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Atomistic calculation of elastic moduli in strained silicon

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INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS PUBLISHING SEMICONDUCTOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Semicond. Sci. Technol. 21 (2006) 906911 doi:10.1088/0268-1242/21/7/014

Atomistic calculation of elastic moduli in


strained silicon
R Zhu1, E Pan1, P W Chung2, X Cai3, K M Liew4 and A Buldum5
1
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
2
US Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005, USA
3
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technology University,
Singapore
4
Department of Building and Construction, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue,
Kowloon, Hong Kong, Peoples Republic of China
5
Department of Physics, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
E-mail: pan2@uakron.edu

Received 23 January 2006, in final form 24 January 2006


Published 5 June 2006
Online at stacks.iop.org/SST/21/906

Abstract
Strained silicon is becoming a new technology in silicon industry where the
novel strain-induced features are utilized. In this paper we present a
molecular dynamic prediction for the elastic stiffnesses C11, C12 and C44 in
strained silicon as functions of the volumetric strain level. Our approach
combines basic continuum mechanics with the classical molecular dynamic
approach, supplemented with the StillingerWeber potential. Using our
approach, the bulk modulus, effective elastic stiffnesses C11, C12 and C44 of
the strained silicon, including also the effective Youngs modulus and
Poissons ratio, are all calculated and presented in terms of figures and
formulae. In general, our simulation indicates that the bulk moduli, C11 and
C12, increase with increasing volumetric strain whilst C44 is almost
independent of the volumetric strain. The difference between strained
moduli and those at zero strain can be very large, and therefore use of
standard free-strained moduli should be cautious.
(Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)

1. Introduction is only about 2%. While the performance of strained silicon


in terms of its electronic and optical properties is an active
Strained quantum nanostructures have led to intensive studies topic, the corresponding mechanical behaviour has rarely been
in recent years due to their improved electronic and optical studied. Yet, understanding the mechanical properties of
properties arising from quantum confinements [1]. The strained silicon is very important with regard to its long-term
importance of strain in semiconductors has been widely performance and structure reliability.
recognized, and its influence on the electronic and optical Silicon can be strained in compression (i.e., the atoms
properties was also carried out. Specifically, the distortion of are being squeezed together) or in tension (i.e., the atoms
the crystalline structure changes the properties of the charge are being stretched apart). The most established and proven
carriers in silicon, allowing the carriers to move more quickly method of straining silicon involves the deposition of a silicon
in response to an applied voltage. These charge carriers, germanium (SiGe) film on the top of a traditional silicon
electrons (negative charge carriers) and holes (positive charge wafer, which then acts as an atomic template for deposition
carriers), are reported to have a higher mobility when silicon of a subsequent thin film of silicon. The thin film of silicon
is strained [25]. In 2003, IBM and AMD reported the most conforms to the atomic spacing of the underlying SiGe layer
exciting news on the application of strained silicon where they and assumes a state of biaxial tension (i.e., silicon is stretched
successfully integrated the strained silicon into their design in two orthogonal directions, as shown in figure 1).
[6]. This new advance improves transistor performance by 10 While variation of the elastic moduli was studied
25% whilst the corresponding increase in manufacturing costs previously when silicon was under pressure [7, 8], no literature

0268-1242/06/070906+06$30.00 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK 906


Atomistic calculation of elastic moduli in strained silicon

applied to the crystal with the latter being already subjected to


Si Si
a uniform volumetric strain (i.e., [15]).
Let us assume that the original cubic lengths and the
distortions in the (x, y, z)-directions are (x, y, z) and
(x , y , z ), respectively. After deformation, the new volume
becomes
V = x(1 + x )y(1 + y )z(1 + z )
= xyz(1 + x + y + z + x y
+ y z + z x + x y z ). (1)
It is clear that for small deformation, we have the well-known
SiGe SiGe volumetric strain
V V0
Figure 1. Stretched silicon for silicon over a silicongermanium e= = x + y + z , (2)
V0
substrate.
where V0 = xyz is the original volume of the unit cell.
is available on the stress and strain behaviour when silicon The constitutive
relation for the cubic material
is
xx C11 C12 C12 0 0 0 xx
is under strain. Furthermore, due to the technical difficulty, yy C12 C11 C12 0 0 0
yy
it is hard to observe experimentally the elastic properties as zz C12 C12 C11 0 0 0
= zz (3)
functions of the applied strain. yz 0 0 0 C 0 0
44 yz
In this paper, therefore, we present a molecular dynamic zx 0 0 0 0 C44 0 zx
simulation for the elastic stiffnesses in strained silicon as xy 0 0 0 0 0 C44 xy
functions of the volumetric strain level (corresponding to the
with the corresponding strain energy per unit volume being
misfit strain due to the lattice constant difference between
silicon and its substrate). Our method combines the basic U = 12 (xx xx + yy yy + zz zz + yz yz + zx zx + xy xy ).
continuum mechanics with the classical molecular dynamic (4)
simulation, supplemented with the interatomic Stillinger
Weber potential [9]. The SW potential has gained popularity In the following, we briefly list the relevant formulae
due to its ability to describe fairly well the diamond structure needed to obtain the elastic coefficients for the cubic crystal.
(e.g., [1012]). In order to use our method for the
estimation of the three independent elastic stiffnesses C11, 2.1. Bulk modulus B
C12 and C44 in strained silicon, we apply three independent The bulk modulus, B, is related to the curvature of the energy
distortions as described by Mehl [13, 14] and utilized more function E(V) as [17]
recently by Ellaway and Faux [15] for InAs. The elastic
B(V ) = V P  (V ) = V E  (V ), (5)
stiffnesses, effective Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio are
all calculated and presented in terms of figures and formulae. where V is again the deformed volume of unit cell as mentioned
In general, our simulation indicates that the bulk moduli, C11 before, E(V) is the corresponding energy per unit cell, E  (V )
and C12, increase with increasing volumetric strain whilst C44 is the second derivative of E(V) with respect to the volume
is almost independent of volumetric strain. The difference and P(V) = E (V) is the pressure. Since the calculation only
between strained moduli and those at zero strain can be very provides a set of energies E(Vi) for a limited number of volumes
Vi, the second derivative E  (V ) must be approximated [14].
large, and therefore use of standard free-strained moduli in the
Birch [17] proposed the following equation to calculate E(V)
strained silicon could result in the wrong mechanical response
by fitting the curve:
in silicon. Using strained moduli could also predict different 
2
electronic and optical properties in the strained silicon. 9 V0 2/3 9
E(V ) = E0 + B0 V0 1 + B0 V0 (B0 4)
8 V 16
2. Elastic stiffness calculation 
3 N 
n
V0 2/3 V0 2/3
1 + n 1 , (6)
The IV and IIIV semiconductors, in their cubic structure, V n=4
V
have three independent elastic stiffnesses C11, C12 and C44. where E0, V0, B0 and B0 are, respectively, the equilibrium
It was shown that when the crystal is strained, its elastic energy, volume, bulk modulus and pressure derivative of
stiffnesses can be substantially changed (e.g., [15]). To predict the bulk modulus, whilst N is the fitting order. We remark
the accurate change of the material stiffness due to straining, that equation (6) is a special case of the following general
the so-called direct and traditional method can be followed expression:
where a tension/compression is applied to the material. The N
system energy is then calculated, which is utilized finally to E(V ) = an V 2n/3 , (7)
predict the stressstrain relationship [1416]. n=0
For a cubic crystal, the elastic moduli can be divided into where an are the fitting parameters.
two classes: the bulk modulus B = (C11 + 2C12)/3 and two Therefore, the bulk modulus can be predicted on the basis
shear moduli C11C12 and C44. In the actual calculation, a of equation (7). In our atomistic MD simulation, the distortion
small incremental distortion, which is usually less than 1%, is used for calculating the bulk modulus consists of a uniform

907
R Zhu et al

compression (or expansion) of magnitude in each of the x-,


y- and z-directions as in a conventional pressure experiment. i

2.2. Modulus C11 C12 jik


rij rik
The shear modulus C11C12 is evaluated by applying an
orthorhombic volume-conserving (up to the first order of ) ijk ikj
strain which can be represented in the strain tensor form as j k
rjk
0 0
0 0 . (8) Figure 2. Geometric illustration of a triplet of atoms used in the
2 definition of the three-body potential.
0 0 12
Making use of the stress and strain relation, we found that the is its simplicity and fairly realistic description of the crystal.
nonzero stresses are The potential consists of a two-body term and a three-body
2 term as angular interaction:
xx = (C11 C 12 ) + C12
1 2 U= v2 (rij ) + v3 (ri , ri , rk )
2
yy = (C12 C 11 ) + C12 (9) i<j i<j <k
1 2 v2 (rij ) = f2 (rij / ), (13)
2
zz = C11 . v3 (ri , rj , rk ) = f3 (ri /, rj /, rk / )
1 2
From the strains and stresses, the corresponding system energy where v2 is the pair potential and v3 is the three-body part.
as a function of can be found as The functions f2 and f3 are defined as

E() = E(0) + (C11 C12 )V 2 + 0( 4 ) + , A(Br p r q ) exp[(r a)1 ], r < a
(10) f2 (r) =
0, r  a
4
where the terms of order or higher can be safely neglected.
Therefore, the energy E() can be expressed as a function of h(rij , rik , j ik ) + h(rj i , rj k , ij k )
2 and a linear fitting of the curve yields C11C12. f3 (ri , rj , rk ) = + h(rki , rkj , ikj ), r < a, (14)

0, r  a
2.3. Elastic stiffness C44 where r is the distance between any two atoms; rij is the
distance between the two atoms with indices i and j; ri, rj, rk
Finally, the elastic stiffness C44 is evaluated by a monoclinic are the positions of atoms i, j and k, respectively; and j ik is
volume-conserving (again, up to the first order of ) strain, the bond angle between vectors rij and rik (figure 2). Finally,
expressed in terms of the strain tensor as the function h is the three-body potential part given as

0 12 0 h(rij , rik , j ik ) = exp[ (rij a)1 + (rik a)1 ]
1 0 0  2
2 . (11) cos j ik + 13 . (15)
2
0 0 (4 2 ) The parameters A, B, p, q, a, , , and are all
Again, substituting this strain tensor into the stress and strain positive and are determined by ensuring that the diamond
relation gives the only nonzero stress component (shear stress) structure is the most stable periodic arrangement of particles
as xy = C44 , and the corresponding total energy at low pressure. For silicon, these parameters were given by
Stillinger and Weber [9]: a = 1.8, = 1.20, p = 4, q = 0,
E() = E(0) + 12 C44 V 2 + 0( 4 ) + . (12)
A = 7.049 556 277, B = 0.602 224 5584, = 21.0, =
Similarly, the energy E() can be expressed as a function of 2 50 kcal mol1 = 3.4723 1019 J, = 2.0951 A.
and a linear fitting of the curve yields C44. In our MD program, we first prepare a sample: we select
a model system (a cubic structure) consisting of N = 8
3. Molecular dynamics programming 33 = 216 atoms under the periodic boundary condition, and
we solve Newtons equation of motion for this system until
In order to use the molecular dynamics (MD) to simulate the properties of the system no longer change with time (i.e.,
and predict the energy for a given distortion, we have to the equilibrium state). We then predict the system energy
define the rules which govern the interaction among the atoms by applying a distortion to the system and solving Newtons
in the system. In the classical MD simulation, these rules equation of motion. In the simulation process, time step is one
are often expressed in terms of the potential function. The of the key factors. If the time step is too large, accurate results
potential function U(ri) describes how the potential energy cannot be obtained; on the other hand, if it is too small, the
of a system of N atoms depends on the coordinates of the MD simulation becomes too expensive to be carried out. In
atoms. In the past, various empirical potentials have been our program, we assume that the biggest one-step movement
proposed to describe the different phases of silicon [9, 1820] of any atom is about 0.05% of the equilibrium distance among
and results have been tested and compared [2123]. Among the atoms, which is used to derive the time step in the paper. A
these, the Stillinger and Weber (SW) potential [9] has gained number of examples have been run and results show that this
popularity due to its ability to describe fairly well the diamond criterion is accurate with reasonable CPU time. Furthermore,
structure [1012, 16, 21]. The main advantage of this potential we have also run the MD program for a large size system

908
Atomistic calculation of elastic moduli in strained silicon

-1.6 250 B
C11
Potential Per Atom (U/N) C12
C44
-1.7 200

Effective Stiffness (GPa)


C11 (experiment)
C12 (experiment)
C44 (experiment)
-1.8 150

100
-1.9

50
-2
0.48 0.52 0.56 0.6
Unit Cubic Side Length
0
-0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2
Figure 3. Lattice energy (per atom) versus single silicon cubic
Volumetric Strain
lattice length.
Figure 5. Bulk modulus B and other elastic moduli C11, C12 and C44
-1.25
as functions of the applied volumetric strain in the strained silicon.

-1.30
4.2. C11 , C12 and C44
Now, making use of equation (5) with the coefficients in
Energy (x10-16 Joules)

-2/3
-1.35 E~V equation (16), the relation between the bulk modulus B =
(C11 + 2C12)/3 and volumetric strain of silicon can be obtained.
-1.40 Similarly, applying the deformation in equation (8) to the MD
program, the atomistic simulation yields the energy (10), from
-1.45 which the shear modulus C11C12 can be determined as a
function of the applied strain . The results for the bulk
-1.50 modulus (C11 + 2C12)/3 and the shear modulus C11C12
enable us to determine the elastic coefficients C11 and C12.
-1.55 Finally, the pure shear coefficient C44 is directly obtained from
2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4 4.8
Volume (x1017 m-2/3)
(11) using the MD-simulated energy (12). The results for
the stiffness coefficients as functions of the applied strain are
Figure 4. Lattice energy E (216 atom system) versus system presented in figure 5.
volume (V 2/3 ).
It is observed from figure 5 that at zero volumetric strain,
our atomistic simulation predicts that C11 = 151.6 GPa and
(N = 8 53) and found that the MD result for this system was C12 = 76.5 GPa and C44 = 84.8 GPa. These coefficients are in
close to that for the small size system (N = 8 33); however, close agreement with the experimental values of 166.0 GPa,
the large system required much more CPU time than the small 64.0 GPa and 79.6 GPa [24]. It is also interesting that while all
system. the moduli increase with increasing strain, the shear modulus
C44 increases only slightly. Furthermore, all the moduli, except
4. Results and discussion C44, have nearly the same slope (corresponding to the linear
term). These features can be observed clearly from the third-
4.1. Potential and cubic volume order polynomials given below, which can be conveniently
applied in the future to find the strained silicon moduli at
In applying the MD to the bulk modulus calculation, we a given strain level (corresponding to the lattice difference
compress the model system uniformly in the x-, y-, and z- between silicon and its substrate):
directions step by step and determine the system energy at   
V V 2 V 3
the same time. Figure 3 shows the corresponding binding B = 101.5 + 312.2 + 218.6 + 856.5
energy per atom U/N (in reduced unit) versus unit cubic V0 V0 V0
lattice length. It is clear that if the volumetric strain is (17)
  2 
zero (corresponding to free-strain lattice constant 0.5431 nm), V V V 3
the system in the equilibrium state has the lowest potential. C11 = 151.6 + 303.1 + 204.1 + 845.3
V0 V0 V0
Figure 4 shows the MD-simulated system potential versus (18)
system volume (V 2/3 ). We further remark that the   2  3
system potential as a function of the volume (V 2/3 ) can C12 = 76.5 + 316.7
V
+ 225.8
V
+ 862.1
V
also be accurately represented by a cubic function using V0 V0 V0
equation (6) or (7), with the following coefficients obtained (19)
via curve fitting:   2  3
V V V
C44 = 84.8 + 97.9 + 102.6 + 341.2 .
a0 = 5.99 1016 , a1 = 4.66 1033 , V0 V0 V0
(16)
a2 = 8.89 1051 , a3 = 4.79 1069 . (20)

909
R Zhu et al

300 0.5

"100" "100"
"Iso" 0.4 "Iso"
Young's Modulus (GPa)

200

Poisson's Ratio
0.3

0.2
100

0.1

0 0
-0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2 -0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2
Volumetric Strain Volumetric Strain

Figure 6. Youngs modulus in isotropic silicon and in the Figure 7. Poissons ratio in isotropic silicon and in the
(1 0 0)-direction of cubic silicon as functions of the applied (1 0 0)-direction of cubic silicon as functions of the applied
volumetric strain in strained silicon. volumetric strain in strained silicon.

4.3. Effective Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio


simple MD simulation with the basic continuum mechanics.
Once we obtain the stiffness coefficients as functions of the
The MD potential used is the Stillinger and Weber potential.
applied strain, variation of the effective Youngs modulus E
We then applied our formulation to the strained silicon and
and Poissons ratio can be also determined. These two
calculated the effective elastic stiffnesses at different levels of
parameters are particularly useful in continuum calculations
volumetric strain. It is found that while C11 and C12 increase
of the mechanical fields within the strained semiconductors
significantly with increasing strain, the shear modulus C44
under the isotropic approximation. However, as silicon is a
is approximately constant. The MD-simulated values of the
cubic material, the elastic properties E and will be different
stiffnesses at zero volumetric strain agree with those measured
in different directions. As an example, we present only E
experimentally. On the basis of the Cij values, we have also
and along the (1 0 0)-direction of the crystal. The results of
calculated the effective Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio.
E and under the isotropic assumption (C11C122C44 = 0)
While Youngs modulus along the 1 0 0-direction is almost
are also calculated for comparison. Actually, for given elastic
constant, the isotropic Youngs modulus increases with
stiffnesses Cij , the elastic coefficients E and can be obtained
increasing volumetric strain. As for the two Poisson ratios
as (we use superscripts 1 0 0 and iso for those along the
(the isotropic one and the one along the 1 0 0-direction), their
(1 0 0)-direction and those corresponding to the isotropic case)
values increase with increasing volumetric strain, although
C12 (C11 C12 )(C11 + 2C12 ) Poissons ratio along the (1 0 0)-direction is always larger than
1 0 0 = , E1 0 0 = ,
C11 + C12 C11 + C12 the isotropic one.
(21) We further remark that our results are based on the
assumption that silicon is under hydrostatic strain (volumetric
C12 C44 (2C44 + 3C12 ) strain), with its magnitude being as large as 15%. While
iso = , E iso = . this magnitude is moderate for other cubic semiconductors
2(C12 + C44 ) C11 + C44
such as InAs/GaAs (i.e., [15]), it could be slightly high
(22) for Si/Si1xGex. However, the volumetric strain is strongly
Substituting the expressions for Cij (equations (17)(20)) into dependent on the fraction ratio between Si and Ge. For
(21) and (22), we obtain the variation of the elastic coefficients instance, while x = 0.1 in Si/Si1xGex would result in a small
E and as functions of the applied strain. The results are shown volumetric strain of 2.28%, x = 0.3 could give a volumetric
in figures 6 and 7. strain as high as 7.2% (i.e., [25]). We also point out that the
It is very interesting that E1 0 0 is nearly constant over simple assumption of volumetric strain is closely associated
the whole range of the volumetric strain whilst Eiso increases with the quantum wire and quantum dot growth modes in cubic
nearly linearly with increasing volumetric strain (figure 6). semiconductors (i.e., [1]). Other complicated cases, such as
Furthermore, we also observe from figure 7 that both Poissons layer-by-layer growth, where the two in-plane strains are the
ratios 1 0 0 and iso increase with increasing volumetric strain, same whilst the out-of-plane strain is different, can also be
although Poissons ratio along the (1 0 0)-direction of the simulated. In that case, one would need to assume different
crystal is always larger than the isotropic one (at the given MD initial conditions to the model system.
strain level).
Acknowledgments
5. Discussions and conclusions
The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their
A simple MD formulation is derived for the material property constructive comments which were very helpful in revising the
prediction of strained cubic semiconductors. It combines the manuscript. The second author (EP) was partially supported

910
Atomistic calculation of elastic moduli in strained silicon

by the Tan Chin Tuan Exchange Fellowship, Nanyang [11] Humbird D and Graves D B 2004 Plasma Sources Sci.
Technology University, Singapore. The first three authors Technol. 13 548
[12] Menon M, Srivastava D, Ponomareva I and
(RZ, EP and PWC) would also like to acknowledge the support
Chernozatonskii L A 2004 Phys. Rev. B 70 125313
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Klein B M 1990 Phys. Rev. B 41 10311
[14] Mehl M J 1993 Phys. Rev. B 47 2493
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