PNNL

Abstract

Doped Si-Ge nanowire (NW) heterojunctions were grown using the vapor-liquid-solid method with AuGa and Au catalyst particles. Transmission electron microscopy and off-axis electron holography (EH) were used to characterize the nanostructure and to measure the electrostatic potential profile across the junction resulting from electrically active dopants, while atom-probe tomography (APT) was used to determine the Si, Ge and total (active and inactive) dopant concentration profiles. A comparison of the measured potential profile with simulations indicated that Ga dopants unintentionally introduced during AuGa catalyst growth were electronically inactive despite APT results that showed considerable amounts of Ga in the Si region. 10% P in Ge and 100% B in Si were estimated to be activated, which was corroborated by in situ electron-holography biasing experiments. This combination of EH, APT, in situ biasing and simulations allows a better knowledge and understanding of the electrically active dopant distributions in NWs.