Combinatorial synthesis of ZnTe nanocrystals in SiO2 on silicon by ion implantation

In the field of organic chemistry combinatorial synthesis and screening of a large number of compounds is a common method for discovering and optimizing specific chemical and physical properties. Furthermore this approach is well suited when there are no reliable theories for the predictability of the chemical reaction paths and the resulting basic properties. Here we describe the application of the combinatorial synthesis technique on the synthesis of optically active ZnTe nanocrystals buried in SiO2 on a Si(100) surface. This and similar materials are of great technical interest, because they enable the combination of quantum dots of direct band gap semiconductor materials with silicon. The redistribution of the implanted constituents before and after annealing is measured by Rutherford-backscattering spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and shows a complex concentration distribution pattern strongly influenced by the annealing process gas. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.