Investigation of silicon-germanium fins fabricated using germanium condensation on vertical compliant structures

Abstract

We report the formation of defect-free SiGe vertical heterostructures using Ge condensation on vertical SiGe structures. To evaluate the effectiveness of substrate compliance in vertical structures, SiGe fins of various widths were subjected to Ge condensation. This formed vertical fin heterostructures comprising a SiGe core region sandwiched by Ge-rich regions. Using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), wide fins were found to contain more dislocations than narrower fins, in which we observed few or no dislocations. Lattice strain analysis using high-resolution TEM image analysis was used to confirm that strain relaxation has occurred. In the wide fins (noncompliant substrate), strain relaxation was dislocation mediated. In the narrow fins, substrate compliance enabled strain relaxation in the Ge-rich layer with reduced dislocation formation. Hence, we also demonstrated the formation of a strain-relaxed homogeneous SiGe fin (∼90% Ge concentration) with no observable dislocations.