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Retardation in the Oxidation Rate of Nanocrystalline Silicon Quantum Dots

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

J. Omachi
Affiliation:
Research Center for Quantum Effect Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
R. Nakamura
Affiliation:
Research Center for Quantum Effect Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
K. Nishiguchi
Affiliation:
Research Center for Quantum Effect Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
S. Oda
Affiliation:
Research Center for Quantum Effect Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
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Abstract

Using very-high-frequency (VHF) plasma decomposition of SiH4 and pulsed gas technique, we have successfully prepared nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) quantum dots having average diameter of 8 nm and dispersion of 1 nm. The role of natural oxide is very important. It controls the size of nc-Si dots. Of particular interest is that the oxidation of these dots can be self limited, due to the stress induced near Si/oxide interface, which would allow further reduction of size and improvement in dispersion. This paper deals with the systematic study of oxidation process of nc-Si dots. Nc-Si dots formed in an Ar plasma with SiH4 gas pulses are deposited onto a Pt mesh The dots are then oxidized at 750, 800 and 850°C from 20 minutes to 15 hours. The dimensions of the residual nc-Si and the grown oxide are measured directly from the TEM micrographs and analyzed. For comparison, field oxide is investigated using ellipsometry. Retardation in the oxidation rate of nc-Si is observed. The mechanism of the reduction of oxidation rate in nc-Si is discussed taking into account the effect of stress.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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