Impact of size on the structure of Ge nanoparticles embedded in PECVD Si3N4: Insights from ion implantation and thermal annealing

S. Mirzaei; F. Kremer; R. Feng; C. J. Glover; D. J. Sprouster

doi:10.1557/s43579-025-00699-9

Impact of size on the structure of Ge nanoparticles embedded in PECVD Si₃N₄: Insights from ion implantation and thermal annealing

S. Mirzaei
, F. Kremer
, R. Feng
, C. J. Glover
, D. J. Sprouster

Materials Science and Engineering

Australian National University
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We investigate ion beam synthesized Germanium nanoparticles in PECVD amorphous Si₃N₄ using complementary characterization techniques. Our results show a mix of amorphous and crystalline environments, influenced by implantation fluence and annealing temperatures. We compare these nanoparticles in various Silicon-based matrices, highlighting the matrix effect on atomic structure and size. Notably, nanoparticles in PECVD Si₃N₄ differ in size and structure from those in SiO₂, SiO_1.67N_0.14, and LPCVD Si₃N₄. Generally, Germanium implantation in nitride matrices produces smaller, more disordered structures. This study demonstrates that nanoparticle size and structure can be controlled through matrix selection for tailored properties.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	248-254
Number of pages	7
Journal	MRS Communications
Volume	15
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-025-00699-9
State	Published - Apr 2025

Keywords

Amorphous
Extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS)
Ge
Ion-implantation
Nanoscale

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10.1557/s43579-025-00699-9

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title = "Impact of size on the structure of Ge nanoparticles embedded in PECVD Si3N4: Insights from ion implantation and thermal annealing",

abstract = "We investigate ion beam synthesized Germanium nanoparticles in PECVD amorphous Si3N4 using complementary characterization techniques. Our results show a mix of amorphous and crystalline environments, influenced by implantation fluence and annealing temperatures. We compare these nanoparticles in various Silicon-based matrices, highlighting the matrix effect on atomic structure and size. Notably, nanoparticles in PECVD Si3N4 differ in size and structure from those in SiO2, SiO1.67N0.14, and LPCVD Si3N4. Generally, Germanium implantation in nitride matrices produces smaller, more disordered structures. This study demonstrates that nanoparticle size and structure can be controlled through matrix selection for tailored properties.",

keywords = "Amorphous, Extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), Ge, Ion-implantation, Nanoscale",

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doi = "10.1557/s43579-025-00699-9",

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T1 - Impact of size on the structure of Ge nanoparticles embedded in PECVD Si3N4

T2 - Insights from ion implantation and thermal annealing

AU - Mirzaei, S.

AU - Kremer, F.

AU - Feng, R.

AU - Glover, C. J.

AU - Sprouster, D. J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Materials Research Society 2025.

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - We investigate ion beam synthesized Germanium nanoparticles in PECVD amorphous Si3N4 using complementary characterization techniques. Our results show a mix of amorphous and crystalline environments, influenced by implantation fluence and annealing temperatures. We compare these nanoparticles in various Silicon-based matrices, highlighting the matrix effect on atomic structure and size. Notably, nanoparticles in PECVD Si3N4 differ in size and structure from those in SiO2, SiO1.67N0.14, and LPCVD Si3N4. Generally, Germanium implantation in nitride matrices produces smaller, more disordered structures. This study demonstrates that nanoparticle size and structure can be controlled through matrix selection for tailored properties.

AB - We investigate ion beam synthesized Germanium nanoparticles in PECVD amorphous Si3N4 using complementary characterization techniques. Our results show a mix of amorphous and crystalline environments, influenced by implantation fluence and annealing temperatures. We compare these nanoparticles in various Silicon-based matrices, highlighting the matrix effect on atomic structure and size. Notably, nanoparticles in PECVD Si3N4 differ in size and structure from those in SiO2, SiO1.67N0.14, and LPCVD Si3N4. Generally, Germanium implantation in nitride matrices produces smaller, more disordered structures. This study demonstrates that nanoparticle size and structure can be controlled through matrix selection for tailored properties.

KW - Amorphous

KW - Extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS)

KW - Ge

KW - Ion-implantation

KW - Nanoscale

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DO - 10.1557/s43579-025-00699-9

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JO - MRS Communications

JF - MRS Communications

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ER -

Impact of size on the structure of Ge nanoparticles embedded in PECVD Si₃N₄: Insights from ion implantation and thermal annealing

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Keywords

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