On the manifestation of phosphorus-vacancy complexes in epitaxial Si:P films
Loading...
Access rights
openAccess
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
This publication is imported from Aalto University research portal.
View publication in the Research portal
View/Open full text file from the Research portal
Other link related to publication
View publication in the Research portal
View/Open full text file from the Research portal
Other link related to publication
Date
2016-02-22
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
4
Series
Applied Physics Letters, Volume 108, issue 8
Abstract
In situ doped epitaxial Si:P films with P concentrations >1 × 1021 at./cm3 are suitable for source-drain stressors of n-FinFETs. These films combine the advantages of high conductivity derived from the high P doping with the creation of tensile strain in the Si channel. It has been suggested that the tensile strain developed in the Si:P films is due to the presence of local Si3P4 clusters, which however do not contribute to the electrical conductivity. During laser annealing, the Si3P4 clusters are expected to disperse resulting in an increased conductivity while the strain reduces slightly. However, the existence of Si3P4 is not proven. Based on first-principles simulations, we demonstrate that the formation of vacancy centered Si3P4 clusters, in the form of four P atoms bonded to a Si vacancy, is thermodynamically favorable at such high P concentrations. We suggest that during post epi-growth annealing, a fraction of the P atoms from these clusters are activated, while the remaining part goes into interstitial sites, thereby reducing strain. We corroborate our conjecture experimentally using positron annihilation spectroscopy, electron spin resonance, and Rutherford backscattering ion channeling studies.Description
Keywords
Other note
Citation
Dhayalan , S K , Kujala , J , Slotte , J , Pourtois , G , Simoen , E , Rosseel , E , Hikavyy , A , Shimura , Y , Iacovo , S , Stesmans , A , Loo , R & Vandervorst , W 2016 , ' On the manifestation of phosphorus-vacancy complexes in epitaxial Si:P films ' , Applied Physics Letters , vol. 108 , no. 8 , 082106 . https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4942605
