Bond Selectivity in Silicon Film Growth

Abstract

Hydrogen atoms can selectively eliminate strained bonds that form during the growth of amorphous silicon films. By periodically interrupting the growth and exposing the grown material to hydrogen, the film composition can be varied continuously from a non-equilibrium amorphous structure to that of a crystalline solid. Furthermore, by tuning the hydrogen exposure it is possible to discriminate between Si-Si bonds formed on different substrates, thereby allowing substrate-selective growth. The evolution of the film structure during hydrogen exposure is directly observed by scanning tunneling microscopy, and a model describing the role of hydrogen is presented.