Digital Etch Technique for Forming Ultra-Scaled Germanium-Tin (Ge 1-x Sn x ) Fin Structure

We developed a new digital etch process that allows precise etching of Germanium or Germanium-tin (Ge_1−xSn_x) materials. The digital etch approach consists of Ge_1−xSn_x oxide formation by plasma oxidation and oxide removal in diluted hydrochloric acid at room temperature. The first step is a self-limiting process, as the thickness of oxide layer grows logarithmically with the oxidation time and saturates fast. Consistent etch rates in each cycle were found on the Ge_1−xSn_x samples, with the surfaces remaining smooth after etch. The digital etch process parameters were tuned to achieve various etch rates. By reducing the radio frequency power to 70 W, etch rate of sub-1.2 nm was obtained on a Ge_0.875Sn_0.125 sample. The digital etch process was employed to fabricate the Ge_1−xSn_x fin structures. Extremely scaled Ge_0.95Sn_0.05 fins with 5 nm fin width were realized. The side walls of the Ge_0.95Sn_0.05 fins are smooth, and no crystal damage can be observed. This technique provides an option to realize aggressively scaled nanostructure devices based on Ge_1−xSn_x materials with high-precision control.

Large reduction in thermal conductivity for SiGe alloy nanowire wrapped with a Ge nanoparticle-embedded SiO2 shell

We demonstrate silicon germanium (SiGe) alloy nanowires (NWs) with Ge nanoparticles (GeNPs) embedded in a SiO2 shell as a material for decreasing thermal conductivity. During thermal oxidation of SiGe NWs to form SiGe-SiO2 core-shell structures, Ge atoms were diffused into the SiO2 shell to relax the strain in the SiGe core, and agglomerated as a few nanometer-sized particles. This structure leads to a large reduction in thermal conductivity due to the GeNP-phonon interaction, while electrical conductivity is sustained because the core of the SiGe alloy NW provides a current path for the charged carriers. The thermal conductivity of the SiGe alloy NWs wrapped with a GeNP-embedded SiO2 shell is 0.41 W m(-1) K(-1) at 300 K.