Detection and characterization of silicon nanocrystals embedded in thin oxide layers

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) is the tool used to image individual silicon nanocrystals. The evaluation of the tunneling distance, projected range, and diameter of the nanocrystals requires the acquisition of a large number of such individual measurements in order to obtain statistically reliable mean values. This paper reports on the development of a time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) methodology to detect and characterize silicon nanocrystals in a SiO2 matrix.