Ignatii Zaitsev, Davide Spirito, Jacopo Frigerio, Carlos Alvarado Chavarin, Anke Lüdge, Wolfgang Lüdge, Raffaele Giani, Michele Virgilio, Costanza Lucia Manganelli
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Strain engineering serves as an effective method for optimizing electronic and optical properties in semiconductor devices, with applications including the enhancement of optical emission in Ge and GeSn‐based devices, improvement of carrier mobility, and second harmonic generation in silicon photonics structures. Current methods for deformation characterization in semiconductors, such as X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, often require bulky and expensive setups and are limited in vertical resolution. Consequently, techniques capable of measuring lattice strain while overcoming these drawbacks are highly desirable. This study proposes a proof of concept for a cost‐effective, compact, fast, and non‐destructive approach to probe non‐uniform strain fields and additional material properties by exploiting the bulk photovoltage effect. The method is benchmarked with an array of silicon nitride stripes deposited under varying pressure conditions on a germanium substrate. Initially, their surface strains are verified through Raman spectroscopy. The deformations are replicated in a finite element method platform by integrating mechanical simulations with deformation potential theory, thereby estimating the band edge energy landscape. Finally, the study discusses the theoretical behavior of the photovoltage signal, considering semiconductor properties, defects, doping, and deformation. The findings offer insights into the development of advanced techniques for strain and transport analysis in semiconductor materials.
应变工程是优化半导体器件电子和光学特性的有效方法,其应用包括增强基于 Ge 和 GeSn 器件的光发射、提高载流子迁移率以及硅光子结构中的二次谐波生成。目前的半导体形变表征方法,如 X 射线衍射和拉曼光谱,通常需要笨重而昂贵的装置,而且垂直分辨率有限。因此,既能测量晶格应变,又能克服这些缺点的技术非常受欢迎。本研究提出了一种经济、紧凑、快速、非破坏性的概念验证方法,利用体光电压效应探测非均匀应变场和其他材料特性。该方法以在不同压力条件下沉积在锗基底上的氮化硅条纹阵列为基准。首先,通过拉曼光谱验证其表面应变。通过将机械模拟与形变势理论相结合,在有限元法平台上复制了形变,从而估算出了带缘能谱。最后,考虑到半导体特性、缺陷、掺杂和变形,研究讨论了光电压信号的理论行为。研究结果为开发半导体材料应变和传输分析的先进技术提供了启示。
期刊介绍:
Physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters was designed to offer extremely fast publication times and is currently one of the fastest double peer-reviewed publication media in solid state and materials physics. Average times are 11 days from submission to first editorial decision, and 12 days from acceptance to online publication. It communicates important findings with a high degree of novelty and need for express publication, as well as other results of immediate interest to the solid-state physics and materials science community. Published Letters require approval by at least two independent reviewers.
The journal covers topics such as preparation, structure and simulation of advanced materials, theoretical and experimental investigations of the atomistic and electronic structure, optical, magnetic, superconducting, ferroelectric and other properties of solids, nanostructures and low-dimensional systems as well as device applications. Rapid Research Letters particularly invites papers from interdisciplinary and emerging new areas of research.