Theoretical and measured characteristics of metal(CoSi2)-insulator(CaF2) resonant tunnelingtransistors and the influence of parasitic elements

We report on the theoretical and measured characteristics of triple-barrier metal (CoSi₂)-insulator(CaF₂) (M-I) resonant tunneling transistors (RTT) grown on an n-Si(111) substrate, and the influence of their parasitic elements on the measured characteristics. First, we analyze theoretical characteristics of an M-I RTT, and then show fabrication process and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics obtained at 77 K, in which several degradations are observed: large resonance voltage, low peak-to-valley (P-V) ratios at negative differential resistance (NDR), and reverse base current. Analysis, taking several parasitic elements (e.g., base resistance, substrate resistance and leakage currents connected to the intrinsic transistor) into account, explains observed characteristics well. Finally, we show the first transistor action with large P-V ratios at 300 K, which is achieved by reducing collector-emitter leakage currents     

电致发光谱测量β-FeSi2-Si异质结载流子限制

设计了一种将β-FeSi2颗粒埋入非故意掺杂Si中的Si p-π-n二极管来确定β-FeSi2-Si异质结的能隙差.当二极管处于正向偏置时,通过Si n-p-结注入的电子扩散到β-FeSi2并由于Si与β-FeSi2之间的能隙差而受到限制,电荷在异质结的积累反过来阻挡了电子的继续扩散,将电子局域化在靠近Si n-p-结的p--Si区.少子的局域化减少了非辐射复合的途径,Si和β-FeSi2的发光增强,淬灭速率变慢,在室温低电流下仍可得到Si和β-FeSi2电致发光.Si和β-FeSi2发光强度的比率对温度的依存性表明同型异质结对电子限制能力的减弱符合热发射模型,由此确定出Si和β-FeSi2异质结导带带阶差为0.2eV.     

Impact of amorphous Ge thin layer at the amorphous Si/Al interface on Al-induced crystallization

We investigated the impact of an amorphous Ge (a-Ge) thin layer inserted at the amorphous Si (a-Si)/Al interface on Al-induced crystallization. In situ observation of the growth process clarified that the nucleation rate is drastically reduced by insertion of a-Ge, which led to increase in the average size of crystal grains. This was interpreted as resulting from decrease in the driving force of crystallization, mainly due to the larger solubility of Ge in Al than that of Si in Al. The obtained films were SiGe alloys with lateral distribution of Ge content, and its origin is discussed based on the two-step nucleation process.     

电致发光谱测量β-FeSi2-Si异质结载流子限制

设计了一种将β-FeSi2颗粒埋入非故意掺杂Si中的Si p-π-n二极管来确定β-FeSi2-Si异质结的能隙差.当二极管处于正向偏置时,通过Si n-p-结注入的电子扩散到β-FeSi2并由于Si与β-FeSi2之间的能隙差而受到限制,电荷在异质结的积累反过来阻挡了电子的继续扩散,将电子局域化在靠近Si n-p-结的p--Si区.少子的局域化减少了非辐射复合的途径,Si和β-FeSi2的发光增强,淬灭速率变慢,在室温低电流下仍可得到Si和β-FeSi2电致发光.Si和β-FeSi2发光强度的比率对温度的依存性表明同型异质结对电子限制能力的减弱符合热发射模型,由此确定出Si和β-FeSi2异质结导带带阶差为0.2eV.     

Improvement of transport properties for polycrystalline silicon prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

The carrier transport property of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si:H:F) thin films was studied in relation to film microstructure, impurity, in situ or post-annealing treatments to obtain better carrier transport properties. Poly-Si:H:F films were prepared from SiF₄ and H₂ gas mixtures at temperatures <300 °C. Dark conductivity of the films prepared at high SiF₄/H₂ gas flow ratio (e.g., 60/3 sccm) exhibits a high value for intrinsic silicon and its Fermi level is located near the conduction band edge. The carrier incorporation is suppressed well, either by in situ hydrogen plasma treatment or by post-annealing with high-pressure hot-H₂O vapor. It is confirmed that weak-bonded hydrogen atoms are removed by the hot-H₂O vapor annealing. In addition, evident correlation between impurity concentrations and dark conductivity is not found for these films. It is thought that the carrier incorporation in the films prepared at high SiF₄/H₂ gas flow ratios is related to grain-boundary defects such as weak-bonded hydrogen. By applying hot-H₂O vapor annealing at 310 °C to a 1-μm-thick p-doped (400)-oriented poly-Si:H:F film, Hall mobility was improved from 10 cm²/Vs to 17 cm²/Vs. Received: 7 August 2000 / Accepted: 2 March 2001 / Published online: 20 June 2001     

Transistor action of metal (CoSi/sub 2/)/insulator (CaF/sub 2/) hot electron transistor structure

The first transistor action of tunnelling hot electron transistors with single-crystalline metal (CoSi/sub 2/)/insulator (CaF/sub 2/) has been achieved. This device consists of CoSi/sub 2//CaF/sub 2/ heterojunctions grown on n-Si     

Fabrication of p-Si/β-FeSi2 balls/n-si structures by MBE and their electrical and optical properties

We report on the formation technique of single-crystalline β-FeSi₂ balls (<100 nm) embedded in a Si p–n junction region by Si molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). β-FeSi₂ films grown on Si (0 0 1) by reactive deposition epitaxy (RDE) aggregated into islands after annealing at 850°C in ultrahigh vacuum. The islands of β-FeSi₂ aggregated further into a ball shape by following the Si MBE overgrowth at 750°C. It was found from X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns that the epitaxial relationship between the two materials, and single-crystalline nature were preserved even after the annealing and the Si overgrowth. Capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images revealed that a lot of defects were introduced around the embedded β-FeSi₂ balls with an increase of embedded β-FeSi₂ quantity.     

Fabrication of (1 1 1)-oriented Si layers on SiO2 substrates by an aluminum-induced crystallization method and subsequent growth of semiconducting BaSi2 layers for photovoltaic application

We have prepared (1 1 1)-oriented Si layers on SiO₂ (fused silica) substrates from amorphous-Si(a-Si)/Al or Al/a-Si stacked layers using an aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) intensity from the (1 1 1) planes of Si was found to depend significantly on growth conditions such as the thicknesses of Si and Al, deposition order (a-Si/Al or Al/a-Si on SiO₂), deposition technique (sputtering or vacuum evaporation) and exposure time of the Al layer to air before the deposition of Si. The crystal orientation of the Si layers was confirmed by θ−2θ, 2θ XRD and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The photoresponse properties of semiconducting BaSi₂ films formed on the (1 1 1)-oriented Si layers by the AIC method were measured at room temperature. Photocurrents were clearly observed for photon energies greater than 1.25 eV. The external quantum efficiencies of the BaSi₂ were also evaluated.     

Measurements of Carrier Confinement at β-FeSi2-Si Heterojunction by Electroluminescence

A Si p-π-n diode with β-FeSi2 particles embedded in the unintentionally doped Si (p－type) was designed for determining the band offset at β-FeSi2-Si heterojunction.When the diode is under forward bias,the electrons injected via the Si np－ junction diffuse to and are confined in the β-FeSi2 particles due to the band offset.The storage charge at theβ-FeSi2-Si heterojunction inversely hamper the further diffusion of electrons,giving rise to the localization of electrons in the p－Si near the Si junction,which prevents them from nonradiative recombination channels.This results in electroluminescence (EL) intensity from both Si and β-FeSi2 quenching slowly up to room temperature.The temperature dependent ratio of EL intensity of β-FeSi2 to Si indicates the loss of electron confinement following thermal excitation model.The conduction band offset between Si and β-FeSi2 is determined to be about 0.2eV.     

Epitaxial growth and electrical conductance of metal(CoSi2)/insulator(CaF2) nanometer-thick layered structures on Si (111)

Epitaxial growth of a metal (CoSi₂) /insulator (CaF2) nanometer-thick layered structure on Si(111) was demonstrated and the resistivity of CoSi₂ epilayer in this structure was investigated. An epitaxial CoSi₂ layer on CaF₂ was obtained by the two-step growth technique,i.e. solid phase epitaxy with the epitaxial Si layer grown in the first step and Co deposited in the second step. This technique was shown to be effective to avoid the Co agglomeration on CaF₂ layer observed in the co-evaporation of Si and Co. An epitaxial CaF₂ layer was formed on CoSi₂/CaF₂ at low substrate temperature (450°C) with partially ionized and accelerated CaF₂ beam, to avoid Co agglomeration in the CoSi₂/CaF₂ underlayer as well. Obtained results showed a single-crystalline nature in reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. The resistivity of a few nm-thick CoSi₂ epilayers embedded by CaF₂ has been investigated. We studied thickness and annealing temperature dependence of resistivity and showed that a minimum resistivity of 30 μΩ cm was obtained in a 2 nm-thick CoSi₂ sample annealed at 860°C.