Interfacial roughening during solid phase epitaxy: Interaction of dopant, stress, and anisotropy effects

The effects of externally applied stress and rate-enhancing dopants on interfacial roughness during the solid phase epitaxial growth of ion-implantation-doped Si are investigated using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and time-resolved reflectivity. We find long-wavelength roughness in the absence of an applied stress that arises solely from the dopant-gradient. With the addition of a compressive stress, the interface roughens further with an enhanced magnitude and a dramatically reduced wavelength. We discuss the experimental results in the context of a simulation that includes our current understanding of stress, dopant-gradient, and interface anisotropy effects. We find a rich interplay between these effects in determining growth morphology evolution, and demonstrate the successes and current limitations of the model. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.