Formation of Light Emitting Iron Disilicide/Silicon Heterostructures by Means of Pulsed Ion and Laser Beams

Abstract

Abstract – Semiconducting iron disilicide (β FeSi2) is a pro mising material for the fabrication of Si based structures emitting light in the 1.5–1.6 μm telecommunication range. In this work β FeSi2/Si heterostructures were formed by high fluence implantation of n Si (100) single crystals with iron ions (Fe+) followed by treatments of the implanted Si la yers with pulsed laser or ion beams. Structural properties of the obtained heterostructures were studied by X ray diffrac tion, transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. It is shown that pulsed treat ment leads to the formation of nanocrystalline FeSi2 layers with a cellular structure and nearly uniform composition. On the base of β FeSi2/Si layers, light emitting in the near in frared region p+–Si/β FeSi2/n–Si/n+–Si diode structures were obtained by the implantation of low energy boron and phosphorous ions.