Electron-Beam-Induced-Current (EBIC) Imaging of Defects in Si1−xGeX Multilayer Structures

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe electron-beam-induced-current (EBIC) technique has been used to image dislocations and other defects at strained Si: Sil−xGex epitaxial interfaces and in overlying epitaxial layers grown by Limited Reaction Processing. Depending upon the bias conditions and test structure, one can distinguish between interface defects and those in overlying films. We have found that for a low density of misfit dislocations, a high quality (defect-free) overlying epitaxial layer can be grown, but for a high density of dislocations certain line defects propagate upwards in the overlying layers.