Shape transition and migration of TiSi2 nanostructures embedded in a Si matrix

Anderson Sunda-Meya, David Smith, Robert Nemanich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study establishes that under conditions of epitaxial Si deposition, embedded Ti-silicide nanostructures undergo shape transitions and migrate upward to the surface during capping with a thin epitaxial Si layer. Many of these structures display a near-hemispherical shape which is attributed to minimization of their surface and interface energies. The density and size of the nanostructures are observed to be temperature-dependent. The buried islands induce inhomogeneous stress profiles on the capping layer surface. Atomic-force micrographs of the islands show square holes at the surface aligned along [110] directions which suggests that the sloping surfaces of the pits approximate to (111) surfaces, and the silicide interface is also facetted to match Si (111) planes. Cross-sectional electron micrographs reveal that many islands display faceting. The observed structural changes can be rationalized in terms of the interplay between thermodynamics and kinetics, solid-state capillarity, and the roughening transition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number094304
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume110
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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