5 January 2012

KTH spin-off Nocilis launches Si- and SiGeSnC-based epi foundry

Nocilis Materials AB of Kista, near Stockholm, Sweden – which was spun off from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in 2011 - is launching its foundry service to provide silicon-based materials worldwide.

Founded by Dr Henry Radamson and entrepreneur Bo Hammarlund MSc and based on expertise built up over many years of research and technical studies in silicon processing and device fabrication, Nocilis provides epitaxy of advanced Si-Ge-Sn-C (silicon germanium tin carbon) alloys for both electronic and photonic applications. Applications include niches in infrared (IR) and terahertz (THz) uncooled detectors and thermoelectric structures based on group IV materials. Nocilis claims to be the first dedicated foundry for supplying advanced Si-based compound materials.

The epitaxial growth technique used by Nocilis is reduced-pressure chemical vpoar deposition (RPCVD), and the epitaxial layers provided (on 4-, 6- and 8-inch substrates) are as follows:

• P-, As- and B-doped Si and SiGeSnC layers (with doping levels of 1015-1019cm-3 in Si, but dependent on the specific material design for for Si alloys);

• selective epitaxy of doped and undoped SiGeC layers on patterned substrates;

• multilayer structures (superlattices) of Si-or Ge-based materials;

• Ge (unstrained) on Si;

• compressive- and tensile-strained SiGe layers;

• strained Si on relaxed SiGe layers; and

• tensile-strained Ge layers (on-going).

Nocilis says that further services can be provided for material characterization of epitaxial films, including:

• high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), in both planar and cross-sectional view; and

• high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD).

In addition, analyses techniques including reciprocal lattice mapping (RLM), grazing angle measurement, strain measurement and layer profiling over the substrate area can provide information on the interfacial roughness, composition and strain (in-plane and perpendicular to the plane).

Tags: SiGe SiGeC

Visit: www.nocilismaterials.com