In situ TEM study of the transitions between crystalline Si and nonstoichiometric amorphous oxide under bipolar voltage bias

Tian, Xinchun; Ma, Tao; Zhou, Lin; Brennecka, Geoff; Tan, Xiaoli

doi:10.1063/1.5100310

Title: In situ TEM study of the transitions between crystalline Si and nonstoichiometric amorphous oxide under bipolar voltage bias

Journal Article · 26 June 2019 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5100310 · OSTI ID:1526673

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Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Iowa State University
Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

The electrical responses, either structurally or chemically, at the interface between a SiO₂ thin film and a single crystalline Si substrate are an important research subject in Si-based devices. Dielectric breakdown-induced epitaxial migration of Si into SiO₂ has been reported as a degradation mechanism in field effect transistors (FETs). Here, we show a direct observation of electric field induced conversion of single crystalline Si to nonstoichiometric amorphous oxide starting from the Si/native oxide interface using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We further show that nanocrystalline Si can form in the amorphous oxide under a voltage bias of reversed polarity. Electron energy loss spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses indicate that the observed amorphization process was caused by the oxidation of Si and the recrystallization process was caused by the reduction of nonstoichiometric amorphous silicon oxide. Furthermore, both transitions are a result of field-driven directional migration of oxygen which originally comes from its native oxide layer.

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Research Organization:: Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0017839

OSTI ID:: 1526673

Journal Information:: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 125; ISSN 0021-8979

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Si/SiO2 interface
amorphization and recrystallization
bipolar electric bias
in situ TEM
oxygen migration

Title: In situ TEM study of the transitions between crystalline Si and nonstoichiometric amorphous oxide under bipolar voltage bias

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