Nanomechanical characteristics of annealed Si/SiGe superlattices

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• 作者：Ming-Jhang Wu^a ; Hua-Chiang Wen^b ; ^{a091316104@gmail.com"" rel=""nofollow} ; Shyh-Chi Wu^a ; ^c ; Ping-Feng Yang^d ; Yi-Shao Lai^d ; Wen-Kuang Hsu^b ; Wen-Fa Wu^e ; Chang-Pin Chou^a
• 关键词：Superlattices ; Ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition ; Atomic force microscopy ; Transmission electron microscopy
• 刊名：Applied Surface Science
• 出版年：2011
• 出版时间：15 August 2011
• 年：2011
• 卷：257
• 期：21
• 页码：8887-8893
• 全文大小：1727 K

文摘

In this study, the nanomechanical damage was investigated on the annealed Si/SiGe strained-layer superlattices (SLSs) deposited using an ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHVCVD). Nanoscratch, nanoindenter, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to determine the nanomechanical behavior of the SiGe films. With a constant force applied, greater hardness number and larger coefficients of friction (μ) were observed on the samples that had been annealed at 600 °C, suggesting that annealing of the Si/SiGe SLSs can induce greater shear resistance. AFM morphological studies of the Si/SiGe SLSs revealed that pile-up phenomena occurred on both sides of each scratch, with the formation of some pellets and microparticles. The Si/SiGe SLSs that had been subjected to annealing under various conditions exhibited significantly different features in their indentation results. Indeed, the TEM images reveal slight dislocation propagation in the microstructures. Thus, the hardness and elastic modulus can be increased slightly after annealing treatment because the existence of comparatively unstable microstructures. It is suggested that cracking phenomena dominate the damage cause of Si/SiGe SLSs.