Characterization of strained silicon quantum wells and Si_1-xGe_xheterostructures using Auger electron spectroscopy and spreading resistance profiles of bevelled structures

Abstract

Critical fabrication parameters of modulation-doped Si/ SiGe heterostructures may be extensively and quickly characterized using a combination of spreading resistance profile measurements and scanning Auger electron spectroscopy on bevelled heterostructures. We have used this combined approach, with relatively accessible characterization tools, to determine the thickness, composition and doping concentrations in the supply, spacer, well, buffer and graded layers of the heterostructures. Depth profiles of the active layers and virtual substrate can be assessed in a straightforward manner, allowing for optimization of processing parameters and of the overall device structure.

Photocorrosion metrology of photoluminescence emitting GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures

“…The successful fabrication of such devices depends on the quality of semiconductor wafers that relies on advanced diagnostic and metrology tools frequently employed as post-growth interrogation about such parameters as layer thickness, interfacial roughness, material composition, density of carriers and interface traps, or Schottky barrier height (Schroder 2006). The most common methods employed for characterization of physical and chemical properties of semiconductor devices include x-ray diffraction (Gerardi et al 1997, Nakashima andTateno 2004), atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Oliver 2008), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) (Gerardi et al 1997, Herrmann et al 2011, photo-voltage spectroscopy (Masut et al 1986, Kronik andShapira 2001), Auger electron spectroscopy (Rack et al 2000), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (Linkov et al 2013), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (Linkov et al 2013), reflectance spectroscopy (Wośko et al 2011), monolayer chemical beam etching (Tsang et al 1993) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) (Vilar et al 2005, Hinkle et al 2009. Furthermore, current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements (Fleetwood et al 1993) have been employed to investigate device band structure (Watanabe 1985) and provide information about carrier concentration and distribution by employing electrochemical (Kaniewska and Slomka 2001) and photo-electrochemical profiling (Blood 1986).…”