Integration of InSb on Si by Rapid Melt Growth

Monolithic integration of III-V semiconductors with Silicon technology has instigated a wide range of new possibilities in the semiconductor industry, such as combination of digital circuits with optical sensing and high-frequency communication. Dissimilarities in the crystal structure symmetry and large lattice mismatch between III-V’s and Si are the challenges that prevent direct epitaxial growth of III-V on Si. A promising method is Rapid Melt Growth (RMG) which integrates high-quality single crystalline III-V microstructures at low cost and in a process that is CMOS compatible1. In this growth, amorphous source material is deposited inside a micro-crucible with a nano-scale opening (seed) to the Si substrate. When the material is annealed above its melting point, the crucible contains the liquid. On cooling, epitaxial growth occurs from the seed to the end of the structure, resulting in a high quality crystal as strain-induced misfit dislocations are confined to the region near the seed. RMG of Ge on insulator [1], GaAs2, GaSb2 and InAs3 has been reported. In this work we have developed for the first time the RMG process for integrating InSb nano and microstructures on Si. Such InSb materials are promising for integrated optoelectronics (mid-infrared) and topological quantum devices. We will here describe the process development and characterization of the resulting InSb material using x-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and electrical measurements.
1. Liu et al. APL. 84, 2563 (2004).
2. Chen et al. Electron Dev Lett. 31, 11 (2010).
3. Yuan et al. Symp VLSI Tech Dig. T54-5 (2013)