TY - JOUR

T1 - Nucleation and structure evolution of InSb nanocrystals during the ion-beam synthesis at the Si/SiO2 interface of a silicon-on-insulator substrate

AU - Tyschenko, Ida

AU - Gutakovskii, Anton

AU - Shvets, Petr

AU - Goikhman, Aleksandr

AU - Zhang, Ruonan

AU - Vdovin, Vladimir

AU - Volodin, Vladimir

AU - Popov, Vladimir

N1 - We are grateful to Dr. E.V. Spesivtsev for the spectral ellipsometry measurements. The Raman spectra were measured with the equipment of the Collective Use Сenter “VTAN” at the ATRC Department of NSU. The STEM, HRTEM and EDX investigations were carried out using the equipment of the Collective Access Center “Nanostructures” with the support of the Russian Science Foundation [Project 19–72–30023]. Nucleation and structure evolution of InSb nanocrystals during the ion-beam synthesis at the Si/SiO2 interface of a silicon-on-insulator substrate / I. Tyschenko, A. Gutakovskii, P. Shvets, A. Goikhman, R. Zhang, V. Vdovin, V. Volodin, V. Popov // Journal of Alloys and Compounds. - 2025. - T. 1042. № 183938. DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183938

PY - 2025/10

Y1 - 2025/10

N2 - The nucleation and growth of InSb nanocrystals formed at the Si/SiO2 interface of silicon-on-insulator structure, fabricated by bonding the Si and SiO2/Si substrates implanted with Sb+ and In+ ions, respectively, was investigated as a function of the annealing time at the temperature of 1100 °C. RBS, STEM, HRTEM, EDX, Raman and FTIR techniques were employed to analyze the In and Sb atom profiles, structural properties and the elemental composition of nanoparticles, as well as the optical phonons and the optical bandgap of InSb nanocrystals. The diffusion of In atoms from the SiO2 layer to Sb precipitates, formed in the top Si layer during the Sb atom segregation to the Si/SiO2 interface, was established. Cooling the InSb alloy with its subsequent crystallization results in the growth of hydrostatically stressed InSb nanocrystals in the Si matrix at the Si/SiO2 interface. As the annealing duration increases, the nucleation centers of InSb nanoparticles are formed at the Si/SiO2 interface, and a further nanocrystal growth occurs from the interface deep into SiO2. Despite the fact that the mismatch of the silicon and InSb lattices is 19 %, coincident Si[110]//InSb[001] and Si[110]//InSb[-114] directions were established for the interplane matching of InSb and Si lattices. The effect of the nanocrystal structure on the TO and LO phonon frequency was investigated as a function of the annealing time. From the FTIR analysis, the optical bandgaps of 0.43 and 0.31 eV were obtained for the InSb nanocrystals formed after the annealing time of 3–90 min, respectively.

AB - The nucleation and growth of InSb nanocrystals formed at the Si/SiO2 interface of silicon-on-insulator structure, fabricated by bonding the Si and SiO2/Si substrates implanted with Sb+ and In+ ions, respectively, was investigated as a function of the annealing time at the temperature of 1100 °C. RBS, STEM, HRTEM, EDX, Raman and FTIR techniques were employed to analyze the In and Sb atom profiles, structural properties and the elemental composition of nanoparticles, as well as the optical phonons and the optical bandgap of InSb nanocrystals. The diffusion of In atoms from the SiO2 layer to Sb precipitates, formed in the top Si layer during the Sb atom segregation to the Si/SiO2 interface, was established. Cooling the InSb alloy with its subsequent crystallization results in the growth of hydrostatically stressed InSb nanocrystals in the Si matrix at the Si/SiO2 interface. As the annealing duration increases, the nucleation centers of InSb nanoparticles are formed at the Si/SiO2 interface, and a further nanocrystal growth occurs from the interface deep into SiO2. Despite the fact that the mismatch of the silicon and InSb lattices is 19 %, coincident Si[110]//InSb[001] and Si[110]//InSb[-114] directions were established for the interplane matching of InSb and Si lattices. The effect of the nanocrystal structure on the TO and LO phonon frequency was investigated as a function of the annealing time. From the FTIR analysis, the optical bandgaps of 0.43 and 0.31 eV were obtained for the InSb nanocrystals formed after the annealing time of 3–90 min, respectively.

KW - InSb nanocrystals

KW - Ion implantation

KW - Optical phonons

KW - Si/SiO2 interface

KW - Silicon-on-insulator

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/116625a5-ee79-3b45-b34a-4cd6e8ce4c2d/

U2 - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183938

DO - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183938

M3 - Article

VL - 1042

JO - Journal of Alloys and Compounds

JF - Journal of Alloys and Compounds

SN - 0925-8388

M1 - 183938

ER -