Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T23:21:41.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Large Area and Depth-Profiling Dislocation Imaging and Strain Analysis in Si/SiGe/Si Heterostructures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2014

Xin Chen ,
Daniel Zuo ,
Seongwon Kim ,
James Mabon ,
Mauro Sardela ,
Jianguo Wen  and
Jian-Min Zuo
Xin Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
Daniel Zuo
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Seongwon Kim
Affiliation:
Engineering Ceramic Center, Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Icheon 467-843, Korea
James Mabon
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Mauro Sardela
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Jianguo Wen
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA Argonne National Laboratory, Electron Microscopy Center, Nanoscience & Technology, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
Jian-Min Zuo*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
*
*Corresponding author. [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

We demonstrate the combined use of large area depth-profiling dislocation imaging and quantitative composition and strain measurement for a strained Si/SiGe/Si sample based on nondestructive techniques of electron beam-induced current (EBIC) and X-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping (XRD RSM). Depth and improved spatial resolution is achieved for dislocation imaging in EBIC by using different electron beam energies at a low temperature of ~7 K. Images recorded clearly show dislocations distributed in three regions of the sample: deep dislocation networks concentrated in the “strained” SiGe region, shallow misfit dislocations at the top Si/SiGe interface, and threading dislocations connecting the two regions. Dislocation densities at the top of the sample can be measured directly from the EBIC results. XRD RSM reveals separated peaks, allowing a quantitative measurement of composition and strain corresponding to different layers of different composition ratios. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy cross-section analysis clearly shows the individual composition layers and the dislocation lines in the layers, which supports the EBIC and XRD RSM results.

Keywords

electron beam-induced current (EBIC)transmission electron microscopy (TEM)X-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping (XRD RSM)strained silicondislocations
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 20 , Issue 5 , October 2014 , pp. 1521 - 1527
Copyright
© Microscopy Society of America 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chu, M., Sun, Y.K., Aghoram, U. & Thompson, S.E. (2009). Strain: A solution for higher carrier mobility in nanoscale MOSFETs. Ann Rev Mater Res 39, 203–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Donolato, C. (1981). An analytical model of SEM and STEM charge collection images of dislocations in thin semiconductor layers. 2. EBIC images of dislocations. Phys Status Solidi (a) 66(2), 445–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drouin, D., Couture, A.R., Joly, D., Tastet, X., Aimez, V. & Gauvin, R. (2007). CASINO V2.42 – A Fast and Easy-to-use Modeling Tool for Scanning Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis Users. Scanning 29, 92–101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferrari, C. & Bocchi, C. (2008). Strain and composition determination in semiconducting heterostructures by high-resolution X-ray diffraction. In Characterization of Semiconductor Heterostructures and Nanostructures, Lamberti C. (Ed.), pp. 93–132. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier B.V.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Higgs, V. & Kittler, M. (1993). Investigation of the recombination activity of misfit dislocations in Si/SiGe epilayers by cathodoluminescence imaging and the electron-beam-induced current technique. Appl Phys Lett 63(15), 2085–2087.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Higgs, V. & Kittler, M. (1994). Influence of hydrogen on the electrical and optical activity of misfit dislocations in Si/SiGe epilayers. App Phys Lett 65(22), 2804–2806.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kittler, M., Ulhaqbouillet, C. & Higgs, V. (1995). Influence of copper contamination on recombination activity of misfit dislocations in SiGe/Si epilayers – Temperature-dependence of activity as a marker characterizing the contamination level. J Appl Phys 78(7), 4573–4583.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leamy, H.J. (1982). Charge collection scanning electron-microscopy. J Appl Phys 53(6), R51–R80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mooney, P.M. (1996). Strain relaxation and dislocations in SiGe/Si structures. Mater Sci Eng R 17(3), 105–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paul, D.J. (2004). Si/SiGe heterostructures: From material and physics to devices and circuits. Semicond Sci Technol 19(10), R75–R108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pizzini, S., Acciarri, M., Binetti, S., Ledonne, A., Marchionna, S. & Bollani, M. (2006). Defect studies on silicon and silicon-germanium for PV and optoelectronic applications. Mater Sci Semicond Process 9(1–3), 66–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaffler, F. (2001). Silicon-Germanium (Si1-xGex). In Properties of Advanced Semiconductor Materials GaN, AlN, InN, BN, SiC, SiGe, Levinshtein M.E., Rumyantsev S.L. & Shur M.S. (Eds.), pp. 149–188. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Google Scholar
Shah, V.A., Dobbie, A., Myronov, M. & Leadley, D.R. (2012). Reverse graded strain relaxed SiGe buffers for CMOS and optoelectronic integration. Thin Solid Films 520, 3227–3231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamamoto, T., Sakai, A., Egawa, T., Taoka, N., Nakatsuka, O., Zaima, S. & Yasuda, Y. (2004). Dislocation structures and strain-relaxation in SiGe buffer layers on Si(001) substrates with an ultra-thin Ge interlayer. Appl Surf Sci 224(1–4), 108–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yousif, M.Y.A., Nur, O., Willander, M., Patel, C.J., Hernandez, C., Campidelli, Y., Bensahel, D. & Kyutt, R.N. (2001). Direct assessment of relaxation and defect propagation in different as-grown and in situ post-growth annealed thin Ge/Si and step-graded Si1-xGex/Si buffer layers. Solid State Electron 45(11), 1869–1874.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yuan, X.L., Sekiguchi, T., Niitsuma, J., Sakuma, Y., Ito, S. & Ri, S.G. (2005). Inhomogeneous distribution of dislocations in a SiGe graded layer and its influence on surface morphology and misfit dislocations at the interface of strained Si/Si0.8Ge0.2. Appl Phys Lett 86(16), 162102-1 to 162102-3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yuan, X.L., Sekiguchi, T., Ri, S.G. & Ito, S. (2004). Study of dislocations in strained-Si/Si0.8Ge0.2 heterostructures by EBIC, TEM and etching techniques. Eur Phys J-Appl Phys 27(1–3), 337–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, R.H., Rozgonyi, G.A., Yakimov, E., Yarykin, N. & Seacrist, M. (2008). Impact of thermal annealing on deep-level defects in strained-Si/SiGe heterostructure. J Appl Phys 103(10), 103506-1 to 103506-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar