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Impact of interface thermodynamics on Al-induced crystallization of amorphous SixGe1–x alloys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2014

Christian A. Niedermeier ,
Zumin Wang  and
Eric J. Mittemeijer
Christian A. Niedermeier
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (formerly Max Planck Institute for Metals Research), D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany; and Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Zumin Wang*
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (formerly Max Planck Institute for Metals Research), D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Eric J. Mittemeijer
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (formerly Max Planck Institute for Metals Research), D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany; and Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: z.wang@is.mpg.de
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Abstract

Al-induced crystallization (AIC) of amorphous SixGe1–x (a-SixGe1–x) alloys with compositions over the entire range of the isomorphous Si–Ge system has been investigated. The crystallization progress was monitored by dedicated in situ x-ray diffraction analysis while gradually increasing the annealing temperature. Auger sputter-depth profiling was applied to investigate the occurrence of Al-induced layer exchange of the Al and a-SixGe1–x sublayers after complete crystallization. A-SixGe1–x alloys with x < 0.13 and x > 0.41 show largely different AIC behaviors with respect to crystallization rate and possible layer exchange of the Al and a-SixGe1–x sublayers upon crystallization. A thermodynamic model for AIC of a-SixGe1–x alloys is presented, which well explains these experimental observations and thereby demonstrates the dominant role of interface thermodynamics in the AIC process of amorphous semiconductors. The model can be used to predict the AIC behaviors of a-SixGe1–x alloys over the entire composition range at specified annealing temperatures.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 29 , Issue 6 , 28 March 2014 , pp. 786 - 792
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2014 

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Footnotes

b)

Present address: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.

References

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