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A STEM study of P and Ge segregation to grain boundaries in Si{sub 1{minus}x}Ge{sub x} thin films

Conference ·
OSTI ID:20107905
The segregation of phosphorus to grain boundaries in phosphorus implanted Si{sub 0.87}Ge{sub 0.13} films, deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), was directly observed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) microanalysis. The segregation was determined to be a thermal equilibrium process by measuring and comparing the average phosphorus concentrations at the grain boundaries in Si{sub 0.87}Ge{sub 0.13} films subjected to 700, 750 or 800 C annealing, following the implantation and 1,000 C annealing processes. The measured segregation energy was 0.28 eV/atom. No Ge segregation was found at grain boundaries in phosphorus implanted Si{sub 0.87}Ge{sub 0.13} films by STEM x-ray microanalysis. Neither was evidence shown by STEM microanalysis that Ge segregated to grain boundaries in intrinsic Si{sub 1{minus}x}Ge{sub x} films with x = 0.02, 0.13 and 0.31. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis showed that these intrinsic Si{sub 1{minus}x}Ge{sub x} films contained 10{sup 19} to 4 x 10{sup 19}/cm{sup 3} H, depending on the deposition temperature.
Research Organization:
Inst. of Microelectronics (SG)
OSTI ID:
20107905
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English