Low-temperature selective epitaxial growth of silicon at atmospheric pressure

Epitaxial Si has been grown selectively on oxide-patterned substrates from 850 down to 600°C for the first time in the Si-Cl-H system at atmospheric pressure. Si deposition was achieved by hydrogen reduction of dichlorosilane in an ultraclean system using a load lock. Epitaxy was achieved at low temperatures only when the hydrogen was purified to remove traces of H2O and O2 implying that an oxygen-free environment is the most important factor controlling epitaxy at low temperatures. Cross-sectional transmission electron micrographs reveal perfect crystallinity in the epitaxial layer and a totally clean and featureless interface between epitaxy and substrate.