Yuval Levy

Film thickness and composition monitoring during growth by molecular beam epitaxy using alpha particle energy loss

The α-particle energy loss method (AEL) has been implemented in situ to monitor film thickness during growth by molecular beam epitaxy. For InP and GaAs substrates recoil implanted with α-particle emitters, we have been able to measure thickness and composition of deposited GaAs, AlGaAs and InGaAs in real time. The AEL method yields in situ real time results comparable in accuracy to those obtained by ex situ scanning electron microscope and high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements.The α-particle energy loss method (AEL) has been implemented in situ to monitor film thickness during growth by molecular beam epitaxy. For InP and GaAs substrates recoil implanted with α-particle emitters, we have been able to measure thickness and composition of deposited GaAs, AlGaAs and InGaAs in real time. The AEL method yields in situ real time results comparable in accuracy to those obtained by ex situ scanning electron microscope and high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements.

Mapping of non-planar surfaces and film conformality by alpha-particle energy loss spectroscopy

Abstract A method of mapping 3D periodic structures in the micron- and submicron range is presented. The method consists of implanting alpha-emitting nuclei close to the surface and measuring the emerging alpha-particles at various directions. Information about surface topography is then obtained from the number of alphas that are observed directly by the detector. Measuring the shift in energy due to deposition of overlayers permits the analysis of the conformality of films deposited on complex periodic structures. Typical applications include the characterization of gratings in semiconductor layers fabricated during the production of laser structures and of quantum wires. An experimental example for periodic V-grooves etched in GaAs is shown.

In Situ Etch Rate Measurements by Alpha-Particle Energy Loss

When alpha-particles pass through thin films they lose an amount of energy proportional to the film thickness with the proportionality constant depending on the film composition. Thus, by measuring this energy loss one can determine the film thickness. We have applied this technique to measurements of the etch rate of various III-V semiconductor layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Prior to film growth, GaAs substrates were recoil-implanted with the alpha-emitting 224 Ra isotope by exposure to a 5µCi source of 228 Th. The implanted isotope decays with a half-life of 3.7 days, which allows measurements to be done for up to about two weeks after implantation. Following growth, the samples were etched in an electron cyclotron resonance etcher using a Cl 2 /BCl 3 /Ar gas mixture. As the film is etched the energy of the alpha-particles emitted from the surface increases. By introducing a high resolution Si detector into the etcher we are able to measure changes in the alpha-emission spectrum without removing the sample from the etcher. Thickness changes with an uncertainty of 5–10nm are obtained in 5 minute measurements at the end of each etch step. Some of the samples were also measured by SEM, yielding results in good agreement with values obtained by the alpha-particle measurements. As an example of an application of the technique we will describe measurements of the temperature dependence of the etch rate of GaAs in the 15–150 °C temperature range using optical bandgap thermometry to determine the substrate temperature. In a second example, we explore the application of the technique to etch rate of short pitch (250–500nm) grating. In this case the shape of the alpha-spectrum is sensitive to the profile of the etched trenches.

Determining the profile of textured membranes by the alpha particle energy loss method

Alpha particle energy loss (AEL) spectroscopy was used to characterize a 5 μm pitch grating of silicon bars on a silicon dioxide membrane. Comparison of the data with simulated spectra shows that the angle of nonvertical grating sidewalls are readily quantified by AEL. The potential of AEL for distinguishing undercut and overcut etch profiles is assessed.

In situ real time monitoring of thickness and composition in MBE using alpha particle energy loss

The α-particle energy loss method (AEL) has been implemented in situ to monitor film thickness and composition during growth of GaAs, InP and LaF 3 based materials by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). In the AEL method, a 228 Th source is used to recoil implant a 5 mm diameter region of the surface of the wafers with the α-emitter daughter isotope 224 Ra prior to growth. The implanted nuclei decay with a half life of 3.7 days through a sequence of daughters which emit alpha particles at different energies. Deposition on the surface causes the emission lines to be shifted to lower energies due to energy loss in the film. For substrates marked with a low activity (∼ 30 kBq; similar to activity of smoke detectors) we are able to measure film thickness with ± 6 nm uncertainty and growth rate with ± 0.01 nm/s uncertainty in real time. By measuring the relative growth rates of the different materials, AEL also allows us to infer the composition of a ternary laver film as well as the sticking coefficients rates directly at different growth temperatures.

Diffusion studies of Ra and Pb in GaAs by the alpha-particle energy loss method

The temperature dependence of the diffusion of lead in GaAs is determined by measuring the modification to the energy spectrum of emitted alpha particles from the decay chain of implanted 212Pb atoms. Diffusion rates are measured for temperatures up to 900u2009°C. Higher rates are observed for the diffusion in silicon-doped GaAs than in semi-insulating GaAs. An upper limit for the diffusion of radium in GaAs is similarly obtained from the decay of the 224Ra isotope. Implications for the use of implanted alpha sources for thickness monitoring during epitaxial film growth by the alpha-particle energy loss method are discussed.