University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Halogen-induced modification of silicon surfaces: etching roughening, and step transformations

Butera, Robert E.

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2_Butera_Robert.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/16827

Description

Title
Halogen-induced modification of silicon surfaces: etching roughening, and step transformations
Author(s)
Butera, Robert E.
Issue Date
2010-08-20T17:59:01Z
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Weaver, John H.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Weaver, John H.
Committee Member(s)
  • Abelson, John R.
  • Petrov, Ivan G.
  • Rockett, Angus A.
Department of Study
Materials Science & Engineerng
Discipline
Materials Science & Engr
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2010-08-20T17:59:01Z
Keyword(s)
  • Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
  • Si(100)
  • Halogen etching
  • Surface Science
  • Steps
Abstract
I have combined scanning tunneling microscopy with density functional calculations and Monte Carlo simulations to investigate halogen-induced modifications of Si surfaces, including etching, roughening and step transformations. These investigations have focused on elucidating the atomic-level details associated with the evolution of terrace and step sites on Cl-Si(100)-(2x1) under conditions of halogen supersaturation. I present a novel adsorption mechanism that is accessed upon exposing nearly-saturated Cl-Si(100)-(2x1) to a flux of Cl2, whereby dangling bonds of the nearly-saturated surface mediate the insertion of Cl adsorbates into non-equilibrium adsorption sites. The adsorbates are kinetically trapped within these sites due to energy constraints and lack of available and more favorable adsorption sites. Inserted Cl adsorbates force the surface to evolve along a novel etching pathway at elevated temperature resulting in dimer vacancy formation without the customary Si regrowth features attributed to halogen etching processes. This process is investigated at 700 – 825 K and the reaction mechanism is extracted from analysis of the appropriate rate equations.
Graduation Semester
2010-08
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/16827
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2010 Robert E. Butera

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