Papers Published

  1. Tan, T.Y. and Plekhanov, P. and Gosele, U.M., Nucleation barrier of voids and dislocation loops in silicon, Appl. Phys. Lett. (USA), vol. 70 no. 13 (1997), pp. 1715 - 17 [1.118652] .
    (last updated on 2007/04/10)

    Abstract:
    We have calculated the nucleation energy barrier of voids and vacancy (V) type dislocation loops in Si under V-supersaturation conditions. The barrier of V-type dislocation loops is higher than that of voids by more than one order of magnitude, with the former exceeding 35 eV at attainable V-supersaturation levels. Thus, voids can be nucleated, but not dislocation loops. This provides an explanation for the observations that, in Si crystals grown under V-supersaturation conditions, voids exist but V-type dislocation loops do not. Voids seriously degrade the Si device gate oxide integrity. It is highly probable that the D-type swirl defects in Si are nanoscopic voids. Our calculated results have also provided information for limiting the formation temperature range of the D-swirl defects to be lower than ~1050°C, and the Si V formation enthalpy to be above ~3.0 eV

    Keywords:
    crystal growth;elemental semiconductors;heat of formation;nucleation;semiconductor growth;silicon;vacancy condensation loops;voids (solid);