Antimony doping of Si layers grown by solid-phase epitaxy

Abstract

We report here that layers of Si formed by solid‐phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) can be doped intentionally. The sample consists initially of an upper layer of amorphous Si (∼1 μm thick), a very thin intermediate layer of Sb (nominally 5 Å), and a thin lower layer of Pd (∼500 Å), all electron‐gun deposited on top of a single‐crystal substrate (1–10 Ω cm, p type, 〈100〉 orientation). After a heating cycle which induces epitaxial growth, electrically active Sb atoms are incorporated into the SPEG layer, as shown by the following facts: (a) the SPEG layer forms a p‐n junction against the p‐type substrate, (b) the Hall effect indicates strong n‐type conduction of the layer, and (c) Auger electron spectra reveal the presence of Sb in the layer.