AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Friday Sessions
       Session NS-FrM

Paper NS-FrM3
Silicidation and Oxidation of Silicon Nanowires

Friday, November 17, 2006, 8:40 am, Room 2016

Session: Nanowires
Presenter: B.Z. Liu, The Pennsylvania State University
Authors: B.Z. Liu, The Pennsylvania State University
Y. Wang, The Pennsylvania State University
S.M. Dilts, The Pennsylvania State University
J.M. Redwing, The Pennsylvania State University
T.S. Mayer, The Pennsylvania State University
S.E. Mohney, The Pennsylvania State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
Metallization and oxidation are two important processes in the fabrication of transistors on silicon wafers. Forming metal contacts and gate dielectrics is equally important when integrating silicon nanowires into functional devices, but the processes have not been studied as extensively to date. We have used transmission electron microscopy to investigate the silicidation of silicon nanowires using Pt, Pd, Fe, Co, and Ni. Metal films were deposited on the silicon nanowires and annealed between 200 and 750°C for 15 min to 15 h. Sections of the silicon nanowires were successfully converted uniformly into silicides by controlling the ratio of metal to Si, annealing temperature, and ambient. We have also investigated the kinetics of oxidation of undoped and doped silicon nanowires. Dry thermal oxidation of the as-grown silicon nanowires was carried out at temperatures between 700 and 900°C with trichloroethane flowing. Differences in the oxidation kinetics between the silicon nanowires and silicon wafers are discussed. The electrical properties of the thermally grown oxide shell were investigated as well. The thermally grown oxide shell on the silicon nanowires has been successfully utilized as a gate dielectric that improves the operational stability of silicon nanowire field effect transistors.