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Silicon surface passivation by aluminium oxide studied with electron energy loss spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Hoex Bram,
Bosman Michel,
Nandakumar Naomi,
Kessels W. M. M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.201308081
Subject(s) - passivation , electron energy loss spectroscopy , annealing (glass) , silicon , aluminium , materials science , aluminium oxide , atomic layer deposition , silicon oxide , oxide , spectroscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , layer (electronics) , energy dispersive x ray spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , metallurgy , nanotechnology , chemistry , transmission electron microscopy , composite material , silicon nitride , physics , quantum mechanics , chromatography
The origin behind crystalline silicon surface passivation by Al 2 O 3 films is studied in detail by means of spatially‐resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. The bonding configurations of Al and O are studied in as‐deposited and annealed Al 2 O 3 films grown on c‐Si substrates by plasma‐assisted and thermal atomic layer deposition. The results confirm the presence of an interfacial SiO 2 ‐like film and demonstrate changes in the ratio between tetrahedrally and octahedrally coordinated Al in the films after annealing. These observations reveal the underlying origin of c‐Si surface passivation by Al 2 O 3 . (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)