Investigation of the formation of silicon nanocrystals by annealing of amorphous SiCx/c-Si structures

In this work, we study the changes in the optical properties of 300-nm-thick hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide layers after an annealing process. Both intrinsic and phosphorus-doped amorphous silicon carbide layers (a-SiCx:H) were deposited on silicon wafers by plasma enhanced chemical vapour d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physica. E, Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures, 2007-04, Vol.38 (1-2), p.36-39
Main Authors: TORRES, I, VETTER, M, FERRE-BORRULL, J, MARSAL, L. F, ORPELLA, A, ALCUBILLA, R, PALLARES, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amorphous semiconductors
Annealing
Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Exact sciences and technology
Fourier transform infrared spectra
Física
Física de l'estat sòlid
Materials science
Nanocrystalline materials
Nanocrystals and nanoparticles
Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation
Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures
Optical properties X-ray diffraction
Physics
Semiconductors
Semiconductors amorfs
Silicon nanocrystals
Silicon-carbon alloys
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC
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Description
Summary:In this work, we study the changes in the optical properties of 300-nm-thick hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide layers after an annealing process. Both intrinsic and phosphorus-doped amorphous silicon carbide layers (a-SiCx:H) were deposited on silicon wafers by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) at 400 °C and annealed in a quartz furnace at 800 °C. The presence of randomly oriented silicon nanocrystals was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements after the partial recrystallization process only in the doped layers. The presence or the absence of the nanocrystals clearly changes the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. From the fitting of the experimental curves with the model of Lorentz oscillators, the refractive index and the extinction coefficient of the different layers were obtained. Peer Reviewed
ISSN:1386-9477
1873-1759
DOI:10.1016/j.physe.2006.12.025