Although silicon has long been the material of choice for most microelectronic applications, it is a poor emitter of light (a consequence of having an ‘indirect’ bandgap), so hampering the development of integrated silicon optoelectronic devices. This problem has motivated numerous attempts to develop silicon-based structures with good light-emission characteristics1, particularly at wavelengths (∼1.5 μm) relevant to optical fibre communication. For example, silicon–germanium superlattice structures2 can result in a material with a pseudo-direct bandgap that emits at ∼1.5 μm, and doping silicon with erbium3 introduces an internal optical transition having a similar emission wavelength, although neither approach has led to practical devices. In this context, β-iron disilicide has attracted recent interest4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 as an optically active, direct-bandgap material th might be compatible with existing silicon processing technology. Here we report the realization of a light-emitting device operating at 1.5 μm that incorporates β-FeSi2 into a conventional silicon bipolar junction. We argue that this result demonstrates the potential of β-FeSi2 as an important candidate for a silicon-based optoelectronic technology.

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A silicon/iron-disilicide light-emitting diode operating at a wavelength of 1.5 μm

Ion beam synthesized polycrystalline semiconducting FeSi2 on Si(001) has been investigated by transmission measurements at temperatures between 10 and 300 K. The existence of a minimum direct band gap was demonstrated and its variation with the temperature was studied by means of a three‐parameter thermodynamic model and the Einstein model. Band tail states and states on a shallow impurity level were found to give rise to the absorption below the fundamental edge. The presence of an Urbach exponential edge was shown and the temperature dependence of the Urbach tail width was also studied based on the Einstein model. A strong structural disorder associated with grain boundaries between and within the FeSi2 grains and their related defects was found to be the dominant contribution at room temperature.

Optical absorption study of ion beam synthesized polycrystalline semiconducting FeSi2

Studies of the properties and characteristics of transition metal silicides have been stimulated by their (potential) use in integrated circuit technology. This review describes some of the most recent studies in this field of research. Formation mechanisms of silicides are discussed in some detail. A division is made between near-noble and refractory metal silicidation which aids in the understanding of differences in formation mechanisms of the various silicides. The evolution of the components of thin film stress during metal silicidation is also elucidated. In the review of the practical uses of these materials, emphasis is placed on specific processes involving laterally confined (self-aligned) silicide film formation as more advanced applications require film formation only in certain localized regions on a Si wafer.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0034-4885/56/11/002/pdf

Transition metal silicides in silicon technology

Semiconducting silicide-silicon heterostructures : growth, properties and applications

Far from equilibrium phase transition induced by solid-state reaction in the FeSi system

Polycrystalline iron disilicide thin films are prepared by furnace annealing of electron‐beam deposited iron layers. As substrates we use single‐crystal silicon wafers, epitaxial silicon thin films on sapphire substrates, and low‐pressure chemical vapor deposited polycrystalline silicon thin films on oxidized silicon wafers. X‐ray diffraction indicates that orthorhombic β‐FeSi2 is obtained for growth temperatures in the range 800–900 °C. Photothermal deflection spectroscopy reveals a direct band‐gap of 0.85 eV. Optical transitions at energies above 1.4 eV are investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Measurements of the subgap defect absorption, photoluminescence, conductivity, and of the Hall mobility suggest that lower growth temperatures yield material of better quality.

R. Nesper

Papers

Electronic properties of semiconducting FeSi2 films