Distribution of deep levels in Si:Au by spectral analysis of deep-level transient spectroscopy

-l eV and Δσ=1.4×10^-15 cm²) around their mean values (E₀=0.47 eV and σ₀=5.0×10^-15 cm²). No broadening for the other levels is observed in the emission rate spectrum. Accepted: 13 October 1997     

Thermodynamic evolution of antiphase boundaries in GaP/Si epilayers evidenced by advanced X-ray scattering

We have investigated quantitatively anti-phase domains (APD) structural properties in 20 nm GaP/Si epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy, using fast, robust and non-destructive analysis methods. These analyses, including atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction, are applied to samples grown by various molecular beam epitaxy growth modes. Roughness, lateral crystallite size of the epilayer, ratio of antiphase domains and their relationship are discussed. It is shown that both these analysis methods are useful to clarify the physical mechanisms occurring during the heterogeneous growth. Low temperature migration enhanced epitaxy is found to guarantee smoother surface than conventional molecular beam epitaxy. Effect of annealing temperature on antiphase boundaries (APBs) thermodynamics is discussed. The modification of the thermodynamic equilibrium through a thermal activation of APBs motion is expected to play an important role in the dynamic evolution of surfaces during thermal annealing and growth.     

Differential dislocations in martensite-type interphase boundaries

The tensor describing the density of differential dislocations, formed on interphase surfaces with a martensite transformation and on boundaries of mechanical twins, is calculated. Differential dislocations arise due to the transformation of Burgers vectors and dislocation lines in the process of their succession from the parent crystal. The dependence of the density of differential dislocations on the starting dislocation structure, transformation geometry, and the transformation matrix of the lattice with the transformation is demonstrated.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 76–79, June, 1981.     

X-ray interface analysis of aperiodic Mo/Si multilayers

We present the non-destructive analysis of aperiodic Mo/Si multilayers by X-ray emission spectroscopy induced by electrons. The Si 3p occupied valence states of the silicon atoms present within these structures are analysed. Because of the great sensitivity of these states to the physico-chemical environment of the Si atoms, it is possible to distinguish the emission from the center of the Si layer (amorphous silicon) to that of the interfacial zones between the Mo and Si layers. Thus, the presence of molybdenum silicides is evidenced in the interfacial zones. It is also shown that the relative proportion of interfacial silicides depends on the deposition conditions.     

Capillary-driven interdiffusion along interphase boundaries in solids

We consider chemical interdiffusion along interphase boundary (IB) between two immiscible solid phases. We derive explicit expressions for capillary-related excess chemical potentials of the atoms diffusing along the IB. The obtained expressions contain both a local term which depends on local curvature of the IB, and a non-local one which depends on overall system geometry and on energy of all surfaces and interfaces in the system. The obtained expressions are employed for describing the sintering of two immiscible two-dimensional solid particles controlled by surface and IB diffusion processes. We demonstrate that the sintering of particles is accompanied by relative rigid-body rotation of the particles even for fully isotropic surfaces and interphase boundaries.     

Formation of silicon oxide nanowires directly from Au/Si and Pd–Au/Si substrates

Amorphous silicon oxide (SiO_x) nanowires were directly grown by thermal processing of Si substrates. Au and Pd–Au thin films with thicknesses of 3 nm deposited on Si (0 0 1) substrates were used as catalysts for the growth of nanowires. High-yield synthesis of SiO_x nanowires was achieved by a simple heating process (1000–1150 °C) in an Ar ambient atmosphere without introducing any additional Si source materials. The as-synthesized products were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy measurements. The SiO_x nanowires with lengths of a few and tens of micrometers had an amorphous crystal structure. The solid–liquid–solid model of nanowire formation was shown to be valid.     

Dislocation emission from interphase boundaries in deformed nanocomposites

A theoretical model for emission of lattice dislocations from small-angle interphase boundaries characterized by both orientational and dilatational misfit in deformed nanocomposites is proposed. With allowance for the free surface of the material, the forces acting upon the dislocation structures of the interphase boundaries are calculated, through which the dependences of the critical shear stress for dislocation emission on different parameters of the boundary are found. It is shown that the influence of dilatational misfit and proximity of the interphase boundary to the free surface on dislocation emission is insignificant. It is established that the ability of interphase boundaries to emit dislocations is not uniform: emission of certain dislocations is facilitated as compared to ordinary small-angle grain boundaries, while emission of other dislocations may be inhibited.     

Interdiffusion in two-layer Pd/Ag films I. The effects of interphase boundaries

Interdiffusion processes in epitaxial single-crystal Pd/Ag thin films within the temperature range 20°–500°C are studied by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and electrical resistance methods. Homogenization is investigated both during deposition and during annealing.The mass transfer kinetics is found to depend significantly on the original structure of the interphase boundary (dislocations present or not) and on its reconstruction due to interdiffusion. Regular networks of misfit dislocations at the interface can retard interdiffusion, while network failures lead to acceleration of homogenization process. The vacancy flows play a decisive role in these processes. The effects of interphase dislocations on the DIGM, DIR and RID processes are discussed.The numerical study of electrical resistance variations during annealing is carried out. The concentration profiles are plotted for a nontrivial dependence of interdiffusion coefficient on concentration. The numerical results are compared with the experimental data.     

Gas-source MBE growth of freestanding Si nano-wires on Au/Si substrate

Freestanding Si nano-wires were grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy on Au/Si (100), (111), (110), and (113) substrates. The morphology of Si nano-wires is investigated using scanning electron microscopy. This method provides a possible way to fabricate silicon quantum wires.     

Nonideality of Au/Si and Au/GaAs Schottky barriers due to process-induced defects

A mechanism of local lowering of the Schottky barrier height (SBH) is proposed, which causes nonideality in nearly ideal Au/n-Si and Au/n-GaAs Schottky barriers. Positively ionized defects generated by the process very close to the interface induce electrons in the metal-induced gap states (MIGS) and lower the SBH locally. The spatial density distribution of the ionized defects obtained from the SBH distribution is determined by the unique interaction with the MIGS. The defects are considered to have the negative-U property and are neutralized at very close positions to the MIGS. The potential distributions close to the interface have a considerable potential drop due to the large defect density. These inhomogeneous potentials are coincident with the energy level scheme of the defect identified as the defect causing the nonideality. This defect is Si self-interstitial in Au/Si SB, and As antisite in Au/n-GaAs SB. This MIGS with process-induced defect model supersedes the previously proposed two major Fermi level pinning models. The mystery of the T₀ effect is solved. The thermionic-field emission current taking place in the strong electric field has influence on the I-V characteristics at low temperatures. Regarding the C-V characteristics of Au/Si SB, the observed extra capacitance under the forward bias is an experimental evidence in accordance with the proposed model.     

The effective diffusivity in polycrystalline material in the presence of interphase boundaries

The problem of calculating the long-time-limit effective diffusivity in stable two-phase polycrystalline material is addressed for the first time. We make use of a phenomenological model where the high-diffusivity interphase boundaries are treated as connected ‘coatings’ of the individual grains. The derivation of expressions for the effective diffusivity with segregation is along the lines of the analysis by Maxwell in . Monte Carlo computer simulation using lattice-based random walks on a very fine-grained mesh is employed to test the validity of the expressions. It is shown that, for the specific cases analysed, the derived expressions for the effective diffusivity are in very good agreement with results from the simulations. Since the pattern of behaviour is not entirely clear at present, it is difficult to guide the choice for the best expression in a given case. The equivalent of the Hart equation for this problem is also derived. This equation is shown to be invariably in poor agreement with simulation results.     

空气中激光清洗过程的等离子体光谱分析

在空气环境下,激光诱导等离子体光谱用于激光清洗状态的在线分析快速而准确。该文利用中阶梯光栅光谱仪探测脉冲激光器作用于干净及表面污染的铜币样品产生的等离子体光谱谱线,这些谱线中不但包含了清晰的铜原子发射谱线,还包含空气中氧气和氮气与激光作用产生分解效应的原子谱线。为了消除单次测量的不确定性,分析了多次测量的分布恒定的氧原子和氮原子谱线的统计规律,表明强度分布规律一致,且相对标准差基本相同,可以采用单次测量的光谱图变化表示清洗过程中状态。表面污染的铜币光谱图中包含多元素原子谱线和连续谱线,清洗干净铜币的光谱图连续谱线消失且只有铜元素谱线,观察谱线变化就可以表明样品是否被清洗干净。     

A comparison study of electroluminescence from Au/native oxide/p-Si and Au/porous Si diodes

Visible electroluminescence (EL) has been observed from a Au/native oxide/p-Si diode and has been studied in comparison with the EL from a Au/porous Si diode. Both diodes share similarities in current-voltage characteristics, EL spectra, and electrical input power dependence of integrated EL intensity. However, Au/porous Si exhibits quite strong photoluminescence (PL) while Au/native oxide/p-Si does not show any measurable PL. For the Au/native oxide/p-Si diode, when the native oxide layer was removed in 1% HF solution, no detectable EL has been observed. These experimental results indicate that the native oxide layer plays a key role in light emission from the Au/native oxide/p-Si diode, and show that the luminescence mechanism for Au/native oxide/p-Si diodes is similar to that for the Au/porous Si diode. This comparative study may aid in elucidation of the EL mechanism of porous silicon.     

Structure of quantum wires in Au/Si(557)

The structure of the Au/Si(557) surface is determined from three-dimensional x-ray diffraction measurements, which directly mandate a single Au atom per unit cell. We use a "heavy atom" method in which the Au atom images the rest of the structure. Au is found to substitute for a row of first-layer Si atoms in the middle of the terrace, which then reconstructs by step rebonding and adatoms. The structure is consistent with the 1D metallic behavior seen by photoemission.     

Dynamics of charge transfer at Au/Si metal-semiconductor nano-interface

An ab initio analysis of the periodic array of Au/Si nanostructure composed of gold clusters linked to silicon quantum dot (QD) co-doped by aluminium and phosphorus along [111] direction is presented in this paper. The density functional theory (DFT) is used to compute the electronic structure of the simulated system. Non-adiabatic coupling implemented in the form of dissipative equation of motion for reduced density matrix is used to study the phonon-induced relaxation in the simulated system. The density of states clearly shows that the formation of Au–Si bonds contributes states to the band gap of the model. Dynamics of selected photo-excitations shows that hole relaxation in energy and in space is much faster than electron relaxation, which is due to the higher density of states of the valence band.     

X-ray spherical wave scattering patterns of the epitaxial Si/GeSi/Si (001) heterosystem

The interference effects of x-ray diffraction topography in the Si/GeSi/Si (001) heterosystem have been investigated. This heterosystem is a film interferometer in which the GeSi solid solution layer of variable thickness serves as a separating gap. A topograph obtained for a 004 reflection (CuK _α radiation) using a spherically bent monochromator demonstrates both maxima of the pendulum solution observed for the case of a thin crystal (1) and interference fringes due to the variable thickness of the separation layer (2). The correlation of effects (1) and (2) with the successive extinction effect of interference maxima on the slope of the diffraction reflection curve is shown by the calculated topographs obtained for the different ranges of the angle of radiation incidence θ (200 and 1400″). The possibility of precisely determining the thickness of the crystal separation layer of an interferometer based on the indicated effect is demonstrated.     

MeV Au ion induced modifications at Co/Si interface

We report on room temperature MeV Au ion induced modifications at the Co/Si interfaces. Nanometers size thin film of Co and Si were grown by ultra high vacuum (UHV) electron beam evaporation technique on Si(1 1 1) surface and were irradiated by 1.5 MeV Au²⁺ ions at a fluence of 5 × 10¹⁴ ions cm⁻². High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) along with energy filter imaging technique has been employed to study the formation of Co-Si alloy at the interface. Formation of such surface alloy has been discussed in the light of ion-matter interaction in nanometer scale regime.     

Nanostructured Au/Si substrate for organic molecule SERS detection

Nanoparticles of noble metals, such as gold and silver, exhibit unique and tunable optical properties on account of their surface plasmon resonance. In particular, gold nanoparticles on silicon substrates are attractive for future nanoscale sensors and optical devices due to their resistance to oxidation and due to their electrical and optical properties. In this study, we developed a nanostructured gold/macroporous silicon (Au/PS) substrate capped with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA) with ultra-sensitive detection properties achieved in characterization, an approach based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Surface-enhanced Raman scattering allows us to detect substances at a low concentration level and to observe structural details of a thiol molecule bonded to small film thicknesses. Raman measurements were carried out at 514 nm and 785 nm. In order to emphasize the effect of the Si microstructuration on the efficiency of this new substrate (Au/PS) proposed for SERS experiments, the same molecule (11-MUA) was adsorbed on it as well as on gold/atomically flat silicon (Au/Si) and on commercial Klarite (Mesophotonics) substrates. Systematic studies realized by Raman spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and X-ray spectroscopy show the influence of silicon substrate texturing and metallic deposition conditions, including time and temperature on the optical phenomena.