Incorporation and redistribution of impurities into silicon nanowires during metal-particle-assisted growth

Wanghua Chen (), Linwei Yu (), Soumyadeep Misra, Zheng Fan, Philippe Pareige (), Gilles Patriarche, Sophie Bouchoule and Pere Roca i Cabarrocas
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Wanghua Chen: LPICM, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique
Linwei Yu: LPICM, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique
Soumyadeep Misra: LPICM, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique
Zheng Fan: LPICM, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique
Philippe Pareige: GPM, CNRS, Université et INSA de Rouen
Gilles Patriarche: LPN, CNRS
Sophie Bouchoule: LPN, CNRS
Pere Roca i Cabarrocas: LPICM, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract The incorporation of metal atoms into silicon nanowires during metal-particle-assisted growth is a critical issue for various nanowire-based applications. Here we have been able to access directly the incorporation and redistribution of metal atoms into silicon nanowires produced by two different processes at growth rates ranging from 3 to 40 nm s−1, by using laser-assisted atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find that the concentration of metal impurities in crystalline silicon nanowires increases with the growth rate and can reach a level of two orders of magnitude higher than that in their equilibrium solubility. Moreover, we demonstrate that the impurities are first incorporated into nanowire volume and then segregate at defects such as the twin planes. A dimer-atom-insertion kinetic model is proposed to account for the impurity incorporation into nanowires.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5134

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