Formation of optically-active, metal silicides using ion implantation and/or oxidation

Abstract

While Si-based integrated circuits dominate the microelectronics marketplace, they cannot be fabricated with optical functionality since Si is indirect. Alternative materials have been used in such applications but the ability to integrate an optically active material directly onto a silicon substrate to co-opt the advances in Si technology and processing capabilities is the better solution. Many of the transition metals form silicides that are direct band gap semiconductors and, as such, may be integrated with Si to achieve the desired optical properties. Ion implantation of the transition metal into Si was used to form the desired silicide phase by reaction of the metal with the Si substrate. Depending upon the fluence the resulting implanted layer can consist of a two-phase region in which the silicide phase forms as isolated precipitates randomly oriented within a heavily dislocated Si matrix. Rutherford backscattering/ion channeling spectrometry was used to monitor this process as a function of temperature and time. A unique method for orienting the silicide precipitates to align them crystallographically with the Si substrate and eliminate the ion-induced dislocations that form during the initial implant is discussed. This method involves oxidation of the implanted region to segregate the silicide phase at the oxide interface. Initial results of Os− ions implanted into Si(100) are presented.