Effect of Chamber Conditions and Substrate Type on PECVD of SiGeSn Films
Open Access
- 1 January 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. in Crystal Structure Theory and Applications
- Vol. 10 (03), 39-56
- https://doi.org/10.4236/csta.2021.103004
Abstract
In the past studies have shown that the addition of Ge and Sn into Si lattice to form SiGeSn enhances its carrier mobility and band-gap properties. Conventionally SiGeSn epitaxial films are grown using Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) conditions with pressures ranging from 10-8 torr to 10-10 torr which makes high volume manufacturing very expensive. On the contrary, the use of low-pressure CVD processes (vacuum levels of 10-2 torr to 10-4 torr) is economically more viable and yields faster deposition of SiGeSn films. This study outlines the use of a cost-effective Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) reactor to study the impact of substrate temperature and substrate type on the growth and properties of polycrystalline SiGeSn films. The onset of polycrystallinity in the films is attributed to the oxygen-rich PECVD chamber conditions explained using the Volmer-Weber (3D island) mechanism. The properties of the films were characterized using varied techniques to understand the impact of the substrate on film composition, thickness, crystallinity, and strain.Keywords
This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- Design of an electrically pumped SiGeSn/GeSn/SiGeSn double-heterostructure midinfrared laserJournal of Applied Physics, 2010
- Rhombohedral epitaxy of cubic SiGe on trigonal c-plane sapphireJournal of Crystal Growth, 2008
- EpitaxyPublished by Elsevier BV ,2005
- Synthesis of ternary SiGeSn semiconductors on Si(100) via SnxGe1−x buffer layersApplied Physics Letters, 2003
- Reversible Stress Relaxation during Precoalescence Interruptions of Volmer-Weber Thin Film GrowthPhysical Review Letters, 2002
- Hybrid surface roughening modes during low-temperature heteroepitaxy: Growth of fully-strained metastable alloys onPhysical Review B, 1999
- Solid-phase crystallization of amorphous SiGe films deposited by LPCVD on SiO2 and glassThin Solid Films, 1999
- Predicted band gap of the new semiconductor SiGeSnJournal of Applied Physics, 1991
- Si‐Ge‐Metal Ternary Phase Diagram CalculationsJournal of the Electrochemical Society, 1990
- Crystal structure and thermal expansion of α-quartz SiO2 at low temperaturesJournal of Applied Physics, 1982