X-ray curve characterization of homo-epitaxial layers on silicon deposited after DC hydrogen cleaning

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Abstract
High-resolution X-ray diffraction is a non-destructive method with an extremely high strain sensitivity. It is shown that its sensitivity is high enough to detect the influence of very small degrees of contamination by oxygen at the interface and the influence of H2 incorporation. Interference fringes due to the strain induced by 0.01 monolayer of oxygen between the substrate and epilayer can be observed and distinguished from the H2 incorporation. Depending on the sample preparation, the fit of the X-ray rocking curve measurements is different. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish between interface contamination, which leads to a well-defined strain at the interface, and the strain induced by H2 incorporation, which is smeared out over a large region. Secondary-ion mass spectrometry as well as the cross section transmission electron microscopy measurements were correlated with the high-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements. Additional Rutherford backscattering channelling measurements also confirmed these results.