Raman Spectroscopy of Si Nanocrystals in Nanocrystalline Si Superlattices: Size, Shape and Crystallographic Orientation

Abstract

AbstractWe use Raman spectroscopy to study the size, shape and crystallographic orientation of silicon nanocrystals formed by solid phase crystallization of amorphous Si/SiO2 superlattices (SLs) grown by radio-frequency sputtering. The first and second Raman peaks broadening, their relative positions and intensities indicate the presence of nanoscale Si objects with a degree of disorder (grain boundaries) and strain (Si/SiO2 interfaces). Shapes of Si nanocrystals sandwiched between SiO2 layers strongly influence the Si/SiO2 interface roughness, which is inferred from the intensities of folded acoustic phonon scattering. The averaged crystallographic orientation of Si nanocrystals is determined by polarized Raman analysis. The laterally elongated nanocrystals exhibit <111> preferred crystallographic orientation along the SL axis due to orientation-dependent crystallization rates. These results demonstrate that control over Si nanocrystals structural parameters has been achieved and that solid phase crystallization of nanometer-thick amorphous Si films remains one of the most promising techniques for Si-based nanoelectronic device fabrication.