Development of a "Process Simulator" for Plastic Relaxation in Strained Layer Semiconductor Epitaxy

9531696 Hull本研究项目旨在通过实验和理论相结合的工作，开发一种过程模拟器，用于描述应变层半导体外延中失配位错的能量、动力学和电子描述。该计划的主要目标是：为应变层外延中位错错配的实验数据提供一个连贯的框架和储存库；将应变层外延中涉及塑性松弛的不同过程的机理理解结合起来，并将其与这些过程的实验描述相结合，以实现作为环生长、退火和材料加工的热历史函数的塑性松弛程度的预测模拟；并定义错配位错阵列的结构/密度与其电子性质之间的定量关系，并将这些关系并入工艺模拟器中，以允许对塑性松弛的器件分支进行建模。实现这些目标的方法包括：纠正对塑性弛豫动力学过程，特别是位错成核过程的实验描述的不足；定量地确定关键材料加工步骤--注入和活化/金属化/氧化)对塑性弛豫的影响；将失配的位错结构和密度与它们对宿主结构的电子性质的影响关联起来；以及，研究器件操作对位错微结构的影响，以及相应的软件开发。其目的是开发这一概念，以便在计划结束时，模拟器将可用于科学界的普遍分发。这项研究将在与先进微电子设备和集成电路的几个方面相关的基础原子水平上贡献基本的材料科学知识。此外，从这项研究项目中获得的知识和理解有望为提高用于计算、信息处理和电信的先进器件和电路的性能做出总体贡献，为设计和生产改进的材料提供基本的理解和基础。该计划的一个重要特点是通过在一个具有根本和技术意义的领域对学生进行培训，将研究和教育结合起来。*_

9531696 Hull This research project aims, through combined experimental and theoretical work, for development of a process simulator for energetic, kinetic and electronic descriptions of misfit dislocations in strained layer semiconductor epitaxy. The primary goals of the program are to: provide a coherent framework and a repository for experimental data relati ng to misfit dislocations in strained layer epitaxy; incorporate mechanistic understanding of the different processes involved in plastic relaxation in strained layer epitaxy, and to combine this with experimental descriptions of these processes to enable predictive simulation of the extent of plastic relaxation as a function of thermal history du ring growth, annealing and materials processing; and to define quantitative relationships between the structure/density of misfit dislocation arrays and their electronic properties, and incorporate these relationships into the process simulator to allow modeling of device ramifications of plastic relaxation. The approach to these goals includes: a ddressing shortcomings in experimental descriptions of kinetic processes in plastic relaxation, especially the dislocation nucleation process; to quantitatively determine the effects of critical materials processing steps--implantation and activation/metallization/oxidation) upon plastic relaxation; to correlate misfit dislocation structure and densities with their effect on electronic properties of the host structure, and, to investigate the effects of device operation on the dislocation microstructure, and appropriate software development. The intent is to develop this concept such that at the conclusion of the program, the simulator will be available for general distribution within the scientific community. %%% The research will contribute basic materials science knowledge at the fundamental atomic level of technological relevance to several aspects of advanced microelectronic devices and integrated circuitry. Additional ly, the knowledge and understanding gained from this research project is expected to contribute in a general way to improving the perfor mance of advanced devices and circuits used in computing, information processing, and telecommunications by providing a fundamental understanding and a basis for designing and producing improved materials. An important feature of the program is the integration of research and education through the training of students in a fundamentally and techno logically significant area. *** _