Stress Relaxation in Uniquely Oriented SiGe/Si Epitaxial Layers

1999 ◽  
Vol 594 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Ware ◽  
R. J. Nemanich

AbstractThis study explores stress relaxation of epitaxial SiGe layers grown on Si substrates with unique orientations. The crystallographic orientations of the Si substrates used were off-axis from the (001) plane towards the (111) plane by angles, θ = 0, 10, and 22 degrees. We have grown 100nm thick Si(1−x) Ge(x) epitaxial layers with x=0.3 on the Si substrates to examine the relaxation process. The as-deposited films are metastable to the formation of strain relaxing misfit dislocations, and thermal annealing is used to obtain highly relaxed films for comparison. Raman spectroscopy has been used to measure the strain relaxation, and atomic force microscopy has been used to explore the development of surface morphology. The Raman scattering indicated that the strain in the as-deposited films is dependent on the substrate orientation with strained layers grown on Si with 0 and 22 degree orientations while highly relaxed films were grown on the 10 degree substrate. The surface morphology also differed for the substrate orientations. The 10 degree surface is relatively smooth with hut shaped structures oriented at predicted angles relative to the step edges.

2000 ◽  
Vol 648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan E. Ware ◽  
Robert J. Nemanich

AbstractThe 4% lattice mismatch between Si and Ge creates strain in epitaxial layers of SiGe alloys on Si, and this strain can manifest itself in the morphological structure of the surface of the epitaxial layer. This study explores the relationship of the evolution of the surface morphology of SiGe layers grown on a range of Si surface orientations. We have grown thin, strained and thick, relaxed layers of Si0.7Ge0.3 by solid source molecular beam epitaxy on substrates with surface normals rotated from [001] towards [111] by angles of θ = (0, 2, 4, 10, 22) degrees. The surface morphology was investigated by atomic force microscopy, which showed considerable ordering of surface features on relaxed samples. These features evolve from hut-like structures at 0 degrees to large mesa-like structures separated by pits and crevices at 22 degrees. The organization of these features is also shown to vary with the substrate orientation. Each surface has characteristic directions along which features are aligned, and these directions vary continuously with the angle of rotation of the substrate. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that misfit dislocations had formed along those same directions. The state of relaxation of each layer is quantified by Raman spectroscopy in order to make a direct correlation between residual strain and surface morphology.


2013 ◽  
Vol 446-447 ◽  
pp. 306-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudhanshu Dwivedi ◽  
Somnath Biswas

Mixed phase TiO2 thin films of rutile and anatase type crystal orientations were deposited on Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. When annealed at 800°C at 1 mbar oxygen pressure for 3 h, the deposited films transform into a single phase of rutile type. Structural and morphological studies of the as-deposited and annealed films were performed with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was used for optical characterization of the annealed thin films.


1999 ◽  
Vol 588 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Cremades ◽  
M. Albrecht ◽  
J. M. Ulloa ◽  
J. Piqueras ◽  
H. P. Strunk ◽  
...  

AbstractA series of 100 nm thick InGaN films with In content up to 14% has been grown by MOVPE on SiC substrates. Optical characterization was carried out by means of reflectance spectrometry, photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence. Optical properties of the samples have been correlated with the microstructural properties measured by atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction data. Results indicate a dependence of the optical properties on the In content in the sample, as well as on the residual stress in the films induced by Indium incorporation. Part of the strain is reduced elastically by formation of pinholes which reach the InGaN/GaN interface, where first misfit dislocations are observed to form. Our results show that luminescence is directly correlated with the strain distribution in the layers. Pinholes are observed to act as nonradiative recombination sites for carriers, while strain relaxation around pinholes may enhance luminescence emission. We discuss the influence of strain with respect to In incorporation, the appearance of piezoelectric fields and effects due to strain induced band bending.


2005 ◽  
Vol 483-485 ◽  
pp. 141-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Thomas ◽  
Christian Hecht

In this paper we present recent results of epitaxial growth of 4H-SiC on 3” (0001) 8° and 4° off-oriented wafers using a multi-wafer hot-wall CVD system. This equipment exhibits a capacity of 5x3” or 7x2” wafers per run. By optimizing the process conditions epitaxial layers with excellent crystal quality, purity and homogeneity in doping and thickness were grown. The intra-wafer as well as the wafer-to-wafer homogeneity will be illustrated by doping and thickness mappings of a full-loaded run. Surface morphology of epitaxial layers on 8° and 4° off-oriented wafers was investigated by atomic force microscopy.


1995 ◽  
Vol 399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cengiz S. Ozkan ◽  
William D. Nix ◽  
Huajian Gao

ABSTRACTSurface roughening associated with strain relaxation of Si1-xGex films grown epitaxially on (100) Si substrates has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Epitaxial films 100 Å in thickness and containing 18% Ge, which are subcritical with respect to the formation of misfit dislocations, show strain relaxation through surface roughening on annealing at 700 °C. Enhanced surface grooves aligned along <100> directions are observed in films annealed at 850 °C. Strain relaxation as measured by x-ray diffraction is significantly greater at the higher temperature. Prolonged anneals at 850 °C also result in islanding. The surface roughening processes have also been studied in subcritical films with 15% Ge at 900 °C. These films also show enhanced grooving aligned along <100> directions. These observations are consistent with an anisotropic elastic analysis which indicates that grooving should occur preferentially along <100> directions. Intermixing effects in these samples have also been investigated through depth profiling using Auger Electron Spectroscopy. In addition to the above subcritical films, other films with 18% and 22% Ge and supercritical thicknesses have also been studied. For these films, surface grooving is observed along <110> directions, which suggests that these grooves are related to the formation of misfit dislocation networks. The role of these surface roughening processes in the nucleation of dislocations has also been explored.


Author(s):  
B. Jahnen ◽  
M. Albrecht ◽  
W. Dorsch ◽  
S. Christiansen ◽  
H. P. Strunk ◽  
...  

We analyse by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) the strain relaxation mechanisms in InGaN layers on GaN as dependent on the In content. At the experimentally given thickness of 100 nm, the layers remain coherently strained, up to an In concentration of 14 %. We show that part of the strain is reduced elastically by formation of hexagonally facetted pinholes. First misfit dislocations are observed to form at pinholes that reach the InGaN/GaN interface. We discuss these results in the framework of the Matthews-Blakeslee model for the critical thickness considering the Peierls force for glide of threading dislocations in the different slip systems of the wurtzite lattice.


2004 ◽  
Vol 230-232 ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Yastrubchak ◽  
T. Wosiński ◽  
J.Z. Domagała ◽  
E. Łusakowska

Partially relaxed III–V heterostructures: GaAs/InGaAs and InP/InAlAs/InGaAs, with a small lattice mismatch, grown using molecular beam epitaxy under compressive or tensile misfit stress at the (001) interface, have been investigated by means of high-resolution X-ray diffractometry, atomic force microscopy and generalized ellipsometry. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy and electron-beam induced current in a scanning electron microscope have been employed to reveal misfit dislocations at the heterostructure interface. Chemical etching was used to determine polarity of the crystals and threading dislocation densities in the epitaxial layers. Our findings are interpreted in terms of the dependent on growth conditions, material’s composition and doping glide velocities of two types of misfit dislocations: α and β, differing in their core structure and lying along two orthogonal 〈110〉 crystallographic directions at the (001) interface.


2003 ◽  
Vol 780 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Essary ◽  
V. Craciun ◽  
J. M. Howard ◽  
R. K. Singh

AbstractHf metal thin films were deposited on Si substrates using a pulsed laser deposition technique in vacuum and in ammonia ambients. The films were then oxidized at 400 °C in 300 Torr of O2. Half the samples were oxidized in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from a Hg lamp array. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and grazing angle X-ray diffraction were used to compare the crystallinity, roughness, and composition of the films. It has been found that UV radiation causes roughening of the films and also promotes crystallization at lower temperatures.Furthermore, increased silicon oxidation at the interface was noted with the UVirradiated samples and was shown to be in the form of a mixed layer using angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Incorporation of nitrogen into the film reduces the oxidation of the silicon interface.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 2700-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamel Earar ◽  
Vasile Iulian Antoniac ◽  
Sorana Baciu ◽  
Simion Bran ◽  
Florin Onisor ◽  
...  

This study examined and compared surface of human dentine after acidic etching with hydrogen peroxide, phosphoric acid liquid and gel. Surface demineralization of dentin is necessary for a strong bond of adhesive at dental surface. Split human teeth were used. After application of mentioned substances at dentin level measures of the contact angle and surface morphology were employed. Surface morphology was analyzed with the help of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Liquid phosphoric acid yielded highest demineralization showing better hydrophobicity than the rest, thus having more contact surface. Surface roughness are less evident and formed surface micropores of 4 �m remained open after wash and air dry providing better adhesive canalicular penetration and subsequent bond.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4384
Author(s):  
Mohd Aidy Faizal Johari ◽  
Asmawan Mohd Sarman ◽  
Saiful Amri Mazlan ◽  
Ubaidillah U ◽  
Nur Azmah Nordin ◽  
...  

Micro mechanism consideration is critical for gaining a thorough understanding of amorphous shear band behavior in magnetorheological (MR) solids, particularly those with viscoelastic matrices. Heretofore, the characteristics of shear bands in terms of formation, physical evolution, and response to stress distribution at the localized region have gone largely unnoticed and unexplored. Notwithstanding these limitations, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to explore the nature of shear band deformation in MR materials during stress relaxation. Stress relaxation at a constant low strain of 0.01% and an oscillatory shear of defined test duration played a major role in the creation of the shear band. In this analysis, the localized area of the study defined shear bands as varying in size and dominantly deformed in the matrix with no evidence of inhibition by embedded carbonyl iron particles (CIPs). The association between the shear band and the adjacent zone was further studied using in-phase imaging of AFM tapping mode and demonstrated the presence of localized affected zone around the shear band. Taken together, the results provide important insights into the proposed shear band deformation zone (SBDZ). This study sheds a contemporary light on the contentious issue of amorphous shear band deformation behavior and makes several contributions to the current literature.


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