Scientific Achievement
A step-by-step method was developed to accurately measure Si/SiGe interfacial widths via atom probe tomography (APT) with 1Å precision after application of a new APT data processing method.
Significance and Impact
There is a significant need for advanced characterization techniques that can accurately quantify Si/SiGe interfacial composition and sharpness as devices become more advanced.
Research Details
- SiGe/Si/SiGe heterostructures fabricated by HRL
- Interfacial widths measured by APT and STEM
- Comparison of APT and STEM data showed discrepancies in interfacial widths for reconstructed APT data
- A post-reconstruction data process mitigates errors by correcting artificial density differences in the APT data
O. Dyck, D.N. Leonard, L.F. Edge, C.A. Jackson, E.J. Pritchett, P.W. Deelman, and J.D. Poplawsky, Adv. Mater. Interfaces, accepted for publication and available as “early view” paper (2017). DOI: 10.1002/admi.201700622
