Selective growth of nanocrystalline Si dots using an ultrathin-Si-oxide/oxynitride mask

Abstract

We demonstrate the selective growth of nanocrystalline Si (nc–Si) dots by using ultrathin-Si-oxide/oxynitride mask and low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The oxynitride layer is selectively grown on the Si(001)–2×1 open window formed in the ultrathin oxide layer by electron-beam-induced selective thermal decomposition. The 10-nm-scale hemispherical nc–Si dots grow selectively on the oxynitride-covered window within the incubation period in which Si growth does not occur on the oxide-covered surface.