Formation of boron-doped silicon wires and control of dopant concentration using zinc, SiCl4 and BCl3

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2020-10, Vol.547, p.125796, Article 125796
• Main Authors: Taniguchi, Ryunosuke, Inasawa, Susumu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Doping; A1. Solidification; A2. Growth from high temperature solutions; B2. Semiconducting silicon; Boron; Boron chlorides; Catalysts; Chemical reduction; Dopants; Nanowires; Silicon tetrachloride; Vapor phases; Zinc
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2020.125796

•Successful formation of boron-doped silicon wires using zinc, SiCl4 and BCl3.•Electrical resistivities of wires from 10-3 to 101 Ω cm.•Comparison of B/Si ratio in wires with that in gas phase.•Comparison of incorporation efficiencies between zinc and gold catalyst. We synthesized boron-doped silicon wires (whiskers) in a gas phase reduction reaction of SiCl4 with zinc vapor. BCl3 was introduced into the reactor as a boron source, and we varied the concentration ratio of B/Si in the gas phase. The formed wires had an electrical resistivity in the range of 10–3 to 101 Ω cm, depending on the ratio of BCl3 to SiCl4 in the gas phase. The ratio of B/Si in the silicon wires was not directly proportional to that in the gas phase, suggesting a non-linear incorporation process of dopant during the vapour-liquid-solid growth. Comparison of our data with published studies using gold catalysts to form doped semiconductor nanowires showed a lower incorporation efficiency of dopant atoms from the gas phase when using the zinc catalyst in vapour-liquid-solid growth.