PREPARATION OF SIO2-FILMS WITH EMBEDDED SI NANOCRYSTALS BY REACTIVE RF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

SiOx films with a nominal s-value (1 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 2) were deposited on flat-surface silicon substrates by r eactive r.f, magnetron sputtering at substrate temperatures of 30 and 500 degrees C. respectively. X-ray diffraction and high resolution TEM investigations of SiOx films with x = 1.45 and x = 1 show that as-dep osited films have an amorphous structure. After annealing, a nucleatio n of Si nanocrystals was found with increasing size at increasing init ial Si concentration and annealing temperature. The weak photoluminesc ence in the visible region of as-deposited SiOx films increases remark ably by annealing with dependence on x. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.