Nano-synthesis Approach to the Fabrication of Monocrystalline Silicon-like (III-V)_yIV_(5-2y) Semiconductors

摘要

A new synthetic strategy for (III-V)_y(IV)_(5-2y) materials is introduced to avoid III-V/IV phase separation. As a proof of principle, crystalline AlPSi_3 with thickness <900 am was grown directly, and virtually lattice matched, on Si(100) substrates by combining Al atoms and the well-known P(SiH_3)_3 molecule as co-reactants using gas-source MBE techniques at temperatures < 600 °C. Intermediate "Al:P(SiH_3)_3" complexes containing (Al-P)-Si_3 cores are presumed to form, and incorporate intact into highly stable diamond-like solid devoid of phase segregation and defects, and a composition with maximal III-V content in which "donor-acceptor" pairs are isolated within an Si matrix. This strategy is generalized to: (i) expand the composition space for this class of materials (ii) grow bulk-like films for detailed comparative characterization and (iii) alloy on the III-V and/or IV sublattice as a means of tuning lattice constants and band gaps. Assembly mechanisms, thermochemistry and key materials properties are elucidated via molecular/solid-state simulation.