Origin and reduction of interfacial boron spikes in silicon molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

An interfacial boron spike is formed during the molecular beam epitaxial growth of Si. We show two possible sources for this unintentional spike. We have found that some boron contamination invariably occurs when silicon surfaces are exposed to air. A greater degree of contamination results when the sample is heated to temperatures greater than 800°C, as required for creating an atomically clean surface prior to molecular beam epitaxial growth. A source of boron suboxides, internal to the ultrahigh-vacuum system, was detected by residual gas analysis. While anneals at 1000°C or greater result in almost complete activation of the B, we observe that for a cleaning regimen at 850°C, less than 10% of the boron is active. Our results are consistent with the oxidation of the suboxides on oxygen-contaminated surfaces and their subsequent reduction at higher temperatures by silicon, with the volatization of SiO. Subsequent incorporation is by indiffusion.