Synchrotron S-ray Diffraction-based Non-destructive Nanoscale Mapping of Si/SiGe Nanosheets for GAA structures

New research paper titled “Mapping of the mechanical response in Si/SiGe nanosheet device geometries” from researchers at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Sponsored by U.S. DOE.

Abstract
“The performance of next-generation, nanoelectronic devices relies on a precise understanding of strain within the constituent materials. However, the increased flexibility inherent to these three-dimensional device geometries necessitates direct measurement of their deformation. Here we report synchrotron x-ray diffraction-based non-destructive nanoscale mapping of Si/SiGe nanosheets for gate-all-around structures. We identified two competing mechanisms at different length scales contributing to the deformation. One is consistent with the in-plane elastic relaxation due to the Ge lattice mismatch with the surrounding Si. The second is associated with the out-of-plane layering of the Si and SiGe regions at a length scale of film thickness. Complementary mechanical modeling corroborated the qualitative aspects of the deformation profiles observed across a variety of nanosheet sample widths. However, greater deformation is observed in the SiGe layers of the nanosheets than the predicted distributions. These insights could play a role in predicting carrier mobilities of future devices.”

Find the open access technical paper here. Published June 2022.

Murray, C.E., Yan, H., Lavoie, C. et al. Mapping of the mechanical response in Si/SiGe nanosheet device geometries. Commun Eng 1, 11 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-022-00011-w.

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