title: Formation and characterization of sub-nanometer scale cF8 Ge precipitates in Si-based amorphous matrix.
abstract: Sub-nanometer size cF8 Ge clusters are found to be homogeneously distributed within the Si-Mn amorphous matrix of the SiGeMn thin films deposited by sputtering technique on silicon substrate. The existence of such clusters is observed by XRD and TEM. The electrical conduction in such a composite film seems to be governed by the variable range hopping. Such a two-phase semiconductive composite material with nearly atomic-scale phase separation may be considered as a suitable functional material for nano-electronics and nano-electromechanical systems.
authors.affiliation: WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Dmitri V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Louzguine-Luzgin
authors.forename: Parmanand
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Andriy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dmytruk
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inoue