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Nb Texture Evolution and Interdiffusion in Nb/Si-Layered Systems.

Anirudhan Chandrasekaran1, Robbert W E van de Kruijs1, Jacobus M Sturm1

  • 1Industrial Focus Group XUV Optics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 24, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microstructure and interdiffusion in niobium (Nb)/silicon (Si) layers were studied. Asymmetric intermixing was observed, with Si-on-Nb interfaces being thinner due to surface energy differences.

Keywords:
interdiffusionion channelinglow-energy ion-scatteringmetal−silicon interfacepreferred orientationsputter depositionthin film growth

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Thin Film Technology
  • Surface Science

Background:

  • Niobium (Nb) and silicon (Si) layered systems are crucial in microelectronics and materials science.
  • Understanding their interface properties and diffusion behavior is key for device performance and reliability.
  • Previous studies have explored Nb/Si interactions, but detailed analysis of early-stage growth and annealing effects on microstructure is ongoing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the microstructure evolution and interdiffusion in sputter-deposited Nb/Si bilayer and multilayer systems.
  • To analyze the asymmetric intermixing behavior at Nb-on-Si and Si-on-Nb interfaces.
  • To determine the influence of Nb layer thickness and crystallographic orientation on interdiffusion during low-temperature annealing.

Main Methods:

  • Sputter deposition of Nb/Si bilayer and multilayer thin films.
  • High-sensitivity low-energy ion-scattering (HS-LEIS) for studying early-stage intermixing.
  • High-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (HR-XTEM) for microstructure analysis.
  • Low-temperature annealing experiments.

Main Results:

  • Asymmetric intermixing observed: Si-on-Nb interface is approximately twice as thin as Nb-on-Si interface, attributed to surface energy differences.
  • Niobium layer crystallization occurs around 2.1 nm Nb thickness with a preferred Nb(110) orientation up to 3.3 nm.
  • Above 3.3 nm Nb thickness, a polycrystalline microstructure with reduced texture forms.
  • Nb/Si multilayers with amorphous (2 nm) or textured (3 nm) Nb layers show no interdiffusion after annealing at 200 °C for 8 h.
  • A ~1 nm amorphous Nb/Si interlayer forms at the Si-on-Nb interface in multilayers with polycrystalline 4 nm Nb layers after annealing.

Conclusions:

  • The surface energy difference between Nb and Si significantly influences asymmetric intermixing during thin film growth.
  • The crystallographic texture of Nb layers critically affects interdiffusion; textured Nb layers inhibit diffusion at low temperatures.
  • Amorphous or highly textured Nb layers in Nb/Si multilayers provide enhanced stability against interdiffusion at 200 °C, crucial for device applications.