Sponge-like Si-SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite—Morphology studies of spinodally decomposed silicon-rich oxide

Journal Article · Mon Sep 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4820453· OSTI ID:22217968

Friedrich, D.; Schmidt, B.; Heinig, K. H.; Liedke, B.; Mücklich, A.; Hübner, R. ^[1]; Wolf, D. ^[2]; Kölling, S. ^[3]; Mikolajick, T. ^[4]

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1. Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany)
2. Triebenberg Laboratory, Institute of Structure Physics, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany)
3. Fraunhofer Center Nanoelectronic Technologies, Königsbrücker Str. 180, 01099 Dresden (Germany)
4. NaMLab GmbH, Nöthnitzer Str. 64, 01187 Dresden (Germany)

Sponge-like Si nanostructures embedded in SiO{sub 2} were fabricated by spinodal decomposition of sputter-deposited silicon-rich oxide with a stoichiometry close to that of silicon monoxide. After thermal treatment a mean feature size of about 3 nm was found in the phase-separated structure. The structure of the Si-SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite was investigated by energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), EFTEM tomography, and atom probe tomography, which revealed a percolated Si morphology. It was shown that the percolation of the Si network in 3D can also be proven on the basis of 2D EFTEM images by comparison with 3D kinetic Monte Carlo simulations.

• OSTI ID: 22217968
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 13; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DEPOSITION
DEPOSITS
FABRICATION
FILTERS
HEAT TREATMENTS
IMAGES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NANOSTRUCTURES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON OXIDES
SPUTTERING
STOICHIOMETRY
TOMOGRAPHY
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY