Direct Observations of Relaxation of Si/SiGe/Si on Insulator

2010 ◽  
Vol 1262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tongda Ma ◽  
Hailing Tu

AbstractMicrostructural evolution is directly observed when the cross-sectional film specimen of Si/SiGe/Si on insulator (Si/SiGe/SOI) is heated from room temperature (R.T., 291 K) up to 1113 K in high voltage transmission electron microscope (HVEM). The misfit dislocation at the lower interface of the SiGe layer begins to extend downwards even at 913 K. The lower interface takes the lead in roughening against the upper interface of the SiGe layer. The roughened interface is ascribed to elastic relaxation. As misfit strain is partially transferred to SOI top Si layer and misfit dislocation is prolonged at the lower interface, the roughened interface turns smooth again. Thereafter, the misfit dislocations are introduced into the upper roughened interface of the SiGe layer to release the increased misfit strain. It is suggested that the microscopic relaxation of the SiGe layer is related to dislocation behavior and strain transfer.

1992 ◽  
Vol 280 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Ballal ◽  
L. Salamanca-Riba ◽  
D. L. Partin

ABSTRACTIn this paper we investigate the defect morphology and misfit strain in InAs films grown on (100) InP substrates using two-step metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). High quality InAs films were obtained despite the 3.2% lattice-mismatch between the InAs film and the InP substrate. Cross-sectional and plan-view transmission electron microscopy has been used to characterize the ∼3μm thick InAs films. Almost all the lattice mismatch is accomodated by an orthogonal array of pure edge Lomer dislocations which are favored over the 60° type since they are more efficient in relieving misfit strain. In addition to misfit dislocations, threading dislocations were observed propagating through the film. Most of the threading dislocations were 60° type dislocations along the < 211 > and < 110 > directions on inclined {111} planes. The threading dislocations originate from island coalescence during film growth. High resolution electron microscopy shows the epitaxial relationship between the film and the substrate and reveals an abrupt and sharp interface with periodic dislocation cores.


2003 ◽  
Vol 779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung Seok Kim ◽  
Sang Ho Oh ◽  
Ju Hyung Suh ◽  
Chan Gyung Park

AbstractMechanisms of misfit strain relaxation in epitaxially grown Bi4-xLaxTi3O12 (BLT) thin films deposited on SrTiO3 (STO) and LaAlO3 (LAO) substrates have been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The misfit strain of 20 nm thick BLT films grown on STO substrate was relaxed by forming misfit dislocations at the interface. However, cracks were observed in 100 nm thick BLT films grown on the same STO. It was confirmed that cracks were formed because of high misfit strain accumulated with increasing the thickness of BLT, that was not sufficiently relaxed by misfit dislocations. In the case of the BLT film grown on LAO substrate, the magnitude of lattice misfit between BLT and LAO was very small (~1/10) in comparison with the case of the BLT grown on STO. The relatively small misfit strain formed in layered structure of the BLT films on LAO, therefore, was easily relaxed by distorting the film, rather than forming misfit dislocations or cracks, resulting in misorientation regions in the BLT film.


1992 ◽  
Vol 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.E.M. de Veirman ◽  
F. Hakkens ◽  
W. Coene ◽  
F.J.A. Den Broeder

ABSTRACTThe results of a transmission electron microscopy study of Co/Au and Co/Pd multilayers are reported. Special emphasis is put on the epitaxial growth and the relaxation of the misfit strain of these high misfit systems. In bright-field cross-sectional images, periodic contrast fringes are observed at the interfaces, which are the result of Moiré interference and which allow determination of the degree of misfit relaxation at the interface. It was established that 80-85% of the misfit is relaxed. From high resolution electron microscopy images the Burgers vector of the misfit dislocations was derived, being a/2<110> lying in the (111) interface plane. The results obtained for the Co/Au and Co/Pd multilayers will be discussed in comparison with those obtained for a bilayer of Co and Au.


2004 ◽  
Vol 843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songqing Wen ◽  
James Bentley ◽  
Jae-il Jang ◽  
G. M. Pharr

ABSTRACTNanoindentations were made on a (100) single crystal Si wafer at room temperature with a series of triangular pyramidal indenters having centerline-to-face angles ranging from 35° to 85°. Indentations produced at high (80 mN) and low (10 mN) loads were examined in plan-view by scanning electron microscopy and in cross-section by transmission electron microscopy. Microstructural observations were correlated with the indentation load-displacement behavior. Cracking and extrusion are more prevalent for sharp indenters with small centerline-to-face angles, regardless of the load. At low loads, the transformed material is amorphous silicon for all indenter angles. For Berkovich indentations made at high-load, the transformed material is a nanocrystalline mix of Si-I and Si-III/Si-XII, as confirmed by selected area diffraction. Extrusion of material at high loads for the cube-corner indenter reduces the volume of transformed material remaining underneath the indenter, thereby eliminating the pop-out in the unloading curve.


2005 ◽  
Vol 891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junqing Q. Xie ◽  
J. W. Dong ◽  
A. Osinsky ◽  
P. P. Chow ◽  
Y. W. Heo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTZnO thin films have been epitaxially grown on r-plane sapphire by RF-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies indicate that the epitaxial relationship between ZnO and r-plane sapphire is (1120)ZnO // (1102)sapphire and [0001]ZnO // [1101]sapphire. Atomic force microscopy measurements reveal islands extended along the sapphire [1101] direction. XRD omega rocking curves for the ZnO (1120) reflection measured either parallel or perpendicular to the island direction suggest the defect density anisotropy along these directions. Due to the small lattice mismatch along the ZnO [0001] direction, few misfit dislocations were observed at the ZnO/Al2O3 interface in the high-resolution cross-sectional TEM image with the zone axis along the ZnO [1100] direction.


1990 ◽  
Vol 216 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.G. Lawson-Jack ◽  
I.P. Jones ◽  
D.J. Williams ◽  
M.G. Astles

ABSTRACTTransmission electron microscopy has been used to assess the defect contents of the various layers and interfaces in (CdHg) Te heterostructures. Examination of cross sectional specimens of these materials suggests that the density of misfit dislocations at the interfaces is related to the layer thicknesses, and that the high density of dislocations which are generated at the GaAs/CdTe interface are effectively prevented from penetrating into the CdHgTe epilayer by a 3um thick buffer layer. The majority of the dislocations in the layers were found to have a Burgers vector b = a/2<110> and either lie approximately parallel or inclined at an angle of ∼ 60° to the interfacial plane.


1993 ◽  
Vol 319 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.R. Powell ◽  
S.S. Iyer ◽  
F.K. Legoues

AbstractIn this growth process a new strain relief mechanism operates, whereby the SiGe epitaxial layer relaxes without the generation of threading dislocations within the SiGe layer. This is achieved by depositing SiGe on an ultrathin Silicon On Insulator, SOl, substrate with a superficial silicon thickness less than the SiGe layer thickness. Initially, the thin Si layer is put under tension due to an equalization of the strain between the Si and SiGe layers. Thereafter, the strain created in the thin Si layer relaxes by plastic deformation. Since the dislocations are formed and glide in the thin Si layer, no threading dislocation is ever introduced into the upper SiGe material, which appeared dislocation free to the limit of the cross sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis. We thus have a method for producing very low dislocation, relaxed SiGe films with the additional benefit of an SO substrate. This buffer structure is significantly less than a micrometer in thickness and offers distinct advantages over the thick SiGe buffer layers presently in use.


1997 ◽  
Vol 500 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Gopal ◽  
T. P. Chin ◽  
A. L. Vasiliev ◽  
J. M. Woodall ◽  
E. P. Kvam

ABSTRACTInAs is a narrow band gap semiconductor with potential for such applications as IR detectors, low temperature transistors, etc‥ However, the lack of suitable substrates has hampered progress in the development of InAs based devices. In the present study, InAs was grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy on (001) GaP substrates. Though this system has a high lattice mismatch, (∼11%), certain MBE growth conditions result in 80% relaxed InAs layers on GaP with the mismatch accommodated predominantly by 90° pure edge dislocations. Misfit dislocation microstructures were studied using Transmission Electron Microscopy. Electrical characterization using lateral conductance and Hall effect measurements were also performed. Preliminary results indicate the possibility of misfit dislocation related conductivity. The possible correlation between interface structure and electrical properties is discussed.


1985 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. K. Sadana ◽  
J. M. Zavada ◽  
H. A. Jenkinson ◽  
T. Sands

AbstractHigh resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has been performed on cross-sectional specimens from high dose (1016 cm−2) H+ implanted (100) GaAs (300 keV at room temperature). It was found that annealing at 500°C created small (20-50Å) loops on {111} near the projected range (Rp)(3.2 μm). At 550-600°C, voids surrounded by stacking faults, microtwins and perfect dislocations were observed near the Rp. A phenomenological model explaining the observed results is proposed.


1989 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Kiely ◽  
A. Rockett ◽  
J-I. Chyi ◽  
H. Morkoc

ABSTRACTThe initial stages of heteroepitaxy of InSb on GaAs(100) grown by MBE have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. Three dimensional InSb island growth occurs in which the majority of the 14.6% misfit strain is accommodated by a square array of a/2<011= edge-type misfit dislocations. The implications of each island having a well defined defect array before coalescence into a continuous epilayer are discussed. Some 600-type a/2<101= interfacial defects and associated threading dislocations are also observed in coalesced films and possible reasons for their existence are explained. A strong asymmetrical distribution of planar defects in the InSb islands is observed and the origin of the asymmetry is discussed. Finally some evidence for local intermixing in the vicinity of the interface is presented.


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