APL Materials (Jun 2016)

Electrode-stress-induced nanoscale disorder in Si quantum electronic devices

  • J. Park,
  • Y. Ahn,
  • J. A. Tilka,
  • K. C. Sampson,
  • D. E. Savage,
  • J. R. Prance,
  • C. B. Simmons,
  • M. G. Lagally,
  • S. N. Coppersmith,
  • M. A. Eriksson,
  • M. V. Holt,
  • P. G. Evans

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4954054
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 6
pp. 066102 – 066102-9

Abstract

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Disorder in the potential-energy landscape presents a major obstacle to the more rapid development of semiconductor quantum device technologies. We report a large-magnitude source of disorder, beyond commonly considered unintentional background doping or fixed charge in oxide layers: nanoscale strain fields induced by residual stresses in nanopatterned metal gates. Quantitative analysis of synchrotron coherent hard x-ray nanobeam diffraction patterns reveals gate-induced curvature and strains up to 0.03% in a buried Si quantum well within a Si/SiGe heterostructure. Electrode stress presents both challenges to the design of devices and opportunities associated with the lateral manipulation of electronic energy levels.