Characterization and Predictive Modeling of Epitaxial Silicon-Germanium Thermistor Layers

TL;DR

This paper analyzes and models the thermal coefficient of resistance in epitaxial silicon-germanium layers using experimental data and simulations, enabling accurate predictions for various profiles and doping effects.

Contribution

It introduces a combined experimental and simulation approach for characterizing and predicting TCR in SiGe layers, including effects of doping and profile variations.

Findings

TCR around 2%/K at 300 K from both experiment and simulation

Modeling can predict influence of background auto-doping

Applicable to graded and constant SiGe profiles

Abstract

The thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR) for epitaxial silicon-germanium (SiGe) layers has been analyzed by experiment and simulation. Predictive simulation using drift-diffusion formalism and self-consistent quantum-mechanical solutions yielded similar results, TCR around 2%/K at 300 K. This modeling approach can be used for different, graded and constant, SiGe profiles,. It is also capable of predicting the influence of background auto-doping on the TCR of the detectors