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Title: Ripple formation on atomically flat cleaved Si surface with roughness of 0.038 nm rms by low-energy Ar{sup 1+} ion bombardment

Journal Article · · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3554636· OSTI ID:22051169
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Applied Electronics, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278-8510 (Japan)

The authors have conducted research regarding ripple formation on an atomically flat cleaved Si surface by low-energy Ar{sup +} ion bombardment. The cleaved atomically flat and smooth plane of a Si wafer was obtained by cutting vertically against the orientation of a Si (100) wafer. Next, the cleaved surface was sputtered by a 1 keV Ar{sup +} ion beam at ion-incidence angles of 0 deg., 60 deg., 70 deg., and 80 deg. The results confirm the successful ripple formation at ion-incidence angles of 60 deg. - 80 deg. and that the wavelength of the ripples increases with the increase of the ion-incidence angle, as well as the inverse of ion doses. The direction of the ripple also changes from perpendicular to parallel to the projection of the ion-beam direction along the surface with the increasing ion-incidence angle. The authors have also observed the dose effects on surface roughness of cleaved Si surface at the ion-incidence angle of 60 deg., where the surface roughness increases with the increased ion dose. Finally, to understand the roughening mechanism, the authors studied the scaling behavior, measured the roughness exponent {alpha}, and compared the evolution of scaling regimes with Cuerno's one-dimensional simulation results.

OSTI ID:
22051169
Journal Information:
Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 29, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English