Issue 18, 2015

Nanoscale elemental quantification in heterostructured SiGe nanowires

Abstract

The nanoscale chemical characterization of axial heterostructured Si1−xGex nanowires (NWs) has been performed using scanning Auger microscopy (SAM) through local spectroscopy, line-scan and depth profile measurements. Local Auger profiles are realized with sufficient lateral resolution to resolve individual nanowires. Axial and radial composition heterogeneities are highlighted. Our results confirm the phenomenon of Ge radial growth forming a Ge shell around the nanowire. Moreover, quantification is performed after verifying the absence of preferential sputtering of Si or Ge on a bulk SiGe sample. Hence, reliable results are obtained for heterostructured NW diameters higher than 100 nm. However, for smaller sizes, we have noticed that the sensitivity factors evaluated from bulk samples cannot be used because of edge effects occurring for highly topographical features and a modified contribution of backscattered electrons.

Graphical abstract: Nanoscale elemental quantification in heterostructured SiGe nanowires

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Dec 2014
Accepted
05 Apr 2015
First published
10 Apr 2015

Nanoscale, 2015,7, 8544-8553

Nanoscale elemental quantification in heterostructured SiGe nanowires

W. Hourani, P. Periwal, F. Bassani, T. Baron, G. Patriarche and E. Martinez, Nanoscale, 2015, 7, 8544 DOI: 10.1039/C4NR07503J

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