Surface Reaction in Thin Film Formation of Si1－xGex Alloys on Si(100) by Electron-Cyclotron-Resonance Ar Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition without Substrate Heating

Abstract

Low-temperature epitaxial growth process of group IV semiconductors (e.g. Si, Si1−xGex and Ge) is important for quantum-effect nano heterostructures of group IV semiconductors especially with suppressed intermixing at heterointerfaces. Plasma CVD process is one of the candidates for low-temperature epitaxial growth of group IV semiconductors. The Ge fraction of Si1−xGex thin film is in good agreement with the GeH4 partial pressure ratio. Rate coefficient [(Si1−xGex deposition rate) × (Ge or Si fraction) / (partial pressure of GeH4 or SiH4 (PGeH4 or PSiH4))] tends to become larger by increasing PGeH4 or decreasing PSiH4. Change of rate coefficients depends not only on Ge fraction but also on deposition rate. Hydrogen incorporated in the Si0.50Ge0.50 film epitaxially grown on Si(100) is as small as the order of detection limit of our FTIR measurements (about 1020 cm-3) or below. Height of X-ray diffraction peak for the deposited Si0.50Ge0.50 film drastically increases by reducing GeH4 and SiH4 partial pressures i.e. deposition rate. Epitaxial growth of Si/Si1−xGex/Si(100) quantum heterostructure without strain relaxation can be also confirmed. From these results, our ECR Ar plasma CVD process is expected to be applicable to quantum heterostructures formation especially with suppressed intermixing.