GROWTH OF GE, SI, AND SIGE NANOCRYSTALS IN SIO2 MATRICES

Nanocrystals of group-IV semiconductor materials (Si, Ge, and SiGe) ha ve been fabricated in SiO2 by ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing. The microstructure of these nanocrystals has been studied b y transmission electron microscopy. Critical influences of the anneali ng temperatures and implantation doses on the nanocrystal size distrib utions are demonstrated with the Ge-implanted systems. Significant rou ghening of the nanocrystals occurs when the annealing temperature is r aised above the melting temperature of the implanted semiconductor mat erial. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.