Method and apparatus for controlling propagation of dislocations in semiconductor structures and devices

摘要

High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. An accommodating buffer layer comprises a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from a silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline material layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. In addition, formation of a compliant substrate may include utilizing surfactant enhanced epitaxy, epitaxial growth of single crystal silicon onto single crystal oxide, and epitaxial growth of Zintl phase materials. The strain relief provided by the amorphous interface layer reduces the amount of defects, such as dislocations, occurring in the semiconductor structure and allows a higher crystalline quality to be obtained. The propagation of dislocations can further be controlled by applying a strain controlling element to the semiconductor structure. The strain controlling element may include a distorting material applied to the substrate and having a different thermal property than the substrate so that the distorting material can induce a strain in the semiconductor structure to compensate for strain induced in the semiconductor structure during its manufacture. The strain controlling element may also include a pattern growth for controlling the location of dislocations in the semiconductor structure.