 440 °C – 460 °C by the investigation of interdiffusion in amorphous Si/Si{sub 0.52}Ge{sub 0.48} multilayers using Auger electron spectroscopy sputter-depth profiling. The determined concentration dependent self-diffusion coefficients of Si and Ge in a-Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.48 at. % Ge are about ten orders of magnitude larger than in the corresponding crystalline phases, due to the inherent, excess free volume in the amorphous phase. The self-diffusion coefficient of Si (or Ge) in a-Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} increases in association with a decreasing activation enthalpy with increasing Ge concentration. This concentration dependence has been related to an overall decrease of the average bond strength with increasing Ge concentration.

OSTI ID:
22402951
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English