Doping of Vertical Si Nanowires and Carrier Profiling by Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscopy

The future application of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) in nano electronics requires their doping and the precise control of their electrical properties. However, the dopant incorporation process in Si NWs is not yet fully understood. In this study, individual vertical MBE-grown Si-NWs doped either by ion implantation or by in-situ dopant incorporation are investigated by scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM). The carrier profiles across the axial cross sections of the NWs are derived from the measured spreading resistance values and calibrated by the known carrier concentrations of the connected Si substrate or epi-layer. Furthermore, three-dimensional (3D) SSRM of the NW was obtained by measuring the cross sections at different depth position of the same NW in succession. Carrier profiling reveals a multi-shell structure of the carrier distribution across the NW diameter which consists of a lower doped core region, a higher doped shell region and a carrier depleted sub-surface region.