Silicon-silicide quasi-zero dimensional heterostructures for silicon based photonics, opto- and thermoelectronics

Abstract

Optimization of growth parameters has permitted to create monolithic nanocomposites with buried nanocrystallites (NCs) of iron and chromium disilicides, polycrystalline nanocomposites with buried Mg2Si NCs and epitaxial MnSi1.74 nanoislands on Si(111) substrate. Grown quasi-zero dimensional heterostructures with multilayers of β-FeSi2 NCs atop silicon p-n junction have demonstrated the range expansion of photoelectrical sensitivity up to 1.8 μm and strong room temperature electroluminescence at 1.2 - 1.6 μm. A new approach to the selective doping of embeddded nanocrystallites inside silicon matrix has been developed on the base of the successive formation of ordered superstructures of metals (Ag, Sb) together with silicide island formation. Nanocomposite layers with n- and p-type conductivity and huge Seebeck coefficient (550-750 μV/K) in the Si-p/β-FeSi2 NCs/Si-p and Si/Mg2Si NCs/Si-p and Si/Mg2Si NCs/Si-n nanocomposites have been created and tested. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.