Papers by Author: A.G. Cherkov

Abstract: Thin (90 nm) a-Si:H films on Corning 7059 glass substrates have been crystallized by 120 fs pulses of Ti:sapphire and nanosecond pulse XeCl and KrF excimer lasers. Initial films were deposited using low-temperature plasma enhanced deposition technique. The structural properties of the films were characterized using the spectroscopy of Raman scattering, excited by the argon laser (line 514.5 nm) and using electron microscopy. For the femtosecond pulse treatments the ablation threshold was found to be some more than 65 mJ/cm2. When pulse energy density was lower than ~30 mJ/cm2 no structural changes were observed. In optimal regimes the films were found to be fully crystallized with needle grain structure, according to the Raman scattering and electron microscopy data. Estimates show the pulse energy density was lower than the Si melting threshold, so non-thermal “explosive” impacts may play some role. The main result in nanosecond XeCl and KrF laser pulse crystallization is the narrower window between beginning of crystallization and ablation for KrF laser (wavelength 248 nm) than for the XeCl laser (wavelength 308 nm). So, the possibility of the femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses to crystallize a-Si films on non refractory glass substrates was shown. The results obtained are of great importance for manufacturing of polycrystalline silicon layers on non-refractory large-scale substrates for giant microelectronics.

Abstract: The properties of germanium implanted into the SiO2 layers in the vicinity of the bonding interface of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures are studied. It is shown that no germanium nanocrystals are formed in the buried SiO2 layer of the SOI structure as a result of annealing at the temperature of 1100° C. The implanted Ge atoms segregate at the Si/SiO2 bonding interface. In this case, Ge atoms are found at sites that are coherent with the lattice of the top silicon layer. It is found that the slope of the drain–gate characteristics of the back metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors, prepared in the Ge+ ion implanted structures, increases. This effect is attributed to the grown hole mobility due to the contribution of an intermediate germanium layer formed at the Si/SiO2 interface.

Abstract: The behavior of Sb and In atoms embedded into silicon-on-insulator structure (SOI) near the bonding interface was investigated as a function of annealing temperature. Two kinds of the ionimplanted SOI structures were prepared. First kind of the structures contained the buried SiO2 layer implanted with In+ and Sb+ ions near the top Si/SiO2 interface. In second kind, the ion-implanted regions were placed on each side of the bonding interface: Sb+ ions were implanted into Si film; In+ ions were implanted into SiO2 layer. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and crosssectional high-resolution electron microscopy (XTEM) were employed to study the properties of the prepared structures. The formation of InSb nanocrystals was observed within the SiO2 bulk from first kind of the SOI structures as annealing temperature increased to 1100o C. In the case of the double side implanted SOI structures, an increase in annealing temperature to 1100o C was accompanied by the up-hill diffusion of In atoms from the SiO2 bulk toward the bonding interface and by the endotaxial growth of InSb nanocrystals on the top Si/SiO2 interface. It was concluded from the experimental results that Sb atoms were the nucleation centers of InSb phase.

Abstract: Cavity effect on the room-temperature (RT) photoluminescence (PL) from emitting centers in the top silicon layer of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure has been studied. The lightemitting centers were produced by the implantation of H+ ions and subsequent annealing at the temperatures Ta = 450-1000 oC for 5 h in an Ar ambient under pressure P = 1 - 1.2×104 bar. It has been obtained that annealing under hydrostatic pressure higher than 6 kbar prevented the outdiffusion of hydrogen in the form of gas bubbles, which took place after annealing at Ta≥600 oC under atmospheric conditions. Absence of micro-pores and gas bubbles in the top surface region creates the conditions to retain the mirror quality of the SOI/air interface. A wavelength-selective effect of the formed cavity on visible PL has been observed from the H+ ion implanted SOI structures annealed under pressure of 12 kbar. The cavity enhancement of PL emission for 23-40 times has been found at the wavelength of 515 and 560 nm.

Abstract: Ge nanocrystals (NCs) in GeO2 films obtained with the use of two methods were studied. The first method is a film deposition from supersaturated GeO vapor with subsequent dissociation of metastable GeO on heterophase system Ge:GeO2. The second method is growth of anomalous thick native germanium oxide layers with chemical composition GeOx(H2O) during catalytically enhanced Ge oxidation. The obtained films were studied with the use of photoluminescence (PL), Raman scattering spectroscopy, high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Strong PL signals were detected in GeO2 films with Ge-NCs at room temperature. “Blue-shift” of PL maximum was observed with reducing of Ge excess in anomalous thick native germanium oxide films. Also a correlation between reducing of the NC sizes (estimated from position of Raman peaks) and PL “blue-shift” was observed. The Ge NCs presence was confirmed by HREM data. The optical gap in Ge-NCs was calculated with taking into account quantum size effects and compared with the position of the experimental PL peaks. It can be concluded that a Ge-NC in GeO2 matrix is a quantum dot of type I.

Abstract: The properties of Si and Ge nanocrystals with uniformly strained Si-Si and Ge-Ge bonds have been studied. The strained Si and Ge nanocrystals were produced by the implantation of Ge+ or Si+ ions in thermally grown SiO2 films subsequently annealed under hydrostatic pressure ranging from 1 bar to 12 kbar. Correlation between the formation of the hydrostatically strained nanocrystals and the features of the photoluminescence spectra has been observed. The obtained results are discussed in terms of broadening energy gap between the levels of electron states of the hydrostatically strained nanocrystals. This effect brings about direct radiative recombination.