The epitaxy of silicene-on-Ag(111) renewed considerable interest in silicon (Si) when scaled down to the two-dimensional (2D) limit. This remains one of the most explored growth cases in the emerging 2D material fashion beyond graphene. However, out of a strict silicene framework, other allotropic forms of Si still deserve attention owing to technological purposes. Here, we present 2D Solid Phase Crystallization (SPC) of Si starting from an amorphous-Si on Ag(111) in atomic coverage to gain a crystalline-Si layer by post-growth annealing below 450 °C, namely Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Back-End-of-Line (BEOL) thermal budget limit. Moreover, considering the benefit of the 2D-SPC scheme, we managed to write crystalline-Si pixels on the amorphous-Si matrix. Our in situ and ex situ analyses show that an in-plane interface or a lateral heterojunction between amorphous and crystalline-Si is formed. This amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation suggests that 2D silicon may stem from an epitaxially grown layer and thermal self-organization/assembling.

Dhungana, D., Bonaventura, E., Martella, C., Grazianetti, C., Molle, A. (2023). Solid phase crystallization of amorphous silicon at the two-dimensional limit. NANOSCALE ADVANCES, 5, 668-674 [10.1039/d2na00546h].

Solid phase crystallization of amorphous silicon at the two-dimensional limit

Bonaventura, E;Grazianetti, C
;
2023

Abstract

The epitaxy of silicene-on-Ag(111) renewed considerable interest in silicon (Si) when scaled down to the two-dimensional (2D) limit. This remains one of the most explored growth cases in the emerging 2D material fashion beyond graphene. However, out of a strict silicene framework, other allotropic forms of Si still deserve attention owing to technological purposes. Here, we present 2D Solid Phase Crystallization (SPC) of Si starting from an amorphous-Si on Ag(111) in atomic coverage to gain a crystalline-Si layer by post-growth annealing below 450 °C, namely Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Back-End-of-Line (BEOL) thermal budget limit. Moreover, considering the benefit of the 2D-SPC scheme, we managed to write crystalline-Si pixels on the amorphous-Si matrix. Our in situ and ex situ analyses show that an in-plane interface or a lateral heterojunction between amorphous and crystalline-Si is formed. This amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation suggests that 2D silicon may stem from an epitaxially grown layer and thermal self-organization/assembling.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
2D, Solid phase crystallization, Xenes, silicon, silicene
English
6-dic-2022
2023
5
668
674
none
Dhungana, D., Bonaventura, E., Martella, C., Grazianetti, C., Molle, A. (2023). Solid phase crystallization of amorphous silicon at the two-dimensional limit. NANOSCALE ADVANCES, 5, 668-674 [10.1039/d2na00546h].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/401670
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