Insights into the growth of hexagonal Si crystals using Al-based nano absorber

Abstract

Although hexagonal (2H) silicon (Si) semiconductors exhibit excellent optical properties owing to their quasi-direct bandgap, their growth conditions, which require extremely high pressures, preclude their widespread use in industrial applications. The current study, therefore, proposes a novel approach for the facile growth of hexagonal Si at atmospheric pressure via a unique phenomenon known as Al-based nano absorber. A mixed-source hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) method was used for the growth of the hexagonal Si single crystals employing a rapid interaction between GaCl3, AlCl, and SiCln gases at a high temperature of 1200 °C using a source mixture of Ga, Al, and Si. In this process, the Al-based nano absorber was formed, which resulted in the absorbance of Si atoms, rather than the growth of Al-based nano absorber, to form the Si crystals due to the subsequent lack of GaCl3 and AlCl sources. The hexagonal Si structure of these Si crystals was confirmed using field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Thus, the current study establishes atmospheric pressure mixed-source HVPE as a facile approach for growing various allotropic crystals such as Si, C, or Ge via absorption of other atoms by an Al-based nano absorber.