Radiation-induced bending of silicon-on-insulator nanowires probed by coherent x-ray diffractive imaging

Shi, Xiaowen; Xiong, Gang; Huang, Xiaojing; Harder, Ross; Robinson, Ian

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/14/6/063029

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…We also showed previously [21] that the redistribution of intensity in the Bragg peak, and notably the progressive splitting of its center into two distinct sidelobes during the time series, could be explained by bending of the SOI wire under radiation-induced stress from SiO 2 . This was achieved by FEA using the COMSOL program.…”

Section: Finite-element-analysis (Fea) Simulationsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…We previously showed [21] that the underlying SiO 2 layer swells gradually after prolonged exposure to such a strongly focused x-ray beam and this causes a local bending of the nanowire over the width of the beam (about 1 µm) in the middle of its length. A series of 20 measurements were made at intervals of 15 min to observe the evolution of the diffraction pattern.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mechanical breakdown of bent silicon nanowires imaged by coherent x-ray diffraction

et al. 2013

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We have developed a method of coherent x-ray diffractive imaging to surmount its inability to image the structure of strongly strained crystals. We used calculated models from finite-element analysis to guide an iterative algorithm to fit experimental data from a series of increasingly bent wires cut into silicon-on-insulator films. Just before mechanical fracture, the wires were found to contain new phase structures, which are identified as dislocations associated with crossing the elastic limit.

show abstract

Section: Finite-element-analysis (Fea) Simulationsupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical breakdown of bent silicon nanowires imaged by coherent x-ray diffraction

et al. 2013

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A bending of unstrained SOI lines was previously reported and attributed to the underlying oxide structural expan- sion [34]. In this article we show how it is possible to follow quantitatively the evolution of the 2d strain field.…”

supporting

confidence: 53%

Time-Dependent Relaxation of Strained Silicon-on-Insulator Lines Using a Partially Coherent X-Ray Nanobeam

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We report on the quantitative determination of the strain map in a strained Silicon-On-Insulator (sSOI) line with a 200 × 70 nm 2 cross-section. In order to study a single line as a function of time, we used an X-ray nanobeam with relaxed coherence properties as a compromise between beam size, coherence and intensity. We demonstrate how it is possible to reconstruct the line deformation at the nanoscale, and follow its evolution as the line relaxes under the influence of the X-ray nanobeam.PACS numbers: 41.50.+h, 68.60.Bs New applications in optoelectronic and electronic semiconductor devices have been achieved by a careful control of strain at the nanoscale level. Several physical properties such as charge carrier mobility in transistors and emission wavelength in quantum dots or well heterostructure have been advantageously improved by applying strain fields adapted to the materials band structure, orientation and doping features [1][2][3][4].The measurement of these strain fields has required the development of dedicated techniques with adapted spatial and strain resolution. Electronic imaging techniques have seen tremendous developments and outstanding achievements [5], but are always limited by the preparation of thin foil that can considerably relieve internal stress in nanostructures. Very recently, X-ray diffraction has taken profit of the highly brilliant and coherent radiation provided by synchrotron sources [6]. Moreover, the optimization of dedicated focusing optics (compound refractive lenses [7], Fresnel Zone Plate (FZP) [8,9], Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors [10,11]) has allowed the use of nanobeams, increasing the spatial resolution of diffraction measurements. This also allowed the use of coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (CXDI) for structure (shape, size) and strain determination of single nano-objects [12][13][14][15][16].In this letter, we illustrate how the strain of a single strained silicon nanostructure changes during irradiation with x-rays, as a function of measurement time using a partially coherent X-ray nanobeam. Strained SiliconOn-Insulator (sSOI) lines are considered due to their strong interest for enhancing the carrier mobility in metal oxide semiconductors field-effect-transistors (MOSFET) devices [17,18].Silicon lines were etched from a (001) oriented sSOI substrate made by a wafer bonding technique from the Si deposition on a SiGe virtual substrate imposing a biaxial strain, as described in [19]. Lines in tensile strain ( yy = +0.78%) are oriented along the [110] direction which corresponds to the usual direction of n-MOSFET channels for which electron transport is improved. The strain relaxes elastically along [110], i.e. perpendicularly to the lines [18]. An in-plane misorientation of about 1 o is used between the strained Si lines and the Si substrate in order to separate the line and substrate Bragg peaks. The sSOI lines have a width W=225 nm and a height H=70 nm (Fig. 1) and lie on a 145 nm SiO 2 layer. The distance d between two adjacent lines is about 775 nm. Grazing-incid...

show abstract

“…The crystalline structure of niobium is body centered cubic lattice with a lattice parameter of 0.3301 nm, and Sapphire has unit cell length a = 0.350 nm. The lattice mismatch of these in reciprocal-space was calculated by equation (1) of Ref 28 with the experimental parameters used in the experiment such as x-ray energy, sample to detector distance and detector pixel size etc. This is roughly in agreement with the experimental coherent diffraction data shown in ( Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bragg projection ptychography on niobium phase domains

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bragg projection ptychography (BPP) is a coherent x-ray diffraction imaging technique which combines the strengths of scanning microscopy with the phase contrast of X-ray ptychography. Here we apply it for high resolution imaging of the phase-shifted crystalline domains associated with epitaxial growth. The advantages of BPP are that the spatial extent of the sample is arbitrary, it is non-destructive and it gives potentially diffraction limited spatial resolution. Here we demonstrate the application of BPP for revealing the domain structure caused by epitaxial misfit in a nanostructured metallic thin film. Experimental coherent diffraction data were collected from a niobium thin film, epitaxially grown on a sapphire substrate as the beam was scanned across the sample. The data were analysed by BPP using a carefully selected combination of refinement procedures. The resulting image shows a close packed array of epitaxial domains, shifted with respect to each other due to misfit between the film and its substrate.

show abstract

Radiation-induced bending of silicon-on-insulator nanowires probed by coherent x-ray diffractive imaging

Cited by 11 publications

References 28 publications

Mechanical breakdown of bent silicon nanowires imaged by coherent x-ray diffraction

Mechanical breakdown of bent silicon nanowires imaged by coherent x-ray diffraction

Time-Dependent Relaxation of Strained Silicon-on-Insulator Lines Using a Partially Coherent X-Ray Nanobeam

Bragg projection ptychography on niobium phase domains

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About