Si passivation for Ge pMOSFETs: Impact of Si cap growth conditions

Ultra thin Si cap growth by Reduced Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition on relaxed Ge substrates is detailed in this paper for Ge pMOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) passivation purposes. A cross calibration of different measurement techniques is first proposed to perfectly monitor Si monolayers thickness deposited on Ge substrates. Different characteristics, impacting Ge pMOSFETs device performances, are next detailed for various Si cap growth processes using different Si precursors: DiChloroSilane (DCS), silane and trisilane. The critical Si thickness of plastic relaxation has been determined at 12 monolayers. Presence of point defects has been identified for very low growth temperature as 350 degrees C. Ge Si intermixing, caused by a Ge segregation mechanism, is strongly reduced by the use of trisilane as Si precursor at low temperatures. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.