Synthesis and size differentiation of Ge nanocrystals in amorphous SiO 2
Date
2006Source Title
Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing
Print ISSN
0947-8396
Publisher
Springer
Volume
83
Issue
1
Pages
107 - 110
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
Germanosilicate layers were grown on Si substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and annealed at different temperatures ranging from 700-1010 °C for durations of 5 to 60 min. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to investigate Ge nanocrystal formation in SiO 2:Ge films. High-resolution cross section TEM images, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) data indicate that Ge nanocrystals are present in the amorphous silicon dioxide films. These nanocrystals are formed in two spatially separated layers with average sizes of 15 and 50 nm, respectively. EDX analysis indicates that Ge also diffuses into the Si substrate.
Keywords
Amorphous materialsElectron energy loss spectroscopy
Energy dispersive spectroscopy
Germanium
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Silica
Synthesis (chemical)
Transmission electron microscopy
X ray analysis
Germanosilicate layers
Silicon dioxide layers
Silicon substrates
Nanostructured materials