Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thermal Failure of Multilayer SiGe/Si

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Tribology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this report, we provide a comparison of the thermal transition and wear mechanisms of the interfaces of multilayered silicon–germanium (SiGe) on Si sublayers. From wear experiments, we determined the inherent deformation modes of samples, in particular, the wear sliding and thermal stability characteristics. The pile-up effect we observed on each side of the wear zone at room temperature was greater than that of the sample that had been subjected to thermal treatment. The distribution of the elements Si and Ge depended on the annealing conditions; decreases in element densities in secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiles revealed interdiffusion within the films. We conclude that thermal analysis not only produced misfit dislocation defects but also significantly wavy sliding arising from interface adhesion failure. Annealing at RT, 800, 900, and 1,000 °C resulted in coefficients of friction of 0.125, 0.95, 0.85, and 0.11, respectively. We employed dynamic-mode ex situ wear tests to determine the applicability of the brittle and ductile transitions and adhesive wear effect of the multilayer SiGe/Si systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Iyer, S.S., LeGoues, F.K.: Thermal relaxation of pseudomorphic Si–Ge superlattices by enhanced diffusion and dislocation multiplication. J. Appl. Phys. 65, 4693–4698 (1989)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Baribeau, J.M.: Interdiffusion and strain relaxation in (Si m Ge n) p superlattices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 1052–1054 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. López, E., Chiussi, S., Kosch, U., González, P., Serra, C., León, B.: A Growth rate, structure and surface morphology study of Si1-x-yGexCy films deposited by ArF-LCVD in tilted geometry. Vacuum 82, 1525–1528 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mooney, P.M., Jordan-Sweet, J.L., Chu, J.O., LeGoues, F.K.: Evolution of strain relaxation in step-graded SiGe/si structures. Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 3642–3644 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Mooney, P.M., Jordan-Sweet, J.L., Ismail, K., Chu, J.O., Feenstra, R.M., LeGoues, F.K.: Relaxed Si0.7Ge0.3 buffer layers for high-mobility devices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 3642–3644 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sasaki, K., Nagai, H., Hata, T.: Epitaxial growth properties of Si and SiGe films prepared by ion beam sputtering process. Vacuum 59, 397–402 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mooney, P.M.: Strain relaxation and dislocations in SiGe/Si structures. Mater. Sci. Eng. 17, 105–146 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Golovin, Y.I.: Nanoindentation and mechanical properties of solids in submicrovolumes, thin near-surface layers, and films: a review. Phys. Solid State 12, 2205–2236 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gong, J., Miao, H., Peng, Z.: Analysis of the nanoindentation data measured with a Berkovich indenter for brittle materials: effect of residual contact stress. Acta Mater. 52, 785–793 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pethica, J.B., Hutchings, R., Oliver, W.C.: Hardness Measurements at Penetration Depths as Small as 20 nm. Philos. Mag. A 48, 593–606 (1983)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Oliver, W.C., Pharr, G.M.: An improved technique for determining hardness and elastic modulus using load and displacement sensing indentation experiments. J. Mater. Res. 7, 1564–1583 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Heinrichsdorff, F., Mao, M.H., Kirstaedter, N., Krost, A., Bimberg, D., Kosogov, A.O., Werner, P.: Room-temperature continuous-wave lasing from stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 22–24 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Doerner, M.F., Nix, W.D.: A method of interpreting the data from depth-sensing indentation instruments. J. Mater. Res. 1, 601–609 (1986)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Bull, S.J.: Nanoindentation of coatings. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 38, R393–R413 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Loubet, J.L., Georges, J.M., Marchesini, O., Meille, G.: Vickers indentation curves of magnesium oxide (MgO). J. Tribol 106, 43–48 (1984)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Newey, D., Wilkens, M.A., Pollock, H.M.: An ultra-low load penetration hardness tester. J. Phys. E Sci. Instrum. 15, 119–122 (1982)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Stone, D., LaFontaine, W.R., Alexopoulos, P., Wu, T.W., Li, C.Y.: An investigation of hardness and adhesion of sputter-deposited aluminum on silicon by utilizing a continuous indentation test. J. Mater. Res. 1988(3), 141–147 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Cammarata, R.C., Schlesinger, T.E., Kim, C., Qadri, S.B., Edelstein, A.S.: Nanoindentation study of the mechanical properties of copper-nickel multilayered thin films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 56, 1862–1864 (1990)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Meredith, W., Horsburgh, G., Brownlie, G.D., Prior, K.A., Cavenett, B.C., Rothwell, W., Dann, A.J.: Microprobe Raman study of the variation of LO phonon frequency with the Cd concentration in the ternary compound Zn, xCdxSe. J. Cryst. Growth 159, 103–107 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Jin, C., Zhang, B., Ling, Z., Wang, J., Hou, X., Segawa, Y., Wang, X.: Growth and optical characterization of diluted magnetic semiconductor Zn 1 − X Mn X Se/ZnSe strained-layer superlattices. Appl. Phys. 81, 5148–5150 (1997)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. He, B.C., Cheng, C.H., Wen, H.C., Lai, Y.S., Yang, P.F., Lin, M.H., Wu, W.F., Chou, C.P.: Evaluation of the nanoindentation behaviors of SiGe epitaxial layer on Si substrate. Microelectron. Reliab. 50, 63–69 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lian, D.: Effect of annealing on the nanoscratch behavior of multilayer Si0.8Ge0.2/Si films. Appl. Surf. Sci. 257, 911–916 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Lin, M.H., Wen, H.C., Jeng, Y.R., Chou, C.P.: Nanoscratch characterization of GaN epilayers on c- and a-axis SAPPHIRE substrates. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 5, 1812–1816 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Chang, Y.M., Wen, H.C., Yang, C.S., Lian, D., Tsai, C.H., Wang, J.S., Wu, W.F., Chou, C.P.: Evaluating the abrasive wear of Zn1-xMnxO heteroepitaxial layers using a nanoscratch technique. Microelectron. Reliab. 50, 1111–1115 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Jeng, Y.R., Wen, H.C., Tsai, P.C.: The effect of Ni catalytic nanoparticle on the growth of carbon nanotubes: a perspective from nanotribological characterization. Diam. Relat. Mater. 18, 528–532 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hirth, J. P., Lethe, J.: Theory of dislocations 2nd edn. Kreiger Publishing, Malabar, FL, Chap. 22 (1992)

  27. Hull, R., Bean, J.C., Bahnck, D., Peticolas, L.J., Short, K.T., Unterwald, F.C.: Interpretation of dislocation propagation velocities in strained GeSi/Si(001) heterostructures by the diffusive kink pair model. J. Appl. Phys. 70, 2052–2065 (1991)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hull, R., Bean, J.C.: New insights into the microscopic motion of dislocations in covalently bonded semiconductors by in situ transmission electron microscope observations of misfit dislocations in thin strained epitaxial layers. Phys. Status Solidi A 138, 533–546 (1993)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Jardret, V., Zahousni, H., Loubet, J.L., Mathia, T.G.: Understanding and quantification of elastic and plastic deformation during a scratch test. Wear 218, 8–14 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Chang, Y.M., Jian, S.R., Juang, J.Y.: Nanogrids and beehive-like nanostructures formed by plasma etching the self-organized SiGe island. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 5, 1456–1463 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Khurshudov, A.G., Kato, K., Koide, H.: Nano-wear of the diamond AFM probing tip under scratching of silicon, studied by AFM. Tribol. Lett. 2, 345–354 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan for financial support (Grant No. NSC NSC 101-2221-E-167-004) and National Chin-Yi University of Technology (NCUT11-REM-004: 2012.1.1–2012.10.31 and NCUT 12-REM-003: 2013.1.1–2013.10.31). We thank Professor Wei-Hung Yau (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 400, Taiwan, ROC) and Dr. H. C. Wen (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan) for technical and sample support, and we also thank Professor Y. R. Jeng, (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan) for supporting SPM equipment used in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chin-Yi University of Technology, No. 35, Lane 215, Sec. 1, Chung-Shan Road, Taiping City, Taichung County, 411, Taiwan, ROC

    Derming Lian

Authors
  1. Derming Lian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Derming Lian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lian, D. Thermal Failure of Multilayer SiGe/Si. Tribol Lett 52, 461–467 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0229-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0229-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation