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Luong MA, Robin E, Pauc N, Gentile P, Baron T, Salem B, Sistani M, Lugstein A, Spies M, Fernandez B, den Hertog M. Reversible Al Propagation in Si x Ge 1-x Nanowires: Implications for Electrical Contact Formation. ACS Appl Nano Mater 2020; 3:10427-10436. [PMID: 33134884 PMCID: PMC7589613 DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.0c02303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While reversibility is a fundamental concept in thermodynamics, most reactions are not readily reversible, especially in solid-state physics. For example, thermal diffusion is a widely known concept, used among others to inject dopants into the substitutional positions in the matrix and improve device properties. Typically, such a diffusion process will create a concentration gradient extending over increasingly large regions, without possibility to reverse this effect. On the other hand, while the bottom-up growth of semiconducting nanowires is interesting, it can still be difficult to fabricate axial heterostructures with high control. In this paper, we report a thermally assisted partially reversible thermal diffusion process occurring in the solid-state reaction between an Al metal pad and a Si x Ge1-x alloy nanowire observed by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The thermally assisted reaction results in the creation of a Si-rich region sandwiched between the reacted Al and unreacted Si x Ge1-x part, forming an axial Al/Si/Si x Ge1-x heterostructure. Upon heating or (slow) cooling, the Al metal can repeatably move in and out of the Si x Ge1-x alloy nanowire while maintaining the rodlike geometry and crystallinity, allowing to fabricate and contact nanowire heterostructures in a reversible way in a single process step, compatible with current Si-based technology. This interesting system is promising for various applications, such as phase change memories in an all crystalline system with integrated contacts as well as Si/Si x Ge1-x /Si heterostructures for near-infrared sensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Anh Luong
- CEA-Grenoble,
IRIG-DEPHY-MEM-LEMMA, Université
Grenoble Alpes, F-38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Eric Robin
- CEA-Grenoble,
IRIG-DEPHY-MEM-LEMMA, Université
Grenoble Alpes, F-38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Nicolas Pauc
- CEA-Grenoble,
IRIG-DEPHY-PHELIQS-SINAPS, Université
Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Pascal Gentile
- CEA-Grenoble,
IRIG-DEPHY-PHELIQS-SINAPS, Université
Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Thierry Baron
- CNRS,
LTM, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Bassem Salem
- CNRS,
LTM, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Masiar Sistani
- Institute
of Solid State Electronics, Technische Universität
Wien, Gußhausstraße 25-25a, Vienna 1040, Austria
| | - Alois Lugstein
- Institute
of Solid State Electronics, Technische Universität
Wien, Gußhausstraße 25-25a, Vienna 1040, Austria
| | - Maria Spies
- CNRS,
Institut NEEL UPR2940, Université
Grenoble Alpes, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38042, France
| | - Bruno Fernandez
- CNRS,
Institut NEEL UPR2940, Université
Grenoble Alpes, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38042, France
| | - Martien den Hertog
- CNRS,
Institut NEEL UPR2940, Université
Grenoble Alpes, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38042, France
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