Structural and some electrophysical properties of the solid solutions Si1 − xSnx (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04)

• Published in: Physics of the solid state 2013, Vol.55 (1), p.45-53
• Main Authors: Saidov, A. S., Usmonov, Sh. N., Kalanov, M. U., Kurmantayev, A. N., Bahtybayev, A. N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Semiconductors; Solid State Physics
• ISSN: 1063-7834; 1090-6460
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063783413010290

Films of the solid solutions Si 1 − x Sn x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) on Si substrates have been grown by liquid phase epitaxy. The structural features of the films have been investigated using X-ray diffraction. The temperature behavior of current-voltage characteristics and the spectral dependence of the photocurrent for the heterostructures p -Si- n -Si 1 − x Sn x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) have been analyzed. The grown epitaxial films of the solid solutions Si 1 − x Sn x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) have a perfect single-crystal structure with a (111) orientation and a subgrain size of 60 nm. In the epitaxial films at the Si-SiO 2 interfaces between silicon subgrains and SiO 2 nanocrystals, where there are many sites with a high potential, the Sn ions with a high probability substitute for the Si ions and encourage the formation of Sn nanocrystals with different orientations and, as follows from the analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns, with different sizes: 8 nm (for the (101) orientation) and 12 nm (for the (200) orientation). The current-voltage characteristics of the heterostructures p -Si- n -Si 1 − x Sn x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) are described by the exponential law J = J 0 exp( qV / ckT ) at low voltages ( V < 0.2 V) and the square law J = (9 q μ p τ p μ n N d /8 d 3 ) V 2 at high voltages ( V > 1 V). These results have been explained by the drift mechanism of charge carrier transport in the electrical resistance relaxation mode.