Modeling of Ge nanocluster evolution in ion-implanted SiO2 layer

XPS investigation with factor analysis for the study of Ge clustering in SiO2

“…This is in excellent agreement with the predictions of the model of Ref. 12. This agreement holds also for the evolution of the depth profiles of elemental and oxidized Ge, as will be discussed in more detail elsewhere.…”

“…Although former experimental and theoretical investigations, 1,12 using the same samples as in the present XPS study give strong indications of the important role of an oxidizing atmosphere for the Ge nanocrystal formation process, an experimental verification of the chemical reactions predicted in Refs 11 and 12 is still missing. This proof is given by the results of the present XPS study.…”

“…1 Computer simulations based on a recently published mean-field model 12 have been performed for this experiment. It has been shown that the Ge depth redistribution (as measured by RBS) and the Ge nanocluster evolution (as observed by XTEM) are consistent with the assumption that the annealing process is strongly controlled by chemical reactions between the implanted Ge and oxygen supplied by the annealing atmosphere.…”

“…It has been shown that the Ge depth redistribution (as measured by RBS) and the Ge nanocluster evolution (as observed by XTEM) are consistent with the assumption that the annealing process is strongly controlled by chemical reactions between the implanted Ge and oxygen supplied by the annealing atmosphere. 12 Here we present an XPS study of Ge C -implanted and O 2 -annealed SiO 2 layers that have been investigated in Refs 1 and 11 by RBS, TEM and computer simulations. It is the aim of the present paper to improve the knowledge about the mechanisms of Ge nanocluster formation and evolution by: depth profiling of Ge by XPS; and XPS analysis of the depth-dependent chemical bond characteristics of Ge atoms.…”

Influence of sputtering conditions and electron energy on XPS depth profiling of Ge in SiO2

“…The properties of the implanted Ge in the samples (cluster size and distribution, reconstruction after thermal treatment, oxidation behavior) were studied with different analysis techniques: Rutherford backscattering (RBS) for element depth profiling, transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) for structure analysis and also several methods for measurements of the electronic and optical properties [3][4][5]. Model calculations were done for a better understanding of the cluster formation processes [6,7].…”