A. Terrasi

Light absorption in silicon quantum dots embedded in silica

The photon absorption in Si quantum dots (QDs) embedded in SiO2 has been systematically investigated by varying several parameters of the QD synthesis. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or magnetron cosputtering (MS) have been used to deposit, upon quartz substrates, single layer, or multilayer structures of Si-rich-SiO2 (SRO) with different Si content (43–46 at. %). SRO samples have been annealed for 1 h in the 450–1250 °C range and characterized by optical absorption measurements, photoluminescence analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. After annealing up to 900 °C SRO films grown by MS show a higher absorption coefficient and a lower optical bandgap (∼2.0 eV) in comparison with that of PECVD samples, due to the lower density of Si–Si bonds and to the presence of nitrogen in PECVD materials. By increasing the Si content a reduction in the optical bandgap has been recorded, pointing out the role of Si–Si bonds density in the absorption proce...

Evolution of the local environment around Er upon thermal annealing in Er and O co-implanted Si

We present extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analyses of the Er LIII edge in Er-doped (100) Si samples. The samples were prepared by multiple implants of Er and O resulting in the incorporation of 1×1019 Er/cm3 and 1×1020 O/cm3 in a 2.3-μm-thick amorphous layer. It has been found that the local environment around the Er sites, which consists of six Si first neighbors in the amorphous layer, evolves towards a mixed coordination with O and Si atoms after epitaxial regrowth of the layer at 620 °C for 3 h. A further thermal treatment at 900 °C removes the residual Er–Si coordination and produces a full oxygen coordinated first shell with an average of 5 O neighbors. The effects of the different thermal processes on the high resolution spectra of the 1.54 μm Er photoluminescence were also measured and related to the EXAFS results.

Electrical and thermal transient during dielectric breakdown of thin oxides in metal-SiO2-silicon capacitors

The dielectric breakdown of gate oxide layers with thickness of 35 and 9.3 nm in metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with a n+ polycrystalline Si/SiO2/n− Si stack was investigated. Breakdown was characterized in a particular circuit configuration by following the time evolution of voltage, current, and power through the capacitor with a time resolution of the order of 2 ns. A detailed morphological characterization of the damaged samples by emission and transmission electron microscopy is shown and discussed. The results of the morphological analysis and of the electrical measurements are quantitatively discussed by simulating, through heat-flow calculations, the time evolution of the temperature in the regions interested to the breakdown phenomenon.

High-efficiency silicon-compatible photodetectors based on Ge quantum dots

We report on high responsivity, broadband metal/insulator/semiconductor photodetectors with amorphous Ge quantum dots (a-Ge QDs) as the active absorbers embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix. Spectral responsivities between 1–4 A/W are achieved in the 500–900 nm wavelength range with internal quantum efficiencies (IQEs) as high as ∼700%. We investigate the role of a-Ge QDs in the photocurrent generation and explain the high IQE as a result of transport mechanisms via photoexcited QDs. These results suggest that a-Ge QDs are promising for high-performance integrated optoelectronic devices that are fully compatible with silicon technology in terms of fabrication and thermal budget.

The role of the surfaces in the photon absorption in Ge nanoclusters embedded in silica.

The usage of semiconductor nanostructures is highly promising for boosting the energy conversion efficiency in photovoltaics technology, but still some of the underlying mechanisms are not well understood at the nanoscale length. Ge quantum dots (QDs) should have a larger absorption and a more efficient quantum confinement effect than Si ones, thus they are good candidate for third-generation solar cells. In this work, Ge QDs embedded in silica matrix have been synthesized through magnetron sputtering deposition and annealing up to 800°C. The thermal evolution of the QD size (2 to 10 nm) has been followed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques, evidencing an Ostwald ripening mechanism with a concomitant amorphous-crystalline transition. The optical absorption of Ge nanoclusters has been measured by spectrophotometry analyses, evidencing an optical bandgap of 1.6 eV, unexpectedly independent of the QDs size or of the solid phase (amorphous or crystalline). A simple modeling, based on the Tauc law, shows that the photon absorption has a much larger extent in smaller Ge QDs, being related to the surface extent rather than to the volume. These data are presented and discussed also considering the outcomes for application of Ge nanostructures in photovoltaics.PACS: 81.07.Ta; 78.67.Hc; 68.65.-k

Oxidation rate enhancement of SiGe epitaxial films oxidized in dry ambient

We present a study on thin oxides obtained by rapid thermal oxidation of Si1−xGex epitaxial layers. The oxidation processes were performed in dry O2 at 1000 °C for times up to 600 s. Our data show an oxide growth rate enhancement with respect to pure Si. Except for a very small amount of GeO2 that is found at the surface, all the Ge is rejected towards the SiO2/SiGe interface, forming a Ge-enriched layer free of extended defects. The comparison of our results for dry processes with those reported in the literature for wet ambient supports the idea that the kinetics of SiGe oxidation is controlled by similar mechanisms in both cases, in contrast with models and interpretations so far proposed.

Transient photoresponse and incident power dependence of high-efficiency germanium quantum dot photodetectors

We report a systematic study of time-resolved and power-dependent photoresponse in high-efficiency germanium quantum dot photodetectors (Ge-QD PDs), with internal quantum efficiencies greater than 100% over a broad wavelength, reverse bias, and incident power range. Turn-on and turn-off response times (τon and τoff) are shown to depend on series resistance, bias, optical power, and thickness (WQD) of the Ge-QD layer, with measured τoff values down to ∼40 ns. Two different photoconduction regimes are observed at low and high reverse bias, with a transition around −3 V. A transient current overshoot phenomenon is also observed, which depends on bias and illumination power.

Effect of O:Er concentration ratio on the structural, electrical, and optical properties of Si:Er:O layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The structural, electrical, and optical properties of crystalline Si codoped with Er and O by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) have been investigated in detail. Si:Er:O layers (∼250 nm thick) have been grown by MBE, realizing uniform dopant concentrations in the range 8×1018–1.5×1020 cm−3 for Er and up to 5×1020 cm−3 for O. The O:Er ratio was varied between 0 and ∼20. Samples have been subsequently annealed at 900 °C for 1 h. We observed that clear constraints to the Er and O contents exist in order to incorporate them in a good quality single crystal. We also found that the O:Er ratio represents the main parameter in determining the properties of this system. For instance, Er is observed to behave as a donor in MBE grown samples and the donor concentration increases with the O:Er ratio until a saturation regime is achieved for a ratio higher than 6–8. All the samples emit light at 1.54 μm and similar behavior is also found for the optical activation of the Er ions. The thermal process usually increases the n...

Matrix role in Ge nanoclusters embedded in Si3N4 or SiO2

Ge nanoclusters (NCs), synthesized by ion implantation and annealing up to 900 °C, result small (∼2 nm) and amorphous in Si3N4, crystalline and much larger in SiO2. The NCs ripening and crystallization kinetics in Si3N4 is retarded by larger interfacial energy and lower diffusivity of Ge in comparison to SiO2. Ge NCs absorb light more efficiently when embedded in Si3N4 than in SiO2. A significant effect of the barrier height on absorption was evidenced, in agreement with effective mass theory predictions. The smaller bandgap of Ge NCs embedded in Si3N4 and their closeness is promising features for light harvesting applications.

Rapid thermal oxidation of epitaxial SiGe thin films

The oxidation of epitaxial thin Si 1-x Ge x layers (0.06 < x < 0.30) at 1000 °C in dry O 2 , for times between 20 and 240 s, has been investigated. The analysis of the thin oxides ( 4-20 nm) has been performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Although most of the Ge is found to pile-up at the oxide/Si 1-x Ge x interface, our data indicate the formation of both SiO 2 and GeO 2 for all investigated samples and oxidation times. Moreover, the oxidation rate, enhanced with increasing the Ge concentration in the alloy, is reported. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence of GeO 2 formation and rate enhancement in the regime of high temperature oxidation in dry O 2 and Si 1-x Ge x alloys with x < 0.5. The differences could be peculiar to the initial stage of oxidation, as well as to the rapid thermal process used in our case, but a clear answer is currently unavailable.