Observation and control of surface reaction during Si molecular layer growth

Molecular-layer epitaxy (MLE) of Si on a Si(1 0 0) substrate was successful ly performed by applying a temperature modulation (TM) method and investiga ting the surface reaction by in situ mass spectroscopy. Si2H6 was used as t he sourer gas. In the growth cycle, Si2H6 injection was synchronized with t he substrate temperature. When Si2H6 supply was sufficient, the growth thic kness per cycle saturated at 0.4-0.5 Angstrom which corresponds to 0.3 mono layer. During the growth, the intensity of amu 2H(2)(+) was measured by in situ mass spectroscopy. The results suggest that submonolayer Si growth is attained by the self-limiting adsorption of Si-H compound (400 degrees C) a nd desorption of hydrogen (550 degrees C). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.