Strain-Driven Mound Formation of Substrate under Epitaxial Nanoparticles

We observe the growth of crystalline SiC nanoparticles on Si(001) at 900 °C using in situ electron microscopy. Following nucleation and growth of the SiC, there is a massive migration of Si, forming a crystalline Si mound underneath each nanoparticle that lifts it 4–5 nm above the initial growth sur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2015-01, Vol.15 (1), p.34-38
Main Authors: Gupta, Tanya, Hannon, James B, Tersoff, J, Tromp, Rudolf M, Ott, John A, Bruley, John, Steingart, Daniel A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Crystal structure
Formations
Nanoparticles
Nanostructure
Nucleation
Silicon
Silicon carbide
Strain
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Summary:We observe the growth of crystalline SiC nanoparticles on Si(001) at 900 °C using in situ electron microscopy. Following nucleation and growth of the SiC, there is a massive migration of Si, forming a crystalline Si mound underneath each nanoparticle that lifts it 4–5 nm above the initial growth surface. The volume of the Si mounds is roughly five to seven times the volume of the SiC nanoparticles. We propose that relaxation of strain drives the mound formation. This new mechanism for relieving interfacial strain, which involves a dramatic restructuring of the substrate, is in striking contrast to the familiar scenario in which only the deposited material restructures to relieve strain.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/nl502516y