A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films

A. Kovalgin, J. Holleman

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › Academic › peer-review

    Abstract

    In this work, LPCVD Germanium-Silicon films were deposited on thermally oxidised silicon wafers using a horizontal LPCVD system, at a deposition temperature in the range between 430 and 480 °C and total pressure between 5 and 200 Pa. Pure GeH4 and SiH4 gases were used as precursors. Morphology and texture of the GexSi1-x (X=0.3-0.6) films were investigated versus deposition parameters. It has been shown that at the deposition temperature of 430 °C and total pressure of 20 Pa the grain size varied between 40 and 80 nm for a <100-nm thick poly-Ge0.6Si0.4 film, and the root-mean-square surface roughness did not exceed 2.5 nm. A decrease of the Germanium content from 60 to 40 atomic percent caused an increase of both the grain size and surface roughness due to nucleation matters. The polycrystalline layers mainly contained (110)- and (111)-oriented grains with its ratio depending on both deposition pressure and film thickness. The appearance of the big grains and roughening of the surface was also observed with increasing film thickness. Rising the total pressure above a certain level (100-200 Pa) caused an enhanced formation of the amorphous phase and appearance of randomly situated surface convexities. Reducing the total pressure below 10 Pa led to roughening of the surface, probably due to a dominance of (111)-oriented grains in the film bulk at such a low pressure.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)47-54
    Number of pages8
    JournalJournal de physique IV
    Volume11
    Issue numberPr3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2001
    Event13th European Conference on Chemical Vapor Deposition 2001 - Athens, Greece
    Duration: 26 Aug 2001 → 31 Aug 2001

    Fingerprint

    Germanium
    Silicon
    silicon films
    germanium
    textures
    Textures
    surface roughness
    film thickness
    grain size
    Film thickness
    convexity
    Surface roughness
    Silicon wafers
    roughness
    low pressure
    nucleation
    wafers
    Nucleation
    Gases
    temperature

    Keywords

    • Surfaces
    • Semiconductor materials
    • Polycrystals
    • Thin Films
    • Texture
    • Solid solutions
    • Binary alloys
    • Experimental study
    • Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
    • Crystal growth from vapors
    • Films
    • Morphology
    • Germanium alloys
    • Roughness
    • SEM
    • Low pressure
    • Nonmetals
    • Silicon alloys
    • TEM

    Cite this

    Kovalgin, A. ; Holleman, J. / A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films. In: Journal de physique IV. 2001 ; Vol. 11, No. Pr3. pp. 47-54.
    @article{14ec89a22cec4f288119de93ccccdf03,
    title = "A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films",
    abstract = "In this work, LPCVD Germanium-Silicon films were deposited on thermally oxidised silicon wafers using a horizontal LPCVD system, at a deposition temperature in the range between 430 and 480 °C and total pressure between 5 and 200 Pa. Pure GeH4 and SiH4 gases were used as precursors. Morphology and texture of the GexSi1-x (X=0.3-0.6) films were investigated versus deposition parameters. It has been shown that at the deposition temperature of 430 °C and total pressure of 20 Pa the grain size varied between 40 and 80 nm for a <100-nm thick poly-Ge0.6Si0.4 film, and the root-mean-square surface roughness did not exceed 2.5 nm. A decrease of the Germanium content from 60 to 40 atomic percent caused an increase of both the grain size and surface roughness due to nucleation matters. The polycrystalline layers mainly contained (110)- and (111)-oriented grains with its ratio depending on both deposition pressure and film thickness. The appearance of the big grains and roughening of the surface was also observed with increasing film thickness. Rising the total pressure above a certain level (100-200 Pa) caused an enhanced formation of the amorphous phase and appearance of randomly situated surface convexities. Reducing the total pressure below 10 Pa led to roughening of the surface, probably due to a dominance of (111)-oriented grains in the film bulk at such a low pressure.",
    keywords = "Surfaces, Semiconductor materials, Polycrystals, Thin Films, Texture, Solid solutions, Binary alloys, Experimental study, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Crystal growth from vapors, Films, Morphology, Germanium alloys, Roughness, SEM, Low pressure, Nonmetals, Silicon alloys, TEM",
    author = "A. Kovalgin and J. Holleman",
    year = "2001",
    doi = "10.1051/jp4:2001306",
    language = "English",
    volume = "11",
    pages = "47--54",
    journal = "European physical journal. Special topics",
    issn = "1951-6355",
    publisher = "EDP Sciences",
    number = "Pr3",

    }

    Kovalgin, A & Holleman, J 2001, 'A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films', Journal de physique IV, vol. 11, no. Pr3, pp. 47-54. https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:2001306

    A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films. / Kovalgin, A.; Holleman, J.

    In: Journal de physique IV, Vol. 11, No. Pr3, 2001, p. 47-54.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › Academic › peer-review

    TY - JOUR

    T1 - A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films

    AU - Kovalgin, A.

    AU - Holleman, J.

    PY - 2001

    Y1 - 2001

    N2 - In this work, LPCVD Germanium-Silicon films were deposited on thermally oxidised silicon wafers using a horizontal LPCVD system, at a deposition temperature in the range between 430 and 480 °C and total pressure between 5 and 200 Pa. Pure GeH4 and SiH4 gases were used as precursors. Morphology and texture of the GexSi1-x (X=0.3-0.6) films were investigated versus deposition parameters. It has been shown that at the deposition temperature of 430 °C and total pressure of 20 Pa the grain size varied between 40 and 80 nm for a <100-nm thick poly-Ge0.6Si0.4 film, and the root-mean-square surface roughness did not exceed 2.5 nm. A decrease of the Germanium content from 60 to 40 atomic percent caused an increase of both the grain size and surface roughness due to nucleation matters. The polycrystalline layers mainly contained (110)- and (111)-oriented grains with its ratio depending on both deposition pressure and film thickness. The appearance of the big grains and roughening of the surface was also observed with increasing film thickness. Rising the total pressure above a certain level (100-200 Pa) caused an enhanced formation of the amorphous phase and appearance of randomly situated surface convexities. Reducing the total pressure below 10 Pa led to roughening of the surface, probably due to a dominance of (111)-oriented grains in the film bulk at such a low pressure.

    AB - In this work, LPCVD Germanium-Silicon films were deposited on thermally oxidised silicon wafers using a horizontal LPCVD system, at a deposition temperature in the range between 430 and 480 °C and total pressure between 5 and 200 Pa. Pure GeH4 and SiH4 gases were used as precursors. Morphology and texture of the GexSi1-x (X=0.3-0.6) films were investigated versus deposition parameters. It has been shown that at the deposition temperature of 430 °C and total pressure of 20 Pa the grain size varied between 40 and 80 nm for a <100-nm thick poly-Ge0.6Si0.4 film, and the root-mean-square surface roughness did not exceed 2.5 nm. A decrease of the Germanium content from 60 to 40 atomic percent caused an increase of both the grain size and surface roughness due to nucleation matters. The polycrystalline layers mainly contained (110)- and (111)-oriented grains with its ratio depending on both deposition pressure and film thickness. The appearance of the big grains and roughening of the surface was also observed with increasing film thickness. Rising the total pressure above a certain level (100-200 Pa) caused an enhanced formation of the amorphous phase and appearance of randomly situated surface convexities. Reducing the total pressure below 10 Pa led to roughening of the surface, probably due to a dominance of (111)-oriented grains in the film bulk at such a low pressure.

    KW - Surfaces

    KW - Semiconductor materials

    KW - Polycrystals

    KW - Thin Films

    KW - Texture

    KW - Solid solutions

    KW - Binary alloys

    KW - Experimental study

    KW - Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

    KW - Crystal growth from vapors

    KW - Films

    KW - Morphology

    KW - Germanium alloys

    KW - Roughness

    KW - SEM

    KW - Low pressure

    KW - Nonmetals

    KW - Silicon alloys

    KW - TEM

    U2 - 10.1051/jp4:2001306

    DO - 10.1051/jp4:2001306

    M3 - Conference article

    VL - 11

    SP - 47

    EP - 54

    JO - European physical journal. Special topics

    JF - European physical journal. Special topics

    SN - 1951-6355

    IS - Pr3

    ER -

    Kovalgin A, Holleman J. A study of morphology and texture of LPCVD germanium-silicon films. Journal de physique IV. 2001;11(Pr3):47-54. https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:2001306

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