The growth and applications of silicides for nanoscale devices

Performance Limits and Advancements in Single 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Transistor

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) allow for atomic-scale manipulation, challenging the conventional limitations of semiconductor materials. This capability may overcome the short-channel effect, sparking significant advancements in electronic devices that utilize 2D TMDs. Exploring the dimension and performance limits of transistors based on 2D TMDs has gained substantial importance. This review provides a comprehensive investigation into these limits of the single 2D-TMD transistor. It delves into the impacts of miniaturization, including the reduction of channel length, gate length, source/drain contact length, and dielectric thickness on transistor operation and performance. In addition, this review provides a detailed analysis of performance parameters such as source/drain contact resistance, subthreshold swing, hysteresis loop, carrier mobility, on/off ratio, and the development of p-type and single logic transistors. This review details the two logical expressions of the single 2D-TMD logic transistor, including current and voltage. It also emphasizes the role of 2D TMD-based transistors as memory devices, focusing on enhancing memory operation speed, endurance, data retention, and extinction ratio, as well as reducing energy consumption in memory devices functioning as artificial synapses. This review demonstrates the two calculating methods for dynamic energy consumption of 2D synaptic devices. This review not only summarizes the current state of the art in this field but also highlights potential future research directions and applications. It underscores the anticipated challenges, opportunities, and potential solutions in navigating the dimension and performance boundaries of 2D transistors.

Real-Time TEM Observation of the Role of Defects on Nickel Silicide Propagation in Silicon Nanowires

Metal silicides have received significant attention due to their high process compatibility, low resistivity, and structural stability. In nanowire (NW) form, they have been widely prepared using metal diffusion into preformed Si NWs, enabling compositionally controlled high-quality metal silicide nanostructures. However, unlocking the full potential of metal silicide NWs for next-generation nanodevices requires an increased level of mechanistic understanding of this diffusion-driven transformation. Herein, using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we investigated the defect-controlled silicide formation dynamics in one-dimensional NWs. A solution-based synthetic route was developed to form Si NWs anchored to Ni NW stems as an optimal platform for in situ TEM studies of metal silicide formation. Multiple in situ annealing experiments led to Ni diffusion from the Ni NW stem into the Si NW, forming a nickel silicide. We observed the dynamics of Ni propagation in straight and kinked Si NWs, with some regions of the NWs acting as Ni sinks. In NWs with high defect distribution, we obtained direct evidence of nonuniform Ni diffusion and silicide retardation. The findings of this study provide insights into metal diffusion and silicide formation in complex NW structures, which are crucial from fundamental and application perspectives.

Interplay between structural changes, surface states and quantum confinement effects in semiconducting Mg2Si and Ca2Si thin films

Ab initio techniques have been used to investigate structural changes in semiconducting Mg₂Si and Ca₂Si thin films (from 17 nm down to 0.2 nm corresponding to the 2D structure) along with band-gap variations due to quantum confinement. Cubic Mg₂Si(111) thin films being dynamically stable at thicknesses (d) larger than 0.3 nm displayed an indirect band gap, the reduction of which with increasing d could be reasonably well described by the simple effective mass approximation. Only 2D Mg₂Si has a unique structure because of the orthorhombic distortion and the direct band gap. Since the surface energy of cubic Ca₂Si(111) films was lower with respect to any surface of the orthorhombic phase, which is the ground state for the Ca₂Si bulk, the metastable in-bulk cubic phase in the form of thin films turned out to be preferable in total energy than any orthorhombic Ca₂Si thin film for d < 3 nm. Sizable structural distortion and the appearance of surface states in the gap region of Ca₂Si thin films with d < 3 nm could be the reason for an odd dependence of the band-gap variation on d.

In Situ Study of the Interface-Mediated Solid-State Reactions during Growth and Postgrowth Annealing of Pd/a-Ge Bilayers

Ohmic or Schottky contacts in micro- and nanoelectronic devices are formed by metal-semiconductor bilayer systems, based on elemental metals or thermally more stable metallic compounds (germanides, silicides). The control of their electronic properties remains challenging as their structure formation is not yet fully understood. We have studied the phase and microstructure evolution during sputter deposition and postgrowth annealing of Pd/a-Ge bilayer systems with different Pd/Ge ratios (Pd:Ge, 2Pd:Ge, and 4Pd:Ge). The room-temperature deposition of up to 30 nm Pd was monitored by simultaneous, in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction, X-ray reflectivity, and optical stress measurements. With this portfolio of complementary real-time methods, we could identify the microstructural origins of the resistivity evolution during contact formation: Real-time X-ray diffraction measurements indicate a coherent, epitaxial growth of Pd(111) on the individual crystallites of the initially forming, polycrystalline Pd2Ge[111] layer. The crystallization of the Pd2Ge interfacial layer causes a characteristic change in the real-time wafer curvature (tensile peak), and a significant drop of the resistivity after 1.5 nm Pd deposition. In addition, we could confirm the isostructural interface formation of Pd/a-Ge and Pd/a-Si. Subtle differences between both interfaces originate from the lattice mismatch at the interface between compound and metal. The solid-state reaction during subsequent annealing was studied by real-time X-ray diffraction and complementary UHV surface analysis. We could establish the link between phase and microstructure formation during deposition and annealing-induced solid-state reaction: The thermally induced reaction between Pd and a-Ge proceeds via diffusion-controlled growth of the Pd2Ge seed crystallites. The second-phase (PdGe) formation is nucleation-controlled and takes place only when a sufficient Ge reservoir exists. The real-time access to structure and electronic properties on the nanoscale opens new paths for the knowledge-based formation of ultrathin metal/semiconductor contacts.

Direct Transition from Ultrathin Orthorhombic Dinickel Silicides to Epitaxial Nickel Disilicide Revealed by In Situ Synthesis and Analysis

Understanding phase transitions of ultrathin metal silicides is crucial for the development of nanoscale silicon devices. Here, the phase transition of ultrathin (3.6 nm) Ni silicides on Si(100) substrates is investigated using an in situ synthesis and characterization approach, supplemented with ex situ transmission electron microscopy and nano-beam electron diffraction. First, an ultrathin epitaxial layer and ordered structures at the interface are observed upon room-temperature deposition. At 290 °C, this structure is followed by formation of an orthorhombic δ-Ni₂ Si phase exhibiting long-range order and extending to the whole film thickness. An unprecedented direct transition from this δ-Ni₂ Si phase to the final NiSi_{2- x} phase is observed at 290 °C, skipping the intermediate monosilicide phase. Additionally, the NiSi_{2- x} phase is found epitaxial on the substrate. This transition process substantially differs from observations for thicker films. Furthermore, considering previous studies, the long-range ordered orthorhombic δ-Ni₂ Si phase is suggested to occur regardless of the initial Ni thickness. The thickness of this ordered δ-Ni₂ Si layer is, however, limited due to the competition of different orientations of the δ-Ni₂ Si crystal. Whether the formed δ-Ni₂ Si layer consumes all deposited nickel is expected to determine whether the monosilicide phase appears before the transition to the final NiSi_{2- x} phase.

Carrier polarity modulation of molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) for phototransistor and switching photodiode applications

Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are layered semiconductor materials that have recently emerged as promising candidates for advanced nano- and photoelectronic applications. Previously, various doping methods, such as surface functionalization, chemical doping, substitutional doping, surface charge transfer, and electrostatic doping, have been introduced, but they are not stable or efficient. In this study, we have developed carrier polarity modulation of molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂) for the development of phototransistors and switching photodiodes. Initially, we treated p-MoTe₂ in a N₂ environment under DUV irradiation and found that the p-type MoTe₂ changed to n-type MoTe₂. However, the treated devices exhibited environmental stability over a long period of 60 days. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements demonstrated that the values of the work function for p-MoTe₂ and n-MoTe₂ were ∼4.90 and ∼4.49 eV, respectively, which confirmed the carrier tunability. Also, first-principles studies were performed to confirm the n-type carrier polarity variation. Interestingly, the n-type MoTe₂ reversed its polarity to p-type after the irradiation of the devices under DUV in an O₂ environment. Additionally, a lateral homojunction-based p-n diode of MoTe₂ with a rectification ratio of ∼2.5 × 10⁴ was formed with the value of contact potential difference of ∼400 mV and an estimated fast rise time of 29 ms and decay time of 38 ms. Furthermore, a well self-biased photovoltaic behavior upon illumination of light was achieved and various photovoltaic parameters were examined. Also, V_OC switching behavior was established at the p-n diode state by switching on and off the incident light. We believe that this efficient and facile carrier polarity modulation technique may pave the way for the development of phototransistors and switching photodiodes in advanced nanotechnology.

Intermetallic Ni2Si/SiCN as a highly efficient catalyst for the one-pot tandem synthesis of imines and secondary amines

For the one-pot reductive amination of benzaldehyde with nitrobenzene, intermetallic Ni₂Si/SiCN from the decomposition of a nickel-modified polysilazane precursor exhibited high activity (>99%) and high selectivity (92% to aromatic amine).

In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Analysis of Aluminum-Germanium Nanowire Solid-State Reaction

To fully exploit the potential of semiconducting nanowires for devices, high quality electrical contacts are of paramount importance. This work presents a detailed in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of a very promising type of NW contact where aluminum metal enters the germanium semiconducting nanowire to form an extremely abrupt and clean axial metal-semiconductor interface. We study this solid-state reaction between the aluminum contact and germanium nanowire in situ in the TEM using two different local heating methods. Following the reaction interface of the intrusion of Al in the Ge nanowire shows that at temperatures between 250 and 330 °C the position of the interface as a function of time is well fitted by a square root function, indicating that the reaction rate is limited by a diffusion process. Combining both chemical analysis and electron diffraction we find that the Ge of the nanowire core is completely exchanged by the entering Al atoms that form a monocrystalline nanowire with the usual face-centered cubic structure of Al, where the nanowire dimensions are inherited from the initial Ge nanowire. Model-based chemical mapping by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) characterization reveals the three-dimensional chemical cross-section of the transformed nanowire with an Al core, surrounded by a thin pure Ge (∼2 nm), Al₂O₃ (∼3 nm), and Ge containing Al₂O₃ (∼1 nm) layer, respectively. The presence of Ge containing shells around the Al core indicates that Ge diffuses back into the metal reservoir by surface diffusion, which was confirmed by the detection of Ge atoms in the Al metal line by EDX analysis. Fitting a diffusion equation to the kinetic data allows the extraction of the diffusion coefficient at two different temperatures, which shows a good agreement with diffusion coefficients from literature for self-diffusion of Al.

Linear heterostructured Ni2Si/Si nanowires with abrupt interfaces synthesised in solution

Herein, we report a novel approach to form axial heterostructure nanowires composed of linearly distinct Ni silicide (Ni2Si) and Si segments via a one-pot solution synthesis method. Initially, Si nanowires are grown using Au seeds deposited on a Ni substrate with the Si delivery in the solution phase using a liquid phenylsilane precursor. Ni silicide then forms axially along the wires through progressive Ni diffusion from the growth substrate, with a distinct transition between the silicide and pure Si segments. The interfacial abruptness and chemical composition of the heterostructure nanowires was analysed through transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and atomically resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. The method represents a versatile approach for the formation of complex axial NW heterostructures and could be extended to other metal silicide or analogous metal germanide systems.

Observation of layered antiferromagnetism in self-assembled parallel NiSi nanowire arrays on Si(110) by spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectromicroscopy

The layered antiferromagnetism of parallel nanowire (NW) arrays self-assembled on Si(110) have been observed at room temperature by direct imaging of both the topographies and magnetic domains using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (SP-STM/STS). The topographic STM images reveal that the self-assembled unidirectional and parallel NiSi NWs grow into the Si(110) substrate along the [Formula: see text] direction (i.e. the endotaxial growth) and exhibit multiple-layer growth. The spatially-resolved SP-STS maps show that these parallel NiSi NWs of different heights produce two opposite magnetic domains, depending on the heights of either even or odd layers in the layer stack of the NiSi NWs. This layer-wise antiferromagnetic structure can be attributed to an antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling between the adjacent layers in the multiple-layer NiSi NW with a B2 (CsCl-type) crystal structure. Such an endotaxial heterostructure of parallel magnetic NiSi NW arrays with a layered antiferromagnetic ordering in Si(110) provides a new and important perspective for the development of novel Si-based spintronic nanodevices.

Controlled Formation of Radial Core-Shell Si/Metal Silicide Crystalline Heterostructures

The highly controlled formation of "radial" silicon/NiSi  core-shell nanowire heterostructures has been demonstrated for the first time. Here, we investigated the "radial" diffusion of nickel atoms into crystalline nanoscale silicon pillar 11 cores, followed by nickel silicide phase formation and the creation of a well-defined shell structure. The described approach is based on a two-step thermal process, which involves metal diffusion at low temperatures in the range of 200-400 °C, followed by a thermal curing step at a higher temperature of 400 °C. In-depth crystallographic analysis was performed by nanosectioning the resulting silicide-shelled silicon nanopillar heterostructures, giving us the ability to study in detail the newly formed silicide shells. Remarkably, it was observed that the resulting silicide shell thickness has a self-limiting behavior, and can be tightly controlled by the modulation of the initial diffusion-step temperature. In addition, electrical measurements of the core-shell structures revealed that the resulting shells can serve as an embedded conductive layer in future optoelectronic applications. This research provides a broad insight into the Ni silicide "radial" diffusion process at the nanoscale regime, and offers a simple approach to form thickness-controlled metal silicide shells in the range of 5-100 nm around semiconductor nanowire core structures, regardless the diameter of the nanowire cores. These high quality Si/NiSi core-shell nanowire structures will be applied in the near future as building blocks for the creation of utrathin highly conductive optically transparent top electrodes, over vertical nanopillars-based solar cell devices, which may subsequently lead to significant performance improvements of these devices in terms of charge collection and reduced recombination.

Designed single-source precursors for iron germanide nanoparticles: colloidal synthesis and magnetic properties

The substituent of single source precursors [{iPrNC(tBu)NiPr}RGe]Fe(CO)₄ (R = Cl, N(SiMe₃)₂) has a dramatic influence on the synthesis of iron germanide nanoparticles.

Prediction of Stable Ruthenium Silicides from First-Principles Calculations: Stoichiometries, Crystal Structures, and Physical Properties

We present results of an unbiased structure search for stable ruthenium silicide compounds with various stoichiometries, using a recently developed technique that combines particle swarm optimization algorithms with first-principles calculations. Two experimentally observed structures of ruthenium silicides, RuSi (space group P2(1)3) and Ru2Si3 (space group Pbcn), are successfully reproduced under ambient pressure conditions. In addition, a stable RuSi2 compound with β-FeSi2 structure type (space group Cmca) was found. The calculations of the formation enthalpy, elastic constants, and phonon dispersions demonstrate the Cmca-RuSi2 compound is energetically, mechanically, and dynamically stable. The analysis of electronic band structures and densities of state reveals that the Cmca-RuSi2 phase is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 0.480 eV and is stabilized by strong covalent bonding between Ru and neighboring Si atoms. On the basis of the Mulliken overlap population analysis, the Vickers hardness of the Cmca structure RuSi2 is estimated to be 28.0 GPa, indicating its ultra-incompressible nature.

Solution synthesis of metal silicide nanoparticles

Transition-metal silicides are part of an important family of intermetallic compounds, but the high-temperature reactions that are generally required to synthesize them preclude the formation of colloidal nanoparticles. Here, we show that palladium, copper, and nickel nanoparticles react with monophenylsilane in trioctylamine and squalane at 375 °C to form colloidal Pd(2)Si, Cu(3)Si, and Ni(2)Si nanoparticles, respectively. These metal silicide nanoparticles were screened as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and Pd(2)Si and Ni(2)Si were identified as active catalysts that require overpotentials of -192 and -243 mV, respectively, to produce cathodic current densities of -10 mA cm(-2).

Controlled assembly of graphene-capped nickel, cobalt and iron silicides

The unique properties of graphene have raised high expectations regarding its application in carbon-based nanoscale devices that could complement or replace traditional silicon technology. This gave rise to the vast amount of researches on how to fabricate high-quality graphene and graphene nanocomposites that is currently going on. Here we show that graphene can be successfully integrated with the established metal-silicide technology. Starting from thin monocrystalline films of nickel, cobalt and iron, we were able to form metal silicides of high quality with a variety of stoichiometries under a Chemical Vapor Deposition grown graphene layer. These graphene-capped silicides are reliably protected against oxidation and can cover a wide range of electronic materials/device applications. Most importantly, the coupling between the graphene layer and the silicides is rather weak and the properties of quasi-freestanding graphene are widely preserved.

Kinetic manipulation of silicide phase formation in Si nanowire templates

The phase formation sequence of silicides in two-dimensional (2-D) structures has been well-investigated due to their significance in microelectronics. Applying high-quality silicides as contacts in nanoscale silicon (Si) devices has caught considerable attention recently for their potential in improving and introducing new functions in nanodevices. However, nucleation and diffusion mechanisms are found to be very different in one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures, and thus the phase manipulation of silicides is yet to be achieved there. In this work, we report kinetic phase modulations to selectively enhance or hinder the growth rates of targeted nickel (Ni) silicides in a Si nanowire (NW) and demonstrate that Ni31Si12, δ-Ni2Si, θ-Ni2Si, NiSi, and NiSi2 can emerge as the first contacting phase at the silicide/Si interface through these modulations. First, the growth rates of silicides are selectively tuned through template structure modifications. It is demonstrated that the growth rate of diffusion limited phases can be enhanced in a porous Si NW due to a short diffusion path, which suppresses the formation of interface limited NiSi2. In addition, we show that a confining thick shell can be applied around the Si NW to hinder the growth of the silicides with large volume expansion during silicidation, including Ni31Si12, δ-Ni2Si, and θ-Ni2Si. Second, a platinum (Pt) interlayer between the Ni source and the Si NW is shown to effectively suppress the formation of the phases with low Pt solubility, including the dominating NiSi2. Lastly, we show that with the combined applications of the above-mentioned approaches, the lowest resistive NiSi phase can form as the first phase in a solid NW with a Pt interlayer to suppress NiSi2 and a thick shell to hinder Ni31Si12, δ-Ni2Si, and θ-Ni2Si simultaneously. The resistivity and maximum current density of NiSi agree reasonably to reported values.

Copper silicide/silicon nanowire heterostructures: in situ TEM observation of growth behaviors and electron transport properties

Copper silicide has been studied in the applications of electronic devices and catalysts. In this study, Cu3Si/Si nanowire heterostructures were fabricated through solid state reaction in an in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM). The dynamic diffusion of the copper atoms in the growth process and the formation mechanism are characterized. We found that two dimensional stacking faults (SF) may retard the growth of Cu3Si. Due to the evidence of the block of edge-nucleation (heterogeneous) by the surface oxide, center-nucleation (homogeneous) is suggested to dominate the silicidation. Furthermore, the electrical transport properties of various silicon channel length with Cu3Si/Si heterostructure interfaces and metallic Cu3Si NWs have been investigated. The observations not only provided an alternative pathway to explore the formation mechanisms and interface properties of Cu3Si/Si, but also suggested the potential application of Cu3Si at nanoscale for future processing in nanotechnology.

Fabrication of Ni-silicide/Si heterostructured nanowire arrays by glancing angle deposition and solid state reaction

This work develops a method for growing Ni-silicide/Si heterostructured nanowire arrays by glancing angle Ni deposition and solid state reaction on ordered Si nanowire arrays. Samples of ordered Si nanowire arrays were fabricated by nanosphere lithography and metal-induced catalytic etching. Glancing angle Ni deposition deposited Ni only on the top of Si nanowires. When the annealing temperature was 500°C, a Ni3Si2 phase was formed at the apex of the nanowires. The phase of silicide at the Ni-silicide/Si interface depended on the diameter of the Si nanowires, such that epitaxial NiSi2 with a {111} facet was formed at the Ni-silicide/Si interface in Si nanowires with large diameter, and NiSi was formed in Si nanowires with small diameter. A mechanism that is based on flux divergence and a nucleation-limited reaction is proposed to explain this phenomenon of size-dependent phase formation.

Kinetic competition model and size-dependent phase selection in 1-D nanostructures

The first phase selection and the phase formation sequence between metal and silicon (Si) couples are indispensably significant to microelectronics. With increasing scaling of device dimension to nano regime, established thermodynamic and kinetic models in bulk and thin film fail to apply in 1-D nanostructures. Herein, we present an unique size-dependent first phase formation sequence in 1-D nanostructures, with Ni-Si as the model system. Interfacial-limited phase which forms the last in thin film, NiSi(2), appears as the dominant first phase at 300-800 °C due to the elimination of continuous grain boundaries in 1-D silicides. On the other hand, θ-Ni(2)Si, the most competitive diffusion-limited phase takes over NiSi(2) and wins out as the first phase in small diameter nanowires at 800 °C. Kinetic parameters extracted from in situ transmission electron microscope studies and a modified kinetic growth competition model quantitatively explain this observation. An estimated critical diameter from the model agrees reasonably well with observations.