3 research outputs found
Effect of Elastic Strain Fluctuation on Atomic Layer Growth of Epitaxial Silicide in Si Nanowires by Point Contact Reactions
Effects of strain impact a range
of applications involving mobility change in field-effect-transistors.
We report the effect of strain fluctuation on epitaxial growth of
NiSi<sub>2</sub> in a Si nanowire via point contact and atomic layer
reactions, and we discuss the thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical
implications. The generation and relaxation of strain shown by in
situ TEM is periodic and in synchronization with the atomic layer
reaction. The Si lattice at the epitaxial interface is under tensile
strain, which enables a high solubility of supersaturated interstitial
Ni atoms for homogeneous nucleation of an epitaxial atomic layer of
the disilicide phase. The tensile strain is reduced locally during
the incubation period of nucleation by the dissolution of supersaturated
Ni atoms in the Si lattice but the strained-Si state returns once
the atomic layer epitaxial growth of NiSi<sub>2</sub> occurs by consuming
the supersaturated Ni
Gold Catalyzed Nickel Disilicide Formation: A New Solid–Liquid–Solid Phase Growth Mechanism
The
vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism is the predominate
growth mechanism for semiconductor nanowires (NWs). We report here
a new solid–liquid–solid (SLS) growth mechanism of a
silicide phase in Si NWs using in situ transmission electron microcopy
(TEM). The new SLS mechanism is analogous to the VLS one in relying
on a liquid-mediating growth seed, but it is fundamentally different
in terms of nucleation and mass transport. In SLS growth of Ni disilicide,
the Ni atoms are supplied from remote Ni particles by interstitial
diffusion through a Si NW to the pre-existing Au–Si liquid
alloy drop at the tip of the NW. Upon supersaturation of both Ni and
Si in Au, an octahedral nucleus of Ni disilicide (NiSi<sub>2</sub>) forms at the center of the Au liquid alloy, which thereafter sweeps
through the Si NW and transforms Si into NiSi<sub>2</sub>. The dissolution
of Si by the Au alloy liquid mediating layer proceeds with contact
angle oscillation at the triple point where Si, oxide of Si, and the
Au alloy meet, whereas NiSi<sub>2</sub> is grown from the liquid mediating
layer in an atomic stepwise manner. By using in situ quenching experiments,
we are able to measure the solubility of Ni and Si in the Au–Ni–Si
ternary alloy. The Au-catalyzed mechanism can lower the formation
temperature of NiSi<sub>2</sub> by 100 °C compared with an all
solid state reaction
Gold Catalyzed Nickel Disilicide Formation: A New Solid–Liquid–Solid Phase Growth Mechanism
The
vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism is the predominate
growth mechanism for semiconductor nanowires (NWs). We report here
a new solid–liquid–solid (SLS) growth mechanism of a
silicide phase in Si NWs using in situ transmission electron microcopy
(TEM). The new SLS mechanism is analogous to the VLS one in relying
on a liquid-mediating growth seed, but it is fundamentally different
in terms of nucleation and mass transport. In SLS growth of Ni disilicide,
the Ni atoms are supplied from remote Ni particles by interstitial
diffusion through a Si NW to the pre-existing Au–Si liquid
alloy drop at the tip of the NW. Upon supersaturation of both Ni and
Si in Au, an octahedral nucleus of Ni disilicide (NiSi<sub>2</sub>) forms at the center of the Au liquid alloy, which thereafter sweeps
through the Si NW and transforms Si into NiSi<sub>2</sub>. The dissolution
of Si by the Au alloy liquid mediating layer proceeds with contact
angle oscillation at the triple point where Si, oxide of Si, and the
Au alloy meet, whereas NiSi<sub>2</sub> is grown from the liquid mediating
layer in an atomic stepwise manner. By using in situ quenching experiments,
we are able to measure the solubility of Ni and Si in the Au–Ni–Si
ternary alloy. The Au-catalyzed mechanism can lower the formation
temperature of NiSi<sub>2</sub> by 100 °C compared with an all
solid state reaction