Abstract
Amorphous-Ge films with Ge QDs were grown by magnetron sputtering in the temperature range of 25–500 °C and a post-grown annealing stage at 500 °C for 3.5 h. The chemical analysis by SIMS indicates the films resulted with high oxygen concentration, therefore α-GeOx (x < 0.1) nanofilms are produced. The samples grown at 25 °C were electrically insulated, while those samples grown at higher temperatures resulted in n-type. The optical band gap of the films produced by the presence of Ge QDs was of 1.2 eV. The proposed process produces α-GeOx nanofilms with Ge QDs with sizes from 1 to 7 nm, as was proven by X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements.
Graphical abstract
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
X. Zhu, G.H. Ten Brink, S. De Graaf, B.J. Kooi, G. Palasantzas, Gas-phase synthesis of tunable-size germanium nanocrystals by inert gas condensation. Chem. Mater. 32, 1627–1635 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b05076
D. Lehninger, J. Beyer, J. Heitmann, A review on Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO2 and high-k dielectrics. Phys. Status Solidi A 1701028, 1–13 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.201701028
F.C. Li et al., Amorphous–nanocrystalline alloys: fabrication, properties, and applications. Mater. Today Adv. 4, 100027 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtadv.2019.100027
K.N. Astankova, V.A. Volodin, I.A. Azarov, Structure of germanium monoxide thin films. Semiconductors 54(12), 1555–1560 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063782620120027
D. Lehninger et al., Ge nanostructures embedded in ZrO2 dielectric films for nonvolatile memory applications. ECS Trans. 66(4), 203–212 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1149/06604.0203ecst
D.E. Aspnes, A.A. Studna, Dielectric functions and optical parameters of Si, Ge, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, and InSb from 1.5 to 6.0 eV. Phys. Rev. B 27(2), 985–1009 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0130.2010.00653.x
O. Salihoglu, U. Kürüm, H.G. Yaglioglu, A. Elmali, A. Aydinli, Crystallization of Ge in SiO2 matrix by femtosecond laser processing. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 30(1), 011807 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3677829
B. Zhang, S. Shrestha, M.A. Green, G. Conibeer, Size controlled synthesis of Ge nanocrystals in SiO2 at temperatures below 400°C using magnetron sputtering. Appl. Phys. A 96(2010), 261901 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3457864
V.A. Volodin, D.V. Marin, V.A. Sachkov, E.B. Gorokhov, H. Rinnert, M. Vergnat, Applying an improved phonon confinement model to the analysis of Raman spectra of germanium nanocrystals. J. Exp. Theor. Phys. 118(1), 65–71 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063776114010208
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge M. Sc. Miguel Galván Arellano and Norma González García for their valuable technical assistance for using the laboratory facilities located in the SEES-DIE of Cinvestav-IPN, México.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sotelo Medina, J., Ortiz Gutierrez, D., Elyukhin, V. et al. Growth and characterization of Ge QDs embedded in an α-GeOx (x < 0.1) matrix produced by magnetron sputtering and a post-grown annealing stage at low temperatures. MRS Advances 6, 1010–1013 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-021-00188-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-021-00188-w