Oxidation of sub-50 nm Si columns for light emission study

摘要: Understanding the optical and electrical properties of Si nanostructures is essential for exploring potential using structural quantum confinement to induce light emission from crystalline Si. To this end, sub‐50 nm columns were fabricated with high resolution electron beam lithography anisotropic reactive ion etching. The dimensions further reduced by thermal oxidation. A novel transmission microscopy technique was developed monitor oxidation progress without removing oxide support. Images sub‐5 cores obtained. rates characterized. Among various interesting phenomena are nonmonotonic rate respect column size an unexpectedly slow change outer diameters oxidized columns. Several likely mechanisms, including stress retardation a small radius curvature, induced generation an...