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Wet Oxidation of Si1-x-yGexCy Layers on (100) Si

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

A. E. Bair
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical, Bio, and Materials Engineering
Z. Atzmon
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical, Bio, and Materials Engineering
T. L. Alford
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical, Bio, and Materials Engineering
D. Chandrasekhar
Affiliation:
Center for Solid State Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287
David J. Smith
Affiliation:
Center for Solid State Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287
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Abstract

Single crystal Si0.63Ge0.36C0.01 and amorphous Si0.65Ge0.27C0.08 layers have been oxidized in a wet ambient at 700 °C and 900 °C. The oxide growth has been studied using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. A reference sample of Si0.63Ge0.37 was also oxidized in order to determine the influence of C on the oxidation behavior. The lower C content alloy behaved similar to the SiGe alloy. Uniform Si1-xGexO2 was obtained at 700 °C whereas SiO2 was formed at 900 °C, and Ge piled up underneath the oxide. In both cases, C was not detected in the oxide layer. The amorphous Si0.65Ge0.27C0.08 alloy behaved significantly different at both oxidation temperatures in comparison with the crystalline Si0.63Ge0.36C0.01 and Si0.63Ge0.37. Negligible oxidation occurred at 700 °C whereas SiO2 was obtained at 900 °C and the rejected Ge distributed uniformly throughout the SiGeC alloy. It is proposed that fast Ge diffusion during oxidation at 900 °C resulted from diffusion at grain boundaries, since crystallization of the amorphous SiGeC layer occurred in conjunction with oxidation, leading to nucleation of ∼5 nm nanocrystals.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

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