Five-nanometer thick silicon on insulator layer

Silicon on insulator (SOI) has been achieved using epitaxially grown Si/Y2O3/Si structure. Silicon film as thin as 5 nm was achieved. Pulsed laser deposition technique was used for the epitaxial deposition of both the Y2O3 and silicon. The growth conditions were adjusted to achieve two-dimensional growths of single crystal silicon films on Y2O3. No dislocations were observed in these silicon epitaxial films. This approach will allow the independent thickness control of both silicon and the oxide in the nanometer range. Si/CeO2/Si SOI structure was not as successful due to the formation of an amorphous oxide film at the interfaces. (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics.