Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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HL: Fachverband Halbleiterphysik

HL 26: Poster II

HL 26.8: Poster

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 09:30–11:30, P1

Hydrogen Annealing of Silicon Micro- and Nanostructures through Rapid Thermal Processing — •Kyra Malcherek, Thomas Grap, and Markus Kaiser — Helmholtz Nano Facility, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

As semiconductor devices continue to scale into the lower nanometer range, achieving smooth surfaces becomes increasingly important for device performance. In particular, silicon nanowires used in Gate-All-Around Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (GAA-MOSFETs) require these characteristics to ensure uniform electrostatic control over the channel. Therefore, Hydrogen Annealing of silicon is a promising process to enable shape transformation and surface smoothing.

In this study, we characterized the effects of Hydrogen Annealing. Silicon microstructures showed a significant reduction in surface roughness and rounded corners after the process. In addition, stable crystal facets were formed and identified as (111) and (113) planes. The influence of the relevant process parameters - temperature, annealing time, hydrogen flow and pressure - were investigated. The radius of curvature increases with both temperature and annealing time, whereas hydrogen flow and pressure show no significant influence.

The process was further applied to silicon-on-insulator nanostructures, creating free-floating silicon nanowires after oxide etching. Subsequent hydrogen annealing effectively smoothed and rounded the structures, demonstrating its potential for the fabrication of GAA-MOSFETs.

Keywords: H2-Annealing; RTP; GAA-MOSFET