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Selective amorphization of SiGe in Si/SiGe nanostructures via high energy Si+ implant

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0094185· OSTI ID:1877177
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [2];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  3. Synopsys, Inc., Mountain View, CA (United States)
  4. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Here, the selective amorphization of SiGe in Si/SiGe nanostructures via a 1 MeV Si+ implant was investigated, resulting in single-crystal Si nanowires (NWs) and quantum dots (QDs) encapsulated in amorphous SiGe fins and pillars, respectively. The Si NWs and QDs are formed during high-temperature dry oxidation of single-crystal Si/SiGe heterostructure fins and pillars, during which Ge diffuses along the nanostructure sidewalls and encapsulates the Si layers. The fins and pillars were then subjected to a 3 × 1015 ions/cm2 1 MeV Si+ implant, resulting in the amorphization of SiGe, while leaving the encapsulated Si crystalline for larger, 65-nm wide NWs and QDs. Interestingly, the 26-nm diameter Si QDs amorphize, while the 28-nm wide NWs remain crystalline during the same high energy ion implant. This result suggests that the Si/SiGe pillars have a lower threshold for Si-induced amorphization compared to their Si/SiGe fin counterparts. However, Monte Carlo simulations of ion implantation into the Si/SiGe nanostructures reveal similar predicted levels of displacements per cm3. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the total stress magnitude in Si QDs encapsulated in crystalline SiGe is higher than the total stress magnitude in Si NWs, which may lead to greater crystalline instability in the QDs during ion implant. The potential lower amorphization threshold of QDs compared to NWs is of special importance to applications that require robust QD devices in a variety of radiation environments.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003525
OSTI ID:
1877177
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1876516
Report Number(s):
SAND2022-9771J; 708388
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 132; ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Chemical processes
Electron-beam lithography
Etching
Ion implantation
Molecular dynamics
Monte Carlo methods
Nanowires
Quantum dots
Si/SiGe heterostructure
Transmission electron microscopy