Structural characterization of rapid thermal oxidized Si1-x-yGexCy alloy films grown by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition

The structural properties of as-grown and rapid thermal oxidized Si1-x-yGexCy epitaxial layers have been examined using a combination of infrared, x-ray photoelectron, x-ray diffraction, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy techniques. Carbon incorporation into the Si1-x-yGexCy system can lead to compressive or tensile strain in the film. The structural properties of the oxidized Si1-x-yGexCy film depend on the type of strain (i.e., carbon concentration) of the as-prepared film. For compressive or fully compensated films, the oxidation process drastically reduces the carbon content so that the oxidized films closely resemble to Si1-xGex films. For tensile films, two broad regions, one with carbon content higher and the other lower than that required for full strain compensation, coexist in the oxidized films. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)08201-3].