Magnetron-sputter epitaxy of β-FeSi2(220)/Si(111) and β-FeSi2(431)/Si(001) thin films at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hongfei; Tan Chengcheh; Chi Dongzhi

2012-01-01

β-FeSi 2 thin films have been grown on Si(111) and Si(001) substrates by magnetron-sputter epitaxy at 700 °C. On Si(111), the growth is consistent with the commonly observed orientation of [001]β-FeSi 2 (220)//[1-10]Si(111) having three variants, in-plane rotated 120° with respect to one another. However, on Si(001), under the same growth conditions, the growth is dominated by [-111]β-FeSi 2 (431)//[110]Si(001) with four variants, which is hitherto unknown for growing β-FeSi 2 . Photoelectron spectra reveal negligible differences in the valance-band and Fe2p core-level between β-FeSi 2 grown on Si(111) and Si(001) but an apparent increased Si-oxidization on the surface of β-FeSi 2 /Si(001). This phenomenon is discussed and attributed to the Si-surface termination effect, which also suggests that the Si/Fe ratio on the surface of β-FeSi 2 (431)/Si(001) is larger than that on the surface of β-FeSi 2 (220)/Si(111).

Density-functional theory molecular dynamics simulations of a-HfO2/a-SiO2/SiGe and a-HfO2/a-SiO2/Ge with a-SiO2 and a-SiO suboxide interfacial layers

Science.gov (United States)

Chagarov, Evgueni A.; Kavrik, Mahmut S.; Fang, Ziwei; Tsai, Wilman; Kummel, Andrew C.

2018-06-01

Comprehensive Density-Functional Theory (DFT) Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate interfaces between a-HfO2 and SiGe or Ge semiconductors with fully-stoichiometric a-SiO2 or sub-oxide SiO interlayers. The electronic structure of the selected stacks was calculated with a HSE06 hybrid functional. Simulations were performed before and after hydrogen passivation of residual interlayer defects. For the SiGe substrate with Ge termination prior to H passivation, the stacks with a-SiO suboxide interlayer (a-HfO2/a-SiO/SiGe) demonstrate superior electronic properties and wider band-gaps than the stacks with fully coordinated a-SiO2 interlayers (a-HfO2/a-SiO2/SiGe). After H passivation, most of the a-HfO2/a-SiO2/SiGe defects are passivated. To investigate effect of random placement of Si and Ge atoms additional simulations with a randomized SiGe slab were performed demonstrating improvement of electronic structure. For Ge substrates, before H passivation, the stacks with a SiO suboxide interlayer (a-HfO2/a-SiO/Ge) also demonstrate wider band-gaps than the stacks with fully coordinated a-SiO2 interlayers (a-HfO2/a-SiO2/Ge). However, even for a-HfO2/a-SiO/Ge, the Fermi level is shifted close to the conduction band edge (CBM) consistent with Fermi level pinning. Again, after H passivation, most of the a-HfO2/a-SiO2/Ge defects are passivated. The stacks with fully coordinated a-SiO2 interlayers have much stronger deformation and irregularity in the semiconductor (SiGe or Ge) upper layers leading to multiple under-coordinated atoms which create band-edge states and decrease the band-gap prior to H passivation.

Understanding the growth mechanism of graphene on Ge/Si(001) surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Dabrowski, J; Lippert, G; Avila, J; Baringhaus, J; Colambo, I; Dedkov, Yu S; Herziger, F; Lupina, G; Maultzsch, J; Schaffus, T; Schroeder, T; Kot, M; Tegenkamp, C; Vignaud, D; Asensio, M-C

2016-08-17

The practical difficulties to use graphene in microelectronics and optoelectronics is that the available methods to grow graphene are not easily integrated in the mainstream technologies. A growth method that could overcome at least some of these problems is chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of graphene directly on semiconducting (Si or Ge) substrates. Here we report on the comparison of the CVD and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of graphene on the technologically relevant Ge(001)/Si(001) substrate from ethene (C2H4) precursor and describe the physical properties of the films as well as we discuss the surface reaction and diffusion processes that may be responsible for the observed behavior. Using nano angle resolved photoemission (nanoARPES) complemented by transport studies and Raman spectroscopy as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we report the direct observation of massless Dirac particles in monolayer graphene, providing a comprehensive mapping of their low-hole doped Dirac electron bands. The micrometric graphene flakes are oriented along two predominant directions rotated by 30° with respect to each other. The growth mode is attributed to the mechanism when small graphene "molecules" nucleate on the Ge(001) surface and it is found that hydrogen plays a significant role in this process.

Low thermal budget surface preparation of Si and SiGe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbadie, A.; Hartmann, J.M.; Holliger, P.; Semeria, M.N.; Besson, P.; Gentile, P.

2004-01-01

Using a two-step cleaning, we have investigated the low thermal budget surface preparation of Si and Si 1-x Ge x (x=0.2-0.33). It consists of an ex situ 'HF-last' wet-cleaning and an in situ low thermal budget H 2 bake in a reduced pressure-chemical vapor deposition reactor. Using secondary ion mass spectrometry, we have evaluated the effects of different H 2 bake temperatures (in between 750 and 850 deg. C for 2 min) on the removal efficiency of C, O and F atoms still present on the surface of Si and SiGe virtual substrates after the 'HF-last' wet-cleaning. We have then examined the impact of the (wet-cleaning+H 2 bake) combination on the surface cross-hatch of SiGe as-grown virtual substrates, focusing on the analysis, notably by atomic force microscopy, of the surface topography before and after the miscellaneous thermal treatments. In situ hydrogen baking steps in between 775 and 850 deg. C do not modify the surface morphology and roughness. An easy and rapid optical characterization method, i.e. the optical interferometry, is presented as well to monitor in line the morphological changes induced by such processing steps as chemical mechanical polishing, wet-cleaning, H 2 bake, etc. Despite the lower resolution of the optical profilometer, the surface roughness values coming from it have been correctly correlated with those obtained from AFM. An optimized 'HF-last' wet-cleaning using a diluted chemistry in conjunction with a H 2 bake at 800 deg. C for 2 min (775 deg. C, 2') is a good compromise for SiGe (Si) surface preparation

Rotated domain network in graphene on cubic-SiC(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaika, Alexander N; Aristov, Victor Y; Molodtsova, Olga V; Zakharov, Alexei A; Marchenko, Dmitry; Sánchez-Barriga, Jaime; Varykhalov, Andrei; Babenkov, Sergey V; Portail, Marc; Zielinski, Marcin; Murphy, Barry E; Krasnikov, Sergey A; Lübben, Olaf; Shvets, Igor V

2014-01-01

The atomic structure of the cubic-SiC(001) surface during ultra-high vacuum graphene synthesis has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low-energy electron diffraction. Atomically resolved STM studies prove the synthesis of a uniform, millimeter-scale graphene overlayer consisting of nanodomains rotated by ±13.5° relative to the 〈110〉-directed boundaries. The preferential directions of the domain boundaries coincide with the directions of carbon atomic chains on the SiC(001)-c(2 × 2) reconstruction, fabricated prior to graphene synthesis. The presented data show the correlation between the atomic structures of the SiC(001)-c(2 × 2) surface and the graphene/SiC(001) rotated domain network and pave the way for optimizing large-area graphene synthesis on low-cost cubic-SiC(001)/Si(001) wafers. (paper)

HfO2 and SiO2 as barriers in magnetic tunneling junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Shukla, Gokaran; Archer, Thomas; Sanvito, Stefano

2017-05-01

SiO2 and HfO2 are both high-k, wide-gap semiconductors, currently used in the microelectronic industry as gate barriers. Here we investigate whether the same materials can be employed to make magnetic tunnel junctions, which in principle can be amenable for integration in conventional Si technology. By using a combination of density functional theory and the nonequilibrium Green's functions method for quantum transport we have studied the transport properties of Co [0001 ] /SiO2[001 ] /Co [0001 ] and Fe [001 ] /HfO2[001 ] /Fe [001 ] junctions. In both cases we found a quite large magnetoresistance, which is explained through the analysis of the real band structure of the magnets and the complex one of the insulator. We find that there is no symmetry spin filtering for the Co-based junction since the high transmission Δ2' band crosses the Fermi level, EF, for both spin directions. However, the fact that Co is a strong ferromagnet makes the orbital contribution to the two Δ2' spin subbands different, yielding magnetoresistance. In contrast for the Fe-based junction symmetry filtering is active for an energy window spanning between the Fermi level and 1 eV below EF, with Δ1 symmetry contributing to the transmission.

Initial oxidation processes of Si(001) surfaces by supersonic O2 molecular beams. Different oxidation mechanisms for clean and partially-oxidized surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teraoka, Yuden; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

2002-01-01

Potential energy barriers for dissociative chemisorption of O 2 molecules on Si(001) clean surfaces were investigated using supersonic O 2 molecular beams and photoemission spectroscopy. Relative initial sticking probabilities of O 2 molecules and the saturated oxygen amount on the Si(001) surface were measured as a function of incident energy of O 2 molecules. Although the probability was independent on the incident energy in the region larger than 1 eV, the saturated oxygen amount was dependent on the incident energy without energy thresholds. An Si-2p photoemission spectrum of the Si(001) surface oxidized by thermal O 2 gas revealed the oxygen insertion into dimer backbond sites. These facts indicate that a reaction path of the oxygen insertion into dimer backbonds through bridge sites is open for the clean surface oxidation, and the direct chemisorption probability at the backbonds is negligibly small comparing with that at the bridge sites. (author)

Ge interactions on HfO2 surfaces and kinetically driven patterning of Ge nanocrystals on HfO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanley, Scott K.; Joshi, Sachin V.; Banerjee, Sanjay K.; Ekerdt, John G.

2006-01-01

Germanium interactions are studied on HfO 2 surfaces, which are prepared through physical vapor deposition (PVD) and by atomic layer deposition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature-programed desorption are used to follow the reactions of germanium on HfO 2 . Germanium chemical vapor deposition at 870 K on HfO 2 produces a GeO x adhesion layer, followed by growth of semiconducting Ge 0 . PVD of 0.7 ML Ge (accomplished by thermally cracking GeH 4 over a hot filament) also produces an initial GeO x layer, which is stable up to 800 K. PVD above 2.0 ML deposits semiconducting Ge 0 . Temperature programed desorption experiments of ∼1.0 ML Ge from HfO 2 at 400-1100 K show GeH 4 desorption below 600 K and GeO desorption above 850 K. These results are compared to Ge on SiO 2 where GeO desorption is seen at 550 K. Exploiting the different reactivity of Ge on HfO 2 and SiO 2 allows a kinetically driven patterning scheme for high-density Ge nanoparticle growth on HfO 2 surfaces that is demonstrated

Ti-catalyzed HfSiO4 formation in HfTiO4 films on SiO2 studied by Z-contrast scanning electron microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Ellen Hoppe

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Hafnon (HfSiO4 as it is initially formed in a partially demixed film of hafnium titanate (HfTiO4 on fused SiO2 is studied by atomic number (Z contrast high resolution scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. The results show exsoluted Ti is the catalyst for hafnon formation by a two-step reaction. Ti first reacts with SiO2 to produce a glassy Ti-silicate. Ti is then replaced by Hf in the silicate to produce HfSiO4. The results suggest this behavior is prototypical of other Ti-bearing ternary or higher order oxide films on SiO2 when film thermal instability involves Ti exsolution.

Silicate formation at the interface of Pr-oxide as a high-K dielectric and Si(001) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmeisser, D.; Zheng, F.; Perez-Dieste, V.; Himpsel, F.J.; LoNigro, R.; Toro, R.G.; Malandrino, G.; Fragala, I.L.

2006-01-01

The composition and chemical bonding of the first atoms across the interface between Si(001) and the dielectric determine the quality of dielectric gate stacks. An analysis of that hidden interface is a challenge as it requires both, high sensitivity and elemental and chemical state information. We used X-ray absorption spectroscopy in total electron yield and total fluorescence yield at the Si2p and the O1s edges to address that issue. We report on results of Pr 2 O 3 /Si(001) as prepared by both, epitaxial growth and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and compare to the SiO 2 /Si(001) system as a reference. We find evidence for the silicate formation at the interface as derived from the characteristic features at the Si2p and the O1s edges. The results are in line with model experiments in which films of increasing film thickness are deposited in situ on bare Si(001) surfaces

Ge clusters and wetting layers forming from granular films on the Si(001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storozhevykh, M S; Arapkina, L V; Yuryev, V A

2016-01-01

The report studies the transformation of a Ge granular film deposited on the Si(001) surface at room temperature into a Ge/Si(001) heterostructure as a result of rapid heating and annealing at 600 °C. As a result of the short-term annealing at 600 °C in conditions of a closed system, the Ge granular film transforms into a usual wetting layer and Ge clusters with multimodal size distribution and Ge oval drops having the highest number density. After the long-term thermal treatment of the Ge film at the same temperature, Ge drops disappear; the large clusters increase their sizes at the expense of the smaller ones. The total density of Ge clusters on the surface drastically decreases. The wetting layer mixed c(4 x 2) + p(2 x 2) reconstruction transforms into a single c(4 x 2) one which is likely to be thermodynamically favoured. Pyramids or domes are not observed on the surface after any annealing. (paper)

Precursor state of oxygen molecules on the Si(001) surface during the initial room-temperature adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Eunkyung; Chang, Yun Hee; Kim, Yong-Sung; Koo, Ja-Yong; Kim, Hanchul

2012-10-01

The initial adsorption of oxygen molecules on Si(001) is investigated at room temperature. The scanning tunneling microscopy images reveal a unique bright O2-induced feature. The very initial sticking coefficient of O2 below 0.04 Langmuir is measured to be ˜0.16. Upon thermal annealing at 250-600 °C, the bright O2-induced feature is destroyed, and the Si(001) surface is covered with dark depressions that seem to be oxidized structures with -Si-O-Si- bonds. This suggests that the observed bright O2-induced feature is an intermediate precursor state that may be either a silanone species or a molecular adsorption structure.

One-dimensional silicon nanolines in the Si(001):H surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianco, F.; Köster, S. A.; Longobardi, M.; Owen, J. H.G.; Renner, Ch.; Bowler, D. R.

2013-01-01

We present a detailed study of the structural and electronic properties of a self-assembled silicon nanoline embedded in the monohydride Si(001):H surface, known as the Haiku stripe. The nanoline is a perfectly straight and defect free endotaxial structure of huge aspect ratio; it can grow micrometer long at a constant width of exactly four Si dimers (1.54 nm). Another remarkable property is its capacity to be exposed to air without suffering any degradation. The nanoline grows independently of any step edges at tunable densities, from isolated nanolines to a dense array of nanolines. In addition to these unique structural characteristics, scanning tunnelling microscopy and density functional theory reveal a one-dimensional state confined along the Haiku core. This nanoline is a promising candidate for the long sought after electronic solid-state one-dimensional model system to explore the fascinating quantum properties emerging in such reduced dimensionality

Surface treatment effect on Si (111) substrate for carbon deposition using DC unbalanced magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aji, A. S., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com; Sahdan, M. F.; Hendra, I. B.; Dinari, P.; Darma, Y. [Quantum Semiconductor and Devices Lab., Physics of Material Electronics Research Division, Department of Physics, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

In this work, we studied the effect of HF treatment in silicon (111) substrate surface for depositing thin layer carbon. We performed the deposition of carbon by using DC Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering with carbon pallet (5% Fe) as target. From SEM characterization results it can be concluded that the carbon layer on HF treated substrate is more uniform than on substrate without treated. Carbon deposition rate is higher as confirmed by AFM results if the silicon substrate is treated by HF solution. EDAX characterization results tell that silicon (111) substrate with HF treatment have more carbon fraction than substrate without treatment. These results confirmed that HF treatment on silicon Si (111) substrates could enhance the carbon deposition by using DC sputtering. Afterward, the carbon atomic arrangement on silicon (111) surface is studied by performing thermal annealing process to 900 °C. From Raman spectroscopy results, thin film carbon is not changing until 600 °C thermal budged. But, when temperature increase to 900 °C, thin film carbon is starting to diffuse to silicon (111) substrates.

Photoemission study on electrical dipole at SiO_2/Si and HfO_2/SiO_2 interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimura, Nobuyuki; Ohta, Akio; Ikeda, Mitsuhisa; Makihara, Katsunori; Miyazaki, Seiichi

2017-01-01

Electrical dipole at SiO_2/Si and HfO_2/SiO_2 interfaces have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) under monochromatized Al Kα radiation. From the analysis of the cut-off energy for secondary photoelectrons measured at each thinning step of a dielectric layer by wet-chemical etching, an abrupt potential change caused by electrical dipole at SiO_2/Si and HfO_2/SiO_2 interfaces has been clearly detected. Al-gate MOS capacitors with thermally-grown SiO_2 and a HfO_2/SiO_2 dielectric stack were fabricated to evaluate the Al work function from the flat band voltage shift of capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics. Comparing the results of XPS and C-V measurements, we have verified that electrical dipole formed at the interface can be directly measured by photoemission measurements. (author)

Shaping Ge islands on Si(001) surfaces with misorientation angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Persichetti, L; Sgarlata, A; Fanfoni, M; Balzarotti, A

2010-01-22

A complete description of Ge growth on vicinal Si(001) surfaces in the angular miscut range 0 degrees -8 degrees is presented. The key role of substrate vicinality is clarified from the very early stages of Ge deposition up to the nucleation of 3D islands. By a systematic scanning tunneling microscopy investigation we are able to explain the competition between step-flow growth and 2D nucleation and the progressive elongation of the 3D islands along the miscut direction [110]. Using finite element calculations, we find a strict correlation between the morphological evolution and the energetic factors which govern the {105} faceting at atomic scale.

Hybrid HF-DFT comparative study of SrZrO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}(001) surface properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evarestov, R.A.; Bandura, A.V.; Alexandrov, V.E. [Department of Quantum Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii Prospekt, Stary Petergof, 198504 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2006-10-15

Hybrid HF-DFT LCAO simulations of SrZrO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}(001) surface properties are performed in a single-slab model framework. The SrZrO{sub 3}(001) surface was studied by an ab initio method for the first time. Three slab models with different surface terminations including up to 8 atomic planes were used for calculation of the various surface characteristics (surface energies, atomic charges, density of electronic states). The dependence of the results on the chosen model and on the kind of d-element is analyzed. The dissimilarity in the surface oxygen atom contributions to the total density of states of two crystals is attributed to the more ionic nature of Zr-O bonds compared to Ti-O bonds. It is found that in the case of SrZrO{sub 3} the electronic density is biased towards the SrO-terminated surface and this surface should be more basic in nature than the SrO surface of SrTiO{sub 3} crystal. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

The Co-60 gamma-ray irradiation effects on the Al/HfSiO4/p-Si/Al MOS capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Lok, R.; Kaya, S.; Karacali, H.; Yilmaz, E.

2017-12-01

In this work, the initial interface trap density (Nit) to examine device compability for microelectronics and then the Co-60 gamma irradiation responses of Al/HfSiO4/p-Si/Al (MOS) capacitors were investigated in various dose ranges up to 70 Gy. Pre-irradiation response of the devices was evaluated from high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) capacitance method and the Nit was calculated as 9.91 × 1011 cm-2 which shows that the HfSiO4/p-Si interface quality is convenient for microelectronics applications. The irradiation responses of the devices were carried out from flat-band and mid-gap voltage shifts obtained from stretch of capacitance characteristics prior to and after irradiation. The results show that the flat band voltages very slightly shifted to positive voltage values demonstrating the enhancement of negative charge trapping in device structure. The sensitivity of the Al/HfSiO4/p-Si/Al MOS capacitors was found to be 4.41 mV/Gy for 300 nm-thick HfSiO4 gate dielectrics. This value approximately 6.5 times smaller compared to the same thickness conventional SiO2 based MOS devices. Therefore, HfSiO4 exhibits crucial irradiation tolerance in gamma irradiation environment. Consequently, HfSiO4 dielectrics may have significant usage for microelectronic technology as a radiation hard material where radiation field exists such as in space applications.

Investigation of split-off dimers on the Si(001)2x1 surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schofield, S.R.; O'Brien, J.L.; Curson, N.J.; Simmons, M.Y.; Clark, R.G.

2002-01-01

Full text: A detailed knowledge of the nature of crystalline defects on the Si(001)2x1 surface is becoming increasingly important as more research effort is dedicated to producing atomic-scale electronic devices. Here we present high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) images and ab initio pseudopotential calculations of an unusual defect of the silicon (001) surface called the split-off dimer. In high-resolution filled-state images, split-off dimers appear as a pair of protrusions, in contrast to the surrounding surface dimers that appear as 'bean-shaped' protrusions. We show that π-bonding does not exist between the atoms of the split-off dimer, but instead, the dimer atoms form π-bonds with two second layer atoms as part of a tetramer bonding arrangement. We discuss the strain associated with split-off dimer defects and describe how this strain significantly affects the bonding arrangements and local density of states around these defects

Ordering of vacancies on Si(001)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zandvliet, Henricus J.W.

1997-01-01

Missing dimer vacancies are always present on the clean Si(001) surface. The vacancy density can be increased by ion bombardment (Xe+, Ar+), etching (O2, Br2, I2, etc.) or Ni contamination. The equilibrium shape at low vacancy concentrations (<0.2¿0.3 monolayers) of these vacancy islands is

Real-time monitoring of initial thermal oxidation on Si(001) surfaces by synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy

CERN Document Server

Yoshigoe, A; Teraoka, Y

2003-01-01

The thermal oxidation of Si(001) surfaces at 860 K, 895 K, 945 K and 1000 K under the O sub 2 pressure of 1 x 10 sup - sup 4 Pa has been investigated by time-resolved photoemission measurements with synchrotron radiation. Based on time evolution analyses by reaction kinetics models, it was found that the oxidation at 860 K, 895 K and 945 K has progressed with the Langmuir adsorption type, whereas the oxidation at 1000 K has showed the character of the two-dimensional island growth involving SiO desorption. The oxidation rates increases with increasing surface temperature in the passive oxidation condition. The time evolution of each Si oxidation state (Si sup n sup + : n = 1, 2, 3, 4) derived from the Si-2p core-level shifts has also been analyzed. The results revealed that the thermal energy contribution to the migration process of the adsorbed oxygen and the emission of the bulk silicon atoms. Thus, the fraction of the Si sup 4 sup + bonding state, i.e. SiO sub 2 structure, was increased. (author)

Suspended HfO2 photonic crystal slab on III-nitride/Si platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yongjin; Feng, Jiao; Cao, Ziping; Zhu, Hongbo

2014-01-01

We present here the fabrication of suspended hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) photonic crystal slab on a III-nitride/Si platform. The calculations are performed to model the suspended HfO 2 photonic crystal slab. Aluminum nitride (AlN) film is employed as the sacrificial layer to form air gap. Photonic crystal patterns are defined by electron beam lithography and transferred into HfO 2 film, and suspended HfO 2 photonic crystal slab is achieved on a III-nitride/Si platform through wet-etching of AlN layer in the alkaline solution. The method is promising for the fabrication of suspended HfO 2 nanostructures incorporating into a III-nitride/Si platform, or acting as the template for epitaxial growth of III-nitride materials. (orig.)

Self-assembled epitaxial NiSi2 nanowires on Si(001) by reactive deposition epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.Y.; Chen, L.J.

2006-01-01

Self-assembled epitaxial NiSi 2 nanowires have been fabricated on Si(001) by reactive deposition epitaxy (RDE). The RDE method promoted nanowire growth since it provides deposited atoms sufficient kinetic energy for movement on the Si surface during the growth of silicide islands. The twin-related interface between NiSi 2 and Si is directly related to the nanowire formation since it breaks the symmetry of the surface and leads to the asymmetric growth. The temperature of RDE was found to greatly influence the formation of nanowires. By RDE at 750 deg. C, a high density of NiSi 2 nanowires was formed with an average aspect ratio of 30

Crystalline and lattice matched Ba0.7Si0.3O layers on plane and vicinal Si(001) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zachariae, J.

2006-01-01

In this work the low temperature growth conditions of epitaxial and lattice-matched Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 O layers on Si(100) were investigated using the combination of low energy electron diffraction (LEED), x-ray photoemission (XPS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). With these methods crystallinity, stoichiometry and electronic structure of both occupied and unoccupied levels were studied as a function of layer thickness. Oxide layers were generated by evaporating the metals in oxygen ambient pressure with the sample at room temperature. Perfect crystallinity and lattice matching was only obtained starting with a preadsorbed monolayer (ML) of Sr or Ba at a concentration close to one monolayer. The XPS analysis shows that Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 O as a high-K gate dielectric offers an adequate band gap, an appropriate band alignment and a atomically sharp interface to the Si(001) substrate. No silicide and silicate species, or SiO 2 formation at the interface after oxidation were found. To show that Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 O is really appropriate to replace SiO 2 as a gate dielectric, first C-V and I-V curves of MOS-diodes with SrO, BaO and Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 O as gateoxide were measured under ambient conditions. Besides other results, it turns out that the measured dielectric constant of Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 O conforms with the expected value of ε ∼ 25 - 30. Exploring ways for self-organized structuring of insulating films, the possibility to produce replicas of step trains, given by a vicinal Si(001)-4 [110] surface, in layers of crystalline and perfectly lattice matched Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 O were investigated. For this purpose high-resolution spot profile analyses in low-energy electron diffraction (SPA-LEED) both on flat Si(001) and on vicinal Si(001)-4 [110] were carried out. The G(S) analysis of these mixed oxide layers reveals a strong influence of local compositional fluctuations of Sr and Ba ions and their respective scattering phases, which appears as an unphysically large variation

Optical Second Harmonic Spectroscopy of Boron-Reconstructed Si(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, D.; Downer, M. C.; Ekerdt, J. G.; Arzate, N.; Mendoza, Bernardo S.; Gavrilenko, V. I.; Wu, R. Q.

2000-01-01

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy is used to probe Si(001) following thermal decomposition of diborane at the surface. Incorporation of boron (B) at second layer substitutional sites at H-free Si(001) intensifies and redshifts the E 1 SHG spectral peak, while subsequent H termination further intensifies and blueshifts E 1 , in sharp contrast to the effect of bulk B doping or nonsubstitutional B. Ab initio pseudopotential and semiempirical tight binding calculations independently reproduce these unique trends, and attribute them to the surface electric field associated with charge transfer to electrically active B acceptors, and rehybridization of atomic bonds. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Density functional study of CaN monolayer on Si(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saati asr, Maryam; Zahedifar, Maedeh; Hashemifar, S. Javad; Akbarzadeh, Hadi

2016-01-01

In this work, the first-principles computations are performed to study the structural and magnetic properties of CaN/Si(001) interface. Bulk CaN in the zinc-blende (ZB) structure is argued to be an ionic magnetic compound with a total spin moment of 1 μ{sub B} per formula unit, originated from the p electrons of N ions. Various interface configurations of a ZB CaN monolayer on Si (001) surface are investigated and the lowest energy and the highest spin polarized interfaces are extracted. Then the minimum energy path between the lowest energy and the highest spin polarized interfaces are calculated by using the nudged elastic band method and it is argued that both these systems are unstable toward a nonmagnetic interface with a rock–salt arrangement of Ca and N atoms. - Highlights: • Ab-initio studies are done on various structures of CaN monolayer on Si (001). • The lowest energy system was found to be the N-top configuration interface, while the highest spin polarization was observed in the Ca-hollow termination. • Both Ca-hollow and N-top are unstable toward a nonmagnetic rock–salt CaN monolayer on silicon surface. • Realization of a magnetic CaN/Si (001) interface likely requires some buffer layer on silicon surface, prior to the thin film deposition.

Density functional study of CaN monolayer on Si(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saati asr, Maryam; Zahedifar, Maedeh; Hashemifar, S. Javad; Akbarzadeh, Hadi

2016-01-01

In this work, the first-principles computations are performed to study the structural and magnetic properties of CaN/Si(001) interface. Bulk CaN in the zinc-blende (ZB) structure is argued to be an ionic magnetic compound with a total spin moment of 1 μ_B per formula unit, originated from the p electrons of N ions. Various interface configurations of a ZB CaN monolayer on Si (001) surface are investigated and the lowest energy and the highest spin polarized interfaces are extracted. Then the minimum energy path between the lowest energy and the highest spin polarized interfaces are calculated by using the nudged elastic band method and it is argued that both these systems are unstable toward a nonmagnetic interface with a rock–salt arrangement of Ca and N atoms. - Highlights: • Ab-initio studies are done on various structures of CaN monolayer on Si (001). • The lowest energy system was found to be the N-top configuration interface, while the highest spin polarization was observed in the Ca-hollow termination. • Both Ca-hollow and N-top are unstable toward a nonmagnetic rock–salt CaN monolayer on silicon surface. • Realization of a magnetic CaN/Si (001) interface likely requires some buffer layer on silicon surface, prior to the thin film deposition.

TaxHf1−xB2–SiC multiphase oxidation protective coating for SiC-coated carbon/carbon composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, Xuanru; Li, Hejun; Fu, Qiangang; Li, Kezhi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Ta x Hf 1−x B 2 –SiC coating was prepared on SiC coated C/C by in-situ reaction method. • TaB 2 and HfB 2 were introduced in the form of solid solution Ta x Hf 1−x B 2 . • The coating could protect C/C for 1480 h with only 0.57% mass loss at 1773 K in air. • Oxidation layer consists of out Ta–Si–O compound layer and inner SiO 2 glass layer. • Ta–Si–O compound silicate layer presents a better stability than SiO 2 glass layer. - Abstract: A Ta x Hf 1−x B 2 –SiC coating was prepared by in-situ reaction method on SiC coated C/C composites. Ta x Hf 1−x B 2 phase is the form of solid solution between TaB 2 and HfB 2 . Isothermal oxidation behavior at 1773 K and ablation behavior of the coated C/C were tested. Ta x Hf 1−x B 2 –SiC/SiC coating could protect the C/C from oxidation at 1773 K for 1480 h and ablation above 2200 K for 40 s. During oxidation, oxides of Ta and Hf atoms exist as “pinning phases” in the compound glass layer consisted of outer Ta–Si–O compound silicate layer and inner SiO 2 glass layer, which was responsible for the excellent oxidation resistance

Ge growth on vicinal si(001) surfaces: island's shape and pair interaction versus miscut angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Persichetti, L; Sgarlata, A; Fanfoni, M; Balzarotti, A

2011-10-01

A complete description of Ge growth on vicinal Si(001) surfaces is provided. The distinctive mechanisms of the epitaxial growth process on vicinal surfaces are clarified from the very early stages of Ge deposition to the nucleation of 3D islands. By interpolating high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy measurements with continuum elasticity modeling, we assess the dependence of island's shape and elastic interaction on the substrate misorientation. Our results confirm that vicinal surfaces offer an additional degree of control over the shape and symmetry of self-assembled nanostructures.

Nanopatterning of Si(001) for bottom-up fabrication of nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yanfang; Kalachahi, Hedieh Hosseinzadeh; Das, Amal K; Koch, Reinhold

2012-04-27

The epitaxial growth of Si on Si(001) under conditions at which the (2 × n) superstructure is forming has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and Monte Carlo simulations. Our experiments reveal a periodic change of the surface morphology with the surface coverage of Si. A regular (2 × n) stripe pattern is observed at coverages of 0.7-0.9 monolayers that periodically alternates with less dense surface structures at lower Si surface coverages. The MC simulations show that the growth of Si is affected by step-edge barriers, which favors the formation of a rather uniform two-dimensional framework-like configuration. Subsequent deposition of Ge onto the (2 × n) stripe pattern yields a dense array of small Ge nanostructures.

Carbon nanotube on Si(001): structural and electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orellana, W.; Fazzio, A.; Miwa, R.W.

2003-01-01

Full text: The promising nanoscale technology based on carbon nanotubes has attracted much attention due to the unique electronic, chemical and mechanical properties of the nanotubes. Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNs) provide an ideal atomically uniform one dimensional (1D) conductors, having a strong electronic confinement around its circumference, which can be retained up to room temperature[1]. This interesting property may lead one to consider SWCNs as 1D conductors for the development of nanoscale electronic devices. In this work the structural and electronic properties of the contact between a metallic (6,6) SWCN adsorbed on a silicon (001) surface are studied from first-principles total-energy calculations. We consider two adsorption sites for the tube on the Si(001) surface: on the top of the Si-dimer rows and on the surface 'trench' between two consecutive dimer rows. Our results show a chemical bond between the nanotube and Si(001) when the tube is located along the 'trench', which corresponds to the only bound structure. We find a binding energy per tube length of 0.21 eV/angstrom. We also verified that the binding energy depends on the rotation of the tube. Typically, a rotation of 15 deg can reduce the binding energy up to 0.07 eV/angstrom. Our calculated electronic properties indicate that the most stable structure shows a subband associated to the tube/surface bond that cross the Fermi level. This result indicates an enhanced metallic behavior along the tube/surface contact characterizing a 1D quantum wire. The charge transfer between the Si surface and the tube is also discussed. [1] Z. Yao, C. Dekker, and P. Avouris in Carbon Nanotubes, M. S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, and P. Avouris Eds., (Springer, Berlin 2001), p. 147. (author)

Ge quantum dot arrays grown by ultrahigh vacuum molecular-beam epitaxy on the Si(001) surface: nucleation, morphology, and CMOS compatibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuryev, Vladimir A; Arapkina, Larisa V

2011-09-05

Issues of morphology, nucleation, and growth of Ge cluster arrays deposited by ultrahigh vacuum molecular beam epitaxy on the Si(001) surface are considered. Difference in nucleation of quantum dots during Ge deposition at low (≲600°C) and high (≳600°C) temperatures is studied by high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy. The atomic models of growth of both species of Ge huts--pyramids and wedges-- are proposed. The growth cycle of Ge QD arrays at low temperatures is explored. A problem of lowering of the array formation temperature is discussed with the focus on CMOS compatibility of the entire process; a special attention is paid upon approaches to reduction of treatment temperature during the Si(001) surface pre-growth cleaning, which is at once a key and the highest-temperature phase of the Ge/Si(001) quantum dot dense array formation process. The temperature of the Si clean surface preparation, the final high-temperature step of which is, as a rule, carried out directly in the MBE chamber just before the structure deposition, determines the compatibility of formation process of Ge-QD-array based devices with the CMOS manufacturing cycle. Silicon surface hydrogenation at the final stage of its wet chemical etching during the preliminary cleaning is proposed as a possible way of efficient reduction of the Si wafer pre-growth annealing temperature.

Ge quantum dot arrays grown by ultrahigh vacuum molecular-beam epitaxy on the Si(001 surface: nucleation, morphology, and CMOS compatibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuryev Vladimir

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Issues of morphology, nucleation, and growth of Ge cluster arrays deposited by ultrahigh vacuum molecular beam epitaxy on the Si(001 surface are considered. Difference in nucleation of quantum dots during Ge deposition at low (≲600°C and high (≳600°C temperatures is studied by high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy. The atomic models of growth of both species of Ge huts--pyramids and wedges-- are proposed. The growth cycle of Ge QD arrays at low temperatures is explored. A problem of lowering of the array formation temperature is discussed with the focus on CMOS compatibility of the entire process; a special attention is paid upon approaches to reduction of treatment temperature during the Si(001 surface pre-growth cleaning, which is at once a key and the highest-temperature phase of the Ge/Si(001 quantum dot dense array formation process. The temperature of the Si clean surface preparation, the final high-temperature step of which is, as a rule, carried out directly in the MBE chamber just before the structure deposition, determines the compatibility of formation process of Ge-QD-array based devices with the CMOS manufacturing cycle. Silicon surface hydrogenation at the final stage of its wet chemical etching during the preliminary cleaning is proposed as a possible way of efficient reduction of the Si wafer pre-growth annealing temperature.

Surface effects on the photoluminescence of Si quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Chiang-Jing; Tsai, Meng-Yen; Chi, Cheng Chung; Perng, Tsong-Pyng

2009-01-01

Si quantum dots (SiQDs) with sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm were fabricated by vapor condensation. They showed red photoluminescence (PL) in vacuum with the peak located at around 750 nm. After the specimen was exposed to air, the PL intensity became higher, and continued to increase during the PL test with a cycling of vacuum-air-vacuum. In pure oxygen, the PL intensity exhibited an irreversible decrease, while in nitrogen a smaller amount of reversible increase of PL intensity was observed. Furthermore, the PL intensity exhibited a remarkable enhancement if the SiQDs were treated with water. With HF treatment, the PL peak position showed a blue-shift to 680 nm, and was recovered after subsequent exposure to air. Si-O-H complexes were suggested to be responsible for this red luminescence. The irreversible decrease of PL intensity due to oxygen adsorption was speculated to be caused by the modification of chemical bonds on the surface. In the case of nitrogen adsorption, the PL change was attributed to the surface charging during adsorption.

Oxidation Study of an Ultra High Temperature Ceramic Coatings Based on HfSiCN

Science.gov (United States)

Sacksteder, Dagny; Waters, Deborah L.; Zhu, Dongming

2018-01-01

High temperature fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are important for aerospace applications because of their low density, high strength, and significantly higher-temperature capabilities compared to conventional metallic systems. The use of the SiCf/SiC and Cf/SiC CMCs allows the design of lighter-weight, more fuel efficient aircraft engines and also more advanced spacecraft airframe thermal protection systems. However, CMCs have to be protected with advanced environmental barrier coatings when they are incorporated into components for the harsh environments such as in aircraft engine or spacecraft applications. In this study, high temperature oxidation kinetics of an advanced HfSiCN coating on Cf/SiC CMC substrates were investigated at 1300 C, 1400 C, and 1500 C by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The coating oxidation reaction parabolic rate constant and activation energy were estimated from the experimental results. The oxidation reaction studies showed that the coatings formed the most stable, predominant HfSiO4-HfO2 scales at 1400 C. A peroxidation test at 1400 C then followed by subsequent oxidation tests at various temperatures also showed more adherent scales and slower scale growth because of reduced the initial transient oxidation stage and increased HfSiO4-HfO2 content in the scales formed on the HfSiCN coatings.

Oxygen flooding and sample cooling during depth profiling of HfSiON thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miwa, Shiro [Materials Analysis Center, Materials Laboratories, Sony Corporation, 4-16-1 Okata, Atsugi 243-0021 (Japan)], E-mail: Shiro.Miwa@jp.sony.com

2008-12-15

A combination of oxygen flooding and. Cs primary ion bombardment can suppress the enhancement of the secondary ion signal at the surface and at the interface of a thin HfSiON layer on a Si substrate. The surface concentration of both Cs and O during Cs primary ion bombardment with oxygen flooding was higher than that without oxygen flooding, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. When the sample was cooled to about -150 deg. C, the enhancement of the secondary ion signal could be suppressed at a lower oxygen pressure.

Enhanced PEC performance of nanoporous Si photoelectrodes by covering HfO2 and TiO2 passivation layers

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Zhuo; Ren, Feng; Wu, Hengyi; Wu, Liang; Wang, Xuening; Wang, Jingli; Wan, Da; Zhang, Guozhen; Jiang, Changzhong

2017-03-01

Nanostructured Si as the high efficiency photoelectrode material is hard to keep stable in aqueous for water splitting. Capping a passivation layer on the surface of Si is an effective way of protecting from oxidation. However, it is still not clear in the different mechanisms and effects between insulating oxide materials and oxide semiconductor materials as passivation layers. Here, we compare the passivation effects, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties, and the corresponding mechanisms between the HfO2/nanoporous-Si and the TiO2/nanoporous-Si by I-V curves, Motte-schottky (MS) curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Although the saturated photocurrent densities of the TiO2/nanoporous Si are lower than that of the HfO2/nanoporous Si, the former is more stable than the later.

Enhanced PEC performance of nanoporous Si photoelectrodes by covering HfO2 and TiO2 passivation layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Zhuo; Ren, Feng; Wu, Hengyi; Wu, Liang; Wang, Xuening; Wang, Jingli; Wan, Da; Zhang, Guozhen; Jiang, Changzhong

2017-03-02

Nanostructured Si as the high efficiency photoelectrode material is hard to keep stable in aqueous for water splitting. Capping a passivation layer on the surface of Si is an effective way of protecting from oxidation. However, it is still not clear in the different mechanisms and effects between insulating oxide materials and oxide semiconductor materials as passivation layers. Here, we compare the passivation effects, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties, and the corresponding mechanisms between the HfO 2 /nanoporous-Si and the TiO 2 /nanoporous-Si by I-V curves, Motte-schottky (MS) curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Although the saturated photocurrent densities of the TiO 2 /nanoporous Si are lower than that of the HfO 2 /nanoporous Si, the former is more stable than the later.

Plasma processing of the Si(0 0 1) surface for tuning SPR of Au/Si-based plasmonic nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giangregorio, Maria M. [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy)]. E-mail: michelaria.giangregorio@ba.imip.cnr.it; Losurdo, Maria [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy); Sacchetti, Alberto [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy); Capezzuto, Pio [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy); Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy)

2006-12-15

Au nanoclusters have been deposited on Si(0 0 1) surfaces by sputtering of a metallic Au target using an Ar plasma. Different wet and dry treatments of the Si(0 0 1) surface, including dipping in HF solution and exposure to H{sub 2} and N{sub 2} plasmas, have been applied and the effects of these treatments on the Au nanoparticles/Si interface, the Au nanoclusters aspect ratio and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) energy and amplitude are investigated exploiting spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the Au nanoclusters aspect ratio depends on the extent of the Au-Si intermixing. The thicker the Au-Si interface layer, the larger the Au nanoparticles aspect ratio and the red-shift of the SPR peak. Furthermore, SiO{sub 2} and the H{sub 2} plasma treatment inhibit the Si-Au intermixing, while HF-dipping and the N{sub 2} plasma treatment favour Au-Si intermixing, yielding silicide formation which increases the Si wetting by Au.

Simulation of electron transmittance and tunnel current in n{sup +} Poly-Si/HfSiO{sub x}N/Trap/SiO{sub 2}/Si(100) capacitors using analytical and numerical approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noor, Fatimah A., E-mail: fatimah@fi.itb.ac.id; Iskandar, Ferry; Abdullah, Mikrajuddin; Khairurrijal [Physics of Electronic Materials Research Division Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung Jalan Ganesa 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

In this paper, we discuss the electron transmittance and tunneling current in high-k-based-MOS capacitors with trapping charge by including the off-diagonal effective-mass tensor elements and the effect of coupling between transverse and longitudinal energies represented by an electron velocity in the gate. The HfSiO{sub x}N/SiO{sub 2} dual ultrathin layer is used as the gate oxide in an n{sup +} poly- Si/oxide/Si capacitor to replace SiO{sub 2}. The main problem of using HfSiO{sub x}N is the charge trapping formed at the HfSiO{sub x}N/SiO{sub 2} interface that can influence the performance of the device. Therefore, it is important to develop a model taking into account the presence of electron traps at the HfSiO{sub x}N/SiO{sub 2} interface in the electron transmittance and tunneling current. The transmittance and tunneling current in n{sup +} poly- Si/HfSiO{sub x}N/trap/SiO2/Si(100) capacitors are calculated by using Airy wavefunctions and a transfer matrix method (TMM) as analytical and numerical approaches, respectively. The transmittance and tunneling current obtained from the Airy wavefunction are compared to those computed by the TMM. The effects of the electron velocity on the transmittance and tunneling current are also discussed.

Site preference of metal atoms in Gd_5_-_xM_xTt_4 (M = Zr, Hf; Tt = Si, Ge)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Jinlei; Mozharivskyj, Yurij

2011-01-01

Zirconium and hafnium were incorporated into the Gd_5Ge_4 and Gd_5Si_4 parent compounds in order to study the metal-site occupation in the M_5X_4 magnetocaloric phases (M = metals; X = p elements) family. The Gd_5_-_xZr_xGe_4 phases adopt the orthorhombic Sm_5Ge_4-type (space group Pnma) structure for x ≤ 1.49 and the tetragonal Zr_5Si_4-type (P4_12_12) structure for x ≥ 1.77. The Gd_5_-_xHf_xSi_4 compounds crystallize in the orthorhombic Gd_5Si_4-type (Pnma) structure for x ≤ 0.41 and the Zr_5Si_4-type structure for x ≥ 0.7. In both systems, single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that the Zr/Hf atoms preferentially occupy the slab-surface M2 and slab-center M3 sites, both of which have a significantly larger Zr/Hf population than the slab-surface M1 site. The metal-site preference, i.e. the coloring problem on the three metal sites, is discussed considering geometric and electronic effects of the local coordination environments. The analysis of the metal-site occupation in Gd_5_-_xZr_xGe_4 and Gd_5_-_xHf_xSi_4 as well as other metal-substituted M_5X_4 systems suggests that both geometric and electronic effects can be used to explain the metal-site occupation. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Effect of ozone treatment on the optical and electrical properties of HfSiO thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng, Yang; Yang, Wen; Zhu, Shang-Bin; Zhang, Yuan; Sun, Qing-Qing; Lu, Hong-Liang; Zhang, David Wei

2014-01-01

The effect of room temperature ozone oxidation treatment on thin HfSiO film grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been investigated. The optical and electrical properties with different post-ozone oxidation time were characterized. The evolution of ozone interacting with HfSiO films was clearly illuminated. Ozone can repair the lossy chemical bonds and vacancies, resulting in the improvement of packing density and polarizability of HfSiO films. With more ozone entering the HfSiO films, the refractive index, dielectric constant, and interfacial properties can be greatly upgraded. Furthermore, the frequency dispersion of ALD-HfSiO film can be improved after O 3 treatment time for 8 min. (orig.)

PAC study in the HfO2-SiO2 system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chain, C.Y.; Damonte, L.C.; Ferrari, S.; Munoz, E.; Torres, C. Rodriguez; Pasquevich, A.F.

2010-01-01

A high-k HfO 2 /SiO 2 gate stack is taking the place of SiO 2 as a gate dielectric in field effect transistors. This fact makes the study of the solid-state reaction between these oxides very important. Nanostructure characterization of a high-energy ball milled and post-annealed equimolar HfO 2 and amorphous SiO 2 powder mixture has been carried out by perturbed angular correlations (PAC) technique. The study was complemented with X-ray diffraction and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). The experimental results revealed that the ball milling of equimolar mixtures increases the defects concentration in hafnium oxide. No solid-state reaction occurred even after 8 h of milling. The formation of HfSiO 4 (hafnon) was observed in the milled blends annealed at high temperatures.The PAC results of the milled samples are compared with those obtained for pure m-ZrO 2 subjected to high-energy ball milling and with reported microstructure data for the system ZrO 2 -SiO 2 .

Different growth mechanisms of Ge by Stranski-Krastanow on Si (111) and (001) surfaces: An STM study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teys, S.A., E-mail: teys@isp.nsc.ru

2017-01-15

Highlights: • Different atomic mechanisms of transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional-layer growth on Sransky-Krastanov observed. • The transition from 2D–3D Ge growth on Si (111) and (001) is very different. • Various changes in morphology, surface structures and sequence Ge redistribution during the growth shown. • The sequence of appearance of different incorporation places of Ge atoms was shown. - Abstract: Structural and morphological features of the wetting layer formation and the transition to the three-dimensional Ge growth on (111) and (100) Si surfaces under quasi-equilibrium growth conditions were studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The mechanism of the transition from the wetting layer to the three-dimensional Ge growth on Si was demonstrated. The principal differences and general trends of the atomic processes involved in the wetting layers formation on substrates with different orientations were demonstrated. The Ge growth is accompanied by the Ge atom redistribution and partial strain relaxation due to the formation of new surfaces, vacancies and surface structures of a decreased density. The analysis of three-dimensional Ge islands sites nucleation of after the wetting layer formation was carried out on the (111) surface. The transition to the three-dimensional growth at the Si(100) surface begins with single {105} facets nucleation on the rough Ge(100) surface.

Different growth mechanisms of Ge by Stranski-Krastanow on Si (111) and (001) surfaces: An STM study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teys, S.A.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Different atomic mechanisms of transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional-layer growth on Sransky-Krastanov observed. • The transition from 2D–3D Ge growth on Si (111) and (001) is very different. • Various changes in morphology, surface structures and sequence Ge redistribution during the growth shown. • The sequence of appearance of different incorporation places of Ge atoms was shown. - Abstract: Structural and morphological features of the wetting layer formation and the transition to the three-dimensional Ge growth on (111) and (100) Si surfaces under quasi-equilibrium growth conditions were studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The mechanism of the transition from the wetting layer to the three-dimensional Ge growth on Si was demonstrated. The principal differences and general trends of the atomic processes involved in the wetting layers formation on substrates with different orientations were demonstrated. The Ge growth is accompanied by the Ge atom redistribution and partial strain relaxation due to the formation of new surfaces, vacancies and surface structures of a decreased density. The analysis of three-dimensional Ge islands sites nucleation of after the wetting layer formation was carried out on the (111) surface. The transition to the three-dimensional growth at the Si(100) surface begins with single {105} facets nucleation on the rough Ge(100) surface.

Effect of interfacial SiO2- y layer and defect in HfO2- x film on flat-band voltage of HfO2- x /SiO2- y stacks for backside-illuminated CMOS image sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Heedo; Lee, Jimin; Jeong, Juyoung; Kim, Taeho; Sohn, Hyunchul

2018-03-01

In this study, the effect of oxygen gas fraction during deposition of a hafnium oxide (HfO2- x ) film and the influence of the quality of the SiO2- y interlayer on the nature of flat-band voltage ( V fb) in TiN/HfO/SiO2- y /p-Si structures were investigated. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis showed that the non-lattice oxygen peak, indicating an existing oxygen vacancy, increased as the oxygen gas fraction decreased during sputtering. From C- V and J- E analyses, the V fb behavior was significantly affected by the characteristics of the SiO2- y interlayer and the non-lattice oxygen fraction in the HfO2- x films. The HfO2- x /native SiO2- y stack presented a V fb of - 1.01 V for HfO2- x films with an oxygen gas fraction of 5% during sputtering. Additionally, the V fb of the HfO2- x /native SiO2- y stack could be controlled from - 1.01 to - 0.56 V by changing the deposition conditions of the HfO2- x film with the native SiO2- y interlayer. The findings of this study can be useful to fabricate charge-accumulating layers for backside-illuminated image sensor devices.

Behavior of HfB2-SiC Materials in Simulated Re-Entry Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ellerby, Don; Beckman, Sarah; Irby, Edward; Johnson, Sylvia M.; Gunsman, Michael; Gasch, Matthew; Ridge, Jerry; Martinez, Ed; Squire, Tom; Olejniczak, Joe

2003-01-01

The objectives of this research are to: 1) Investigate the oxidation/ablation behavior of HfB2/SiC materials in simulated re-entry environments; 2) Use the arc jet test results to define appropriate use environments for these materials for use in vehicle design. The parameters to be investigated include: surface temperature, stagnation pressure, duration, number of cycles, and thermal stresses.

Comparison of HfCl4, HfI4, TEMA-Hf, and TDMA-Hf as precursors in early growing stages of HfO2 films deposited by ALD: A DFT study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortez-Valadez, M.; Fierro, C.; Farias-Mancilla, J.R.; Vargas-Ortiz, A.; Flores-Acosta, M.; Ramírez-Bon, R.; Enriquez-Carrejo, J.L.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Hafnium oxide growth on Si(100) by atomic layer deposition was simulated. • The interface structure was considered as silicate and silicide. • The interface was studied employing DFT. • TDMA-Hf precursor show better interface stability. - Abstract: The final structure of HfO 2 films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) after reaction with OH − ions has been analyzed by DFT (density functional theory). The interaction of the precursors: HfCl 4 (hafnium tetrachloride), HfI 4 (hafnium tetraiodide), TEMA-Hf (tetrakis-ethylmethylamino hafnium), and TDMA-Hf (tetrakis-dimethylamino hafnium) with HO–H was studied employing the B3LYP (Becke 3-parameter, Lee–Yang–Parr) hybrid functional and the PBE (Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof) generalized gradient functional. The structural evolution at the Si(100) surface has been analyzed by LDA (local density approximation). The structural parameters: bond length and bond angle, and the vibrational parameters for the optimized structures are also reported. The presence of hafnium silicate at the interface was detected. The infrared spectra and structural parameters obtained in this work agree with previously reported experimental results.

Temperature dependence of the resistivity and tunneling magnetoresistance of sputtered FeHf(Si)O cermet films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strijkers, G.J.; Swagten, H.J.M.; Rulkens, B.; Bitter, R.H.J.N.; Jonge, de W.J.M.; Bloemen, P.J.H.; Schep, K.M.

1998-01-01

We have studied the tunneling resistivity and magnetoresistance of reactive sputter deposited FeHfO and FeHfSiO thin granular films. Maximum magnetoresistance ratios at room temperature of 2% and 3.2% were observed for films with compositions of Fe47Hf10O43 and Fe40Hf6Si6O48, respectively. The

Analysis of the dimerized Sb/Si(001)-(2x1) surface by x-ray standing waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyman, P.F.; Qian, Y.; Bedzyk, M.J.

1994-12-01

X-ray standing wave measurements were undertaken to study the bonding position of Sb adatoms on the Sb-saturated Si(001)-(2x1) surface. Using the (004) and (022) Bragg reflections, the authors find that the Sb atoms form dimers, and that the center of the Sb ad-dimers lies 1.64 angstrom above the bulk-like Si(004) surface atomic plane. These in-plane results are compared to two structural models consisting of dimers whose bonds are parallel to the surface plane and whose centers are either shifted or unshifted (parallel to the dimer bond direction) relative to the underlying substrate planes. The authors thus find two special cases consistent with these data: one with symmetric (unshifted) dimers having a dimer bond length of 2.81 angstrom, and the other with midpoint-shifted dimers, having a bond length of 2.88 angstrom and a lateral shift of 0.21 angstrom

First-principles study of the Pd–Si system and Pd(001)/SiC(001) hetero-structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turchi, P.E.A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Ivashchenko, V.I. [National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), Kiev (Ukraine)

2014-11-01

First-principles molecular dynamics simulations of the Pd(001)/3C–SiC(001) nano-layered structure were carried out at different temperatures ranging from 300 to 2100 K. Various PdSi (Pnma, Fm3m, P6m2, Pm3m), Pd₂Si (P6⁻2m, P6₃/mmc, P3m1, P3⁻1m) and Pd₃Si (Pnma, P6₃22, Pm3m, I4/mmm) structures under pressure were studied to identify the structure of the Pd/Si and Pd/C interfaces in the Pd/SiC systems at high temperatures. It was found that a large atomic mixing at the Pd/Si interface occurred at 1500–1800 K, whereas the Pd/C interface remained sharp even at the highest temperature of 2100 K. At the Pd/C interface, voids and a graphite-like clustering were detected. Palladium and silicon atoms interact at the Pd/Si interface to mostly form C22-Pd₂Si and D0₁₁-Pd₃Si fragments, in agreement with experiment.

Schottky barrier height measurements of Cu/Si(001), Ag/Si(001), and Au/Si(001) interfaces utilizing ballistic electron emission microscopy and ballistic hole emission microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balsano, Robert; Matsubayashi, Akitomo; LaBella, Vincent P.

2013-01-01

The Schottky barrier heights of both n and p doped Cu/Si(001), Ag/Si(001), and Au/Si(001) diodes were measured using ballistic electron emission microscopy and ballistic hole emission microscopy (BHEM), respectively. Measurements using both forward and reverse ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) and (BHEM) injection conditions were performed. The Schottky barrier heights were found by fitting to a linearization of the power law form of the Bell-Kaiser BEEM model. The sum of the n-type and p-type barrier heights are in good agreement with the band gap of silicon and independent of the metal utilized. The Schottky barrier heights are found to be below the region of best fit for the power law form of the BK model, demonstrating its region of validity

Electromagnetic excitation of phonons at C(001) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez-Sanchez, F L; Perez-Rodriguez, F

2009-01-01

The photon-phonon coupling at C(001)-(2 x 1) surfaces and its manifestation in far-infrared reflectance anisotropy spectra (FIR-RAS) are theoretically investigated. We solve the coupled system of equations for the electromagnetic field and lattice vibrations, described within the adiabatic bond charge model (ABCM), with the method of expansion into bulk phonon and photon modes. The calculated FIR-RAS exhibit resonances associated with zone-center surface phonons in good agreement with available HREELS experiments and predictions of vibrational modes for diamond (001)-(2 x 1) surfaces from ABCM and ab initio calculations. Interestingly, the reflectance anisotropy spectra for a C(001)-(2 x 1) surface turn out to be qualitatively different from the spectra for a Si(001)-(2 x 1) surface, reported previously.

Electromagnetic excitation of phonons at C(001) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez-Sanchez, F L [Escuela de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma ' Benito Juarez' de Oaxaca, Avenida Universidad S/N, Ex-Hacienda de Cinco Senores, Ciudad Universitaria, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca, 68120 (Mexico); Perez-Rodriguez, F, E-mail: fperez@sirio.ifuap.buap.m [Instituto de Fisica, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Apartado Post. J-48, Puebla 72570 (Mexico)

2009-09-02

The photon-phonon coupling at C(001)-(2 x 1) surfaces and its manifestation in far-infrared reflectance anisotropy spectra (FIR-RAS) are theoretically investigated. We solve the coupled system of equations for the electromagnetic field and lattice vibrations, described within the adiabatic bond charge model (ABCM), with the method of expansion into bulk phonon and photon modes. The calculated FIR-RAS exhibit resonances associated with zone-center surface phonons in good agreement with available HREELS experiments and predictions of vibrational modes for diamond (001)-(2 x 1) surfaces from ABCM and ab initio calculations. Interestingly, the reflectance anisotropy spectra for a C(001)-(2 x 1) surface turn out to be qualitatively different from the spectra for a Si(001)-(2 x 1) surface, reported previously.

Formation of Si{sup 1+} in the early stages of the oxidation of the Si[001] 2 × 1 surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrera-Gomez, Alberto, E-mail: aherrerag@cinvestav.mx [CINVESTAV-Unidad Queretaro, Queretaro 76230 (Mexico); Aguirre-Tostado, Francisco-Servando [Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, 66600 (Mexico); Pianetta, Piero [SLAC National Accelerator Center, Menlo Park, California 94025 (United States)

2016-03-15

The early stages of the oxidation of the Si[001] 2 × 1 surface were studied with synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy. The analysis was based on the block approach, which is a refinement of spectra-subtraction that accounts for changes on the background signal and for band-bending shifts. By this method, it was possible to robustly show that the formation of Si{sup 1+} is due to oxygen bonding to the upper dimer atoms. Our results contrast with ab initio calculation, which indicates that the most favorable bonding site is the back-bond of the down-dimer.

Thermal response of Ru electrodes in contact with SiO2 and Hf-based high-k gate dielectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, H.-C.; Lysaght, P.; Alshareef, H.N.; Huffman, C.; Harris, H.R.; Choi, K.; Senzaki, Y.; Luan, H.; Majhi, P.; Lee, B.H.; Campin, M. J.; Foran, B.; Lian, G.D.; Kwong, D.-L.

2005-01-01

A systematic experimental evaluation of the thermal stability of Ru metal gate electrodes in direct contact with SiO 2 and Hf-based dielectric layers was performed and correlated with electrical device measurements. The distinctly different interfacial reactions in the Ru/SiO 2 , Ru/HfO 2 , and Ru/HfSiO x film systems were observed through cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron-energy-loss spectra, and energy dispersive x-ray spectra analysis. Ru interacted with SiO 2 , but remained stable on HfO 2 at 1000 deg. C. The onset of Ru/SiO 2 interfacial interactions is identified via silicon substrate pitting possibly from Ru diffusion into the dielectric in samples exposed to a 900 deg. C/10-s anneal. The dependence of capacitor device degradation with decreasing SiO 2 thickness suggests Ru diffuses through SiO 2 , followed by an abrupt, rapid, nonuniform interaction of ruthenium silicide as Ru contacts the Si substrate. Local interdiffusion detected on Ru/HfSiO x samples may be due to phase separation of HfSiO x into HfO 2 grains within a SiO 2 matrix, suggesting that SiO 2 provides a diffusion pathway for Ru. Detailed evidence consistent with a dual reaction mechanism for the Ru/SiO 2 system at 1000 deg. C is presented

MeV-Si ion irradiation effects on the electrical properties of HfO2 thin films on Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Xiangkun; Shao Lin; Chen, Q.Y.; Trombetta, L.; Wang Chunyu; Dharmaiahgari, Bhanu; Wang Xuemei; Chen Hui; Ma, K.B.; Liu Jiarui; Chu, W.-K.

2006-01-01

We studied the irradiation effect of 2-MeV Si ions on HfO 2 films deposited on Si substrates. HfO 2 films ∼11 nm thick were deposited onto Si substrates by chemical vapor deposition. The samples were then irradiated by 2-MeV Si ions at a fluence of 1 x 10 14 cm -2 at room temperature, followed by rapid thermal annealing at 1000 deg. C for 10 s. After annealing, a layer of aluminum was deposited on the samples as the gate electrode to form metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor structures. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and electrical measurement of both capacitance and current as a function of voltage were used to characterize the samples before and after annealing. Non-insulating properties of the HfO 2 films deteriorated immediately after the ion irradiation, but rapid thermal annealing effectively repaired the irradiation damages, as reflected in improved capacitance versus voltage characteristics and significant reduction of leakage current in the MOS capacitors

Epitaxial Fe3Si/Ge/Fe3Si thin film multilayers grown on GaAs(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenichen, B.; Herfort, J.; Jahn, U.; Trampert, A.; Riechert, H.

2014-01-01

We demonstrate Fe 3 Si/Ge/Fe 3 Si/GaAs(001) structures grown by molecular-beam epitaxy and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and X-ray diffraction. The bottom Fe 3 Si epitaxial film on GaAs is always single crystalline. The structural properties of the Ge film and the top Fe 3 Si layer depend on the substrate temperature during Ge deposition. Different orientation distributions of the grains in the Ge and the upper Fe 3 Si film were found. The low substrate temperature T s of 150 °C during Ge deposition ensures sharp interfaces, however, results in predominantly amorphous films. We find that the intermediate T s (225 °C) leads to a largely [111] oriented upper Fe 3 Si layer and polycrystal films. The high T s of 325 °C stabilizes the [001] oriented epitaxial layer structure, i.e., delivers smooth interfaces and single crystal films over as much as 80% of the surface area. - Highlights: • Fe 3 Si/Ge/Fe 3 Si/GaAs(001) structures are grown by MBE. • The bottom Fe 3 Si film is always single crystalline. • The properties of the Ge film depend on the substrate temperature during deposition. • Optimum growth conditions lead to almost perfect epitaxy of Ge on Fe 3 Si

HF treatment effect for carbon deposition on silicon (111) by DC sputtering technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aji, A. S., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com; Darma, Y., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com [Quantum Semiconductor and Devices Lab., Physics of Material Electronics Research Division, Department of Physics, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia)

2014-03-24

Surface modifications of Si (111) substrate by HF solution for thin film carbon deposition have been systematically studied. Thin film carbon on Si (111) has been deposited using DC Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering with carbon pellet doped by 5% Fe as the target. EDAX characterization confirmed that the carbon fraction on Si substrate much higher by dipping a clean Si substrate by HF solution before sputtering process in comparison with carbon fraction on Si substrate just after conventional RCA. Moreover, SEM and AFM images show the uniform thin film carbon on Si with HF treatment, in contrast to the Si without HF solution treatment. These experimental results suggest that HF treatment of Si surface provide Si-H bonds on top Si surface that useful to enhance the carbon deposition during sputtering process. Furthermore, we investigate the thermal stability of thin film carbon on Si by thermal annealing process up to 900 °C. Atomic arrangements during annealing process were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra indicate that thin film carbon on Si is remaining unchanged until 600 °C and carbon atoms start to diffuse toward Si substrate after annealing at 900 °C.

Chemical states and electronic structure of a HfO(-2)/Ge(001) interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Kang-ill; McIntyre, Paul C.; Stanford U., Materials Sci. Dept.; Sun, Shiyu; Lee, Dong-Ick; Pianetta, Piero; SLAC, SSRL; Saraswat, Krishna C.; Stanford U., Elect. Eng. Dept.

2005-01-01

We report the chemical bonding structure and valence band alignment at the HfO 2 /Ge (001) interface by systematically probing various core level spectra as well as valence band spectra using soft x-rays at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. We investigated the chemical bonding changes as a function of depth through the dielectric stack by taking a series of synchrotron photoemission spectra as we etched through the HfO 2 film using a dilute HF-solution. We found that a very non-stoichiometric GeO x layer exists at the HfO 2 /Ge interface. The valence band spectra near the Fermi level in each different film structure were carefully analyzed, and as a result, the valence band offset between Ge and GeO x was determined to be ΔE v (Ge-GeO x ) = 2.2 ± 0.15 eV, and that between Ge and HfO 2 , ΔE v (Ge-HfO 2 ) = 2.7 ± 0.15 eV

Growth of CoSi2 on Si(001) by reactive deposition epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, C.W.; Shin, C.-S.; Gall, D.; Zuo, J.M.; Petrov, I.; Greene, J.E.

2005-01-01

CaF 2 -structure CoSi 2 layers were formed on Si(001) by reactive deposition epitaxy (RDE) and compared with CoSi 2 layers obtained by conventional solid phase growth (SPG). In both sets of experiments, Co was deposited by ultrahigh-vacuum magnetron sputtering and CoSi 2 formed at 600 deg. C. However, in the case of RDE, CoSi 2 formation occurred during Co deposition while for SPG, Co was deposited at 25 deg. C and silicidation took place during subsequent annealing. X-ray diffraction pole figures and transmission electron microscopy results demonstrate that RDE CoSi 2 layers are epitaxial with a cube-on-cube relationship (001) CoSi 2 parallel (001) Si and [100] CoSi 2 parallel[100] Si . In contrast, SPG films are polycrystalline with an average grain size of ≅1000 A and a mixed 111/002/022/112 orientation. We attribute the striking difference to rapid Co diffusion into the Si(001) substrate during RDE for which the high Co/Si reactivity gives rise to a flux-limited reaction resulting in the direct formation of the disilicide phase. In contrast, sequential nucleation and transformation among increasingly Si-rich phases--from orthorhombic Co 2 Si to cubic CoSi to CoSi 2 --during SPG results in polycrystalline layers with a complex texture

Surface Passivation of Silicon Using HfO2 Thin Films Deposited by Remote Plasma Atomic Layer Deposition System.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao-Ying; Hsu, Chia-Hsun; Lien, Shui-Yang; Chen, Song-Yan; Huang, Wei; Yang, Chih-Hsiang; Kung, Chung-Yuan; Zhu, Wen-Zhang; Xiong, Fei-Bing; Meng, Xian-Guo

2017-12-01

Hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) thin films have attracted much attention owing to their usefulness in equivalent oxide thickness scaling in microelectronics, which arises from their high dielectric constant and thermodynamic stability with silicon. However, the surface passivation properties of such films, particularly on crystalline silicon (c-Si), have rarely been reported upon. In this study, the HfO 2 thin films were deposited on c-Si substrates with and without oxygen plasma pretreatments, using a remote plasma atomic layer deposition system. Post-annealing was performed using a rapid thermal processing system at different temperatures in N 2 ambient for 10 min. The effects of oxygen plasma pretreatment and post-annealing on the properties of the HfO 2 thin films were investigated. They indicate that the in situ remote plasma pretreatment of Si substrate can result in the formation of better SiO 2 , resulting in a better chemical passivation. The deposited HfO 2 thin films with oxygen plasma pretreatment and post-annealing at 500 °C for 10 min were effective in improving the lifetime of c-Si (original lifetime of 1 μs) to up to 67 μs.

Precise control of Si(001) initial oxidation by translational kinetic energy of O2 molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teraoka, Yuden; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

2002-01-01

The influence of translation kinetic energy of incident O 2 molecules on the passive oxidation of the clean Si(001) surface and the partially oxidized-Si(001) surface has been studied by high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The incident energy of O 2 molecules was controlled up to 3 eV by a supersonic seeded molecular beam technique. Although two incident energy thresholds (1.0 eV and 2.6 eV) have been determined for the partially oxidized-surface oxidation in accordance with the first-principle calculation, the monotonic increase of oxygen saturation coverage was observed for the clean surface oxidation. The difference is caused by the initial dangling bond termination (Si-H and Si-OH) on the partially oxidized surface. Si-2p and O-1s photoemission spectra measured at representative incident energies showed the incident-energy-induced oxidation at the back bonds of Si dimers and the second-layer (subsurface) Si atoms. Moreover, the low-and high-binding-energy components in the O-1s photoemission spectra were assigned to bridge site oxygen and dangling bond site oxygen for the partially oxidized-surface oxidation. (author)

Band alignment of atomic layer deposited SiO2 and HfSiO4 with (\\bar{2}01) β-Ga2O3

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Patrick H., IV; Ren, Fan; Hays, David C.; Gila, Brent P.; Pearton, Stephen J.; Jang, Soohwan; Kuramata, Akito

2017-07-01

The valence band offset at both SiO2/β-Ga2O3 and HfSiO4/β-Ga2O3 heterointerfaces was measured using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Both dielectrics were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) onto single-crystal β-Ga2O3. The bandgaps of the materials were determined by reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy as 4.6 eV for Ga2O3, 8.7 eV for Al2O3 and 7.0 eV for HfSiO4. The valence band offset was determined to be 1.23 ± 0.20 eV (straddling gap, type I alignment) for ALD SiO2 on β-Ga2O3 and 0.02 ± 0.003 eV (also type I alignment) for HfSiO4. The respective conduction band offsets were 2.87 ± 0.70 eV for ALD SiO2 and 2.38 ± 0.50 eV for HfSiO4, respectively.

Time-resolved two-photon photoemission at the Si(001)-surface. Hot electron dynamics and two-dimensional Fano resonance; Zeitaufgeloeste Zweiphotonen-Photoemission an der Si(001)-Oberflaeche. Dynamik heisser Elektronen und zweidimensionaler Fano-Effekt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eickhoff, Christian

2010-10-27

By combining ultrafast laser excitation with energy-, angle- and time-resolved twophoton photoemission (2PPE), the electronic properties of bulk silicon and the Si(001) surface are investigated in this thesis. A custom-built laser- and UHV-systemequipped with a display type 2D-CCD-detector gives new insight into the relaxation dynamics of excited carriers on a femtosecond timescale. The bandgap between occupied valence bands and unoccupied conduction bands characteristically influences the dynamics of excited electrons in the bulk, as well as in surface states and resonances. For the electron-phonon interaction this leads to the formation of a bottleneck during the relaxation of hot electrons in the conduction band, which maintains the elevated electronic temperature for several picoseconds. During relaxation, excited electrons also scatter from the conduction band into the unoccupied dangling-bond surface state D{sub down}. Depending on the excitation density this surface recombination is dominated by electron-electron- or electron-phonon scattering. The relaxation of the carriers in the D{sub down}-band is again slowed down by the formation of a bottleneck in electron-phonon coupling. Furthermore, the new laser system has allowed detection of the Rydberg-like series of image-potential resonances on the Si(001)-surface. It is shown that the lifetime of these image-potential resonances in front of the semiconducting surface exhibits the same behavior as those in front of metallic surfaces. Moreover the electron-phonon coupling in the first image-potential resonance was investigated and compared to the D{sub down}-surface state. For the first time, Fano-type lineprofiles are demonstrated and analyzed in a 2PPEprocess on a surface. Tuning the photon energy of the pump-laser across the resonance between the occupied dangling-bond state D{sub up}, and the unoccupied image-potential resonance n=1, reveals a clear intensity variation that can be successfully described

Band alignments in Fe/graphene/Si(001) junctions studied by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Le Breton, J.-C.; Tricot, S.; Delhaye, G.; Lépine, B.; Turban, P.; Schieffer, P.

2016-08-01

The control of tunnel contact resistance is of primary importance for semiconductor-based spintronic devices. This control is hardly achieved with conventional oxide-based tunnel barriers due to deposition-induced interface states. Manipulation of single 2D atomic crystals (such as graphene sheets) weakly interacting with their substrate might represent an alternative and efficient way to design new heterostructures for a variety of different purposes including spin injection into semiconductors. In the present paper, we study by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy the band alignments and interface chemistry of iron-graphene-hydrogenated passivated silicon (001) surfaces for a low and a high n-doping concentration. We find that the hydrogen passivation of the Si(001) surface remains efficient even with a graphene sheet on the Si(001) surface. For both doping concentrations, the semiconductor is close to flat-band conditions which indicates that the Fermi level is unpinned on the semiconductor side of the Graphene/Si(001):H interface. When iron is deposited on the graphene/Si(001):H structures, the Schottky barrier height remains mainly unaffected by the metallic overlayer with a very low barrier height for electrons, a sought-after property in semiconductor based spintronic devices. Finally, we demonstrate that the graphene layer intercalated between the metal and semiconductor also serves as a protection against iron-silicide formation even at elevated temperatures preventing from the formation of a Si-based magnetic dead layer.

Band alignments in Fe/graphene/Si(001) junctions studied by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Breton, J.-C.; Tricot, S.; Delhaye, G.; Lépine, B.; Turban, P.; Schieffer, P.

2016-01-01

The control of tunnel contact resistance is of primary importance for semiconductor-based spintronic devices. This control is hardly achieved with conventional oxide-based tunnel barriers due to deposition-induced interface states. Manipulation of single 2D atomic crystals (such as graphene sheets) weakly interacting with their substrate might represent an alternative and efficient way to design new heterostructures for a variety of different purposes including spin injection into semiconductors. In the present paper, we study by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy the band alignments and interface chemistry of iron–graphene-hydrogenated passivated silicon (001) surfaces for a low and a high n-doping concentration. We find that the hydrogen passivation of the Si(001) surface remains efficient even with a graphene sheet on the Si(001) surface. For both doping concentrations, the semiconductor is close to flat-band conditions which indicates that the Fermi level is unpinned on the semiconductor side of the Graphene/Si(001):H interface. When iron is deposited on the graphene/Si(001):H structures, the Schottky barrier height remains mainly unaffected by the metallic overlayer with a very low barrier height for electrons, a sought-after property in semiconductor based spintronic devices. Finally, we demonstrate that the graphene layer intercalated between the metal and semiconductor also serves as a protection against iron-silicide formation even at elevated temperatures preventing from the formation of a Si-based magnetic dead layer.

Single-source-precursor synthesis of dense SiC/HfCxN1-x-based ultrahigh-temperature ceramic nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Qingbo; Xu, Yeping; Xu, Binbin; Fasel, Claudia; Guillon, Olivier; Buntkowsky, Gerd; Yu, Zhaoju; Riedel, Ralf; Ionescu, Emanuel

2014-10-01

A novel single-source precursor was synthesized by the reaction of an allyl hydrido polycarbosilane (SMP10) and tetrakis(dimethylamido)hafnium(iv) (TDMAH) for the purpose of preparing dense monolithic SiC/HfCxN1-x-based ultrahigh temperature ceramic nanocomposites. The materials obtained at different stages of the synthesis process were characterized via Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The polymer-to-ceramic transformation was investigated by means of MAS NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with in situ mass spectrometry. Moreover, the microstructural evolution of the synthesized SiHfCN-based ceramics annealed at different temperatures ranging from 1300 °C to 1800 °C was characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on its high temperature behavior, the amorphous SiHfCN-based ceramic powder was used to prepare monolithic SiC/HfCxN1-x-based nanocomposites using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The results showed that dense monolithic SiC/HfCxN1-x-based nanocomposites with low open porosity (0.74 vol%) can be prepared successfully from single-source precursors. The average grain size of both HfC0.83N0.17 and SiC phases was found to be less than 100 nm after SPS processing owing to a unique microstructure: HfC0.83N0.17 grains were embedded homogeneously in a β-SiC matrix and encapsulated by in situ formed carbon layers which acted as a diffusion barrier to suppress grain growth. The segregated Hf-carbonitride grains significantly influenced the electrical conductivity of the SPS processed monolithic samples. While Hf-free polymer-derived SiC showed an electrical conductivity of ca. 1.8 S cm-1, the electrical conductivity of the Hf-containing material was analyzed to be ca. 136.2 S cm-1.A novel single-source precursor was synthesized by the reaction of an allyl hydrido

Passivation of Si(111) surfaces with electrochemically grafted thin organic films

Science.gov (United States)

Roodenko, K.; Yang, F.; Hunger, R.; Esser, N.; Hinrichs, K.; Rappich, J.

2010-09-01

Ultra thin organic films (about 5 nm thick) of nitrobenzene and 4-methoxydiphenylamine were deposited electrochemically on p-Si(111) surfaces from benzene diazonium compounds. Studies based on atomic force microscopy, infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that upon exposure to atmospheric conditions the oxidation of the silicon interface proceed slower on organically modified surfaces than on unmodified hydrogen passivated p-Si(111) surfaces. Effects of HF treatment on the oxidized organic/Si interface and on the organic layer itself are discussed.

MoS{sub 2} on an amorphous HfO{sub 2} surface: An ab initio investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scopel, W. L., E-mail: wlscopel@if.uff.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil and Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, Rio de Janerio (Brazil); Miwa, R. H., E-mail: hiroki@infis.ufu.br; Schmidt, T. M., E-mail: tome@infis.ufu.br [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Venezuela, P., E-mail: vene@if.uff.br [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janerio (Brazil)

2015-05-21

The energetic stability, electronic and structural properties of MoS{sub 2} adsorbed on an amorphous a-HfO{sub 2} surface (MoS{sub 2}/HfO{sub 2}) are examined through ab initio theoretical investigations. Our total energy results indicate that the formation of MoS{sub 2}/HfO{sub 2} is an exothermic process with an adsorption energy of 34 meV/Å{sup 2}, which means that it is more stable than similar systems like graphene/HfO{sub 2} and MoS{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}. There are no chemical bonds at the MoS{sub 2}-HfO{sub 2} interface. Upon formation of MoS{sub 2}/HfO{sub 2}, the electronic charge distribution is mostly localized at the interface region with no net charge transfer between the adsorbed MoS{sub 2} sheet and –HfO{sub 2} surface. However, the MoS{sub 2} sheet becomes n-type doped when there are oxygen vacancies in the HfO{sub 2} surface. Further investigation of the electronic distribution reveals that there are no electron- and hole-rich regions (electron-hole puddles) on the MoS{sub 2} sheet, which makes this system promising for use in high-speed nanoelectronic devices.

Ion induced intermixing and consequent effects on the leakage currents in HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manikanthababu, N.; Saikiran, V.; Pathak, A.P.; Rao, S.V.S.N. [University of Hyderabad, School of Physics, Hyderabad (India); Chan, T.K.; Vajandar, S.; Osipowicz, T. [National University of Singapore, Department of Physics, Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Singapore (Singapore)

2017-05-15

Atomic layer deposited (ALD) samples with layer stacks of HfO{sub 2} (3 nm)/SiO{sub 2} (0.7 nm)/Si were subjected to 120 MeV Au ion irradiation at different fluences to study intermixing effects across the HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} interface. High-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (HRBS) and X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements confirm an increase in the interlayer thickness as a result of SHI induced intermixing effects. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements reveal an order of magnitude difference in the leakage current density between the pristine and irradiated samples. This can be explained by considering the increased physical thickness of interlayer (HfSiO). Furthermore, the samples were subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process to analyze annealing kinetics. (orig.)

Improved charge trapping flash device with Al2O3/HfSiO stack as blocking layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Zhi-Wei; Huo Zong-Liang; Zhu Chen-Xin; Xu Zhong-Guang; Liu Jing; Liu Ming

2011-01-01

In this paper, we investigate an Al 2 O 3 /HfSiO stack as the blocking layer of a metal—oxide—nitride—oxide—silicon-type (MONOS) memory capacitor. Compared with a memory capacitor with a single HfSiO layer as the blocking layer or an Al 2 O 3 /HfO 2 stack as the blocking layer, the sample with the Al 2 O 3 /HfSiO stack as the blocking layer shows high program/erase (P/E) speed and good data retention characteristics. These improved performances can be explained by energy band engineering. The experimental results demonstrate that the memory device with an Al 2 O 3 /HfSiO stack as the blocking layer has great potential for further high-performance nonvolatile memory applications. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Ethers on Si(001): A prime example for the common ground between surface science and molecular organic chemistry

KAUST Repository

Pecher, Lisa

2017-09-15

Using computational chemistry, we show that the adsorption of ether molecules on Si(001) under ultra-high vacuum conditions can be understood with textbook organic chemistry. The two-step reaction mechanism of (1) dative bond formation between the ether oxygen and a Lewis acidic surface atom and (2) a nucleophilic attack of a nearby Lewis basic surface atom is analysed in detail and found to mirror the acid-catalysed ether cleavage in solution. The O-Si dative bond is found to be the strongest of its kind and reactivity from this state defies the Bell-Evans-Polanyi principle. Electron rearrangement during the C-O bond cleavage is visualized using a newly developed bonding analysis method, which shows that the mechanism of nucleophilic substitutions on semiconductor surfaces is identical to molecular chemistry SN2 reactions. Our findings thus illustrate how the fields of surface science and molecular chemistry can mutually benefit and unexpected insight can be gained.

Ethers on Si(001): A prime example for the common ground between surface science and molecular organic chemistry

KAUST Repository

Pecher, Lisa; Laref, Slimane; Raupach, Marc; Tonner, Ralf Ewald

2017-01-01

Using computational chemistry, we show that the adsorption of ether molecules on Si(001) under ultra-high vacuum conditions can be understood with textbook organic chemistry. The two-step reaction mechanism of (1) dative bond formation between the ether oxygen and a Lewis acidic surface atom and (2) a nucleophilic attack of a nearby Lewis basic surface atom is analysed in detail and found to mirror the acid-catalysed ether cleavage in solution. The O-Si dative bond is found to be the strongest of its kind and reactivity from this state defies the Bell-Evans-Polanyi principle. Electron rearrangement during the C-O bond cleavage is visualized using a newly developed bonding analysis method, which shows that the mechanism of nucleophilic substitutions on semiconductor surfaces is identical to molecular chemistry SN2 reactions. Our findings thus illustrate how the fields of surface science and molecular chemistry can mutually benefit and unexpected insight can be gained.

Comparison of HfCl{sub 4}, HfI{sub 4}, TEMA-Hf, and TDMA-Hf as precursors in early growing stages of HfO{sub 2} films deposited by ALD: A DFT study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cortez-Valadez, M. [Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190 Hermosillo, Son. (Mexico); Fierro, C.; Farias-Mancilla, J.R. [Instituto de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Av. del Charro 450, Cd. Juárez C.P. 32310, Chihuahua (Mexico); Vargas-Ortiz, A. [Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Facultad de Ingeniería Mochis, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 81223 Los Mochis, Sinaloa (Mexico); Flores-Acosta, M. [Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190 Hermosillo, Son. (Mexico); Ramírez-Bon, R. [Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Querétaro, Apdo. Postal 1-798, 76001 Querétaro, Qro. (Mexico); Enriquez-Carrejo, J.L. [Instituto de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Av. del Charro 450, Cd. Juárez C.P. 32310, Chihuahua (Mexico); and others

2016-06-15

Highlights: • Hafnium oxide growth on Si(100) by atomic layer deposition was simulated. • The interface structure was considered as silicate and silicide. • The interface was studied employing DFT. • TDMA-Hf precursor show better interface stability. - Abstract: The final structure of HfO{sub 2} films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) after reaction with OH{sup −} ions has been analyzed by DFT (density functional theory). The interaction of the precursors: HfCl{sub 4} (hafnium tetrachloride), HfI{sub 4} (hafnium tetraiodide), TEMA-Hf (tetrakis-ethylmethylamino hafnium), and TDMA-Hf (tetrakis-dimethylamino hafnium) with HO–H was studied employing the B3LYP (Becke 3-parameter, Lee–Yang–Parr) hybrid functional and the PBE (Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof) generalized gradient functional. The structural evolution at the Si(100) surface has been analyzed by LDA (local density approximation). The structural parameters: bond length and bond angle, and the vibrational parameters for the optimized structures are also reported. The presence of hafnium silicate at the interface was detected. The infrared spectra and structural parameters obtained in this work agree with previously reported experimental results.

SiO mass spectrometry and Si-2p photoemission spectroscopy for the study of oxidation reaction dynamics of Si(001) surface by supersonic O sub 2 molecular beams under 1000K

CERN Document Server

Teraoka, Y; Moritani, K

2003-01-01

The Si sup 1 sup 8 O desorption yield was measured in the Si(001) surface temperature region from 900K to 1300K at the sup 1 sup 8 O sub 2 incident energies of 0.7eV, 2.2eV and 3.3eV. The Si sup 1 sup 8 O desorption yield in a surface temperature region higher than 1000K increased with increasing incident energy, indicating the incident-energy-induced oxidation and the variation of angular distribution of Si sup 1 sup 8 O desorption. Inversely, the Si sup 1 sup 8 O desorption yield decreased with increasing incident energy in the region from 900K to 1000K, indicating the coexistence of the passive and the active oxidation. In order to clarify the reaction mechanisms of the later phenomenon, real-time in-situ Si-2p photoemission spectroscopy has been performed. The obtained Si-2p spectra showed the variation of the oxide-nuclei quality from the sub-oxide-rich structure to the SiO sub 2 -rich structure. The formation of the SiO sub 2 structure suppresses the SiO desorption due to the enhanced O sub 2 sticking a...

Determination of total fluoride in HF/HNO3/H2SiF6 etch solutions by new potentiometric titration methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Weinreich, Wenke; Acker, Jörg; Gräber, Iris

2007-03-30

In the photovoltaic industry the etching of silicon in HF/HNO(3) solutions is a decisive process for cleaning wafer surfaces or to produce certain surface morphologies like polishing or texturization. With regard to cost efficiency, a maximal utilisation of etch baths in combination with highest quality and accuracy is strived. To provide an etch bath control realised by a replenishment with concentrated acids the main constituents of these HF/HNO(3) etch solutions including the reaction product H(2)SiF(6) have to be analysed. Two new methods for the determination of the total fluoride content in an acidic etch solution based on the precipitation titration with La(NO(3))(3) are presented within this paper. The first method bases on the proper choice of the reaction conditions, since free fluoride ions have to be liberated from HF and H(2)SiF(6) at the same time to be detected by a fluoride ion-selective electrode (F-ISE). Therefore, the sample is adjusted to a pH of 8 for total cleavage of the SiF(6)(2-) anion and titrated in absence of buffers. In a second method, the titration with La(NO(3))(3) is followed by a change of the pH-value using a HF resistant glass-electrode. Both methods provide consistent values, whereas the analysis is fast and accurate, and thus, applicable for industrial process control.

Role of WC additive on reaction, solid-solution and densification in HfB2–SiC ceramics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Dong-Li; Zheng, Qiang; Gu, Hui

2014-01-01

A comparative study of phase components and compositions was performed for the pressureless sintered HfB2–SiC–WC composites by various analytical methods. The relative decrease of HfB2 phase leads to a new reaction of HfO2 removal by WC to create B2O3. By using SiC instead of Si3N4 as milling med...

Raman scattering from epitaxial HfN layers grown on MgO(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoehr, M.; Seo, H.-S.; Petrov, I.; Greene, J.E.

2006-01-01

Stoichiometric single-crystal HfN layers grown on MgO(001) are analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. Second-order Raman scattering predominates, but first-order modes in the acoustic and optical ranges are also visible. The latter indicates that the O h symmetry of NaCl-structure HfN is broken. The large mass difference between Hf and N leads to a correspondingly large separation, 250 cm -1 , between the first-order acoustic and optical bands. Within this gap, four Raman lines are clearly observed. The first three are the second-order transverse acoustic mode (240 cm -1 ), the sum of the first-order transverse and longitudinal acoustic modes (280 cm -1 ), and the second-order longitudinal acoustic mode (325 cm -1 ). The fourth line at 380 cm -1 is identified as the difference between the first-order optical and acoustic modes. The observed first-order Raman scattering, as well as the width of the gap between the first-order acoustic and optical modes, is in good agreement with previously calculated HfN phonon density of states

Photo-induced tunneling currents in MOS structures with various HfO2/SiO2 stacking dielectrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Sheng Pang

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, the current conduction mechanisms of structures with tandem high-k dielectric in illumination are discussed. Samples of Al/SiO2/Si (S, Al/HfO2/SiO2/Si (H, and Al/3HfO2/SiO2/Si (3H were examined. The significant observation of electron traps of sample H compares to sample S is found under the double bias capacitance-voltage (C-V measurements in illumination. Moreover, the photo absorption sensitivity of sample H is higher than S due to the formation of HfO2 dielectric layer, which leads to larger numbers of carriers crowded through the sweep of VG before the domination of tunneling current. Additionally, the HfO2 dielectric layer would block the electrons passing through oxide from valance band, which would result in less electron-hole (e−-h+ pairs recombination effect. Also, it was found that both of the samples S and H show perimeter dependency of positive bias currents due to strong fringing field effect in dark and illumination; while sample 3H shows area dependency of positive bias currents in strong illumination. The non-uniform tunneling current through thin dielectric and through HfO2 stacking layers are importance to MOS(p tunneling photo diodes.

Ethers on Si(001): A Prime Example for the Common Ground between Surface Science and Molecular Organic Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecher, Lisa; Laref, Slimane; Raupach, Marc; Tonner, Ralf

2017-11-20

By using computational chemistry it has been shown that the adsorption of ether molecules on Si(001) under ultrahigh vacuum conditions can be understood with classical concepts of organic chemistry. Detailed analysis of the two-step reaction mechanism-1) formation of a dative bond between the ether oxygen atom and a Lewis acidic surface atom and 2) nucleophilic attack of a nearby Lewis basic surface atom-shows that it mirrors acid-catalyzed ether cleavage in solution. The O-Si dative bond is the strongest of its kind, and the reactivity in step 2 defies the Bell-Evans-Polanyi principle. Electron rearrangement during C-O bond cleavage has been visualized with a newly developed method for analyzing bonding, which shows that the mechanism of nucleophilic substitutions on semiconductor surfaces is identical to molecular S N 2 reactions. Our findings illustrate how surface science and molecular chemistry can mutually benefit from each other and unexpected insight can be gained. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

CoSi2 growth on Si(001) by reactive deposition epitaxy: Effects of high-flux, low-energy ion irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, C. W.; Greene, J. E.; Petrov, I.

2006-01-01

CoSi 2 layers, CoSi 2 (parallel sign)(001) Si and [100] CoSi 2 (parallel sign)[100] Si , contain fourfold symmetric (111) twinned domains oriented such that (221) CoSi 2 (parallel sign)(001) Si and CoSi 2 (parallel sign)[110] Si . We demonstrate that high-flux low-energy (E Ar + =9.6 eV) Ar + ion irradiation during deposition dramatically increases the area fraction f u of untwinned regions from 0.17 in films grown under standard magnetically balanced conditions in which the ratio J Ar + /J Co of the incident Ar + to Co fluxes is 1.4 to 0.72 with J Ar + /J Co =13.3. TEM analyses show that the early stages of RDE CoSi 2 (001) film growth proceed via the Volmer-Weber mode with independent nucleation of both untwinned and twinned islands. Increasing J Ar + /J Co results in larger values of both the number density and area of untwinned with respect to twinned islands. The intense Ar + ion bombardment creates additional low-energy adsorption sites that favor the nucleation of untwinned islands while collisionally enhancing Co surface mobilities which, in turn, increases the probability of itinerant Co adatoms reaching these sites

Thermally-driven H interaction with HfO2 films deposited on Ge(100) and Si(100)

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, G. V.; Feijó, T. O.; Baumvol, I. J. R.; Aguzzoli, C.; Krug, C.; Radtke, C.

2014-01-01

In the present work, we investigated the thermally-driven H incorporation in HfO2 films deposited on Si and Ge substrates. Two regimes for deuterium (D) uptake were identified, attributed to D bonded near the HfO2/substrate interface region (at 300 °C) and through the whole HfO2 layer (400-600 °C). Films deposited on Si presented higher D amounts for all investigated temperatures, as well as, a higher resistance for D desorption. Moreover, HfO2 films underwent structural changes during annealings, influencing D incorporation. The semiconductor substrate plays a key role in this process.

Single-source-precursor synthesis of dense SiC/HfC(x)N(1-x)-based ultrahigh-temperature ceramic nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Qingbo; Xu, Yeping; Xu, Binbin; Fasel, Claudia; Guillon, Olivier; Buntkowsky, Gerd; Yu, Zhaoju; Riedel, Ralf; Ionescu, Emanuel

2014-11-21

A novel single-source precursor was synthesized by the reaction of an allyl hydrido polycarbosilane (SMP10) and tetrakis(dimethylamido)hafnium(iv) (TDMAH) for the purpose of preparing dense monolithic SiC/HfC(x)N(1-x)-based ultrahigh temperature ceramic nanocomposites. The materials obtained at different stages of the synthesis process were characterized via Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The polymer-to-ceramic transformation was investigated by means of MAS NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with in situ mass spectrometry. Moreover, the microstructural evolution of the synthesized SiHfCN-based ceramics annealed at different temperatures ranging from 1300 °C to 1800 °C was characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on its high temperature behavior, the amorphous SiHfCN-based ceramic powder was used to prepare monolithic SiC/HfC(x)N(1-x)-based nanocomposites using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The results showed that dense monolithic SiC/HfC(x)N(1-x)-based nanocomposites with low open porosity (0.74 vol%) can be prepared successfully from single-source precursors. The average grain size of both HfC0.83N0.17 and SiC phases was found to be less than 100 nm after SPS processing owing to a unique microstructure: HfC0.83N0.17 grains were embedded homogeneously in a β-SiC matrix and encapsulated by in situ formed carbon layers which acted as a diffusion barrier to suppress grain growth. The segregated Hf-carbonitride grains significantly influenced the electrical conductivity of the SPS processed monolithic samples. While Hf-free polymer-derived SiC showed an electrical conductivity of ca. 1.8 S cm(-1), the electrical conductivity of the Hf-containing material was analyzed to be ca. 136.2 S cm(-1).

Comparison of HfCl4, HfI4, TEMA-Hf, and TDMA-Hf as precursors in early growing stages of HfO2 films deposited by ALD: A DFT study

Science.gov (United States)

Cortez-Valadez, M.; Fierro, C.; Farias-Mancilla, J. R.; Vargas-Ortiz, A.; Flores-Acosta, M.; Ramírez-Bon, R.; Enriquez-Carrejo, J. L.; Soubervielle-Montalvo, C.; Mani-Gonzalez, P. G.

2016-06-01

The final structure of HfO2 films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) after reaction with OH- ions has been analyzed by DFT (density functional theory). The interaction of the precursors: HfCl4 (hafnium tetrachloride), HfI4 (hafnium tetraiodide), TEMA-Hf (tetrakis-ethylmethylamino hafnium), and TDMA-Hf (tetrakis-dimethylamino hafnium) with HO-H was studied employing the B3LYP (Becke 3-parameter, Lee-Yang-Parr) hybrid functional and the PBE (Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof) generalized gradient functional. The structural evolution at the Si(100) surface has been analyzed by LDA (local density approximation). The structural parameters: bond length and bond angle, and the vibrational parameters for the optimized structures are also reported. The presence of hafnium silicate at the interface was detected. The infrared spectra and structural parameters obtained in this work agree with previously reported experimental results.

Ultrathin HfON/SiO2 dual tunneling layer for improving the electrical properties of metal–oxide–nitride–oxide–silicon memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, L.; Xu, J.P.; Chen, J.X.; Ji, F.; Huang, X.D.; Lai, P.T.

2012-01-01

A high-k gate stack structure with ultrathin HfON/SiO 2 as dual tunneling layer (DTL), AlN as charge storage layer (CSL) and HfAlO as blocking layer (BL) is proposed to make a charge-trapping-type metal–oxide–nitride–oxide–silicon non-volatile memory device by employing in-situ sputtering method. The validity of the structure is examined and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The memory window, program/erase, endurance and retention properties are investigated and compared with similar gate stack structure with Si 3 N 4 /SiO 2 as DTL, HfO 2 as CSL and Al 2 O 3 as BL. Results show that a large memory window of 3.55 V at a program/erase (P/E) voltage of + 8 V/− 15 V, high P/E speed, and good endurance and retention characteristic can be achieved using the Au/ HfAlO/AlN/(HfON/SiO 2 )/Si gate stack structure. The main mechanisms lie in the enhanced electron injection through the ultrathin high-k HfON/SiO 2 DTL with suitable band offset, high trapping efficiency of the high-k AlN material, and effective blocking role of the high-k HfAlO BL. - Highlights: ► An Au/HfAlO/AlN/(HfON/SiO 2 )/Si high-k gate stack structure is proposed. ► A band-engineered dual tunneling layer (HfON/SiO 2 ) is proposed and prepared. ► A good trade-off among the memory characteristics is obtained. ► In-situ sputtering method is employed to fabricate the gate stack structure.

Si(001):B gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy: Boron surface segregation and its effect on film growth kinetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, H.; Glass, G.; Spila, T.; Taylor, N.; Park, S.Y.; Abelson, J.R.; Greene, J.E. [Department of Materials Science, Coordinated Science Laboratory, and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, 1101 West Springfield, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

1997-09-01

B-doped Si(001) films, with concentrations C{sub B} up to 1.7{times}10{sup 22}cm{sup {minus}3}, were grown by gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy from Si{sub 2}H{sub 6} and B{sub 2}H{sub 6} at T{sub s}=500{endash}800{degree}C. D{sub 2} temperature-programed desorption (TPD) spectra were then used to determine B coverages {theta}{sub B} as a function of C{sub B} and T{sub s}. In these measurements, as-deposited films were flash heated to desorb surface hydrogen, cooled, and exposed to atomic deuterium until saturation coverage. Strong B surface segregation was observed with surface-to-bulk B concentration ratios ranging up to 1200. TPD spectra exhibited {beta}{sub 2} and {beta}{sub 1} peaks associated with dideuteride and monodeuteride desorption as well as lower-temperature B-induced peaks {beta}{sub 2}{sup {asterisk}} and {beta}{sub 1}{sup {asterisk}}. Increasing {theta}{sub B} increased the area under {beta}{sub 2}{sup {asterisk}} and {beta}{sub 1}{sup {asterisk}} at the expense of {beta}{sub 2} and {beta}{sub 1} and decreased the total D coverage {theta}{sub D}. The TPD results were used to determine the B segregation enthalpy, {minus}0.53eV, and to explain and model the effects of high B coverages on Si(001) growth kinetics. Film deposition rates R increase by {ge}50{percent} with increasing C{sub B}{tilde {gt}}1{times}10{sup 19}cm{sup {minus}3} at T{sub s}{le}550{degree}C, due primarily to increased H desorption rates from B-backbonded Si adatoms, and decrease by corresponding amounts at T{sub s}{ge}600{degree}C due to decreased adsorption site densities. At T{sub s}{ge}700{degree}C, high B coverages also induce {l_brace}113{r_brace} facetting. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

Reaction of Tri-methylaluminum on Si (001) Surface for Initial Aluminum Oxide Thin-Film Growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dae Hee; Kim, Dae Hyun; Jeong, Yong Chan; Seo, Hwa Il; Kim, Yeong Cheol

2010-01-01

We studied the reaction of tri-methylaluminum (TMA) on hydroxyl (OH)-terminated Si (001) surfaces for the initial growth of aluminum oxide thin-films using density functional theory. TMA was adsorbed on the oxygen atom of OH due to the oxygen atom's lone pair electrons. The adsorbed TMA reacted with the hydrogen atom of OH to produce a di-methylaluminum group (DMA) and methane with an energy barrier of 0.50 eV. Low energy barriers in the range of 0 - 0.11 eV were required for DMA migration to the inter-dimer, intra-dimer, and inter-row sites on the surface. A unimethylaluminum group (UMA) was generated at each site with low energy barriers in the range of 0.21 - 0.25 eV. Among the three sites, the inter-dimer site was the most probable for UMA formation

Structure determination of the Si(001)-(2 x 1)-H reconstruction by surface X-ray diffraction: Weakening of the dimer bond by the addition of hydrogen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, E.M.; Baker, J.; Nielsen, M.

2000-01-01

The atomic structure of the monohydride Si(001)-(2 x 1)-H reconstruction has been investigated by surface X-ray diffraction. Atomic relaxations down to the eighth layer have been determined. The bond length of the hydrogenated silicon dimers was found to be 2.47 +/- 0.02 Angstrom. which is longer...... than the dimer bond of the clean (2 x 1)-reconstructed Si(001) surface and also 5% longer than the bulk bond length of 2.35 Angstrom. The differences to the (2 x 1) structure of the clean surface are discussed in terms of the elimination of the weak pi-bond character of the dimer bond by the addition...

Study of the La-related dipole in TiN/LaO{sub x}/HfSiON/SiON/Si gate stacks using hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and backside medium energy ion scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boujamaa, R. [STMicroelectronics, 850, rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles (France); CEA-LETI, MINATEC Campus, F38054 Grenoble (France); Laboratoire des Matériaux et du Génie Physique, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3 parvis L. Néel, BP 257, 38016 Grenoble (France); Martinez, E.; Pierre, F.; Renault, O. [CEA-LETI, MINATEC Campus, F38054 Grenoble (France); Detlefs, B.; Zegenhagen, J. [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Baudot, S. [STMicroelectronics, 850, rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles (France); Gros-Jean, M., E-mail: Mickael.Gros-Jean@st.com [STMicroelectronics, 850, rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles (France); Bertin, F. [STMicroelectronics, 850, rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles (France); Dubourdieu, C., E-mail: Catherine.Dubourdieu@ec-lyon.fr [Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon, CNRS, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully (France)

2015-04-30

Highlights: • Precise La depth distribution in gate stacks before and after annealing by MEIS. • Analysis by HAXPES of the buried high K/SiO{sub 2} interface without removing TiN gate. • Formation of La-silicate at the HfSiON/SiON interface. • Internal electrical field induced at the HfSiON/SiON interface by the La diffusion. • Increase of electric field strength with initial LaO{sub x} thickness. - Abstract: In this paper, we report the effect of high temperature annealing on the chemical and electronic structure of technologically relevant TiN/LaO{sub x}/HfSiON/SiON/Si gate stacks. Using medium energy ion scattering from the backside of the samples, a non-destructive compositional depth profile of La has been obtained, revealing the lanthanum diffusion in the SiON interface layer upon annealing. To complement this analysis, hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation has been performed to investigate the chemical and electronic structure of the gate stacks. The results show clear changes in the Hf and Ti core level energy positions with respect to Si bulk, with changes in the thickness of the LaO{sub x} capping layer. We infer that La diffusion generates an internal electrical field at the La-silicate interface between HfSiON and SiON, and that its strength increases with the increase of LaO{sub x} thickness. These findings support the band alignment model based on a La-induced interfacial dipole.

Optical anisotropy of quasi-1D rare-earth silicide nanostructures on Si(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandola, S., E-mail: sandhya.chandola@isas.de [Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS – e.V., Schwarzschildstraße 8, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Speiser, E.; Esser, N. [Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS – e.V., Schwarzschildstraße 8, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Appelfeller, S.; Franz, M.; Dähne, M. [Institut für Festkörperphysik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin (Germany)

2017-03-31

Highlights: • Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) is capable of distinguishing optically between the semiconducting wetting layer and the metallic nanowires of rare earth (Tb and Dy) silicide nanostructures grown on vicinal Si(001). • The spectra of the wetting layer show a distinctive line shape with a large peak appearing at 3.8 eV, which is assigned to the formation of 2 × 3 and 2 × 4-like subunits of the 2 × 7 reconstruction. The spectra of the metallic nanowires show peaks at the E{sub 1} and E{sub 2} transitions of bulk Si which is assigned to strong substrate strain induced by the nanowires. • The optical anisotropy of the Tb nanowires is larger than for the Dy nanowires, which is related to the preferential formation of more strained bundles as well as larger areas of clean Si surfaces in the case of Tb. • RAS is shown to be a powerful addition to surface science techniques for studying the formation of rare-earth silicide nanostructures. Its surface sensitivity and rapidity of response make it an ideal complement to the slower but higher resolution of scanning probes of STM and AFM. - Abstract: Rare earth metals are known to interact strongly with Si(001) surfaces to form different types of silicide nanostructures. Using STM to structurally characterize Dy and Tb silicide nanostructures on vicinal Si(001), it will be shown that reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) can be used as an optical fingerprint technique to clearly distinguish between the formation of a semiconducting two-dimensional wetting layer and the metallic one-dimensional nanowires. Moreover, the distinctive spectral features can be related to structural units of the nanostructures. RAS spectra of Tb and Dy nanostructures are found to show similar features.

Influence of the Localization of Ge Atoms within the Si(001(4 × 2 Surface Layer on Semicore One-Electron States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olha I. Tkachuk

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Adsorption complexes of germanium on the reconstructed Si(001(4 × 2 surface have been simulated by the Si96Ge2Н84 cluster. For Ge atoms located on the surface layer, DFT calculations (B3LYP/6-31G** of their 3d semicore-level energies have shown a clear-cut correlation between the 3d5/2 chemical shifts and mutual arrangement of Ge atoms. Such a shift is positive when only one Ge atom penetrates into the crystalline substrate, while being negative for both penetrating Ge atoms. We interpret these results in terms of the charge distribution in clusters under consideration.

A new Ti-Zr-Hf-Cu-Ni-Si-Sn bulk amorphous alloy with high glass-forming ability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.J.; Shen, J.; Sun, J.F.; Yu, X.B.

2007-01-01

The effect of Sn substitution for Cu on the glass-forming ability was investigated in Ti 41.5 Zr 2.5 Hf 5 Cu 42.5-x Ni 7.5 Si 1 Sn x (x = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7) alloys by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry. The alloy containing 5% Sn shows the highest glass-forming ability (GFA) among the Ti-Zr-Hf-Cu-Ni-Si-Sn system. Fully amorphous rod sample with diameters up to 6 mm could be successfully fabricated by the copper mold casting Ti 41.5 Zr 2.5 Hf 5 Cu 37.5 Ni 7.5 Si 1 Sn 5 alloy. The activation energies for glass transition and crystallization for Ti 41.5 Zr 2.5 Hf 5 Cu 37.5 Ni 7.5 Si 1 Sn 5 amorphous alloy are both larger than those values for the Sn-free alloy. The enhancement in GFA and thermal stability after the partial replacement of Cu by Sn may be contributed to the strong atomic bonding nature between Ti and Sn and the increasing of atomic packing density. The amorphous Ti 41.5 Zr 2.5 Hf 5 Cu 37.5 Ni 7.5 Si 1 Sn 5 alloy also possesses superior mechanical properties

Epitaxial Ge Solar Cells Directly Grown on Si (001) by MOCVD Using Isobutylgermane

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Youngjo; Kim, Kangho; Lee, Jaejin; Kim, Chang Zoo; Kang, Ho Kwan; Park, Won-Kyu

2018-03-01

Epitaxial Ge layers have been grown on Si (001) substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using an isobutylgermane (IBuGe) metalorganic source. Low and high temperature two-step growth and post annealing techniques are employed to overcome the lattice mismatch problem between Ge and Si. It is demonstrated that high quality Ge epitaxial layers can be grown on Si (001) by using IBuGe with surface RMS roughness of 2 nm and an estimated threading dislocation density of 4.9 × 107 cm -2. Furthermore, single-junction Ge solar cells have been directly grown on Si substrates with an in situ MOCVD growth. The epitaxial Ge p- n junction structures are investigated with transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical C- V measurements. As a result, a power conversion efficiency of 1.69% was achieved for the Ge solar cell directly grown on Si substrate under AM1.5G condition.

Suppression of interfacial reaction for HfO2 on silicon by pre-CF4 plasma treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, C.S.; Wu, W.C.; Chao, T.S.; Chen, J.H.; Wang, J.C.; Tay, L.-L.; Rowell, Nelson

2006-01-01

In this letter, the effects of pre-CF 4 plasma treatment on Si for sputtered HfO 2 gate dielectrics are investigated. The significant fluorine was incorporated at the HfO 2 /Si substrate interface for a sample with the CF 4 plasma pretreatment. The Hf silicide was suppressed and Hf-F bonding was observed for the CF 4 plasma pretreated sample. Compared with the as-deposited sample, the effective oxide thickness was much reduced for the pre-CF 4 plasma treated sample due to the elimination of the interfacial layer between HfO 2 and Si substrate. These improved characteristics of the HfO 2 gate dielectrics can be explained in terms of the fluorine atoms blocking oxygen diffusion through the HfO 2 film into the Si substrate

Early stage oxynitridation process of Si(001) surface by NO gas: Reactive molecular dynamics simulation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Haining; Kim, Seungchul; Lee, Kwang-Ryeol; Srivastava, Pooja; Choi, Keunsu

2016-01-01

Initial stage of oxynitridation process of Si substrate is of crucial importance in fabricating the ultrathin gate dielectric layer of high quality in advanced MOSFET devices. The oxynitridation reaction on a relaxed Si(001) surface is investigated via reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. A total of 1120 events of a single nitric oxide (NO) molecule reaction at temperatures ranging from 300 to 1000 K are statistically analyzed. The observed reaction kinetics are consistent with the previous experimental or calculation results, which show the viability of the reactive MD technique to study the NO dissociation reaction on Si. We suggest the reaction pathway for NO dissociation that is characterized by the inter-dimer bridge of a NO molecule as the intermediate state prior to NO dissociation. Although the energy of the inter-dimer bridge is higher than that of the intra-dimer one, our suggestion is supported by the ab initio nudged elastic band calculations showing that the energy barrier for the inter-dimer bridge formation is much lower. The growth mechanism of an ultrathin Si oxynitride layer is also investigated via consecutive NO reactions simulation. The simulation reveals the mechanism of self-limiting reaction at low temperature and the time evolution of the depth profile of N and O atoms depending on the process temperature, which would guide to optimize the oxynitridation process condition.

Early stage oxynitridation process of Si(001) surface by NO gas: Reactive molecular dynamics simulation study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Haining; Kim, Seungchul; Lee, Kwang-Ryeol, E-mail: krlee@kist.re.kr [Computational Science Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarangno 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Nanomaterial Science and Technology, Korea University of Science and Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34113 (Korea, Republic of); Srivastava, Pooja; Choi, Keunsu [Computational Science Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarangno 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-03-28

Initial stage of oxynitridation process of Si substrate is of crucial importance in fabricating the ultrathin gate dielectric layer of high quality in advanced MOSFET devices. The oxynitridation reaction on a relaxed Si(001) surface is investigated via reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. A total of 1120 events of a single nitric oxide (NO) molecule reaction at temperatures ranging from 300 to 1000 K are statistically analyzed. The observed reaction kinetics are consistent with the previous experimental or calculation results, which show the viability of the reactive MD technique to study the NO dissociation reaction on Si. We suggest the reaction pathway for NO dissociation that is characterized by the inter-dimer bridge of a NO molecule as the intermediate state prior to NO dissociation. Although the energy of the inter-dimer bridge is higher than that of the intra-dimer one, our suggestion is supported by the ab initio nudged elastic band calculations showing that the energy barrier for the inter-dimer bridge formation is much lower. The growth mechanism of an ultrathin Si oxynitride layer is also investigated via consecutive NO reactions simulation. The simulation reveals the mechanism of self-limiting reaction at low temperature and the time evolution of the depth profile of N and O atoms depending on the process temperature, which would guide to optimize the oxynitridation process condition.

120 MeV Ag ion induced effects in Au/HfO2/Si MOSCAPs

Science.gov (United States)

Manikanthababu, N.; Prajna, K.; Pathak, A. P.; Rao, S. V. S. Nageswara

2018-05-01

HfO2/Si thinfilms were deposited by RF sputtering technique. 120 MeV Ag ion irradiation has been used to study the electrical properties of Au/HfO2/Si MOSCAPs. SHI (120 MeV Ag) induced annealing, defects creation and intermixing effects on the electrical properties of these systems have been studied. Here, we have observed that the high electronic excitation can cause a significant reduction of leakage currents in these MOSCAP devices. Various quantum mechanical tunneling phenomenon has been observed from the I-V characteristics.

Metal-Free CVD Graphene Synthesis on 200 mm Ge/Si(001) Substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Lukosius, M; Dabrowski, J; Kitzmann, J; Fursenko, O; Akhtar, F; Lisker, M; Lippert, G; Schulze, S; Yamamoto, Y; Schubert, M A; Krause, H M; Wolff, A; Mai, A; Schroeder, T; Lupina, G

2016-12-14

Good quality, complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology compatible, 200 mm graphene was obtained on Ge(001)/Si(001) wafers in this work. Chemical vapor depositions were carried out at the deposition temperatures of 885 °C using CH 4 as carbon source on epitaxial Ge(100) layers, which were grown on Si(100), prior to the graphene synthesis. Graphene layer with the 2D/G ratio ∼3 and low D mode (i.e., low concentration of defects) was measured over the entire 200 mm wafer by Raman spectroscopy. A typical full-width-at-half-maximum value of 39 cm -1 was extracted for the 2D mode, further indicating that graphene of good structural quality was produced. The study also revealed that the lack of interfacial oxide correlates with superior properties of graphene. In order to evaluate electrical properties of graphene, its 2 × 2 cm 2 pieces were transferred onto SiO 2 /Si substrates from Ge/Si wafers. The extracted sheet resistance and mobility values of transferred graphene layers were ∼1500 ± 100 Ω/sq and μ ≈ 400 ± 20 cm 2 /V s, respectively. The transferred graphene was free of metallic contaminations or mechanical damage. On the basis of results of DFT calculations, we attribute the high structural quality of graphene grown by CVD on Ge to hydrogen-induced reduction of nucleation probability, explain the appearance of graphene-induced facets on Ge(001) as a kinetic effect caused by surface step pinning at linear graphene nuclei, and clarify the orientation of graphene domains on Ge(001) as resulting from good lattice matching between Ge(001) and graphene nucleated on such nuclei.

Threshold voltage control in TmSiO/HfO2 high-k/metal gate MOSFETs

Science.gov (United States)

Dentoni Litta, E.; Hellström, P.-E.; Östling, M.

2015-06-01

High-k interfacial layers have been proposed as a way to extend the scalability of Hf-based high-k/metal gate CMOS technology, which is currently limited by strong degradations in threshold voltage control, channel mobility and device reliability when the chemical oxide (SiOx) interfacial layer is scaled below 0.4 nm. We have previously demonstrated that thulium silicate (TmSiO) is a promising candidate as a high-k interfacial layer, providing competitive advantages in terms of EOT scalability and channel mobility. In this work, the effect of the TmSiO interfacial layer on threshold voltage control is evaluated, showing that the TmSiO/HfO2 dielectric stack is compatible with threshold voltage control techniques commonly used with SiOx/HfO2 stacks. Specifically, we show that the flatband voltage can be set in the range -1 V to +0.5 V by the choice of gate metal and that the effective workfunction of the stack is properly controlled by the metal workfunction in a gate-last process flow. Compatibility with a gate-first approach is also demonstrated, showing that integration of La2O3 and Al2O3 capping layers can induce a flatband voltage shift of at least 150 mV. Finally, the effect of the annealing conditions on flatband voltage is investigated, finding that the duration of the final forming gas anneal can be used as a further process knob to tune the threshold voltage. The evaluation performed on MOS capacitors is confirmed by the fabrication of TmSiO/HfO2/TiN MOSFETs achieving near-symmetric threshold voltages at sub-nm EOT.

A new Ti-Zr-Hf-Cu-Ni-Si-Sn bulk amorphous alloy with high glass-forming ability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Y.J. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Shen, J. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)]. E-mail: junshen@hit.edu.cn; Sun, J.F. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Yu, X.B. [Lab of Energy Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)]. E-mail: yuxuebin@hotmail.com

2007-01-16

The effect of Sn substitution for Cu on the glass-forming ability was investigated in Ti{sub 41.5}Zr{sub 2.5}Hf{sub 5}Cu{sub 42.5-x}Ni{sub 7.5}Si{sub 1}Sn {sub x} (x = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7) alloys by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry. The alloy containing 5% Sn shows the highest glass-forming ability (GFA) among the Ti-Zr-Hf-Cu-Ni-Si-Sn system. Fully amorphous rod sample with diameters up to 6 mm could be successfully fabricated by the copper mold casting Ti{sub 41.5}Zr{sub 2.5}Hf{sub 5}Cu{sub 37.5}Ni{sub 7.5}Si{sub 1}Sn{sub 5} alloy. The activation energies for glass transition and crystallization for Ti{sub 41.5}Zr{sub 2.5}Hf{sub 5}Cu{sub 37.5}Ni{sub 7.5}Si{sub 1}Sn{sub 5} amorphous alloy are both larger than those values for the Sn-free alloy. The enhancement in GFA and thermal stability after the partial replacement of Cu by Sn may be contributed to the strong atomic bonding nature between Ti and Sn and the increasing of atomic packing density. The amorphous Ti{sub 41.5}Zr{sub 2.5}Hf{sub 5}Cu{sub 37.5}Ni{sub 7.5}Si{sub 1}Sn{sub 5} alloy also possesses superior mechanical properties.

Interfacial, Electrical, and Band Alignment Characteristics of HfO2/Ge Stacks with In Situ-Formed SiO2 Interlayer by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yan-Qiang; Wu, Bing; Wu, Di; Li, Ai-Dong

2017-05-01

In situ-formed SiO2 was introduced into HfO2 gate dielectrics on Ge substrate as interlayer by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). The interfacial, electrical, and band alignment characteristics of the HfO2/SiO2 high-k gate dielectric stacks on Ge have been well investigated. It has been demonstrated that Si-O-Ge interlayer is formed on Ge surface during the in situ PEALD SiO2 deposition process. This interlayer shows fantastic thermal stability during annealing without obvious Hf-silicates formation. In addition, it can also suppress the GeO2 degradation. The electrical measurements show that capacitance equivalent thickness of 1.53 nm and a leakage current density of 2.1 × 10-3 A/cm2 at gate bias of Vfb + 1 V was obtained for the annealed sample. The conduction (valence) band offsets at the HfO2/SiO2/Ge interface with and without PDA are found to be 2.24 (2.69) and 2.48 (2.45) eV, respectively. These results indicate that in situ PEALD SiO2 may be a promising interfacial control layer for the realization of high-quality Ge-based transistor devices. Moreover, it can be demonstrated that PEALD is a much more powerful technology for ultrathin interfacial control layer deposition than MOCVD.

Fermi surfaces of YRu2Si2 and LaRu2Si2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Settai, R.; Ikezawa, H.; Toshima, H.; Takashita, M.; Ebihara, T.; Sugawara, H.; Kimura, T.; Motoki, K.; Onuki, Y.

1995-01-01

We have measured the de Haas-van Alphen effect of YRu 2 Si 2 and LaRu 2 Si 2 to clarify the Fermi surfaces and cyclotron masses. Main hole-Fermi surfaces of both compounds with a distorted ellipsoid shape are similar, occupying about half of the Brillouin zone. The small hole-Fermi surfaces with the shape of a rugby ball are three in number for LaRu 2 Si 2 , and one for YRu 2 Si 2 . An electron-Fermi surface consists of a doughnut like shape for LaRu 2 Si 2 , while a cylinder along the [001] direction and a multiply-connected shape exist for YRu 2 Si 2 . The cyclotron masses of YRu 2 Si 2 are a little larger than those of LaRu 2 Si 2 . ((orig.))

Ordered GeSi nanorings grown on patterned Si (001 substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma Yingjie

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract An easy approach to fabricate ordered pattern using nanosphere lithography and reactive iron etching technology was demonstrated. Long-range ordered GeSi nanorings with 430 nm period were grown on patterned Si (001 substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The size and shape of rings were closely associated with the size of capped GeSi quantum dots and the Si capping processes. Statistical analysis on the lateral size distribution shows that the high growth temperature and the long-term annealing can improve the uniformity of nanorings. PACS code1·PACS code2·more Mathematics Subject Classification (2000 MSC code1·MSC code2·more

Friction and Wear of Unlubricated NiTiHf with Nitriding Surface Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Stanford, Malcolm K.

2018-01-01

The unlubricated friction and wear properties of the superelastic materials NiTi and NiTiHf, treated by either gas nitriding or plasma nitriding, have been investigated. Pin on disk testing of the studied materials was performed at sliding speeds from 0.01 to 1m/s at normal loads of 1, 5 or 10N. For all of the studied friction pairs (NiTiHf pins vs. NiTi and NiTiHf disks) over the given parameters, the steady-state coefficients of friction varied from 0.22 to 1.6. Pin wear factors ranged from approximately 1E-6 against the NiTiHf and plasma nitrided disks to approximately 1E-4 for the gas nitrided disks. The plasma nitrided disks provided wear protection in several cases and tended to wear by adhesion. The gas nitrided treatment generated the most pin wear but had essentially no disk wear except at the most severe of the studied conditions (1N load and 1m/s sliding speed). The results of this study are expected to provide guidance for design of components such as gears and fasteners.

Mechanisms for plasma etching of HfO{sub 2} gate stacks with Si selectivity and photoresist trimming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shoeb, Juline; Kushner, Mark J. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122 (United States)

2009-11-15

To minimize leakage currents resulting from the thinning of the insulator in the gate stack of field effect transistors, high-dielectric constant (high-k) metal oxides, and HfO{sub 2} in particular, are being implemented as a replacement for SiO{sub 2}. To speed the rate of processing, it is desirable to etch the gate stack (e.g., metal gate, antireflection layers, and dielectric) in a single process while having selectivity to the underlying Si. Plasma etching using Ar/BCl{sub 3}/Cl{sub 2} mixtures effectively etches HfO{sub 2} while having good selectivity to Si. In this article, results from integrated reactor and feature scale modeling of gate-stack etching in Ar/BCl{sub 3}/Cl{sub 2} plasmas, preceded by photoresist trimming in Ar/O{sub 2} plasmas, are discussed. It was found that BCl{sub n} species react with HfO{sub 2}, which under ion impact, form volatile etch products such as B{sub m}OCl{sub n} and HfCl{sub n}. Selectivity to Si is achieved by creating Si-B bonding as a precursor to the deposition of a BCl{sub n} polymer which slows the etch rate relative to HfO{sub 2}. The low ion energies required to achieve this selectivity then challenge one to obtain highly anisotropic profiles in the metal gate portion of the stack. Validation was performed with data from literature. The effect of bias voltage and key reactant probabilities on etch rate, selectivity, and profile are discussed.

Theoretical modelling of tip effects in the pushing manipulation of C60 on the Si(001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martsinovich, N; Kantorovich, L

2008-01-01

We present the results of our theoretical studies on the repulsive (pushing) manipulation of a C 60 molecule on the Si(001) surface with several scanning tunnelling microscopy tips. We show that, for silicon tips, tip-C 60 bonds are formed even with tips that do not initially have dangling bonds, and this tip-C 60 interaction drives the manipulation of the molecule. The details of the atomic structure of the tip and its position relative to the molecule do not have a significant effect on the mechanism and the sequence of adsorption configurations during the pushing manipulation of C 60 along the trough, where the trough itself provides a guiding effect. The pushing manipulation is thus a very robust process that occurs largely independently of the tip structure. On the other hand, the pushing manipulation across an Si-Si dimer row into the neighbouring trough proceeds in a more complex way, with tip deformation and detachment more likely to occur. We demonstrate the role of tip deformation and tip-molecule bond rearrangement in the continuous manipulation of the molecule. Finally, we calculate and analyse the forces acting on the tip during manipulation and identify characteristic patterns

Recovery Process of Li, Al and Si from Lepidolite by Leaching with HF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo D. Rosales

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This work describes the development of a new process for the recovery of Li, Al and Si along with the proposal of a flow sheet for the precipitation of those metals. The developed process is comprised of lepidolite acid digestion with hydrofluoric acid, and the subsequent precipitation of the metals present in the leach liquor. The leaching operational parameters studied were: reaction time, temperature and HF concentration. The experimental results indicate that the optimal conditions to achieve a Li extraction higher than 90% were: solid-liquid ratio, 1.82% (w/v; temperature, 123 °C; HF concentration, 7% (v/v; stirring speed, 330 rpm; and reaction time, 120 min. Al and Si can be recovered as Na3AlF6 and K2SiF6. LiF was separated from the leach liquor during water evaporation, with recovery values of 92%.

Improvement on the electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO2/6H-SiC MIS capacitors using post deposition annealing and post metallization annealing

Science.gov (United States)

Esakky, Papanasam; Kailath, Binsu J.

2017-08-01

HfO2 as a gate dielectric enables high electric field operation of SiC MIS structure and as gas sensor HfO2/SiC capacitors offer higher sensitivity than SiO2/SiC capacitors. The issue of higher density of oxygen vacancies and associated higher leakage current necessitates better passivation of HfO2/SiC interface. Effect of post deposition annealing in N2O plasma and post metallization annealing in forming gas on the structural and electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO2/SiC MIS capacitors are reported in this work. N2O plasma annealing suppresses crystallization during high temperature annealing thereby improving the thermal stability and plasma annealing followed by rapid thermal annealing in N2 result in formation of Hf silicate at the HfO2/SiC interface resulting in order of magnitude lower density of interface states and gate leakage current. Post metallization annealing in forming gas for 40 min reduces interface state density by two orders while gate leakage current density is reduced by thrice. Post deposition annealing in N2O plasma and post metallization annealing in forming gas are observed to be effective passivation techniques improving the electrical characteristics of HfO2/SiC capacitors.

Transmission electron microscopy assessment of conductive-filament formation in Ni-HfO2-Si resistive-switching operational devices

Science.gov (United States)

Martín, Gemma; González, Mireia B.; Campabadal, Francesca; Peiró, Francesca; Cornet, Albert; Estradé, Sònia

2018-01-01

Resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) devices are currently the object of extensive research to replace flash non-volatile memory. However, elucidation of the conductive-filament formation mechanisms in ReRAM devices at nanoscale is mandatory. In this study, the different states created under real operation conditions of HfO2-based ReRAM devices are characterized through transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The physical mechanism behind the conductive-filament formation in Ni/HfO2/Si ReRAM devices based on the diffusion of Ni from the electrode to the Si substrate and of Si from the substrate to the electrode through the HfO2 layer is demonstrated.

In-situ atomic layer deposition growth of Hf-oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karavaev, Konstantin

2010-01-01

We have grown HfO 2 on Si(001) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using HfCl 4 , TEMAHf, TDMAHf and H 2 O as precursors. The early stages of the ALD were investigated with high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We observed the changes occurring in the Si 2p, O 1s, Hf 4f, Hf 4d, and Cl 2p (for HfCl 4 experiment) core level lines after each ALD cycle up to the complete formation of two layers of HfO 2 . The investigation was carried out in situ giving the possibility to determine the properties of the grown film after every ALD cycle or even after a half cycle. This work focused on the advantages in-situ approach in comparison with ex-situ experiments. The study provides to follow the evolution of the important properties of HfO 2 : contamination level, density and stoichiometry, and influence of the experimental parameters to the interface layer formation during ALD. Our investigation shows that in-situ XPS approach for ALD gives much more information than ex-situ experiments. (orig.)

In-situ atomic layer deposition growth of Hf-oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karavaev, Konstantin

2010-06-17

We have grown HfO{sub 2} on Si(001) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using HfCl{sub 4}, TEMAHf, TDMAHf and H{sub 2}O as precursors. The early stages of the ALD were investigated with high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We observed the changes occurring in the Si 2p, O 1s, Hf 4f, Hf 4d, and Cl 2p (for HfCl{sub 4} experiment) core level lines after each ALD cycle up to the complete formation of two layers of HfO{sub 2}. The investigation was carried out in situ giving the possibility to determine the properties of the grown film after every ALD cycle or even after a half cycle. This work focused on the advantages in-situ approach in comparison with ex-situ experiments. The study provides to follow the evolution of the important properties of HfO{sub 2}: contamination level, density and stoichiometry, and influence of the experimental parameters to the interface layer formation during ALD. Our investigation shows that in-situ XPS approach for ALD gives much more information than ex-situ experiments. (orig.)

Growth, morphology, and conductivity in semimetallic/metallic films on Si(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jnawali, Giriraj

2009-06-09

This dissertation deals with the study of epitaxial growth of semimetallic (Bi) and metallic (Ag) films on Si(001) as well as in situ electrical transport study of those films via surface manipulation. The focus of the transport measurements is to study the influence of the surface morphology or structure on the resistance of the film. In spite of the large lattice mismatch and different lattice geometry, it is possible to grow epitaxial Bi(111) films on Si(001) substrates, which are surprisingly smooth, relaxed and almost free of defects. Due to the two-fold symmetry of the substrates, the Bi(111) film is composed of crystallites rotated by 90 with respect to each other. Annealing of 6 nm film from 150 K to 450 K enables the formation of a periodic interfacial misfit dislocations, which accommodates a remaining lattice mismatch of 2.3 %. The surface/interface roughness and the bulk defect density of the film found to be extremely low, indicating the high crystalline quality of the film with atomically smooth surface and abrupt interface. Similar to the Bi films, Ag grows in a (111) orientation on Si(001) with two 90 rotated domains. The remaining strain of 2.2 % (tensile) is accommodated by the formation of an ordered network of dislocations. The Ag film exhibits atomically smooth surface. Those Bi films and Ag films were used as model systems to study the influence of the surface morphology on the electrical resistance. Surprisingly, all the Bi films (3-170 nm thicknesses) have shown an anomalous behavior of conductance with temperature and thickness. As in the case of doped semiconductor, the conductance increases exponentially from 150 K to 300 K and saturates at 350 K before finally decreasing with temperature. In situ measurements of the resistance during additional Bi deposition on the smooth Bi(111) films exhibit a square root dependent with coverage after a linear increase at very low coverage (1 % of a BL). During additional deposition of Bi, carriers are

Development and Performance Evaluations of HfO2-Si and Rare Earth-Si Based Environmental Barrier Bond Coat Systems for SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Dongming

2014-01-01

Ceramic environmental barrier coatings (EBC) and SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) will play a crucial role in future aircraft propulsion systems because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures, improve component durability, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. Advanced EBC systems for SiCSiC CMC turbine and combustor hot section components are currently being developed to meet future turbine engine emission and performance goals. One of the significant material development challenges for the high temperature CMC components is to develop prime-reliant, high strength and high temperature capable environmental barrier coating bond coat systems, since the current silicon bond coat cannot meet the advanced EBC-CMC temperature and stability requirements. In this paper, advanced NASA HfO2-Si based EBC bond coat systems for SiCSiC CMC combustor and turbine airfoil applications are investigated. The coating design approach and stability requirements are specifically emphasized, with the development and implementation focusing on Plasma Sprayed (PS) and Electron Beam-Physic Vapor Deposited (EB-PVD) coating systems and the composition optimizations. High temperature properties of the HfO2-Si based bond coat systems, including the strength, fracture toughness, creep resistance, and oxidation resistance were evaluated in the temperature range of 1200 to 1500 C. Thermal gradient heat flux low cycle fatigue and furnace cyclic oxidation durability tests were also performed at temperatures up to 1500 C. The coating strength improvements, degradation and failure modes of the environmental barrier coating bond coat systems on SiCSiC CMCs tested in simulated stress-environment interactions are briefly discussed and supported by modeling. The performance enhancements of the HfO2-Si bond coat systems with rare earth element dopants and rare earth-silicon based bond coats are also highlighted. The advanced bond coat systems, when

Structure of 3 at.% and 9 at.% Si-doped HfO{sub 2} from combined refinement of X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Lili [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, NC 27695 (United States); School of Information Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi' an 710127 (China); Hou, Dong; Usher, Tedi-Marie; Iamsasri, Thanakorn; Fancher, Chris M.; Forrester, Jennifer S. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, NC 27695 (United States); Nishida, Toshikazu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, FL 32611 (United States); Moghaddam, Saeed [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, FL 32611 (United States); Jones, Jacob L., E-mail: jacobjones@ncsu.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, NC 27695 (United States)

2015-10-15

The crystal structure of 3 at.% and 9 at.% Si-doped HfO{sub 2} powder was determined through refinements using X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns. The lattice parameters, atomic positions, dopant occupancy, and the second phase fraction were determined with high precision using a combined full pattern fitting via the Rietveld method. The results show that both 3 at.% and 9 at.% Si-doped HfO{sub 2} powder exhibit the monoclinic crystal structure with P 1 2{sub 1}/c 1 space group. Through the combined refinement, the crystal structure parameters, especially for the positions and occupancies of the lighter atoms, were more precisely determined compared to independent X-ray diffraction refinement. Although the ionic radius of Si{sup 4+} is smaller than Hf{sup 4+}, with increasing Si occupancy, the unit cell volume slightly increases; possible mechanisms for this effect are discussed. Moreover, the refined results provide evidence of the existence of a non-equilibrium phase of Hf{sub x}Si{sub 1−x}O{sub 2}. The second phase (SiO{sub 2}) fraction is determined as 0.17 at.% for 3 at.% Si-doped HfO{sub 2} powders and 1.7 at.% for 9 at.% Si-doped HfO{sub 2} powders. - Highlights: • X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns were used to determine crystal structure. • Results from independent refinements and a combined refinement were compared. • Highly precise structural parameters were obtained by the combined refinement. • Structural data of 3 at.% and 9 at.% Si-doped HfO{sub 2} are provided. • The unit cell volume slightly increases with Si concentration from 3 to 9 at.%.

Germanium growth on electron beam lithography patterned Si3N4/Si(001) substrate using molecular beam epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Subhendu Sinha; Katiyar, Ajit K.; Sarkar, Arijit; Dhar, Achintya; Rudra, Arun; Khatri, Ravinder K.; Ray, Samit Kumar

2018-04-01

It is important to investigate the growth dynamics of Ge adatoms under different surface stress regimes of the patterned dielectric to control the selective growth of self-assembled Ge nanostructures on silicon. In the present work, we have studied the growth of Ge by molecular beam epitaxy on nanometer scale patterned Si3N4/Si(001) substrates generated using electron beam lithography. The pitch of the patterns has been varied to investigate its effect on the growth of Ge in comparison to un-patterned Si3N4. For the patterned Si3N4 film, Ge did not desorbed completely from the Si3N4 film and hence no site selective growth pattern is observed. Instead, depending upon the pitch, Ge growth has occurred in different growth modes around the openings in the Si3N4. For the un-patterned substrate, the morphology exhibits the occurrence of uniform 3D clustering of Ge adatoms on Si3N4 film. This variation in the growth modes of Ge is attributed to the variation of residual stress in the Si3N4 film for different pitch of holes, which has been confirmed theoretically through Comsol Multiphysics simulation. The variation in stress for different pitches resulted in modulation of surface energy of the Si3N4 film leading to the different growth modes of Ge.

Optical properties of a HfO2/Si stack with a trace amount of nitrogen incorporation

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Li; Tingting, Jiang; Qingqing, Sun; Pengfei, Wang; Shijin, Ding; Wei, Zhang

2012-03-01

HfO2 films were deposited by atomic layer deposition through alternating pulsing of Hf[N(C2H5)(CH3)]4 and H2O2. A trace amount of nitrogen was incorporated into the HfO2 through ammonia annealing. The composition, the interface stability of the HfO2/Si stack and the optical properties of the annealed films were analyzed to investigate the property evolution of HfO2 during thermal treatment. With a nitrogen concentration increase from 1.41 to 7.45%, the bandgap of the films decreased from 5.82 to 4.94 eV.

Effect of La doping on interface barrier between Si-passivated Ge and insulating HfO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolomiiets, Nadiia M.; Afanas' ev, Valery V.; Madia, Oreste; Stesmans, Andre [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Cott, Daire J.; Collaert, Nadine [Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Thean, Aaron [Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); National University of Singapore (Singapore)

2016-12-15

By analyzing internal photoemission of electrons from Si/SiO{sub x}-passivated Ge into insulating HfO{sub 2} we found that insertion of additional La interlayer between SiO{sub x} and HfO{sub 2} leads to dramatic increase (more than by factor of 20) of the barrier transparency. However, no measurable variation of the interface barrier height is observed suggesting that La induces intermixing of near-interface oxide stack resulting in development of additional density of states corresponding to conduction band of LaO{sub x} and HfO{sub x} sub-networks. At the same time, photoemission results indicate the presence of discrete positive charges in the near-interface oxide layer which may explain the observed ∝1 V shift of capacitance-voltage curves. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Mechanical properties of ultra-thin HfO2 films studied by nano scratches tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Wei-En; Chang, Yong-Qing; Chang, Chia-Wei; Yao, Chih-Kai; Liao, Jiunn-Der

2013-01-01

10-nm-thick atomic layer deposited HfO 2 films were characterized in terms of wear resistance and indentation hardness to investigate the thermal annealing induced impacts on mechanical properties. The wear resistance of ultra-thin films at low loads was characterized using nano-scratch tests with an atomic force microscope. The depth of the nano-scratches decreases with increasing annealing temperature, indicating that the hardness of the annealed films increases with the annealing temperatures. Surface nanoindentation was also performed to confirm the nanoscratch test results. The hardness variation of the annealed films is due to the generation of HfSi x O y induced by the thermal annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements proved that the hardness of formed HfSi x O y with increasing annealing temperatures. The existence of HfSi x O y broadens the interface, and causes the increase of the interfacial layer thickness. As a result, the surface hardness increases with the increasing HfSi x O y induced by the thermal annealing. - Highlights: ► Mechanical properties of HfO 2 films were assessed by nano-scratch and indentation. ► Scratch depth of HfO 2 films decreased with the increase of annealing temperatures. ► Nano-hardness of HfO 2 films increased with the increase of annealing temperatures

Structural And Energetic Changes of Si (100 Surface With Fluorine in Presence of Water – A Density Functional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takeo Ebina

2001-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract: We report density functional electronic structure calculations to monitor the change in the surface characteristics of the Si (100-2x1 surface after fluorination followed by interaction with water. Embedded finite silicon clusters are used to model an extended Si (100-2x1 surface. Two high symmetry pathways and subsequent adsorption sites were examined: (i adsorption of an fluorine atom directing onto a silicon dangling bond to form a monocoordinated fluorine atom (ii adsorption of a fluorine atom directing on top of silicon dimer to form a bridging dicoordinated fluorine atom. However, in the later case we find that no barrier exists for the bridging fluorine atom to slide towards silicon dimer dangling bond to form more stable mono coordinated Si-F bond. We calculated activation barriers and equilibrium surface configuration as a function of fluorine coverage upto 2.0 ML. We compared the stability of the fluorinated surface. The results were compared with existing experimental and theoretical results. The reaction of water with HF treated Si surface is monitored. It produces, as a first step, the exchange of Si-F with water to form Si-OH groups reducing the concentration of the fluorine on the surface, followed by a rapture of Si-Si bonds and finally the Si-O-Si bridge formation in the lattice.

Reliability assessment of ultra-thin HfO2 films deposited on silicon wafer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Wei-En; Chang, Chia-Wei; Chang, Yong-Qing; Yao, Chih-Kai; Liao, Jiunn-Der

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Nano-mechanical properties on annealed ultra-thin HfO 2 film are studied. ► By AFM analysis, hardness of the crystallized HfO 2 film significantly increases. ► By nano-indention, the film hardness increases with less contact stiffness. ► Quality assessment on the annealed ultra-thin films can thus be achieved. - Abstract: Ultra-thin hafnium dioxide (HfO 2 ) is used to replace silicon dioxide to meet the required transistor feature size in advanced semiconductor industry. The process integration compatibility and long-term reliability for the transistors depend on the mechanical performance of ultra-thin HfO 2 films. The criteria of reliability including wear resistance, thermal fatigue, and stress-driven failure rely on film adhesion significantly. The adhesion and variations in mechanical properties induced by thermal annealing of the ultra-thin HfO 2 films deposited on silicon wafers (HfO 2 /SiO 2 /Si) are not fully understood. In this work, the mechanical properties of an atomic layer deposited HfO 2 (nominal thickness ≈10 nm) on a silicon wafer were characterized by the diamond-coated tip of an atomic force microscope and compared with those of annealed samples. The results indicate that the annealing process leads to the formation of crystallized HfO 2 phases for the atomic layer deposited HfO 2 . The HfSi x O y complex formed at the interface between HfO 2 and SiO 2 /Si, where the thermal diffusion of Hf, Si, and O atoms occurred. The annealing process increases the surface hardness of crystallized HfO 2 film and therefore the resistance to nano-scratches. In addition, the annealing process significantly decreases the harmonic contact stiffness (or thereafter eliminate the stress at the interface) and increases the nano-hardness, as measured by vertically sensitive nano-indentation. Quality assessments on as-deposited and annealed HfO 2 films can be thereafter used to estimate the mechanical properties and adhesion of ultra-thin HfO 2

Growth and characterization of epitaxial anatase TiO2(001) on SrTiO3-buffered Si(001) using atomic layer deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDaniel, M.D.; Posadas, A.; Wang, T.; Demkov, A.A.; Ekerdt, J.G.

2012-01-01

Epitaxial anatase titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) films have been grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on Si(001) substrates using a strontium titanate (STO) buffer layer grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to serve as a surface template. The growth of TiO 2 was achieved using titanium isopropoxide and water as the co-reactants at a substrate temperature of 225–250 °C. To preserve the quality of the MBE-grown STO, the samples were transferred in-situ from the MBE chamber to the ALD chamber. After ALD growth, the samples were annealed in-situ at 600 °C in vacuum (10 −7 Pa) for 1–2 h. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction was performed during the MBE growth of STO on Si(001), as well as after deposition of TiO 2 by ALD. The ALD films were shown to be highly ordered with the substrate. At least four unit cells of STO must be present to create a stable template on the Si(001) substrate for epitaxial anatase TiO 2 growth. X-ray diffraction revealed that the TiO 2 films were anatase with only the (004) reflection present at 2θ = 38.2°, indicating that the c-axis is slightly reduced from that of anatase powder (2θ = 37.9°). Anatase TiO 2 films up to 100 nm thick have been grown that remain highly ordered in the (001) direction on STO-buffered Si(001) substrates. - Highlights: ► Epitaxial anatase films are grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on Si(001). ► Four unit cells of SrTiO 3 on silicon create a stable template for ALD. ► TiO 2 thin films have a compressed c-axis and an expanded a-axis. ► Up to 100 nm thick TiO 2 films remain highly ordered in the (001) direction.

Characterization of stain etched p-type silicon in aqueous HF solutions containing HNO{sub 3} or KMnO{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mogoda, A.S., E-mail: awad_mogoda@hotmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt); Ahmad, Y.H.; Badawy, W.A. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt)

2011-04-15

Research highlights: {yields} Stain etching of p-Si in aqueous HF solutions containing HNO{sub 3} or KMnO{sub 4} was investigated. {yields} The electrical conductivity of the etched Si surfaces was measured using impedance technique. {yields} Scanning electron microscope and energy disperse X-ray were used to analyze the etched surfaces. {yields} Etching in aqueous HF solution containing HNO{sub 3} led to formation of a porous silicon layer. {yields} The formation of the porous silicon layer in HF/KMnO{sub 4} was accompanied by deposition of K{sub 2}SiF{sub 6} on the pores surfaces. - Abstract: Stain etching of p-type silicon in hydrofluoric acid solutions containing nitric acid or potassium permanganate as an oxidizing agent has been examined. The effects of etching time, oxidizing agent and HF concentrations on the electrochemical behavior of etched silicon surfaces have been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). An electrical equivalent circuit was used for fitting the impedance data. The morphology and the chemical composition of the etched Si surface were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques, respectively. A porous silicon layer was formed on Si etched in HF solutions containing HNO{sub 3}, while etching in HF solutions containing KMnO{sub 4} led to the formation of a porous layer and simultaneous deposition of K{sub 2}SiF{sub 6} inside the pores. The thickness of K{sub 2}SiF{sub 6} layer increases with increasing the KMnO{sub 4} concentration and decreases as the concentration of HF increases.

Improvement on the electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO{sub 2}/6H-SiC MIS capacitors using post deposition annealing and post metallization annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esakky, Papanasam, E-mail: papanasamte@gmail.com; Kailath, Binsu J

2017-08-15

Highlights: • Post deposition annealing (PDA) and post metallization annealing (PMA) on the electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO{sub 2}/6H-SiC MIS capacitors. • Post deposition N{sub 2}O plasma annealing inhibits crystallization of HfO{sub 2} during high temperature annealing. • Plasma annealing followed by RTA in N{sub 2} results in formation of hafnium silicate at the HfO{sub 2}-SiC interface. • PDA reduces interface state density (D{sub it}) and gate leakage current density (J{sub g}) by order. • PMA in forming gas for 40 min results in better passivation and reduces D{sub it} by two orders and J{sub g} by thrice. - Abstract: HfO{sub 2} as a gate dielectric enables high electric field operation of SiC MIS structure and as gas sensor HfO{sub 2}/SiC capacitors offer higher sensitivity than SiO{sub 2}/SiC capacitors. The issue of higher density of oxygen vacancies and associated higher leakage current necessitates better passivation of HfO{sub 2}/SiC interface. Effect of post deposition annealing in N{sub 2}O plasma and post metallization annealing in forming gas on the structural and electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO{sub 2}/SiC MIS capacitors are reported in this work. N{sub 2}O plasma annealing suppresses crystallization during high temperature annealing thereby improving the thermal stability and plasma annealing followed by rapid thermal annealing in N{sub 2} result in formation of Hf silicate at the HfO{sub 2}/SiC interface resulting in order of magnitude lower density of interface states and gate leakage current. Post metallization annealing in forming gas for 40 min reduces interface state density by two orders while gate leakage current density is reduced by thrice. Post deposition annealing in N{sub 2}O plasma and post metallization annealing in forming gas are observed to be effective passivation techniques improving the electrical characteristics of HfO{sub 2}/SiC capacitors.

Mechanical properties of ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films studied by nano scratches tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Wei-En; Chang, Yong-Qing [Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Room 216, Building 8, 321, Kuang Fu Road Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Chang, Chia-Wei; Yao, Chih-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Liao, Jiunn-Der, E-mail: jdliao@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2013-02-01

10-nm-thick atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} films were characterized in terms of wear resistance and indentation hardness to investigate the thermal annealing induced impacts on mechanical properties. The wear resistance of ultra-thin films at low loads was characterized using nano-scratch tests with an atomic force microscope. The depth of the nano-scratches decreases with increasing annealing temperature, indicating that the hardness of the annealed films increases with the annealing temperatures. Surface nanoindentation was also performed to confirm the nanoscratch test results. The hardness variation of the annealed films is due to the generation of HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} induced by the thermal annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements proved that the hardness of formed HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} with increasing annealing temperatures. The existence of HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} broadens the interface, and causes the increase of the interfacial layer thickness. As a result, the surface hardness increases with the increasing HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} induced by the thermal annealing. - Highlights: ► Mechanical properties of HfO{sub 2} films were assessed by nano-scratch and indentation. ► Scratch depth of HfO{sub 2} films decreased with the increase of annealing temperatures. ► Nano-hardness of HfO{sub 2} films increased with the increase of annealing temperatures.

HBr Formation from the Reaction between Gas-phase Bromine Atom and Vibrationally Excited Chemisorbed Hydrogen Atoms on a Si(001)-(2 x 1) Surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ree, J.; Yoon, S. H.; Park, K. G.; Kim, Y. H.

2004-01-01

We have calculated the probability of HBr formation and energy disposal of the reaction exothermicity in HBr produced from the reaction of gas-phase bromine with highly covered chemisorbed hydrogen atoms on a Si (001)-(2 x 1) surface. The reaction probability is about 0.20 at gas temperature 1500 K and surface temperature 300 K. Raising the initial vibrational state of the adsorbate(H)-surface(Si) bond from the ground to v = 1, 2 and 3 states causes the vibrational, translational and rotational energies of the product HBr to increase equally. However, the vibrational and translational motions of product HBr share most of the reaction energy. Vibrational population of the HBr molecules produced from the ground state adsorbate-surface bond (vHSi = 0) follows the Boltzmann distribution, but it deviates seriously from the Boltzmann distribution when the initial vibrational energy of the adsorbate-surface bond increases. When the vibration of the adsorbate-surface bond is in the ground state, the amount of energy dissipated into the surface is negative, while it becomes positive as vHSi increases. The energy distributions among the various modes weakly depends on surface temperature in the range of 0-600 K, regardless of the initial vibrational state of H(ad)-Si(s) bond

Nanosized Hydroxyapatite Precipitation on the Ti—30Ta—xHf Alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kang; Jang, Jae- In; Han-Cheol, Choe

2017-04-01

In this study, we prepared hydroxyapatite (HAp) layer on the alkali treated Ti–30Ta–xHf alloys using electrochemical deposition method. Ti–30Ta–xHf alloys was anodized in 5 M NaOH solution at 0.3 A for 10 min. Alkali treated Ti–30Ta–xHf surface formed by anodization step which acted as templates and anchorage for growth of the HAp during subsequent pulsed electrochemical deposition process at 85 °C. The phase and morphologies of deposited HAp layer were affected by the Hf contents of Ti–30Ta–xHf alloys. The nano-scale rod-like HAp layer was formed on untreated Ti–30Ta–xHf alloys with partially low crystallinity. In the case of alkali treated Ti–30Ta–xHf, nano-sized needle-like layers were transferred to nano-flake surface and denser morphology as Hf content increased.

Polarized luminescence of nc-Si-SiO x nanostructures on silicon substrates with patterned surface

Science.gov (United States)

Michailovska, Katerina; Mynko, Viktor; Indutnyi, Ivan; Shepeliavyi, Petro

2018-05-01

Polarization characteristics and spectra of photoluminescence (PL) of nc-Si-SiO x structures formed on the patterned and plane c-Si substrates are studied. The interference lithography with vacuum chalcogenide photoresist and anisotropic wet etching are used to form a periodic relief (diffraction grating) on the surface of the substrates. The studied nc-Si-SiO x structures were produced by oblique-angle deposition of Si monoxide in vacuum and the subsequent high-temperature annealing. The linear polarization memory (PM) effect in PL of studied structure on plane substrate is manifested only after the treatment of the structures in HF and is explained by the presence of elongated Si nanoparticles in the SiO x nanocolumns. But the PL output from the nc-Si-SiO x structure on the patterned substrate depends on how this radiation is polarized with respect to the grating grooves and is much less dependent on the polarization of the exciting light. The measured reflection spectra of nc-Si-SiO x structure on the patterned c-Si substrate confirmed the influence of pattern on the extraction of polarized PL.

Comparison of HF radar measurements with Eulerian and Lagrangian surface currents

Science.gov (United States)

Röhrs, Johannes; Sperrevik, Ann Kristin; Christensen, Kai Håkon; Broström, Göran; Breivik, Øyvind

2015-05-01

High-frequency (HF) radar-derived ocean currents are compared with in situ measurements to conclude if the radar observations include effects of surface waves that are of second order in the wave amplitude. Eulerian current measurements from a high-resolution acoustic Doppler current profiler and Lagrangian measurements from surface drifters are used as references. Directional wave spectra are obtained from a combination of pressure sensor data and a wave model. Our analysis shows that the wave-induced Stokes drift is not included in the HF radar-derived currents, that is, HF radars measure the Eulerian current. A disputed nonlinear correction to the phase velocity of surface gravity waves, which may affect HF radar signals, has a magnitude of about half the Stokes drift at the surface. In our case, this contribution by nonlinear dispersion would be smaller than the accuracy of the HF radar currents, hence no conclusion can be made. Finally, the analysis confirms that the HF radar data represent an exponentially weighted vertical average where the decay scale is proportional to the wavelength of the transmitted signal.

Plastic relaxation of GeSi/Si(001) films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy in the presence of the Sb surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolkhovityanov, Yu. B.; Deryabin, A. S.; Gutakovskii, A. K.; Kolesnikov, A. V.; Sokolov, L. V.

2007-01-01

Plastically relaxed GeSi films with the Ge fraction equal to 0.29-0.42 and thickness as large as 0.5 μm were grown on Si (001) substrates using the low-temperature (350 deg. C) buffer Si layer and Sb as a surfactant. It is shown that introduction of Sb that smoothens the film surface at the stage of pseudomorphic growth lowers the density of threading dislocations in the plastically relaxed heterostructure by 1-1.5 orders of magnitude and also reduces the final roughness of the surface. The root-mean-square value of roughness smaller than 1 nm was obtained for a film with the Ge content of 0.29 and the density of threading dislocations of about 10 6 cm -2 . It is assumed that the effect of surfactant is based on the fact that the activity of surface sources of dislocations is reduced in the presence of Sb

Optimization of pH sensing using silicon nanowire field effect transistors with HfO2 as the sensing surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, Sufi; D'Emic, Christopher; Afzali, Ali; Fletcher, Benjamin; Zhu, Y; Ning, Tak

2011-01-01

Silicon nanowire field effect transistor sensors with SiO 2 /HfO 2 as the gate dielectric sensing surface are fabricated using a top down approach. These sensors are optimized for pH sensing with two key characteristics. First, the pH sensitivity is shown to be independent of buffer concentration. Second, the observed pH sensitivity is enhanced and is equal to the Nernst maximum sensitivity limit of 59 mV/pH with a corresponding subthreshold drain current change of ∼ 650%/pH. These two enhanced pH sensing characteristics are attributed to the use of HfO 2 as the sensing surface and an optimized fabrication process compatible with silicon processing technology.

Optimization of pH sensing using silicon nanowire field effect transistors with HfO2 as the sensing surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafar, Sufi; D'Emic, Christopher; Afzali, Ali; Fletcher, Benjamin; Zhu, Y; Ning, Tak

2011-10-07

Silicon nanowire field effect transistor sensors with SiO(2)/HfO(2) as the gate dielectric sensing surface are fabricated using a top down approach. These sensors are optimized for pH sensing with two key characteristics. First, the pH sensitivity is shown to be independent of buffer concentration. Second, the observed pH sensitivity is enhanced and is equal to the Nernst maximum sensitivity limit of 59 mV/pH with a corresponding subthreshold drain current change of ∼ 650%/pH. These two enhanced pH sensing characteristics are attributed to the use of HfO(2) as the sensing surface and an optimized fabrication process compatible with silicon processing technology.

Study of strained-Si p-channel MOSFETs with HfO2 gate dielectric

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Diana; Das, Sanghamitra; Dash, Tara Prasanna

2016-10-01

In this work, the transconductance of strained-Si p-MOSFETs with high-K dielectric (HfO2) as gate oxide, has been presented through simulation using the TCAD tool Silvaco-ATLAS. The results have been compared with a SiO2/strained-Si p-MOSFET device. Peak transconductance enhancement factors of 2.97 and 2.73 has been obtained for strained-Si p-MOSFETs in comparison to bulk Si channel p-MOSFETs with SiO2 and high-K dielectric respectively. This behavior is in good agreement with the reported experimental results. The transconductance of the strained-Si device at low temperatures has also been simulated. As expected, the mobility and hence the transconductance increases at lower temperatures due to reduced phonon scattering. However, the enhancements with high-K gate dielectric is less as compared to that with SiO2.

Electrical isolation of dislocations in Ge layers on Si(001 substrates through CMOS-compatible suspended structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vishal Ajit Shah, Maksym Myronov, Chalermwat Wongwanitwatana, Lewis Bawden, Martin J Prest, James S Richardson-Bullock, Stephen Rhead, Evan H C Parker, Terrance E Whall and David R Leadley

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Suspended crystalline Ge semiconductor structures are created on a Si(001 substrate by a combination of epitaxial growth and simple patterning from the front surface using anisotropic underetching. Geometric definition of the surface Ge layer gives access to a range of crystalline planes that have different etch resistance. The structures are aligned to avoid etch-resistive planes in making the suspended regions and to take advantage of these planes to retain the underlying Si to support the structures. The technique is demonstrated by forming suspended microwires, spiderwebs and van der Pauw cross structures. We finally report on the low-temperature electrical isolation of the undoped Ge layers. This novel isolation method increases the Ge resistivity to 280 Ω cm at 10 K, over two orders of magnitude above that of a bulk Ge on Si(001 layer, by removing material containing the underlying misfit dislocation network that otherwise provides the main source of electrical conduction.

Improved light emission from n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction with HfO{sub 2} as an electron blocking layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Zhao; Li, Borui [Key Lab of Artificial Micro- and Nano- structures of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Mo, Xiaoming [School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004 (China); Zhou, Kai [Key Lab of Artificial Micro- and Nano- structures of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Li, Songzhan [School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073 (China); Song, Zengcai; Lei, Hongwei; Wen, Jian; Zhu, Ziqiang [Key Lab of Artificial Micro- and Nano- structures of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Fang, Guojia, E-mail: gjfang@whu.edu.cn [Key Lab of Artificial Micro- and Nano- structures of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

2017-04-15

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on ZnO were fabricated on a p-Si substrate by using a pulsed laser deposition system. Significant electroluminescence (EL) improvement was demonstrated with the insertion of an HfO{sub 2} electron blocking layer (EBL) in n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunctions. Distinct near-band-edge emission at around 392 nm accompanying by a broadly strong visible emission was achieved when a proper thickness of HfO{sub 2} EBL was used. Current-voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements confirmed that a proper thickness of the HfO{sub 2} EBL can effectively balance the injection of electrons and holes, resulting in an increase of radiative recombination in the ZnO active layer and thus enhancing the EL performance of the devices. Five independent emissions corresponding to five different transition processes were proposed to clarify the EL origination of the n-ZnO/HfO{sub 2}/p-Si heterojunction LEDs by Gaussian deconvolutions. It is hoped that results in this work should be helpful for the development of ZnO-based LEDs that can integrate ZnO with the Si planar technology.

Epitaxial condition and polarity in GaN grown on a HfN-buffered Si(111) wafer

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, X.; Armitage, R.; Shinkai, Satoko; Sasaki, Katsutaka; Kisielowski, C.; Weber, E. R.

2005-05-01

Single-crystal GaN thin films have been deposited epitaxially on a HfN-buffered Si(111) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy. The microstructural and compositional characteristics of the films were studied in detail by transmission electron microscopy (TEMs). Cross-sectional TEM investigations have revealed the crystallographic orientation relationship in different GaN /HfN/Si layers. GaN film polarity is studied by conventional TEM and convergent beam electron diffraction simulations, and the results show that the GaN film has a Ga polarity with relatively high density of inversion domains. Based on our observations, growth mechanisms related to the structural properties are discussed.

Reliability assessment of ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films deposited on silicon wafer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Wei-En [Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Room 216, Building 8, 321 Kuang Fu Road Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Chang, Chia-Wei [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Chang, Yong-Qing [Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Room 216, Building 8, 321 Kuang Fu Road Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Yao, Chih-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Liao, Jiunn-Der, E-mail: jdliao@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2012-09-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nano-mechanical properties on annealed ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} film are studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer By AFM analysis, hardness of the crystallized HfO{sub 2} film significantly increases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer By nano-indention, the film hardness increases with less contact stiffness. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quality assessment on the annealed ultra-thin films can thus be achieved. - Abstract: Ultra-thin hafnium dioxide (HfO{sub 2}) is used to replace silicon dioxide to meet the required transistor feature size in advanced semiconductor industry. The process integration compatibility and long-term reliability for the transistors depend on the mechanical performance of ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films. The criteria of reliability including wear resistance, thermal fatigue, and stress-driven failure rely on film adhesion significantly. The adhesion and variations in mechanical properties induced by thermal annealing of the ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} films deposited on silicon wafers (HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si) are not fully understood. In this work, the mechanical properties of an atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} (nominal thickness Almost-Equal-To 10 nm) on a silicon wafer were characterized by the diamond-coated tip of an atomic force microscope and compared with those of annealed samples. The results indicate that the annealing process leads to the formation of crystallized HfO{sub 2} phases for the atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2}. The HfSi{sub x}O{sub y} complex formed at the interface between HfO{sub 2} and SiO{sub 2}/Si, where the thermal diffusion of Hf, Si, and O atoms occurred. The annealing process increases the surface hardness of crystallized HfO{sub 2} film and therefore the resistance to nano-scratches. In addition, the annealing process significantly decreases the harmonic contact stiffness (or thereafter eliminate the stress at the interface) and increases the nano-hardness, as measured by vertically

HF Surface Wave Radar Operation in Adverse Conditions

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ponsford, Anthony M; Dizaji, Reza M; McKerracher, Richard

2005-01-01

...) system based on HF Surface Wave Radar (HFSWR). the primary objective behind the programme was to demonstrate the capability of HFSWR to continuously detect and track surface targets (ships and icebergs...

Metal-assisted chemical etching in HF/Na2S2O8 OR HF/KMnO4 produces porous silicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hadjersi, T.; Gabouze, N.; Kooij, Ernst S.; Zinine, A.; Zinine, A.; Ababou, A.; Chergui, W.; Cheraga, H.; Belhousse, S.; Djeghri, A.

2004-01-01

A new metal-assisted chemical etching method using Na2S2O8 or KMnO4 as an oxidizing agent was proposed to form a porous silicon layer on a highly resistive p-type silicon. A thin layer of Ag or Pd is deposited on the Si(100) surface prior to immersion in a solution of HF and Na2S2O8 or HF and KMnO4.

TaN interface properties and electric field cycling effects on ferroelectric Si-doped HfO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lomenzo, Patrick D.; Nishida, Toshikazu; Takmeel, Qanit; Zhou, Chuanzhen; Fancher, Chris M.; Jones, Jacob L.; Lambers, Eric; Rudawski, Nicholas G.; Moghaddam, Saeed

2015-01-01

Ferroelectric HfO 2 -based thin films, which can exhibit ferroelectric properties down to sub-10 nm thicknesses, are a promising candidate for emerging high density memory technologies. As the ferroelectric thickness continues to shrink, the electrode-ferroelectric interface properties play an increasingly important role. We investigate the TaN interface properties on 10 nm thick Si-doped HfO 2 thin films fabricated in a TaN metal-ferroelectric-metal stack which exhibit highly asymmetric ferroelectric characteristics. To understand the asymmetric behavior of the ferroelectric characteristics of the Si-doped HfO 2 thin films, the chemical interface properties of sputtered TaN bottom and top electrodes are probed with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ta-O bonds at the bottom electrode interface and a significant presence of Hf-N bonds at both electrode interfaces are identified. It is shown that the chemical heterogeneity of the bottom and top electrode interfaces gives rise to an internal electric field, which causes the as-grown ferroelectric domains to preferentially polarize to screen positively charged oxygen vacancies aggregated at the oxidized bottom electrode interface. Electric field cycling is shown to reduce the internal electric field with a concomitant increase in remanent polarization and decrease in relative permittivity. Through an analysis of pulsed transient switching currents, back-switching is observed in Si-doped HfO 2 thin films with pinched hysteresis loops and is shown to be influenced by the internal electric field

Extent of hydrogen coverage of Si(001) under chemical vapor deposition conditions from ab initio approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenow, Phil; Tonner, Ralf

2016-01-01

The extent of hydrogen coverage of the Si(001) c(4 × 2) surface in the presence of hydrogen gas has been studied with dispersion corrected density functional theory. Electronic energy contributions are well described using a hybrid functional. The temperature dependence of the coverage in thermodynamic equilibrium was studied computing the phonon spectrum in a supercell approach. As an approximation to these demanding computations, an interpolated phonon approach was found to give comparable accuracy. The simpler ab initio thermodynamic approach is not accurate enough for the system studied, even if corrections by the Einstein model for surface vibrations are considered. The on-set of H 2 desorption from the fully hydrogenated surface is predicted to occur at temperatures around 750 K. Strong changes in hydrogen coverage are found between 1000 and 1200 K in good agreement with previous reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy experiments. These findings allow a rational choice for the surface state in the computational treatment of chemical reactions under typical metal organic vapor phase epitaxy conditions on Si(001).

Extent of hydrogen coverage of Si(001) under chemical vapor deposition conditions from ab initio approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenow, Phil; Tonner, Ralf, E-mail: tonner@chemie.uni-marburg.de [Fachbereich Chemie and Wissenschaftliches Zentrum für Materialwissenschaften, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße, Marburg 35032 (Germany)

2016-05-28

The extent of hydrogen coverage of the Si(001) c(4 × 2) surface in the presence of hydrogen gas has been studied with dispersion corrected density functional theory. Electronic energy contributions are well described using a hybrid functional. The temperature dependence of the coverage in thermodynamic equilibrium was studied computing the phonon spectrum in a supercell approach. As an approximation to these demanding computations, an interpolated phonon approach was found to give comparable accuracy. The simpler ab initio thermodynamic approach is not accurate enough for the system studied, even if corrections by the Einstein model for surface vibrations are considered. The on-set of H{sub 2} desorption from the fully hydrogenated surface is predicted to occur at temperatures around 750 K. Strong changes in hydrogen coverage are found between 1000 and 1200 K in good agreement with previous reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy experiments. These findings allow a rational choice for the surface state in the computational treatment of chemical reactions under typical metal organic vapor phase epitaxy conditions on Si(001).

Extent of hydrogen coverage of Si(001) under chemical vapor deposition conditions from ab initio approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenow, Phil; Tonner, Ralf

2016-05-01

The extent of hydrogen coverage of the Si(001) c(4 × 2) surface in the presence of hydrogen gas has been studied with dispersion corrected density functional theory. Electronic energy contributions are well described using a hybrid functional. The temperature dependence of the coverage in thermodynamic equilibrium was studied computing the phonon spectrum in a supercell approach. As an approximation to these demanding computations, an interpolated phonon approach was found to give comparable accuracy. The simpler ab initio thermodynamic approach is not accurate enough for the system studied, even if corrections by the Einstein model for surface vibrations are considered. The on-set of H2 desorption from the fully hydrogenated surface is predicted to occur at temperatures around 750 K. Strong changes in hydrogen coverage are found between 1000 and 1200 K in good agreement with previous reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy experiments. These findings allow a rational choice for the surface state in the computational treatment of chemical reactions under typical metal organic vapor phase epitaxy conditions on Si(001).

Growth and relaxation processes in Ge nanocrystals on free-standing Si(001) nanopillars.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlowski, G; Zaumseil, P; Schubert, M A; Yamamoto, Y; Bauer, J; Schülli, T U; Tillack, B; Schroeder, T

2012-03-23

We study the growth and relaxation processes of Ge crystals selectively grown by chemical vapour deposition on free-standing 90 nm wide Si(001) nanopillars. Epi-Ge with thickness ranging from 4 to 80 nm was characterized by synchrotron based x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the strain in Ge nanostructures is plastically released by nucleation of misfit dislocations, leading to degrees of relaxation ranging from 50 to 100%. The growth of Ge nanocrystals follows the equilibrium crystal shape terminated by low surface energy (001) and {113} facets. Although the volumes of Ge nanocrystals are homogeneous, their shape is not uniform and the crystal quality is limited by volume defects on {111} planes. This is not the case for the Ge/Si nanostructures subjected to thermal treatment. Here, improved structure quality together with high levels of uniformity of the size and shape is observed.

Memory characteristics and tunneling mechanism of Ag nanocrystal embedded HfAlOx films on Si83Ge17/Si substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, X.Y.; Zhou, G.D.; Li, J.; Chen, Y.; Wang, X.H.; Dai, J.Y.

2014-01-01

A nano-floating gate memory capacitor consisting of a stack of 3 nm-thick HfAlO x tunneling layer, self-organized Ag nanocrystals (NCs), and a 6 nm-thick HfAlO x control layer, has been fabricated on compressively strained p-type Si 83 Ge 17 /Si(100) substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The Ag-NCs with a size of 5–8 nm and a density of 5.7 × 10 12 /cm 2 are well dispersed in the amorphous HfAlO x matrix. Counterclockwise hysteresis capacitance–voltage curve with a memory window of ∼ 2 V, corresponding to a charge storage density of about 1.3 × 10 13 electrons/cm 2 , is observed in this memory capacitor. The accumulation capacitance of this memory capacitor has no obvious decrease during electrical stressing process within a period of 10 4 s, but the memory window gradually becomes narrower, and only 54% stored charges are retained in the Ag-NCs after 10 5 s stressing. Defect-enhanced Poole–Frenkel tunneling is found to be responsible for the degradation of memory properties. - Highlights: • Dispersed Ag nanocrystals act as memory nodes. • Realize a 2 V memory window • Illustrate the memory degradation process • Identify a defect-enhanced tunneling mechanism

Vertical and lateral ordering of Ge islands grown on Si(001): theory and experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montalenti, F; Marzegalli, A; Capellini, G; Seta, M De; Miglio, Leo

2007-01-01

A set of recent results concerning lateral and vertical ordering of Ge islands grown on Si(001) is reviewed. Experimental data generated by chemical vapour deposition and analysed by atomic force microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy are compared with computer simulations and modelling based on atomistic approaches and continuum theory. In particular, we show that it is possible to probe experimentally the detailed strain field generated by buried Ge islands at the surface of the Si capping layer. The observed arrangement of small Ge islands grown over the capping layer is demonstrated to be very close to the one predicted by a simple model where the local chemical potential is inferred from the strain field at the atomic scale, as given by Tersoff-potential molecular dynamics simulations. Moreover, we review recent experimental evidence for lateral ordering, triggered by partial Si capping, in the first layer of Ge islands on Si(001). Theoretical support is given by showing that when two islands lie in close proximity the elastic field is likely to generate a flow of atoms leading to an effective gliding motion along opposite directions of both islands, eventually stopped by the presence of further neighbouring islands

Electronic structure and magnetism of new ilmenite compounds for spintronic devices: FeBO{sub 3} (B = Ti, Hf, Zr, Si, Ge, Sn)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribeiro, R.A.P. [Department of Chemistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Av. General Carlos Cavalcanti, 4748, 84030-900 Ponta Grossa, PR (Brazil); Camilo, A. [Department of Physics, State University of Ponta Grossa, Av. General Carlos Cavalcanti, 4748, 84030-900 Ponta Grossa, PR (Brazil); Lazaro, S.R. de, E-mail: srlazaro@uepg.br [Department of Chemistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Av. General Carlos Cavalcanti, 4748, 84030-900 Ponta Grossa, PR (Brazil)

2015-11-15

First-principles calculations were performed in the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT) within hybrid functional (B3LYP) to study the electronic structure and magnetic properties of new ilmenite FeBO{sub 3} (B=Ti, Hf, Zr, Si, Ge, Sn) materials. In particular, the magnetic exchange interaction between Fe{sup 2+} layers is dependent on the interlayer distance and it can be controlled by ionic radius of B-site cation. Thus, Fe(Ti, Si, Ge)O{sub 3} are antiferromagnetic materials, while Fe(Zr, Hf, Sn)O{sub 3} are ferromagnetic. We also argue that antiferromagnetic materials and FeZrO{sub 3} are convectional semiconductors, whereas FeHfO{sub 3} and FeSnO{sub 3} exhibit intrinsic half-metallic behavior, making them promising candidates for spintronic devices. - Highlights: • We study electronic structure and magnetism of new FeBO{sub 3} (B=Ti, Hf, Zr, Si, Ge, Sn) ilmenite materials. • We found that magnetic ordering of Fe-based ilmenite materials can be controlled by size of B-site cation. • Fe(Ti, Zr, Si, Ge)O{sub 3} are convectional semiconductors. • FeHfO{sub 3} and FeSnO{sub 3} exhibit intrinsic half-metallic behavior with potential application for spintronic devices.

Laser conditioning effect on HfO2/SiO2 film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Yaowei; Zhang Zhe; Liu Hao; Ouyang Sheng; Zheng Yi; Tang Gengyu; Chen Songlin; Ma Ping

2013-01-01

Laser conditioning is one of the important methods to improve the laser damage threshold of film optics. Firstly, a large aperture laser was used to irradiate the HfO 2 /SiO 2 reflectors, which were evaporated from hafnia and silica by e-beam. Secondly, a laser calorimeter was used to test the film absorption before and after laser irradiation. Focused ion beam (FIB) was few reported using on laser film, it was used to study the damage morphology and explore the cause of damage. The shooting of the partial ejection on nodule was obtained for the first time, which provided the basis for study the damage process. The results show that film absorption was decreased obviously after the laser irradiation, laser conditioning can raise the laser damage threshold by the 'cleaning mechanism'. For the HfO 2 /SiO 2 reflectors, laser conditioning was effective to eject the nodules on substrate. It resulted from the nodule residue not to affect the subsequent laser. In addition, laser conditioning was not effective to the nodule in the film, which might be from the material spatter in coating process. In this case, other method could be used to get rid of the nodules. (authors)

Contact resistance and stability study for Au, Ti, Hf and Ni contacts on thin-film Mg2Si

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Bo; Zheng, Tao; Wang, Qingxiao; Zhu, Yihan; Alshareef, Husam N.; Kim, Moon J.; Gnade, Bruce E.

2016-01-01

We present a detailed study of post-deposition annealing effects on contact resistance of Au, Ti, Hf and Ni electrodes on Mg2Si thin films. Thin-film Mg2Si and metal contacts were deposited using magnetron sputtering. Various post

Investigating the effect of silicon surface chemical treatment on Al/Si contact properties in GaP/Si solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kudryashov, D.; Gudovskikh, A.

2018-03-01

In the present work, experimental studies have been carried out to reveal how chemical treatment of a silicon surface affects the properties of the Al/Si contact. It has been shown that for p-type monocrystalline silicon substrates with a resistivity of 10 ohm cm, it is possible to form an ohmic Al/Si contact by magnetron sputtering of an aluminum thin film and its further annealing at temperatures of 400 - 450 °C. In the range of annealing temperatures of 250 - 400 °C, the Si substrate treatment in the HF solution leads to a significant increase in currents on the current-voltage curves of the Al/Si contact, while in the range of 450 - 700 °C, the effect of chemical treatment of the silicon is not detected.

Adsorption of Na on Ge(001)(2x1) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, H.Y.; Zu, X.T.

2006-01-01

The adsorption of sodium on the Ge(001)(2x1) surface at the coverage (Θ) of 0.5 and 1ML has been investigated by using ab initio total energy calculations. It was found that at Θ=0.5ML T3 and T4 sites are nearly degenerate and Na adatoms preferred to adsorb at T3 and T4 sites. This finding agrees well with Meyerheim et al.'s experimental results, but does not support theoretical investigations of Spiess et al., who found HH site was the most stable. For 1ML coverage the most stable configurations are a combination of the HH and T3 or T4 sites. Work function and dipole moment analysis showed that upon Na adsorption on Ge(001)(2x1) and Si(001)(2x1) surface the dipole-dipole repulsion is small and no depolarization effect occurs as the coverage increases from 0.5 to 1ML

Optical second-harmonic and reflectance-anisotropy spectroscopy of molecular adsorption at Si(001) step-edges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ehlert, Robert; Kwon, Jinhee; Downer, Michael C. [University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, Austin, TX 78712-1081 (United States)

2008-07-01

Reflectance-anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) and spectroscopic second harmonic generation (SHG) are used to probe a single-domain reconstructed stepped Si(001) surface offcut 6 toward[110] before and after dissociative adsorption of H{sub 2} at the D{sub B} step edges. Preliminary analysis with a simplified bond hyperpolarizability model supports the mutual consistency of RA and SHG spectra and suggests that hydrogen termination redistributes oscillator strength from the chemically active step dangling bond into the step back bonds. The data provide a benchmark for first-principles calculations of the optical response of stepped Si surfaces to step edge molecular adsorption. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Effect of different post-treatments on the bioactivity of alkali-treated Ti-5Si alloy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Hsueh-Chuan; Wu, Shih-Ching; Hsu, Shih-Kuang; Liao, Yi-Hang; Ho, Wen-Fu

2017-01-01

As titanium (Ti) alloys are bioinert, various chemically-modified Ti surface has been developed to promote bioactivity and bone ingrowth. In this study, various post treatments (water aging, hydrothermal, and heat treatments) were applied to NaOH-treated Ti-5Si to improve its bioactivity. The bioactivity of surface-modified Ti-5Si was access by using the apatite formation ability of Ti-5Si surfaces soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF). The results showed that the NaOH-treated surface formed a porous network structure composed of sodium titanate hydrogel, which was changed to sodium titanate after subsequent post treatments, whereas sodium titanate, anatase and rutile phases were found on the Ti-5Si surfaces after heat treatment. After immersion in SBF for 14 days, compact apatite layers were observed on the surfaces of all the Ti-5Si tested. The results of XRD and FTIR indicated that the apatite deposited on the Ti-5Si substrate with various surface modified conditions was carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite. The apatite-forming ability of the surface of the Ti-5Si was excellent, even though Ti-5Si was not subjected to surface modifications. As a result, the bioactivity of Ti-5Si alloy was verified by the apatite-forming ability, making it suitable for use in orthopedic and dental implants.

In situ photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation for O2 translational kinetic energy induced oxidation processes of partially-oxidized Si(001) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teraoka, Yuden; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

2001-01-01

The influence of translational kinetic energy of incident O 2 molecules for the passive oxidation process of partially-oxidized Si(001) surfaces has been studied by photoemission spectroscopy. The translational kinetic energy of O 2 molecules was controlled up to 3 eV by a supersonic seed beam technique using a high temperature nozzle. Two translational kinetic energy thresholds (1.0 eV and 2.6 eV) were found out in accordance with the first-principles calculation for the oxidation of clean surfaces. Si-2p photoemission spectra measured in representative translational kinetic energies revealed that the translational kinetic energy dependent oxidation of dimers and the second layer (subsurface) backbonds were caused by the direct dissociative chemisorption of O 2 molecules. Moreover, the difference in chemical bonds for oxygen atoms was found out to be as low and high binding energy components in O-1s photoemission spectra. Especially, the low binding energy component increased with increasing the translational kinetic energy that indicates the translational kinetic energy induced oxidation in backbonds. (author)

Oxidation Behavior of HfB2-SiC Materials in Dissociated Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ellerby, Don; Irby, Edward; Johnson, Sylvia M.; Beckman, Sarah; Gusman, Michael; Gasch, Matthew

2002-01-01

Hafnium diboride based materials have shown promise for use in extremely high temperature applications, such as sharp leading edges on future reentry vehicles. During reentry, the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere are dissociated by the shock layer ahead of the sharp leading edge such that surface reactions are determined by reactions of monatomic oxygen and nitrogen rather than O2, and N2. Simulation of the reentry environment on the ground requires the use of arc jet (plasma jet) facilities that provide monatomic species and are the closest approximation to actual flight conditions. Simple static or flowing oxidation studies under ambient pressures and atmospheres are not adequate to develop an understanding of a materials behavior in flight. Arc jet testing is required to provide the appropriate stagnation pressures, heat fluxes, enthalpies, heat loads and atmospheres encountered during flight. This work looks at the response of HfB2/SiC materials exposed to various simulated reentry environments.

Crystal structure and band gap determination of HfO2 thin films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cheynet, M.C.; Pokrant, S.; Tichelaar, F.D.; Rouvière, J.L.

2007-01-01

Valence electron energy loss spectroscopy (VEELS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) are performed on three different HfO2 thin films grown on Si (001) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). For each sample the band gap (Eg) is determined by

Luminescence properties of Si-capped β-FeSi{sub 2} nanodots epitaxially grown on Si(001) and (111) substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amari, Shogo; Ichikawa, Masakazu [Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Nakamura, Yoshiaki, E-mail: nakamura@ee.es.osaka-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); PRESTO, JST, 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 (Japan)

2014-02-28

We studied the luminescence properties of Si-capped β-FeSi{sub 2} nanodots (NDs) epitaxially grown on Si substrates by using photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) spectroscopies. Codepositing Fe and Si on ultrathin SiO{sub 2} films induced the self-assembly of epitaxial β-FeSi{sub 2} NDs. The PL spectra of the Si/β-FeSi{sub 2} NDs/Si structure depended on the crystal orientation of the Si substrate. These structures exhibited a broad PL peak near 0.8 eV on both Si(001) and (111) substrates. The PL intensity depended on the shape of the β-FeSi{sub 2} NDs. For the flat NDs, which exhibited higher PL intensity, we also recorded EL spectra. We explained the luminescence properties of these structures by the presence of nanostructured Si offering radiative electronic states in the Si cap layers, generated by nano-stressors for upper Si layer: the strain-relaxed β-FeSi{sub 2} NDs.

Surface and interfacial reaction study of half cycle atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} on chemically treated GaSb surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhernokletov, D. M. [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States); Dong, H.; Brennan, B.; Kim, J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States); Yakimov, M.; Tokranov, V.; Oktyabrsky, S. [College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, New York 12203 (United States); Wallace, R. M. [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States)

2013-04-01

An in situ half-cycle atomic layer deposition/X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study was conducted in order to investigate the evolution of the HfO{sub 2} dielectric interface with GaSb(100) surfaces after sulfur passivation and HCl etching, designed to remove the native oxides. With the first pulses of tetrakis(dimethylamido)hafnium(IV) and water, a decrease in the concentration of antimony oxide states present on the HCl-etched surface is observed, while antimony sulfur states diminished below the XPS detection limit on sulfur passivated surface. An increase in the amount of gallium oxide/sulfide is seen, suggesting oxygen or sulfur transfers from antimony to gallium during antimony oxides/sulfides decomposition.

Optical properties of the Al2O3/SiO2 and Al2O3/HfO2/SiO2 antireflective coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Marszałek, Konstanty; Winkowski, Paweł; Jaglarz, Janusz

2014-01-01

Investigations of bilayer and trilayer Al2O3/SiO2 and Al2O3/HfO2/SiO2 antireflective coatings are presented in this paper. The oxide films were deposited on a heated quartz glass by e-gun evaporation in a vacuum of 5 × 10-3 [Pa] in the presence of oxygen. Depositions were performed at three different temperatures of the substrates: 100 °C, 200 °C and 300 °C. The coatings were deposited onto optical quartz glass (Corning HPFS). The thickness and deposition rate were controlled with Inficon XTC/2 thickness measuring system. Deposition rate was equal to 0.6 nm/s for Al2O3, 0.6 nm - 0.8 nm/s for HfO2 and 0.6 nm/s for SiO2. Simulations leading to optimization of the thin film thickness and the experimental results of optical measurements, which were carried out during and after the deposition process, have been presented. The optical thickness values, obtained from the measurements performed during the deposition process were as follows: 78 nm/78 nm for Al2O3/SiO2 and 78 nm/156 nm/78 nm for Al2O3/HfO2/SiO2. The results were then checked by ellipsometric technique. Reflectance of the films depended on the substrate temperature during the deposition process. Starting from 240 nm to the beginning of visible region, the average reflectance of the trilayer system was below 1 % and for the bilayer, minima of the reflectance were equal to 1.6 %, 1.15 % and 0.8 % for deposition temperatures of 100 °C, 200 °C and 300 °C, respectively.

Surface modification of Al–Si alloy by excimer laser pulse processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahanty, S., E-mail: soumitro@iitk.ac.in; Gouthama

2016-04-15

The laser irradiation on Al-Si alloy sample is carried out by excimer laser in ambient conditions for 30 or 45 pulses. Microstructural investigation of laser treated sample is done by OM, SEM and TEM and the surface hardness is evaluated by Vickers micro indentation. Laser treated, samples suggested the dissolution of coarse primary Si and β-AlFeSi particle in α-Al matrix. The SEM/EDS study shows the enhancement of retained Si in α-Al matrix. The interface analysis of laser treated sample suggested the effected modified depth is ∼6 μm. TEM investigation shows the formation of nanocrystalline Si in size ∼2–15 nm. The cellular structures of size range ∼30–50 nm are observed after 45 pulses. The α-Al cells and Si precipitates sizes were considerably refined at higher number of pulses. The fine Si precipitates are found to be dispersed in the intercellular boundaries. An improvement in surface hardness from ∼1.6 to 1.8 is observed 30 and 45 pulse treatment, respectively. The mechanism involves for improvement in surface properties are non-equilibrium solidification, metastable phase formation and microstructural refinement. - Highlights: • Coarse Si and β phase intermetallic are melted and the constituent elements dispersed into the matrix during re-solidification. • The solid solubility of the Si at the surface enhanced after the laser treatment. • The Cellular structure with the size range ∼30–50 nm observed in α-Al after 45 laser pulses. • Si nano particles in size ∼ 2–15 nm were observed in the intercellular region. • Surface hardness increased after laser processing.

Aperture-time of oxygen-precursor for minimum silicon incorporation into the interface-layer in atomic layer deposition-grown HfO{sub 2}/Si nanofilms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mani-Gonzalez, Pierre Giovanni [CINVESTAV-Unidad Querétaro, Querétaro 76230, Querétaro, Mexico and Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Instituto de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Ave. Del Charro 450, Cd. Juárez C.P. 32310, Chihuahua (Mexico); Vazquez-Lepe, Milton Oswaldo [CINVESTAV-Unidad Querétaro, Querétaro 76230, Querétaro, Mexico and Departamento de Ingeniería de Proyectos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45100, Jalisco (Mexico); Herrera-Gomez, Alberto, E-mail: aherrera@qro.cinvestav.mx [CINVESTAV-Unidad Querétaro, Querétaro 76230, Querétaro (Mexico)

2015-01-15

Hafnium oxide nanofilms were grown with atomic layer deposition on H-terminated Si (001) wafers employing tetrakis dimethyl amino hafnium (TDMA-Hf) and water as precursors. While the number of cycles (30) and the aperture-time for TDMA-Hf (0.08 s) were kept constant, the aperture-time (τ{sub H{sub 2O}}) for the oxidant-agent (H{sub 2}O) was varied from 0 to 0.10 s. The structure of the films was characterized with robust analysis employing angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition to a ∼1 nm hafnium oxide layer, a hafnium silicate interface layer, also ∼1 nm thick, is formed for τ{sub H{sub 2O}} > 0. The incorporation degree of silicon into the interface layer (i.e., the value of 1 − x in Hf{sub x}Si{sub 1−x}O{sub y}) shows a minimum of 0.32 for τ{sub H{sub 2O}} = 0.04 s. By employing the simultaneous method during peak-fitting analysis, it was possible to clearly resolve the contribution from the silicate and from oxide to the O 1s spectra, allowing for the assessment of the oxygen composition of each layer as a function of oxidant aperture time. The uncertainties of the peak areas and on the thickness and composition of the layers were calculated employing a rigorous approach.

Kirkendall void formation in reverse step graded Si1-xGex/Ge/Si(001) virtual substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Sivadasan, Vineet; Rhead, Stephen; Leadley, David; Myronov, Maksym

2018-02-01

Formation of Kirkendall voids is demonstrated in the Ge underlayer of reverse step graded Si1-xGex/Ge buffer layers grown on Si(001) using reduced pressure chemical vapour deposition (RP-CVD). This phenomenon is seen when the constant composition Si1-xGex layer is grown at high temperatures and for x ≤ 0.7. The density and size of the spherical voids can be tuned by changing Ge content in the Si1-xGex and other growth parameters.

Self-assembly of InAs and Si/Ge quantum dots on structured surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patella, F; Sgarlata, A; Arciprete, F; Nufris, S; Szkutnik, P D; Placidi, E; Fanfoni, M; Motta, N; Balzarotti, A

2004-01-01

We discuss the self-aggregation process of InAs and Si-Ge quantum dots (QDs) on natural and patterned GaAs(001) and Si(001) and Si(111) surfaces, with reference to our recent studies with scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy and current experimental and theoretical works. Various methods for obtaining naturally structured surfaces are briefly surveyed, as the patterning formed by the surface instability and by the strain in mismatched heteroepitaxy, and the latest methods of pre-patterning and growth at selected sites are discussed. Basic topics are also addressed that determine the final morphology of QDs, such as the wetting layer formation, the elastic strain field and the two-dimensional to three-dimensional phase transition

Mechanism of the nanoscale localization of Ge quantum dot nucleation on focused ion beam templated Si(001) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portavoce, A; Kammler, M; Hull, R; Reuter, M C; Ross, F M

2006-01-01

We investigate the fundamental mechanism by which self-assembled Ge islands can be nucleated at specific sites on Si(001) using ultra-low-dose focused ion beam (FIB) pre-patterning. Island nucleation is controlled by a nanotopography that forms after the implantation of Ga ions during subsequent thermal annealing of the substrate. This nanotopography evolves during the annealing stage, changing from a nanoscale annular depression associated with each focused ion beam spot to a nanoscale pit, and eventually disappearing (planarizing). The correspondence of Ge quantum dot nucleation sites to the focused ion beam features requires a growth surface upon which the nanotopography is preserved. A further key observation is that the Ge wetting layer thickness is reduced in patterned regions, allowing the formation of islands on the templated regions without nucleation elsewhere. These results provide routes to the greatly enhanced design and control of quantum dot distributions and dimensions

Separative recovery with lime of phosphate and fluoride from an acidic effluent containing H3PO4, HF and/or H2SiF6.

Science.gov (United States)

Gouider, Mbarka; Feki, Mongi; Sayadi, Sami

2009-10-30

Fluoride content and flow-rate of fertilizer plant wastewater from phosphoric acid and/or triple superphosphate (TSP) production lead to the discharge of several thousand tons of fluoride (F(-)) per year and even more for phosphate (PO4(3-)). Since sustainability is an important environmental concern, the removal methods should allow phosphorus and fluoride to be recycled as a sustainable products for use as raw materials either in agricultural or industrial applications. In the present work, separative recovery with lime of these two target species was investigated. A preliminary speciation study, carried out on the crude effluent, showed that two forms of fluoride: HF and H2SiF6 are present in a highly acidic medium (pH approximately 2). Evidence that fluoride is present under both free (HF) and combined (H2SiF6) forms, in the phosphate-containing effluent, was provided by comparing potentiometric titration curves of a crude wastewater sample and synthetic acid mixtures containing H3PO4, HF and H2SiF6. In a second step synthetic effluent containing mixtures of the following acids: HF, H2SiF6 and H3PO4, were treated with lime. The behaviour of these compounds under lime treatment was analysed. The data showed that fluoride has a beneficial effect on phosphate removal. Moreover, by acting on the precipitation pH, a "selective" recovery of fluoride and phosphate ions was possible either from phosphoric acid/hydrofluoric acid or phosphoric acid/hexafluorosilicic acid mixtures. Indeed, the first stage of the separative recovery, led to a fluoride removal efficiency of 97-98% from phosphoric acid/hydrofluoric acid mixture. It was of 93-95% from phosphoric acid/hexafluorosilicic acid mixture. During the second stage, the phosphate precipitation reached 99.8% from both acidic mixtures whereas it did not exceed 82% from a solution containing H3PO4 alone. The XRD and IR analyses showed that during lime treatment, a H2SiF6 hydrolysis occurred, instead of CaSiF6 solid

Infrared reflectance of GaN films grown on Si(001) substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiong; Hou, Yong-Tian; Feng, Zhe-Chuan; Chen, Jin-Li

2001-01-01

GaN thin films on Si(001) substrates are studied by infrared reflectance (IRR) spectroscopy at room temperature (RT). Variations in the IRR spectral line shape with the microstructure of GaN/Si(011) film are quantitatively explained in terms of a three-component effective medium model. In this model, the nominally undoped GaN film is considered to consist of three elementary components, i.e., single crystalline GaN grains, pores (voids), and inter-granulated materials (amorphous GaN clusters). Such a polycrystalline nature of the GaN/Si(001) films was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy measurements. It was demonstrated that based on the proposed three-component effective medium model, excellent overall simulation of the RT-IRR spectra can be achieved, and the fine structures of the GaN reststrahlen band in the measured RT-IRR spectra can also be interpreted very well. Furthermore, the volume fraction for each component in the GaN/Si(001) film was accurately determined by fitting the experimental RT-IRR spectra with the theoretical simulation. These results indicate that IRR spectroscopy can offer a sensitive and convenient tool to probe the microstructure of GaN films grown on silicon. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Surface layers in the 4A group metals with implanted silicon ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovneristyj, Yu.K.; Vavilova, V.V.; Krasnopevtsev, V.V.; Galkin, L.N.; Kudyshev, A.N.; Klechkovskaya, V.V.

1987-01-01

A study was made on the change of structure and phase composition of fine near the surface layers of 4A group metals (Hf, Zr, Ti) during ion Si implantation and successive thermal annealing at elevated temperatures. Implantation of Si + ions with 30 or 16 keV energy in Ti, Zr and Hf at room temperature results to amorphization of metal surface layer. The surface hafnium and titanium layer with implanted Si atoms due to interaction with residual atmosphere of oxygen turns during annealing at 870 K to amorphous solid solution of HfO 2m or TiO 2 with Si, preventing further metal oxidation; layers of amorphous alloy are characterized by thermal stability up to 1270 K. Oxidation of the surface amorphous layer in residual oxygen atmosphere and its crystallization in ZrO 2 take place in result of Zr annealing with implanted Si ions at temperature not exceeding 870 K. Similar phenomena are observed in the case of hafnium with implanted oxygen ions or small dose of silicon ions. Thermal stability of amorphous layers produced during ion implantation of Si in Ti, Zr and Hf corresponds to scale resistance of monolithic alloys in Ti-Si, Zr-Si and Hf-Si systems

"Equilibrium structure of monatomic steps on vicinal Si(001)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zandvliet, Henricus J.W.; Elswijk, H.B.; van Loenen, E.J.; Dijkkamp, D.

1992-01-01

The equilibrium structure of monatomic steps on vicinal Si(001) is described in terms of anisotropic nearest-neighbor and isotropic second-nearest-neighbor interactions between dimers. By comparing scanning-tunneling-microscopy data and this equilibrium structure, we obtained interaction energies of

Dislocation behavior of surface-oxygen-concentration controlled Si wafers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asazu, Hirotada; Takeuchi, Shotaro; Sannai, Hiroya; Sudo, Haruo; Araki, Koji; Nakamura, Yoshiaki; Izunome, Koji; Sakai, Akira

2014-01-01

We have investigated dislocation behavior in the surface area of surface-oxygen-concentration controlled Si wafers treated by a high temperature rapid thermal oxidation (HT-RTO). The HT-RTO process allows us to precisely control the interstitial oxygen concentration ([O i ]) in the surface area of the Si wafers. Sizes of rosette patterns, generated by nano-indentation and subsequent thermal annealing at 900 °C for 1 h, were measured for the Si wafers with various [O i ]. It was found that the rosette size decreases in proportion to the − 0.25 power of [O i ] in the surface area of the Si wafers, which were higher than [O i ] of 1 × 10 17 atoms/cm 3 . On the other hand, [O i ] of lower than 1 × 10 17 atoms/cm 3 did not affect the rosette size very much. These experimental results demonstrate the ability of the HT-RTO process to suppress the dislocation movements in the surface area of the Si wafer. - Highlights: • Surface-oxygen-concentration controlled Si wafers have been made. • The oxygen concentration was controlled by high temperature rapid thermal oxidation. • Dislocation behavior in the surface area of the Si wafers has been investigated. • Rosette size decreased with increasing of interstitial oxygen atoms. • The interstitial oxygen atoms have a pinning effect of dislocations at the surface

Electrochemical investigation of the surface energy: Effect of the HF concentration on electroless silver deposition onto p-Si (1 1 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Weichun; Chang Yanlong; Ma Chuanli; Jia Bingyu; Cao Guiyan; Wang Chunming

2007-01-01

Electroless silver deposition onto p-silicon (1 1 1) from 0.005 mol l -1 AgNO 3 solutions with different HF concentration was investigated by using an electrochemical direct current polarization method and open circuit potential-time (Ocp-t) technique. The fact that three-dimensional (3D) growth of silver onto silicon is favored with increasing the HF concentration was ascribed to the drop of the surface energy and approved by electrochemical direct current polarization, Ocp-t technique and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The drop slope of open-circuit potential, K -ΔE(OCP)/t , was educed from the mixed-potential theory. K -ΔE(OCP)/t as well as the deposition rate determined by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), increased with the HF concentration, yet was not a linear function. Results were explained by the stress generation and relaxation mechanisms

[Influence of different surface treatments on porcelain surface topography].

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Yinxia; Zhu, Xianchun; Sen, Yan; Liu, Chang; Zhang, Xian; Shi, Xueming

2013-02-01

To evaluate the influence of different surface treatments on porcelain surface topography. Metal ceramic prostheses in 6 groups were treated according to the different surface treatment methods, and the surface topography was observed through scanning electron microscope (SEM). Group A was the control one (untreated), group B was etched by 9.6% hydrofluoric acid(HF), group C was deglazed by grinding and then etched by 9.6% HF, group D was treated with Nd: YAG laser irradiation(0.75 W) and HF etching, group E was treated with Nd: YAG laser irradiation (1.05 W) and HF etching, and group F was treated with laser irradiation (1.45 W) and HF etching. Surface topography was different in different groups. A lot of inerratic cracks with the shapes of rhombuses and grid, and crater with a shape of circle were observed on the ceramic surface after treatment with energy parameters of 1.05 W Nd: YAG laser irradiation and 9.6% HF etching (group E). Surface topography showed a lot of concaves on the inner wall of the cracks, and the concaves with diameter of 1-5 microm could be observed on the inner wall of the holes, which had a diameter of 20 microm under SEM. The use of Nd: YAG laser irradiation with the energy parameters of 1.05 W and the HF with a concentration of 9.6% can evenly coarsen the porcelain surface, that is an effective surface treatment method.

Theoretical study on photon-phonon coupling at (001)-(2 x 1) surfaces of Ge and {alpha}-Sn

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez-Sanchez, F.L. [Escuela de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma ' ' Benito Juarez' ' de Oaxaca, Av. Universidad S/N, Ex-Hacienda de Cinco Senores, Ciudad Universitaria, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oax., 68120 (Mexico); Perez-Rodriguez, F. [Instituto de Fisica, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Apdo. Post. J-48, Puebla, Pue. 72570 (Mexico)

2011-06-15

We present a study of the far-infrared reflectance anisotropy spectra for (001) surfaces of Ge and {alpha}-Sn in the (2 x 1) asymmetric dimer geometry, which exhibit a resonance structure associated with the excitation of surface phonon modes. We have employed a theoretical formalism, based on the adiabatic bond-charge model (ABCM), for computing the far-infrared reflectance anisotropy spectra. In comparison with previous theoretical results for silicon and diamond surfaces, the resonance structure in the reflectance anisotropy spectrum for Ge(001)-(2 x 1) turns out to be similar to that observed in the spectrum for the Si(001)-(2 x 1) surface, whereas the spectrum for {alpha}-Sn(001)-(2 x 1) surface is noticeably different from the others. We have established a trend of far-infrared reflectance anisotropy spectra for IV(001) surfaces: the weaker dimer strength, the stronger resonances of low-frequency surface phonons. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Potential energy landscape of an interstitial O2 molecule in a SiO2 film near the SiO2/Si(001) interface

Science.gov (United States)

Ohta, Hiromichi; Watanabe, Takanobu; Ohdomari, Iwao

2008-10-01

Potential energy distribution of interstitial O2 molecule in the vicinity of SiO2/Si(001) interface is investigated by means of classical molecular simulation. A 4-nm-thick SiO2 film model is built by oxidizing a Si(001) substrate, and the potential energy of an O2 molecule is calculated at Cartesian grid points with an interval of 0.05 nm in the SiO2 film region. The result shows that the potential energy of the interstitial site gradually rises with approaching the interface. The potential gradient is localized in the region within about 1 nm from the interface, which coincides with the experimental thickness of the interfacial strained layer. The potential energy is increased by about 0.62 eV at the SiO2/Si interface. The result agrees with a recently proposed kinetic model for dry oxidation of silicon [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 196102 (2006)], which argues that the oxidation rate is fully limited by the oxidant diffusion.

Determination of preferential rare earth adatom adsorption geometries on Si(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinde, Aniketa; Cao Juexian; Ouyang Wenjie; Wu Ruqian; Ragan, Regina

2009-01-01

The adsorption patterns of rare earth atoms on Si(001) were investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and density functional calculations. Stable configurations were systematically determined via calculation of binding energies of various adatom coverage and adsorption geometry. Competition between inter-adatom hybridization and Coulomb repulsion is the mechanism contributing to binding energy minima associated with commonly observed rare earth adsorption geometries. Comparison of stable configurations with experimental scanning tunneling microscopy images demonstrated accuracy of the theoretical models. This paves a way for the understanding of self-assembly of rare earth disilicide nanowires on vicinal Si(001) substrates.

The effect of neodymium on the microcracks generated on the Al–17.5Si alloy surface treated by high current pulsed electron beam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Liang; Gao, Bo, E-mail: gaob@smm.neu.edu.cn; Zhu, Guanglin; Hao, Yi; Sun, Shuchen; Tu, Ganfeng

2016-02-28

Graphical abstract: SEM results demonstrate that microcracks are remarkably removed from the Al–17.5Si alloy surface after HCPEB treatment due to Nd element, and they decrease in length at high pulse number, showing a decrease in the stress concentration in the primary Si phase during the cooling process of HCPEB, as shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, the microcrack elimination is attributed to reducing the stress concentration. - Highlights: • The main highlights in this paper are summarized as follows: (1) After adding rare earth Nd, the microcracks are remarkably removed from an Al–17.5Si alloy surface by HCPEB, resulting in an improved corrosion resistance of the alloy surface. (2) A site-fixed observation of SEM is first proposed in HCPEB-treated technology, and a microcrack evolution with increasing pulsed numbers is observed for alloy surfaces using this method. (3) The elimination mechanism of microcracks with rare earth Nd is first presented in the present work. (4) Compound modification of rare earth Nd and HCPEB technology on the Al–17.5Si alloy is first investigated. - Abstract: In the present work, the effect of Nd on the microcracks generated on an Al–17.5Si alloy surface by a high current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) was investigated. By a newly proposed site-fixed observation, the propagation of microcracks with increasing pulsed numbers first increases and then decreases due to the Nd element. The crack density decreases from 0.0669 mm/mm{sup 2} of 5 pulses to 0.00687 mm/mm{sup 2} of 50 pulses. EPMA analysis results indicate that Nd is uniformly distributed on the HCPEB-treated alloy surface. Nano-silicon particles and nano-Al cellular structures were formed by TEM observation, showing grain refinement of the alloy surface. The microcrack elimination is attributed to a decrease in the stress concentration in the primary Si phase during the cooling process of HCPEB. The electrochemical measurement shows that the corrosion current density

A study of the anomalous behaviour of the glass electrode in solutions containing hydrofluoric acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Emil; Lundgaard, T.

1965-01-01

A defined surface hydration of the glass electrode is secured by pre-treatment with 0.1 N HF followed by rinsing with pure 0.1 N HCl for a few minutes. On subsequent contact with 0.1 N HCl containing HF, the electrode potential shows a change which is determined by the [HF]. The immediate reaction...... is an adsorption of HF by the glass surface. This is followed, at [HF] higher than 0.01 N, by the substitution of two F− for OH− per Si atom. With increasing HF the attack on the Si-O-Si bonds becomes severe, but it can be tolerated to a considerable degree because the newly formed surface is identical...

Creep Properties of NiAl-1Hf Single Crystals Re-Investigated

Science.gov (United States)

Whittenberger, J. Daniel; Locci, Ivan E.; Darolia, Ram; Bowman, Randy R.

2000-01-01

ingots were subjected to several heat treatment schedules, examined by transmission electron microscopy, and tested in both compression and tension. An example of the microstructure found in a [001]-oriented NiAl-1Hf specimen after a solution treatment at 1317 C for 50 hr followed by air cooling is illustrated in the image on the left, where the NiAl matrix contains a uniform distribution of nanometer-scale Gphase (Ni16Hf6Si7) precipitates. Other heat treating schedules produced microstructures with nanometer-sized G-phase cubes and plates or, in an extreme case, produced a microstructure with all the G-phase converted to Heusler (Ni2AlHf) particles. The results of 1027 C creep strength and strain rate testing are illustrated which summarizes data from tensile and compressive testing of samples cut from all four NiAl-1Hf ingots and subjected to a variety of heat treatment schedules. With one exception, all the strength values lie in a narrow band that spans six orders of magnitude in strain rate. The only factor that produced results outside of this band was the heat treatment schedule that dissolved all the G-phase and replaced it with Heusler precipitates. The results portrayed in this figure lead to the important practical conclusion that the elevated-temperature creep properties of NiAl-1Hf single crystals are reproducible and are not affected by small variations in alloy chemistry from ingot to ingot or by different initial distributions of G-phase in the heat-treated alloy. The only variable in this study that produced a significant and delerious effect on mechanical strength was a post-solution heat treatment that lead to the complete disappearance of the G-phase in favor of Heusler precipitates.

The water adsorption on the surfaces of SrMO3 (M= Ti, Zr, and Hf) crystalline oxides: quantum and classical modelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evarestov, R A; Bandura, A V; Blokhin, E N

2007-01-01

Hybrid HF-DFT LCAO simulations of (001) surface properties and water adsorption on cubic SrTiO 3 , SrZrO 3 , and SrHfO 3 perovskites are performed in a single-slab model framework. The optimized atomic structures and water adsorption energies have been calculated for a single water molecule per the surface unit cell. The possibility of the water molecular dissociation was investigated. Basing on the experimental data and results of the ab initio calculations the new interatomic potentials have been developed to describe the bulk and surface properties of the binary and ternary titanium and zirconium oxides. The proposed force-field takes into account the polarization effects via the shell model. The force-field suggested was used in the molecular mechanics calculations with the extended unit cells to study the possible surface reconstruction upon relaxation and hydroxylation of cubic perovskites

HF/H2O2 treated graphite felt as the positive electrode for vanadium redox flow battery

Science.gov (United States)

He, Zhangxing; Jiang, Yingqiao; Meng, Wei; Jiang, Fengyun; Zhou, Huizhu; Li, Yuehua; Zhu, Jing; Wang, Ling; Dai, Lei

2017-11-01

In order to improve the electrochemical performance of the positive graphite felt electrode in vanadium flow redox battery, a novel method is developed to effectively modify the graphite felt by combination of etching of HF and oxidation of H2O2. After the etching of HF for the graphite felt at ambient temperature, abundant oxygen-containing functional groups were further introduced on the surface of graphite felt by hydrothermal treatment using H2O2 as oxidant. Benefiting from the surface etching and introduction of functional groups, mass transfer and electrode process can be improved significantly on the surface of graphite felt. VO2+/VO2+ redox reaction on the graphite felt modified by HF and H2O2 jointly (denote: GF-HF/H2O2) exhibits superior electrochemical kinetics in comparison with the graphite felt modified by single HF or H2O2 treatment. The cell using GF-HF/H2O2 as the positive electrode was assembled and its electrochemical properties were evaluated. The increase of energy efficiency of 4.1% for GF-HF/H2O2 at a current density of 50 mA cm-2 was obtained compared with the pristine graphite felt. The cell using GF-HF/H2O2 also demonstrated higher discharge capacity. Our study revealed that HF/H2O2 treatment is an efficient method to enhance the electrochemical performance of graphite felt, further improving the comprehensive energy storage performance of the vanadium flow redox battery.

Critical Shape and Size for Dislocation Nucleation in Si1-xGex Islands on Si(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marzegalli, A.; Zinovyev, V. A.; Montalenti, F.; Miglio, Leo; Rastelli, A.; Schmidt, O. G.; Stoffel, M.; Merdzhanova, T.

2007-01-01

The critical volume for the onset of plastic strain relaxation in SiGe islands on Si(001) is computed for different Ge contents and realistic shapes by using a three-dimensional model, with position-dependent dislocation energy. It turns out that the critical bases for dome- and barnlike islands are different for any composition. By comparison to extensive atomic force microscopy measurements of the footprints left on the Si substrates by islands grown at different temperatures (and compositions), we conclude that, in contrast with planar films, dislocation nucleation in 3D islands is fully thermodynamic

Thickness independent reduced forming voltage in oxygen engineered HfO{sub 2} based resistive switching memories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharath, S. U., E-mail: sharath@oxide.tu-darmstadt.de; Kurian, J.; Komissinskiy, P.; Hildebrandt, E.; Alff, L. [Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Bertaud, T.; Walczyk, C.; Calka, P. [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt Oder (Germany); Schroeder, T. [IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt Oder (Germany); Brandenburgische Technische Universität, Konrad-Zuse-Strasse 1, 03046 Cottbus (Germany)

2014-08-18

The conducting filament forming voltage of stoichiometric hafnium oxide based resistive switching layers increases linearly with layer thickness. Using strongly reduced oxygen deficient hafnium oxide thin films grown on polycrystalline TiN/Si(001) substrates, the thickness dependence of the forming voltage is strongly suppressed. Instead, an almost constant forming voltage of about 3 V is observed up to 200 nm layer thickness. This effect suggests that filament formation and switching occurs for all samples in an oxidized HfO{sub 2} surface layer of a few nanometer thickness while the highly oxygen deficient thin film itself merely serves as a oxygen vacancy reservoir.

Impact of growth and annealing conditions on the parameters of Ge/Si(001) relaxed layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yurasov, D. V., E-mail: Inquisitor@ipm.sci-nnov.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Physics of Microstructures (Russian Federation); Bobrov, A. I. [Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Daniltsev, V. M.; Novikov, A. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Physics of Microstructures (Russian Federation); Pavlov, D. A. [Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Skorokhodov, E. V.; Shaleev, M. V.; Yunin, P. A. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Physics of Microstructures (Russian Federation)

2015-11-15

Influence of the Ge layer thickness and annealing conditions on the parameters of relaxed Ge/Si(001) layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy via two-stage growth is investigated. The dependences of the threading dislocation density and surface roughness on the Ge layer thickness, annealing temperature and time, and the presence of a hydrogen atmosphere are obtained. As a result of optimization of the growth and annealing conditions, relaxed Ge/Si(001) layers which are thinner than 1 μm with a low threading dislocation density on the order of 10{sup 7} cm{sup –2} and a root mean square roughness of less than 1 nm are obtained.

Chemical and electrical passivation of Si(1 1 1) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Fangyuan; Yang Dan; Opila, Robert L.; Teplyakov, Andrew V.

2012-01-01

This paper compares the physical and chemical properties of hydrogen-passivated Si(1 1 1) single crystalline surfaces prepared by two main chemical preparation procedures. The modified RCA cleaning is commonly used to prepare atomically flat stable surfaces that are easily identifiable spectroscopically and are the standard for chemical functionalization of silicon. On the other hand electronic properties of these surfaces are sometimes difficult to control. A much simpler silicon surface preparation procedure includes HF dipping for a short period of time. This procedure yields an atomically rough surface, whose chemical identity is not well-defined. However, the surfaces prepared by this approach often exhibit exceptionally attractive electronic properties as determined by long charge carrier lifetimes. This work utilizes infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate chemical modification of the surfaces prepared by these two different procedures with PCl 5 (leading to surface chlorination) and with short- and long-alkyl-chain alkenes (1-decene and 1-octodecene, respectively) and follows the electronic properties of the starting surfaces produced by measuring charge-carrier lifetimes.

Chemical and electrical passivation of Si(1 1 1) surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Fangyuan; Yang, Dan; Opila, Robert L.; Teplyakov, Andrew V.

2012-01-01

This paper compares the physical and chemical properties of hydrogen-passivated Si(1 1 1) single crystalline surfaces prepared by two main chemical preparation procedures. The modified RCA cleaning is commonly used to prepare atomically flat stable surfaces that are easily identifiable spectroscopically and are the standard for chemical functionalization of silicon. On the other hand electronic properties of these surfaces are sometimes difficult to control. A much simpler silicon surface preparation procedure includes HF dipping for a short period of time. This procedure yields an atomically rough surface, whose chemical identity is not well-defined. However, the surfaces prepared by this approach often exhibit exceptionally attractive electronic properties as determined by long charge carrier lifetimes. This work utilizes infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate chemical modification of the surfaces prepared by these two different procedures with PCl5 (leading to surface chlorination) and with short- and long-alkyl-chain alkenes (1-decene and 1-octodecene, respectively) and follows the electronic properties of the starting surfaces produced by measuring charge-carrier lifetimes.

Study of structure and antireflective properties of LaF3/HfO2/SiO2 and LaF3/HfO2/MgF2 trilayers for UV applications

Science.gov (United States)

Marszalek, K.; Jaglarz, J.; Sahraoui, B.; Winkowski, P.; Kanak, J.

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to study antireflective properties of the tree-layer systems LaF3/HfO2/SiO2 and LaF3/HfO2/MgF2 deposited on heated optical glass substrates. The films were evaporated by the use two deposition techniques. In first method oxide films were prepared by means of e-gun evaporation in vacuum of 5 × 10-5 mbar in the presence of oxygen. The second was used for the deposition of fluoride films. They were obtained by means of thermal source evaporation. Simulation of reflectance was performed for 1M2H1L (Quarter Wavelength Optical Thickness) film stack on an optical quartz glass with the refractive index n = 1.46. The layer thickness was optimized to achieve the lowest light scattering from glass surface covered with dioxide and fluoride films. The values of the interface roughness were determined through atomic force microscopy measurements. The essence of performed calculation was to find minimum reflectance of light in wide ultraviolet region. The spectral dispersion of the refractive index needed for calculations was determined from ellipsometric measurements using the spectroscopic ellipsometer M2000. Additionally, the total reflectance measurements in integrating sphere coupled with Perkin Elmer 900 spectrophotometer were performed. These investigations allowed to determine the influence of such film features like surface and interface roughness on light scattering.

The water adsorption on the surfaces of SrMO{sub 3} (M= Ti, Zr, and Hf) crystalline oxides: quantum and classical modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evarestov, R A; Bandura, A V; Blokhin, E N [Department of Quantum Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University 26 University Ave., Petergoff, St. Petersburg, 198504 (Russian Federation)

2007-12-15

Hybrid HF-DFT LCAO simulations of (001) surface properties and water adsorption on cubic SrTiO{sub 3}, SrZrO{sub 3}, and SrHfO{sub 3} perovskites are performed in a single-slab model framework. The optimized atomic structures and water adsorption energies have been calculated for a single water molecule per the surface unit cell. The possibility of the water molecular dissociation was investigated. Basing on the experimental data and results of the ab initio calculations the new interatomic potentials have been developed to describe the bulk and surface properties of the binary and ternary titanium and zirconium oxides. The proposed force-field takes into account the polarization effects via the shell model. The force-field suggested was used in the molecular mechanics calculations with the extended unit cells to study the possible surface reconstruction upon relaxation and hydroxylation of cubic perovskites.

Surface and interfacial chemistry of high-k dielectric and interconnect materials on silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Kirsch, Paul Daniel

Surfaces and interfaces play a critical role in the manufacture and function of silicon based integrated circuits. It is therefore reasonable to study the chemistries at these surfaces and interfaces to improve existing processes and to develop new ones. Model barium strontium titanate high-k dielectric systems have been deposited on ultrathin silicon oxynitride in ultrahigh vacuum. The resulting nanostructures are characterized with secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). An interfacial reaction between Ba and Sr atoms and SiOxNy was found to create silicates, BaSixOy or SrSi xOy. Inclusion of N in the interfacial oxide decreased silicate formation in both Ba and Sr systems. Furthermore, inclusion of N in the interfacial oxide decreased the penetration of Ba and Sr containing species, such as silicides and silicates. Sputter deposited HfO2 was studied on nitrided and unnitrided Si(100) surfaces. XPS and SIMS were used to verify the presence of interfacial HfSixOy and estimate its relative amount on both nitrided and unnitrided samples. More HfSixOy formed without the SiNx interfacial layer. These interfacial chemistry results are then used to explain the electrical measurements obtained from metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors. MOS capacitors with interfacial SiNx exhibit reduced leakage current and increased capacitance. Lastly, surface science techniques were used to develop a processing technique for reducing thin films of copper (II) and copper (I) oxide to copper. Deuterium atoms (D*) and methyl radicals (CH3*) were shown to reduce Cu 2+ and/or Cu1+ to Cu0 within 30 min at a surface temperature of 400 K under a flux of 1 x 1015 atoms/cm2s. Temperature programmed desorption experiments suggest that oxygen leaves the surface as D2O and CO2 for the D* and CH3* treated surfaces, respectively.

Investigation of HF-plasma-treated soft x-ray optical elements

Science.gov (United States)

Eggenstein, F.; Krivenkov, M.; Rudolph, I.; Sertsu, M. G.; Sokolov, A.; Varykhalov, A.; Wolf, J.; Zeschke, T.; Schäfers, F.

2017-09-01

The contamination of optical elements (mirrors and gratings) with carbon still is an issue when using soft x-ray synchrotron radiation. With an in-house developed HF-plasma treatment we are able to decontaminate our optics in-situ from carbon very efficiently. The cleaning device, a simple Al-antenna, is mounted in situ inside the mirror- and grating vacuum chambers. A systematic study of the HF-plasma cleaning efficiency was performed acquired with in-situ and exsitu methods for monitoring: An atomic force microscope (AFM) and a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) were used before and after the cleaning process to determine the surface morphology and roughness. Reflectivity angular scans using the reflectometer at the BESSY-II Metrology Station [1-3] allowed to estimate the thickness of the remaining Clayer after different cleaning steps and thereby helped us to determine the etching rate. Reflection spectra measurements in the range of 200 eV - 900 eV show the complete removal of Carbon from the optics without contaminating it with any other elements due to the plasma treatment. The data show that the plasma process improves the reflectivity and reduces the roughness of the surface. In addition to that, the region of the optical surface where the carbon has been removed becomes passivated.

Evolution of a Native Oxide Layer at the a-Si:H/c-Si Interface and Its Influence on a Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wenzhu; Meng, Fanying; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Liu, Zhengxin

2015-12-09

The interface microstructure of a silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell was investigated. We found an ultrathin native oxide layer (NOL) with a thickness of several angstroms was formed on the crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface in a very short time (∼30 s) after being etched by HF solution. Although the NOL had a loose structure with defects that are detrimental for surface passivation, it acted as a barrier to restrain the epitaxial growth of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) during the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The microstructure change of the NOL during the PECVD deposition of a-Si:H layers with different conditions and under different H2 plasma treatments were systemically investigated in detail. When a brief H2 plasma was applied to treat the a-Si:H layer after the PECVD deposition, interstitial oxygen and small-size SiO2 precipitates were transformed to hydrogenated amorphous silicon suboxide alloy (a-SiO(x):H, x ∼ 1.5). In the meantime, the interface defect density was reduced by about 50%, and the parameters of the SHJ solar cell were improved due to the post H2 plasma treatment.

Fabrication and electrical properties of metal-oxide semiconductor capacitors based on polycrystalline p-Cu{sub x}O and HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} high-{kappa} stack gate dielectrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zou Xiao [Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Department of Electromachine Engineering, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056 (China); Fang Guojia, E-mail: gjfang@whu.edu.c [Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Yuan Longyan; Liu Nishuang; Long Hao; Zhao Xingzhong [Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430074 (China)

2010-05-31

Polycrystalline p-type Cu{sub x}O films were deposited after the growth of HfO{sub 2} dielectric on Si substrate by pulsed laser deposition, and Cu{sub x}O metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} stack gate dielectric were primarily fabricated and investigated. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to analyze crystalline structure and Cu{sup +}/Cu{sup 2+} ratios of Cu{sub x}O films respectively. SiO{sub 2} interlayer formed between the high-{kappa} dielectric and substrate was estimated by the transmission electron microscope. Results of electrical characteristic measurement indicate that the permittivity of HfO{sub 2} is about 22, and the gate leakage current density of MOS capacitor with 11.3 nm HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} stack dielectrics is {approx} 10{sup -4} A/cm{sup 2}. Results also show that the annealing in N{sub 2} can improve the quality of Cu{sub x}O/HfO{sub 2} interface and thus reduce the gate leakage density.

Fabrication mechanism of friction-induced selective etching on Si(100) surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jian; Song, Chenfei; Li, Xiaoying; Yu, Bingjun; Dong, Hanshan; Qian, Linmao; Zhou, Zhongrong

2012-02-23

As a maskless nanofabrication technique, friction-induced selective etching can easily produce nanopatterns on a Si(100) surface. Experimental results indicated that the height of the nanopatterns increased with the KOH etching time, while their width increased with the scratching load. It has also found that a contact pressure of 6.3 GPa is enough to fabricate a mask layer on the Si(100) surface. To understand the mechanism involved, the cross-sectional microstructure of a scratched area was examined, and the mask ability of the tip-disturbed silicon layer was studied. Transmission electron microscope observation and scanning Auger nanoprobe analysis suggested that the scratched area was covered by a thin superficial oxidation layer followed by a thick distorted (amorphous and deformed) layer in the subsurface. After the surface oxidation layer was removed by HF etching, the residual amorphous and deformed silicon layer on the scratched area can still serve as an etching mask in KOH solution. The results may help to develop a low-destructive, low-cost, and flexible nanofabrication technique suitable for machining of micro-mold and prototype fabrication in micro-systems.

A promising routine to fabricate GeSi nanowires via self-assembly on miscut Si (001) substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Zhenyang; Gong, Hua; Ma, Yingjie; Fan, Yongliang; Jiang, Zuimin

2011-04-11

: Very small and compactly arranged GeSi nanowires could self-assembled on vicinal Si (001) substrates with ~8° off toward ⟨110⟩ during Ge deposition. The nanowires were all oriented along the miscut direction. The small ration of height over width of the nanowire indicated that the nanowires were bordered partly with {1 0 5} facets. These self-assembled small nanowires were remarkably influenced by the growth conditions and the miscut angle of substrates in comparison with large dome-like islands obtained after sufficient Ge deposition. These results proposed that the formation of the nanowire was energetically driven under growth kinetic assistance. Three-dimensionally self-assembled GeSi nanowires were first realized via multilayer Ge growth separated with Si spacers. These GeSi nanowires were readily embedded in Si matrix and compatible with the sophisticated Si technology, which suggested a feasible strategy to fabricate nanowires for fundamental studies and a wide variety of applications.PACS: 81.07.Gf, 81.16.Dn, 68.65.-k, 68.37.Ps.

A promising routine to fabricate GeSi nanowires via self-assembly on miscut Si (001 substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong Zhenyang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Very small and compactly arranged GeSi nanowires could self-assembled on vicinal Si (001 substrates with ~8° off toward ⟨110⟩ during Ge deposition. The nanowires were all oriented along the miscut direction. The small ration of height over width of the nanowire indicated that the nanowires were bordered partly with {1 0 5} facets. These self-assembled small nanowires were remarkably influenced by the growth conditions and the miscut angle of substrates in comparison with large dome-like islands obtained after sufficient Ge deposition. These results proposed that the formation of the nanowire was energetically driven under growth kinetic assistance. Three-dimensionally self-assembled GeSi nanowires were first realized via multilayer Ge growth separated with Si spacers. These GeSi nanowires were readily embedded in Si matrix and compatible with the sophisticated Si technology, which suggested a feasible strategy to fabricate nanowires for fundamental studies and a wide variety of applications. PACS: 81.07.Gf, 81.16.Dn, 68.65.-k, 68.37.Ps

Controlled surface chemistry of diamond/β-SiC composite films for preferential protein adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tao; Handschuh-Wang, Stephan; Yang, Yang; Zhuang, Hao; Schlemper, Christoph; Wesner, Daniel; Schönherr, Holger; Zhang, Wenjun; Jiang, Xin

2014-02-04

Diamond and SiC both process extraordinary biocompatible, electronic, and chemical properties. A combination of diamond and SiC may lead to highly stable materials, e.g., for implants or biosensors with excellent sensing properties. Here we report on the controllable surface chemistry of diamond/β-SiC composite films and its effect on protein adsorption. For systematic and high-throughput investigations, novel diamond/β-SiC composite films with gradient composition have been synthesized using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. As revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the diamond/β-SiC ratio of the composite films shows a continuous change from pure diamond to β-SiC over a length of ∼ 10 mm on the surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was employed to unveil the surface termination of chemically oxidized and hydrogen treated surfaces. The surface chemistry of the composite films was found to depend on diamond/β-SiC ratio and the surface treatment. As observed by confocal fluorescence microscopy, albumin and fibrinogen were preferentially adsorbed from buffer: after surface oxidation, the proteins preferred to adsorb on diamond rather than on β-SiC, resulting in an increasing amount of proteins adsorbed to the gradient surfaces with increasing diamond/β-SiC ratio. By contrast, for hydrogen-treated surfaces, the proteins preferentially adsorbed on β-SiC, leading to a decreasing amount of albumin adsorbed on the gradient surfaces with increasing diamond/β-SiC ratio. The mechanism of preferential protein adsorption is discussed by considering the hydrogen bonding of the water self-association network to OH-terminated surfaces and the change of the polar surface energy component, which was determined according to the van Oss method. These results suggest that the diamond/β-SiC gradient film can be a promising material for biomedical applications which

O-band electrically injected quantum dot micro-ring lasers on on-axis (001) GaP/Si and V-groove Si.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Yating; Jung, Daehwan; Norman, Justin; Shang, Chen; MacFarlane, Ian; Li, Qiang; Kennedy, M J; Gossard, Arthur C; Lau, Kei May; Bowers, John E

2017-10-30

We report statistical comparisons of lasing characteristics in InAs quantum dot (QD) micro-rings directly grown on on-axis (001) GaP/Si and V-groove (001) Si substrates. CW thresholds as low as 3 mA and high temperature operation exceeding 80 °C were simultaneously achieved on the GaP/Si template template with an outer-ring radius of 50 µm and a ring width of 4 μm, while a sub-milliamp threshold of 0.6 mA was demonstrated on the V-groove Si template with a smaller cavity size of 5-μm outer-ring radius and 3-μm ring width. Evaluations were also made with devices fabricated simultaneously on native GaAs substrates over a significant sampling analysis. The overall assessment spotlights compelling insights in exploring the optimum epitaxial scheme for low-threshold lasing on industry standard Si substrates.

Experimental study of structural and optical properties of integrated MOCVD GaAs/Si(001) heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Seredin, P. V.; Lenshin, A. S.; Zolotukhin, D. S.; Arsentyev, I. N.; Nikolaev, D. N.; Zhabotinskiy, A. V.

2018-02-01

This is the first report of the control of the structural and optical functional characteristics of integrated GaAs/Si(001) heterostructures due to the use of misoriented Si(001) substrates with protoporous sublayer. The growth of the epitaxial GaAs layer on silicon substrates without formation of the antiphase domains can be performed on substrates deviating less than 4°-6° from the singular (001) plane or without the use of a transition layer of GaAs nano-columns. Preliminary etching of the silicon substrate with protoporous Si sublayer formation facilitated the acquisition of an epitaxial GaAs film in a single-crystalline state with a considerably less residual strain factor using MOCVD, which has a positive effect on the structural quality of the film. These data are in a good agreement with the results of IR reflection spectroscopy as well as PL and UV spectroscopy. The optical properties of the integrated GaAs/Si (001) heterostructures in the IR and UV spectral regions were also determined by the residual strain value.

The fabrication and application of patterned Si(001) substrates with ordered pits via nanosphere lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Peixuan; Fan Yongliang; Zhong Zhenyang

2009-01-01

A new scalable approach has been developed for fabricating large-scale pit patterns with controllable periodicity on Si(001) substrates. The fabrication processes start with self-assembling a monolayer of polystyrene (PS) spheres on hydrogenated Si(001) substrates. A novel net-like mask in combination of the Au pattern thermally evaporated in between the PS spheres and the Au-catalyzed SiO 2 around them is naturally formed. After selective etching of Si by KOH solution, two-dimensionally ordered pits with a periodicity equal to the diameter of the PS spheres in the range from micrometers to less than 100 nm can be obtained. The shape of the pits can be modulated by controlling the chemical etching time. Such pit-patterned Si substrates facilitate the formation of ordered Si-based nanostructures, such as ordered self-assembled GeSi quantum dots, by deposition of Ge using molecular beam epitaxy.

Effect of ion implantation energy for the synthesis of Ge nanocrystals in SiN films with HfO2/SiO2 stack tunnel dielectrics for memory application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gloux Florence

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ge nanocrystals (Ge-NCs embedded in SiN dielectrics with HfO2/SiO2 stack tunnel dielectrics were synthesized by utilizing low-energy (≤5 keV ion implantation method followed by conventional thermal annealing at 800°C, the key variable being Ge+ ion implantation energy. Two different energies (3 and 5 keV have been chosen for the evolution of Ge-NCs, which have been found to possess significant changes in structural and chemical properties of the Ge+-implanted dielectric films, and well reflected in the charge storage properties of the Al/SiN/Ge-NC + SiN/HfO2/SiO2/Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS memory structures. No Ge-NC was detected with a lower implantation energy of 3 keV at a dose of 1.5 × 1016 cm-2, whereas a well-defined 2D-array of nearly spherical and well-separated Ge-NCs within the SiN matrix was observed for the higher-energy-implanted (5 keV sample for the same implanted dose. The MIS memory structures implanted with 5 keV exhibits better charge storage and retention characteristics compared to the low-energy-implanted sample, indicating that the charge storage is predominantly in Ge-NCs in the memory capacitor. A significant memory window of 3.95 V has been observed under the low operating voltage of ± 6 V with good retention properties, indicating the feasibility of these stack structures for low operating voltage, non-volatile memory devices.

Band Alignment and Optical Properties of (ZrO20.66(HfO20.34 Gate Dielectrics Thin Films on p-Si (100

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dahlang Tahir

2011-11-01

Full Text Available (ZrO20.66(HfO20.34 dielectric films on p-Si (100 were grown by atomic layer deposition method, for which the conduction band offsets, valence band offsets and band gaps were obtained by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy. The band gap, valence and conduction band offset values for (ZrO20.66(HfO20.34 dielectric thin film, grown on Si substrate were about 5.34, 2.35 and 1.87 eV respectively. This band alignment was similar to that of ZrO2. In addition, The dielectric function ε (k, ω, index of refraction n and the extinction coefficient k for the (ZrO20.66(HfO20.34 thin films were obtained from a quantitative analysis of REELS data by comparison to detailed dielectric response model calculations using the QUEELS-ε (k,ω-REELS software package. These optical properties are similar with ZrO2 dielectric thin films.

Influence of Optimization of Process Parameters on Threshold Voltage for Development of HfO2/TiSi2 18 nm PMOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atan N.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Manufacturing a 18-nm transistor requires a variety of parameters, materials, temperatures, and methods. In this research, HfO2 was used as the gate dielectric ad TiO2 was used as the gate material. The transistor HfO2/TiSi2 18-nm PMOS was invented using SILVACO TCAD. Ion implantation was adopted in the fabrication process for the method’s practicality and ability to be used to suppress short channel effects. The study involved ion implantation methods: compensation implantation, halo implantation energy, halo tilt, and source–drain implantation. Taguchi method is the best optimization process for a threshold voltage of HfO2/TiSi2 18-nm PMOS. In this case, the method adopted was Taguchi orthogonal array L9. The process parameters (ion implantations and noise factors were evaluated by examining the Taguchi’s signal-to-noise ratio (SNR and nominal-the-best for the threshold voltage (VTH. After optimization, the result showed that the VTH value of the 18-nm PMOS device was -0.291339.

Epitaxial growth of high purity cubic InN films on MgO substrates using HfN buffer layers by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohba, R.; Ohta, J.; Shimomoto, K.; Fujii, T.; Okamoto, K.; Aoyama, A.; Nakano, T.; Kobayashi, A.; Fujioka, H.; Oshima, M.

2009-01-01

Cubic InN films have been grown on MgO substrates with HfN buffer layers by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). It has been found that the use of HfN (100) buffer layers allows us to grow cubic InN (100) films with an in-plane epitaxial relationship of [001] InN //[001] HfN //[001] MgO . X-ray diffraction and electron back-scattered diffraction measurements have revealed that the phase purity of the cubic InN films was as high as 99%, which can be attributed to the use of HfN buffer layers and the enhanced surface migration of the film precursors by the use of PLD. - Graphical abstract: Cubic InN films have been grown on MgO substrates with HfN buffer layers by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). It has been revealed that the phase purity of the cubic InN films was as high as 99 %, which can be attributed to the use of HfN buffer layers and the enhanced surface migration of the film precursors by the use of PLD.

Densification and properties of HfB2 based materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonber, J.K.; Ch Murthy, T.S.R.; Bedse, R.D.; Subramanian, C.; Kumar, Sunil; Fotedar, R.K.; Krishnamurthy, N.; Suri, A.K.

2011-01-01

This paper presents the results of investigation carried out on densification and properties of HfB 2 based materials. Densification study of HfB 2 with and without sinter additive was carried out by hot pressing. TiSi 2 and CrSi 2 were used as sinter additive. Monolithic HfB 2 was densified to only 80%ρ th at 1850 deg C with a pressure of 35 MPa. Addition of 10 wt% TiSi 2 resulted in a density of 95% TD at a relatively low temperature of 1650 deg C and a low pressure of 20 MPa. Addition of 10% CrSi 2 resulted in a density of 99% TD at the same operating conditions. All the samples were characterized by SEM/EDS and mechanical property measurement. (author)

Surface band structures on Nb(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, B.; Lo, W.; Chien, T.; Leung, T.C.; Lue, C.Y.; Chan, C.T.; Ho, K.M.

1994-01-01

We report the joint studies of experimental and theoretical surface band structures of Nb(001). Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine surface-state dispersions along three high-symmetry axes bar Γ bar M, bar Γ bar X, and bar M bar X in the surface Brillouin zone. Ten surface bands have been identified. The experimental data are compared to self-consistent pseudopotential calculations for the 11-layer Nb(001) slabs that are either bulk terminated or fully relaxed (with a 12% contraction for the first interlayer spacing). The band calculations for a 12% surface-contracted slab are in better agreement with the experimental results than those for a bulk-terminated slab, except for a surface resonance near the Fermi level, which is related to the spin-orbit interaction. The charge profiles for all surface states or resonances have been calculated. Surface contraction effects on the charge-density distribution and the energy position of surface states and resonances will also be discussed

Polarized micro-Raman scattering characterization of Mg2Si nanolayers in (001) Si matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zlateva, G; Atanassov, A; Baleva, M; Nikolova, L; Abrashev, M V

2007-01-01

An orientational growth of the Mg 2 Si lattice relative to the Si lattice is considered assuming minimum mismatch of their lattice parameters. The Raman scattering cross-sections are calculated for the four possible orientations of the Mg 2 Si lattice positioned in this way. The integral intensity ratios for the F 2g mode of Mg 2 Si in different polarization configurations, obtained from the experimental spectra, are compared with the calculated ratios. It is found that the Mg 2 Si nanolayer's morphology is sensitive to the implantation energy, which determines both the peak Mg concentration in the initial implantation profile and its position in the sample depth. At a peak concentration of the order of the stoichiometric concentration, the layers are highly oriented. When the peak concentration is higher and the peak is placed closer to the surface, the layers are polycrystalline

Silicon surface passivation using thin HfO2 films by atomic layer deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gope, Jhuma; Vandana; Batra, Neha; Panigrahi, Jagannath; Singh, Rajbir; Maurya, K.K.; Srivastava, Ritu; Singh, P.K.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • HfO 2 films using thermal ALD are studied for silicon surface passivation. • As-deposited thin film (∼8 nm) shows better passivation with surface recombination velocity (SRV) <100 cm/s. • Annealing improves passivation quality with SRV ∼20 cm/s for ∼8 nm film. - Abstract: Hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) is a potential material for equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) scaling in microelectronics; however, its surface passivation properties particularly on silicon are not well explored. This paper reports investigation on passivation properties of thermally deposited thin HfO 2 films by atomic layer deposition system (ALD) on silicon surface. As-deposited pristine film (∼8 nm) shows better passivation with <100 cm/s surface recombination velocity (SRV) vis-à-vis thicker films. Further improvement in passivation quality is achieved with annealing at 400 °C for 10 min where the SRV reduces to ∼20 cm/s. Conductance measurements show that the interface defect density (D it ) increases with film thickness whereas its value decreases after annealing. XRR data corroborate with the observations made by FTIR and SRV data.

Dimers at Ge/Si(001) surfaces: Ge coverage dependent quenching, reactivation of flip-flop motion, and interaction with dimer vacancy lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirayama, H.; Mizuno, H.; Yoshida, R.

2002-01-01

We studied Ge coverage (θ Ge ) dependent quenching, reactivation of the flip-flop motion, and interaction with dimer vacancy lines (DVLs) of dimers on Ge/Si(001) surfaces using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) combined with a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus. Deposition of ∼0.3 ML (monolayer) Ge quenched the flip-flop motion, making all dimers asymmetric. Further deposition introduced DVLs at θ Ge ≥∼0.5 ML, and symmetric dimer domains appeared again locally at θ≥1.5 ML. High-resolution STM images indicated that asymmetric dimer rows always invert their phase in alternation with buckled dimer's up-end at the DVLs. Low-temperature STM images indicated that the symmetric dimer domains were due to flip-flopping of asymmetric dimers activated by large θ Ge at room temperature. The symmetric dimer domains extended along the dimer rows over the DVLs due to the phase correlation

Low-temperature amorphous boron nitride on Si0.7Ge0.3(001), Cu, and HOPG from sequential exposures of N2H4 and BCl3

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Steven; Edmonds, Mary; Sardashti, Kasra; Clemons, Max; Park, Jun Hong; Yoshida, Naomi; Dong, Lin; Nemani, Srinivas; Yieh, Ellie; Holmes, Russell; Alvarez, Daniel; Kummel, Andrew C.

2018-05-01

Low-temperature sequential exposures of N2H4 and BCl3 have been performed on Si0.3Ge0.7(001), Cu, and HOPG surfaces at 350 °C. A novel BN ALD process has been achieved on Si0.3Ge0.7(001) with 60 cycles of BN ALD producing a uniform, pinhole-free thin film with low contamination, as characterized with XPS and AFM. On Cu and Si0.3Ge0.7(001), XPS spectra indicated a near stoichiometric BN film. While AFM imaging indicated the deposition on Cu yielded nanometer-scale etching, conformal deposition was observed on Si0.3Ge0.7(001). The BN ALD also nucleated on inert HOPG via step edges. In situ STM imaging showed that cyclic exposures at 350 °C were able to decorate step edges with features ∼2 nm tall and ∼200 nm wide, indicating the propensity for BN to grow in the planar direction. The N2H4 and BCl3 ALD allows for the deposition of low oxygen, low carbon films, but to avoid etching, the growth should be nucleated by N2H4, since exposure to BCl3 can result in the formation of volatile Cl-containing surface species on many substrates. Therefore, the formation of a stable surface nitride prior to BCl3 exposure is necessary to prevent formation and desorption of volatile species from the substrate.

Growth of high-quality hexagonal InN on 3C-SiC (001) by molecular beam epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaguchi, Hiroyuki; Hijikata, Yasuto; Yoshida, Sadafumi; Kitamura, Yoshihiro; Nishida, Kenji; Iwahashi, Yohei

2005-01-01

We have grown hexagonal InN (h-InN) films on 3C-SiC (001) substrates by RF-N 2 plasma molecular beam epitaxy taking account of small lattice mismatch between h-InN (10-10) and 3C-SiC (110). It was found from X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements that h-InN grows with h-InN (0001) vertical stroke vertical stroke 3C-SiC (001) and h-InN (1-100) vertical stroke vertical stroke 3C-SiC (110). XRD measurements also revealed that the h-InN epitaxial layers grown on 3C-SiC (001) are composed of single domain. Strong and sharp photoluminescence from the h-InN was clearly observed at around 0.69 eV. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Tunneling magnetoresistance in Fe{sub 3}Si/MgO/Fe{sub 3}Si(001) magnetic tunnel junctions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tao, L. L.; Liang, S. H.; Liu, D. P.; Wei, H. X.; Han, X. F., E-mail: xfhan@iphy.ac.cn [Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Wang, Jian [Department of Physics and the Center of Theoretical and Computational Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)

2014-04-28

We present a theoretical study of the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and spin-polarized transport in Fe{sub 3}Si/MgO/Fe{sub 3}Si(001) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). It is found that the spin-polarized conductance and bias-dependent TMR ratios are rather sensitive to the structure of Fe{sub 3}Si electrode. From the symmetry analysis of the band structures, we found that there is no spin-polarized Δ{sub 1} symmetry bands crossing the Fermi level for the cubic Fe{sub 3}Si. In contrast, the tetragonal Fe{sub 3}Si driven by in-plane strain reveals half-metal nature in terms of Δ{sub 1} state. The giant TMR ratios are predicted for both MTJs with cubic and tetragonal Fe{sub 3}Si electrodes under zero bias. However, the giant TMR ratio resulting from interface resonant transmission for the former decreases rapidly with the bias. For the latter, the giant TMR ratio can maintain up to larger bias due to coherent transmission through the majority-spin Δ{sub 1} channel.

Si/C and H coadsorption at 4H-SiC{0001} surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wachowicz, E., E-mail: elwira@ifd.uni.wroc.pl [Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Wrocław, Plac M. Borna 9, PL-50-204 Wrocław (Poland); Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, PL-02-106 Warsaw (Poland)

2016-06-15

Highlights: • Si on C-terminated and C on Si-terminated surface adsorb in the H{sub 3} hollow site. • The preferred adsorption site is in contrary to the stacking order of bulk crystal. • The presence of hydrogen increases the adsorption energy of Si/C. • Hydrogen weakens the bonds between the adsorbed Si or C and the surface. • Carbon adsorbs on top of the surface carbon on the C-terminated surface. • With both C and H on Si-terminated surface the surface state vanishes. - Abstract: Density functional theory (DFT) study of adsorption of 0.25 monolayer of either Si or C on 4H-SiC{0001} surfaces is presented. The adsorption in high-symmetry sites on both Si- and C-terminated surfaces was examined and the influence of the preadsorbed 0.25 ML of hydrogen on the Si/C adsorption was considered. It was found out that for Si on C-terminated surface and C on Si-terminated the most favourable is threefolded adsorption site on both clean and H-precovered surface. This is contrary to the bulk crystal stacking order which would require adsorption on top of the topmost surface atom. In those cases, the presence of hydrogen weakens the bonding of the adsorbate. Carbon on the C-terminated surface, only binds on-top of the surface atom. The C−C bond-length is almost the same for the clean surface and for one with H and equals to ∼1.33 Å which is shorter by ∼0.2 than in diamond. The analysis of the electronic structure changes under adsorption is also presented.

Wet cleaning and surface characterization of Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} virtual substrates after a CMP step

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbadie, A. [CEA-LETI, Minatec, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)], E-mail: alexandra.abbadie@soitec.fr; Hartmann, J.M. [CEA-LETI, Minatec, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Besson, P. [ST Microelectronics, 850 Rue Jean Monnet, 38 921 Crolles Cedex (France); Rouchon, D.; Martinez, E.; Holliger, P.; Di Nardo, C. [CEA-LETI, Minatec, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Campidelli, Y. [ST Microelectronics, 850 Rue Jean Monnet, 38 921 Crolles Cedex (France); Billon, T. [CEA-LETI, Minatec, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

2008-08-30

New reactants such as ozone dissolved in ultra-pure water have been widely used the last few years instead of the original Radio Corporation of America (RCA) cleaning (which is a combination of the Standard Cleaning 1 (SC1) and the Standard Cleaning 2 (SC2)). In a first part of the study (Microelectron. Eng. 83 (2006) 1986), we had quantified the efficiency of a new cleaning sequence (that calls upon HF and H{sub 2}O/O{sub 3} solutions) on polished Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} virtual substrates (x = 0.2-0.5). We are discussing here the surface morphology and wetability together with the oxide thickness and structure typically obtained after this so-called 'DDC-SiGe' wet cleaning. Flat surface morphologies are found after cleaning whatever the Ge content (from 20 to 50%). Typical root mean square roughness is around 0.4 nm. We have used X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to determine the characteristics of the surface termination after this 'DDC-SiGe' cleaning. An oxide mainly composed of SiO{sub 2} is formed, with a low fraction of Ge sub-oxide and GeO{sub 2}. The distribution of chemical species is not that different from the one obtained after the use of a SC1 cleaning. However, the chemical oxide formed is slightly thicker. Such a HF/O{sub 3} cleaning leads, when used on thick Ge layers grown on Si, to the formation of a really thin Ge sub-oxide. Our oxidation model assumes a competition in O{sub 3} solutions between the oxidation rates of Si and Ge atoms (faster for Si) and the dissolution of the Ge oxide formed in solution. This mechanism, which implies the formation of a slightly porous oxide, is different from the one seeming to occur in SC1-based solutions. Indeed, the addition of surfactant in a SC1 solution modifies the oxidation rate compared to standard SC1 or O{sub 3}-based solutions, suggesting a diffusion of reactants towards the interface between the SiGe and the oxide in formation, assisted by the reactions of species within the cleaning

Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy of antiphase boundaries in epitaxially grown GaP layers on Si(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prohl, Christopher; Lenz, Andrea, E-mail: alenz@physik.tu-berlin.de [Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Festkörperphysik, 10623 Berlin (Germany); Döscher, Henning; Kleinschmidt, Peter; Hannappel, Thomas [Helmholtz Center Berlin for Materials and Energy, 14109 Berlin (Germany)

2016-05-15

In a fundamental cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy investigation on epitaxially grown GaP layers on a Si(001) substrate, differently oriented antiphase boundaries are studied. They can be identified by a specific contrast and by surface step edges starting/ending at the position of an antiphase boundary. Moreover, a change in the atomic position of P and Ga atoms along the direction of growth is observed in agreement with the structure model of antiphase boundaries in the GaP lattice. This investigation opens the perspective to reveal the orientation and position of the antiphase boundaries at the atomic scale due to the excellent surface sensitivity of this method.

Electronic structures of GeSi nanoislands grown on pit-patterned Si(001 substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Han Ye

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Patterning pit on Si(001 substrate prior to Ge deposition is an important approach to achieve GeSi nanoislands with high ordering and size uniformity. In present work, the electronic structures of realistic uncapped pyramid, dome, barn and cupola nanoislands grown in {105} pits are systematically investigated by solving Schrödinger equation for heavy-hole, which resorts to inhomogeneous strain distribution and nonlinear composition-dependent band parameters. Uniform, partitioned and equilibrium composition profile (CP in nanoisland and inverted pyramid structure are simulated separately. We demonstrate the huge impact of composition profile on localization of heavy-hole: wave function of ground state is confined near pit facets for uniform CP, at bottom of nanoisland for partitioned CP and at top of nanoisland for equilibrium CP. Moreover, such localization is gradually compromised by the size effect as pit filling ratio or pit size decreases. The results pave the fundamental guideline of designing nanoislands on pit-patterned substrates for desired applications.

Effect of CH3COOH on Hydrometallurgical Purification of Metallurgical-Grade Silicon Using HCl-HF Leaching

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Chunjin; Lu, Haifei; Wei, Kuixian; Ma, Wenhui; Xie, Keqiang; Wu, Jijun; Lei, Yun; Yang, Bin; Morita, Kazuki

2018-04-01

The present study investigated the effects of adding CH3COOH to HCl and HF used to purify metallurgical-grade Si (MG-Si). After 6 h of leaching MG-Si with an acid mixture consisting of 4 mol L-1 HCl, 3 mol L-1 HF, and 3 mol L-1 CH3COOH at 348 K, the total impurity removal efficiency was 88.5%, exceeding the 81.5% removal efficiency obtained without addition of CH3COOH. The microstructural evolution of Si after etching with the two lixiviants indicated better dissolution of metal impurities in MG-Si when using the HCl-HF-CH3COOH mixture. Furthermore, the leaching kinetics of Fe using the HCl-HF and HCl-HF-CH3COOH mixtures were observed to depend on the interfacial chemical reactions.

Phase Stability and Thermal Conductivity of Composite Environmental Barrier Coatings on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Benkel, Samantha; Zhu, Dongming

2011-01-01

Advanced environmental barrier coatings are being developed to protect SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites in harsh combustion environments. The current coating development emphasis has been placed on the significantly improved cyclic durability and combustion environment stability in high-heat-flux and high velocity gas turbine engine environments. Environmental barrier coating systems based on hafnia (HfO2) and ytterbium silicate, HfO2-Si nano-composite bond coat systems have been processed and their stability and thermal conductivity behavior have been evaluated in simulated turbine environments. The incorporation of Silicon Carbide Nanotubes (SiCNT) into high stability (HfO2) and/or HfO2-silicon composite bond coats, along with ZrO2, HfO2 and rare earth silicate composite top coat systems, showed promise as excellent environmental barriers to protect the SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites.

All SiC Grid-Connected PV Supply with HF Link MPPT Converter: System Design Methodology and Development of a 20 kHz, 25 kVA Prototype

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serkan Öztürk

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Design methodology and implementation of an all SiC power semiconductor-based, grid-connected multi-string photovoltaic (PV supply with an isolated high frequency (HF link maximum power point tracker (MPPT have been described. This system configuration makes possible the use of a simple and reliable two-level voltage source inverter (VSI topology for grid connection, owing to the galvanic isolation provided by the HF transformer. This topology provides a viable alternative to the commonly used non-isolated PV supplies equipped with Si-based boost MPPT converters cascaded with relatively more complex inverter topologies, at competitive efficiency figures and a higher power density. A 20 kHz, 25 kVA prototype system was designed based on the dynamic model of the multi-string PV panels obtained from field tests. Design parameters such as input DC link capacitance, switching frequencies of MPPT converter and voltage source inverter, size and performance of HF transformer with nanocrystalline core, DC link voltage, and LCL filter of the VSI were optimized in view of the site dependent parameters such as the variation ranges of solar insolation, module surface temperature, and grid voltage. A modified synchronous reference frame control was implemented in the VSI by applying the grid voltage feedforward to the reference voltages in abc axes directly, so that zero-sequence components of grid voltages are taken into account in the case of an unbalanced grid. The system was implemented and the proposed design methodology verified satisfactorily in the field on a roof-mounted 23.7 kW multi-string PV system.

Surface functionalization of HF-treated silicon nanowires

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

place when silicon nanowires reacted with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate, and reductive deposition reaction occurred in the ... detection of fM level of protein. 14 and DNA. 15 ... surfaces can be easily modified to act as both elec- tron-transfer ...

Contact resistance and stability study for Au, Ti, Hf and Ni contacts on thin-film Mg2Si

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Bo

2016-12-28

We present a detailed study of post-deposition annealing effects on contact resistance of Au, Ti, Hf and Ni electrodes on Mg2Si thin films. Thin-film Mg2Si and metal contacts were deposited using magnetron sputtering. Various post-annealing temperatures were studied to determine the thermal stability of each contact metal. The specific contact resistivity (SCR) was determined using the Cross Bridge Kelvin Resistor (CBKR) method. Ni contacts exhibits the best thermal stability, maintaining stability up to 400 °C, with a SCR of approximately 10−2 Ω-cm2 after annealing. The increased SCR after high temperature annealing is correlated with the formation of a Mg-Si-Ni mixture identified by cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) characterization, X-ray diffraction characterization (XRD) and other elemental analyses. The formation of this Mg-Si-Ni mixture is attributed to Ni diffusion and its reaction with the Mg2Si film.

Ge/Si(001) heterostructures with dense arrays of Ge quantum dots: morphology, defects, photo-emf spectra and terahertz conductivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuryev, Vladimir A; Arapkina, Larisa V; Storozhevykh, Mikhail S; Chapnin, Valery A; Chizh, Kirill V; Uvarov, Oleg V; Kalinushkin, Victor P; Zhukova, Elena S; Prokhorov, Anatoly S; Spektor, Igor E; Gorshunov, Boris P

2012-07-23

: Issues of Ge hut cluster array formation and growth at low temperatures on the Ge/Si(001) wetting layer are discussed on the basis of explorations performed by high resolution STM and in-situ RHEED. Dynamics of the RHEED patterns in the process of Ge hut array formation is investigated at low and high temperatures of Ge deposition. Different dynamics of RHEED patterns during the deposition of Ge atoms in different growth modes is observed, which reflects the difference in adatom mobility and their 'condensation' fluxes from Ge 2D gas on the surface for different modes, which in turn control the nucleation rates and densities of Ge clusters. Data of HRTEM studies of multilayer Ge/Si heterostructures are presented with the focus on low-temperature formation of perfect films.Heteroepitaxial Si p-i-n-diodes with multilayer stacks of Ge/Si(001) quantum dot dense arrays built in intrinsic domains have been investigated and found to exhibit the photo-emf in a wide spectral range from 0.8 to 5 μm. An effect of wide-band irradiation by infrared light on the photo-emf spectra has been observed. Photo-emf in different spectral ranges has been found to be differently affected by the wide-band irradiation. A significant increase in photo-emf is observed in the fundamental absorption range under the wide-band irradiation. The observed phenomena are explained in terms of positive and neutral charge states of the quantum dot layers and the Coulomb potential of the quantum dot ensemble. A new design of quantum dot infrared photodetectors is proposed.By using a coherent source spectrometer, first measurements of terahertz dynamical conductivity (absorptivity) spectra of Ge/Si(001) heterostructures were performed at frequencies ranged from 0.3 to 1.2 THz in the temperature interval from 300 to 5 K. The effective dynamical conductivity of the heterostructures with Ge quantum dots has been discovered to be significantly higher than that of the structure with the same amount of bulk

Surface characteristics of hydroxyapatite-coated layer prepared on nanotubular Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys by EB-PVD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Yong-Hoon [Department of Dental Materials and Research Center of Nano-Interface Activation for Biomaterials, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Moon, Byung-Hak [Department of Dental Materials and Research Center of Nano-Interface Activation for Biomaterials, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Choe, Han-Cheol, E-mail: hcchoe@chosun.ac.kr [Department of Dental Materials and Research Center of Nano-Interface Activation for Biomaterials, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Brantley, William A. [Division of Restorative, Prosthetic and Primary Care Dentistry, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States)

2013-12-31

In this study, we investigated the surface characteristics of hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated layers prepared by electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) on nanotubular Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys (x = 3, 7, and 15 wt.%). Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys were first prepared by arc melting. Formation of a nanotube structure on these alloys was achieved by an electrochemical method in 1 M H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} + 0.8 wt.% NaF electrolytes. The HA coatings were then deposited on the nanotubular surface by an EB-PVD method. The surface characteristics were analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical behavior was examined using a potentiodynamic polarization test in 0.9% NaCl solution. The Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys had an equiaxed grain structure with α″ + β phases, and the α″ phase disappeared with increases in Hf content. The Ti–35Ta–15Hf alloy showed higher β-phase peak intensity in the XRD patterns than that for the lower Hf-content alloys. A highly ordered nanotubular oxide layer was formed on the Ti–35Ta–15Hf alloy, and the tube length depended on Hf content. The HA coating surface formed at traces of the nanotubular titanium oxide layer and completely covered the tips of the nanotubes with a cluster shape. From the potentiodynamic polarization tests, the incorporation of Hf element and formation of the nanotubular structure were the main factors for achieving lower current density. In particular, the surface of the HA coating on the nanotubular structure exhibited higher corrosion resistance than that of the nanotubular titanium oxide structure without an HA coating. - Highlights: • Hydroxyapatite (HA) was coated on nanotubular Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys, using EB-PVD. • Increasing the Hf content reduced the relative proportion of α″ martensite to β-Ti in the microstructures. • The detailed nanotubular structure formed by anodization depended on alloy composition

Surface characteristics of hydroxyapatite-coated layer prepared on nanotubular Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys by EB-PVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Yong-Hoon; Moon, Byung-Hak; Choe, Han-Cheol; Brantley, William A.

2013-01-01

In this study, we investigated the surface characteristics of hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated layers prepared by electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) on nanotubular Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys (x = 3, 7, and 15 wt.%). Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys were first prepared by arc melting. Formation of a nanotube structure on these alloys was achieved by an electrochemical method in 1 M H 3 PO 4 + 0.8 wt.% NaF electrolytes. The HA coatings were then deposited on the nanotubular surface by an EB-PVD method. The surface characteristics were analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical behavior was examined using a potentiodynamic polarization test in 0.9% NaCl solution. The Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys had an equiaxed grain structure with α″ + β phases, and the α″ phase disappeared with increases in Hf content. The Ti–35Ta–15Hf alloy showed higher β-phase peak intensity in the XRD patterns than that for the lower Hf-content alloys. A highly ordered nanotubular oxide layer was formed on the Ti–35Ta–15Hf alloy, and the tube length depended on Hf content. The HA coating surface formed at traces of the nanotubular titanium oxide layer and completely covered the tips of the nanotubes with a cluster shape. From the potentiodynamic polarization tests, the incorporation of Hf element and formation of the nanotubular structure were the main factors for achieving lower current density. In particular, the surface of the HA coating on the nanotubular structure exhibited higher corrosion resistance than that of the nanotubular titanium oxide structure without an HA coating. - Highlights: • Hydroxyapatite (HA) was coated on nanotubular Ti–35Ta–xHf alloys, using EB-PVD. • Increasing the Hf content reduced the relative proportion of α″ martensite to β-Ti in the microstructures. • The detailed nanotubular structure formed by anodization depended on alloy composition. • The

Charge storage characteristics and tunneling mechanism of amorphous Ge-doped HfO{sub x} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, X.Y.; Zhang, S.Y.; Zhang, T.; Wang, R.X.; Li, L.T.; Zhang, Y. [Southwest University, School of Physical Science and Technology, Chongqing (China); Dai, J.Y. [The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong (China)

2016-09-15

Amorphous Ge-doped HfO{sub x} films have been deposited on p-Si(100) substrates by means of RF magnetron sputtering. Microstructural investigations reveal the partial oxidation of doped Ge atoms in the amorphous HfO{sub x} matrix and the existence of HfSiO{sub x} interfacial layer. Capacitance-voltage hysteresis of the Ag-/Ge-doped HfO{sub x}/Si/Ag memory capacitor exhibits a memory window of 3.15 V which can maintain for >5 x 10{sup 4} cycles. Current-voltage characteristics reveal that Poole-Frenkel tunneling is responsible for electron transport in the Ge-doped HfO{sub x} film. (orig.)

(113) Facets of Si-Ge/Si Islands; Atomic Scale Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Kassem, Hassan

We have studied, by computer simulation, some static and vibrationnal proprieties of SiGe/Si islands. We have used a Valence Force Field combined to Monte Carlo technique to study the growth of Ge and SiGe on (001)Si substrates. We have focalised on the case of large pyramidal islands presenting (113) facets on the free (001)Si surface with various non uniform composition inside the islands. The deformation inside the islands and Raman spectroscopy are discussed.

Effects of Rh on the thermoelectric performance of the p-type Zr0.5Hf0.5Co1-xRhxSb0.99Sn0.01 half-Heusler alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maji, Pramathesh; Takas, Nathan J.; Misra, Dinesh K.; Gabrisch, Heike; Stokes, Kevin; Poudeu, Pierre F.P.

2010-01-01

We show that Rh substitution at the Co site in Zr 0.5 Hf 0.5 Co 1-x Rh x Sb 0.99 Sn 0.01 (0≤x≤1) half-Heusler alloys strongly reduces the thermal conductivity with a simultaneous, significant improvement of the power factor of the materials. Thermoelectric properties of hot-pressed pellets of several compositions with various Rh concentrations were investigated in the temperature range from 300 to 775 K. The Rh 'free' composition shows n-type conduction, while Rh substitution at the Co site drives the system to p-type semiconducting behavior. The lattice thermal conductivity of Zr 0.5 Hf 0.5 Co 1-x Rh x Sb 0.99 Sn 0.01 alloys rapidly decreased with increasing Rh concentration and lattice thermal conductivity as low as 3.7 W/m*K was obtained at 300 K for Zr 0.5 Hf 0.5 RhSb 0.99 Sn 0.01 . The drastic reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity is attributed to mass fluctuation induced by the Rh substitution at the Co site, as well as enhanced phonon scattering at grain boundaries due to the small grain size of the synthesized materials. - Graphical abstract: Significant reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity with increasing Rh concentration in the p-type Zr 0.5 Hf 0.5 Co 1-x Rh x Sb 0.99 Sn 0.01 half-Heusler materials prepared by solid state reaction at 1173 K.

Interfaces in Si/Ge atomic layer superlattices on (001)Si: Effect of growth temperature and wafer misorientation

Science.gov (United States)

Baribeau, J.-M.; Lockwood, D. J.; Syme, R. W. G.

1996-08-01

We have used x-ray diffraction, specular reflectivity, and diffuse scattering, complemented by Raman spectroscopy, to study the interfaces in a series of (0.5 nm Ge/2 nm Si)50 atomic layer superlattices on (001)Si grown by molecular beam epitaxy in the temperature range 150-650 °C. X-ray specular reflectivity revealed that the structures have a well-defined periodicity with interface widths of about 0.2-0.3 nm in the 300-590 °C temperature range. Offset reflectivity scans showed that the diffuse scattering peaks at values of perpendicular wave vector transfer corresponding to the superlattice satellite peaks, indicating that the interfaces are vertically correlated. Transverse rocking scans of satellite peaks showed a diffuse component corresponding to an interface corrugation of typical length scale of ˜0.5 μm. The wavelength of the undulations is a minimum along the miscut direction and is typically 30-40 times larger than the surface average terrace width assuming monolayer steps, independently of the magnitude of the wafer misorientation. The amplitude of the undulation evolves with growth temperature and is minimum for growth at ˜460 °C and peaks at ˜520 °C. Raman scattering showed the chemical abruptness of the interfaces at low growth temperatures and indicated a change in the growth mode near 450 °C.

Tracking magmatic processes through Zr/Hf ratios in rocks and Hf and Ti zoning in zircons: An example from the Spirit Mountain batholith, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Lowery, Claiborne L.E.; Miller, C.F.; Walker, B.A.; Wooden, J.L.; Mazdab, F.K.; Bea, F.

2006-01-01

Zirconium and Hf are nearly identical geochemically, and therefore most of the crust maintains near-chondritic Zr/Hf ratios of ???35-40. By contrast, many high-silica rhyolites and granites have anomalously low Zr/Hf (15-30). As zircon is the primary reservoir for both Zr and Hf and preferentially incorporates Zr, crystallization of zircon controls Zr/ Hf, imprinting low Zr/Hf on coexisting melt. Thus, low Zr/Hf is a unique fingerprint of effective magmatic fractionation in the crust. Age and compositional zonation in zircons themselves provide a record of the thermal and compositional histories of magmatic systems. High Hf (low Zr/ Hf) in zircon zones demonstrates growth from fractionated melt, and Ti provides an estimate of temperature of crystallization (TTiZ) (Watson and Harrison, 2005). Whole-rock Zr/Hf and zircon zonation in the Spirit Mountain batholith, Nevada, document repeated fractionation and thermal fluctuations. Ratios of Zr/Hf are ???30-40 for cumulates and 18-30 for high-SiO2 granites. In zircons, Hf (and U) are inversely correlated with Ti, and concentrations indicate large fluctuations in melt composition and TTiZ (>100??C) for individual zircons. Such variations are consistent with field relations and ion-probe zircon geochronology that indicate a >1 million year history of repeated replenishment, fractionation, and extraction of melt from crystal mush to form the low Zr/Hf high-SiO2 zone. ?? 2006 The Mineralogical Society.

Excellent Passivation of p-Type Si Surface by Sol-Gel Al2O3 Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hai-Qing, Xiao; Chun-Lan, Zhou; Xiao-Ning, Cao; Wen-Jing, Wang; Lei, Zhao; Hai-Ling, Li; Hong-Wei, Diao

2009-01-01

Al 2 O 3 films with a thickness of about 100 nm synthesized by spin coating and thermally treated are applied for field-induced surface passivation of p-type crystalline silicon. The level of surface passivation is determined by techniques based on photoconductance. An effective surface recombination velocity below 100 cm/s is obtained on 10Ω ·cm p-type c-Si wafers (Cz Si). A high density of negative fixed charges in the order of 10 12 cm −2 is detected in the Al 2 O 3 films and its impact on the level of surface passivation is demonstrated experimentally. Furthermore, a comparison between the surface passivation achieved for thermal SiO 2 and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition SiN x :H films on the same c-Si is presented. The high negative fixed charge density explains the excellent passivation of p-type c-Si by Al 2 O 3 . (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Advanced passivation techniques for Si solar cells with high-κ dielectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng, Huijuan; Lin, Tingjui; Letha, Ayra Jagadhamma; Hwang, Huey-Liang; Kyznetsov, Fedor A.; Smirnova, Tamara P.; Saraev, Andrey A.; Kaichev, Vasily V.

2014-01-01

Electronic recombination losses at the wafer surface significantly reduce the efficiency of Si solar cells. Surface passivation using a suitable thin dielectric layer can minimize the recombination losses. Herein, advanced passivation using simple materials (Al 2 O 3 , HfO 2 ) and their compounds H (Hf) A (Al) O deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) was investigated. The chemical composition of Hf and Al oxide films were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS depth profiles exhibit continuous uniform dense layers. The ALD-Al 2 O 3 film has been found to provide negative fixed charge (−6.4 × 10 11  cm −2 ), whereas HfO 2 film provides positive fixed charge (3.2 × 10 12  cm −2 ). The effective lifetimes can be improved after oxygen gas annealing for 1 min. I-V characteristics of Si solar cells with high-κ dielectric materials as passivation layers indicate that the performance is significantly improved, and ALD-HfO 2 film would provide better passivation properties than that of the ALD-Al 2 O 3 film in this research work.

Atomic layer-deposited Al–HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} bi-layers towards 3D charge trapping non-volatile memory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Congedo, Gabriele, E-mail: gabriele.congedo@mdm.imm.cnr.it; Wiemer, Claudia; Lamperti, Alessio; Cianci, Elena; Molle, Alessandro; Volpe, Flavio G.; Spiga, Sabina, E-mail: sabina.spiga@mdm.imm.cnr

2013-04-30

A metal/oxide/high-κ dielectric/oxide/silicon (MOHOS) planar charge trapping memory capacitor including SiO{sub 2} as tunnel oxide, Al–HfO{sub 2} as charge trapping layer, SiO{sub 2} as blocking oxide and TaN metal gate was fabricated and characterized as test vehicle in the view of integration into 3D cells. The thin charge trapping layer and blocking oxide were grown by atomic layer deposition, the technique of choice for the implementation of these stacks into 3D structures. The oxide stack shows a good thermal stability for annealing temperature of 900 °C in N{sub 2}, as required for standard complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor processes. MOHOS capacitors can be efficiently programmed and erased under the applied voltages of ± 20 V to ± 12 V. When compared to a benchmark structure including thin Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} as charge trapping layer, the MOHOS cell shows comparable program characteristics, with the further advantage of the equivalent oxide thickness scalability due to the high dielectric constant (κ) value of 32, and an excellent retention even for strong testing conditions. Our results proved that high-κ based oxide structures grown by atomic layer deposition can be of interest for the integration into three dimensionally stacked charge trapping devices. - Highlights: ► Charge trapping device with Al–HfO{sub 2} storage layer is fabricated and characterized. ► Al–HfO{sub 2} and SiO{sub 2} blocking oxides are deposited by atomic layer deposition. ► The oxide stack shows a good thermal stability after annealing at 900 °C. ► The device can be efficiently programmed/erased and retention is excellent. ► The oxide stack could be used for 3D-stacked Flash non-volatile memories.

Environmental Stability and Oxidation Behavior of HfO2-Si and YbGd(O) Based Environmental Barrier Coating Systems for SiCSiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Dongming; Farmer, Serene; McCue, Terry R.; Harder, Bryan; Hurst, Janet B.

2017-01-01

Ceramic environmental barrier coatings (EBC) and SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) will play a crucial role in future aircraft propulsion systems because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures, improve component durability, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. Advanced EBC systems for SiCSiC CMC turbine and combustor hot section components are currently being developed to meet future turbine engine emission and performance goals. One of the significant material development challenges for the high temperature CMC components is to develop prime-reliant, environmental durable environmental barrier coating systems. In this paper, the durability and performance of advanced Electron Beam-Physical Vapor Deposition (EB-PVD) NASA HfO2-Si and YbGdSi(O) EBC bond coat top coat systems for SiCSiC CMC have been summarized. The high temperature thermomechanical creep, fatigue and oxidation resistance have been investigated in the laboratory simulated high-heat-flux environmental test conditions. The advanced NASA EBC systems showed promise to achieve 1500C temperature capability, helping enable next generation turbine engines with significantly improved engine component temperature capability and durability.

Adsorption of Zn(II) on the kaolinite(001) surfaces in aqueous environment: A combined DFT and molecular dynamics study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qiang; Kong, Xiang-Ping; Zhang, Bao-Hua; Wang, Juan, E-mail: juaner80@163.com

2017-08-31

Highlights: • Zn(II) adsorption on two types of neutral kaolinite(001) surfaces is investigated. • Surface “Ou” is found the preferred site for mono- and bi-dentate complexes. • Both Zn(II) and surface oxygen accept electrons from aqua oxygens. • Coupling of O 2p with Zn sp{sup 3}d{sup 2} (or sp{sup 3}) hybridization states is the bonding nature. - Abstract: Adsorption of Zn(II) on two types of neutral (001) surfaces of kaolinite, tetrahedral Si(t) and octahedral Al(o), was studied by means of DFT calculations and classical molecular dynamics simulations. The position and structure for both outer-sphere and mono-/bi-dentate inner-sphere complexes of Zn(II) in aqueous environment were examined, with binding energy and radial distribution function calculated. Outer-sphere complex on the Si(t) surface, monodentate inner-sphere complex of “O{sub u}” (surface oxygen with “upright” hydrogen) site and bidentate complex of “O{sub u}-O{sub u}” site of neighboring Al centers on the Al(o) surface are considered to be the dominant adsorption species. The outer-sphere complex is found six-coordinated with distorted octahedral geometry, while both the inner-sphere complexes exhibit the tetrahedral structure with coordination number of four. Hydrogen bonding interactions between oxygen or hydrogen of the kaolinite(001) surfaces and the aqua ligands of Zn(II) act as the key role for the structure and stability of adsorption complexes. Upon the Mulliken population analysis and partial density of states, both Zn(II) and surface oxygen accept electrons from aqua oxygens, and coupling of O 2p with the sp{sup 3}d{sup 2} or sp{sup 3} hybridization states of Zn(II) is the primary bonding nature of Zn(II) with oxygen in outer- and inner-sphere complexes, respectively.

The role of SiGe buffer in growth and relaxation of Ge on free-standing Si(001) nano-pillars.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaumseil, P; Kozlowski, G; Schubert, M A; Yamamoto, Y; Bauer, J; Schülli, T U; Tillack, B; Schroeder, T

2012-09-07

We study the growth and relaxation processes of Ge nano-clusters selectively grown by chemical vapor deposition on free-standing 90 nm wide Si(001) nano-pillars with a thin Si(0.23)Ge(0.77) buffer layer. We found that the dome-shaped SiGe layer with a height of about 28 nm as well as the Ge dot deposited on top of it partially relaxes, mainly by elastic lattice bending. The Si nano-pillar shows a clear compliance behavior-an elastic response of the substrate on the growing film-with the tensile strained top part of the pillar. Additional annealing at 800 °C leads to the generation of misfit dislocation and reduces the compliance effect significantly. This example demonstrates that despite the compressive strain generated due to the surrounding SiO(2) growth mask it is possible to realize an overall tensile strain in the Si nano-pillar and following a compliant substrate effect by using a SiGe buffer layer. We further show that the SiGe buffer is able to improve the structural quality of the Ge nano-dot.

Epitaxial integration of CoFe2O4 thin films on Si (001) surfaces using TiN buffer layers

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto, Pilar; Marco, José F.; Prieto, José E.; Ruiz-Gomez, Sandra; Perez, Lucas; del Real, Rafael P.; Vázquez, Manuel; de la Figuera, Juan

2018-04-01

Epitaxial cobalt ferrite thin films with strong in-plane magnetic anisotropy have been grown on Si (001) substrates using a TiN buffer layer. The epitaxial films have been grown by ion beam sputtering using either metallic, CoFe2, or ceramic, CoFe2O4, targets. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford spectrometry (RBS) in random and channeling configuration have been used to determine the epitaxial relationship CoFe2O4 [100]/TiN [100]/Si [100]. Mössbauer spectroscopy, in combination with XRD and RBS, has been used to determine the composition and structure of the cobalt ferrite thin films. The TiN buffer layer induces a compressive strain in the cobalt ferrite thin films giving rise to an in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The degree of in-plane anisotropy depends on the lattice mismatch between CoFe2O4 and TiN, which is larger for CoFe2O4 thin films grown on the reactive sputtering process with ceramic targets.

Onset of vertical threading dislocations in Si1−xGex/Si (001 at a critical Ge concentration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Isa

2013-11-01

Full Text Available We show that the Ge concentration in Si1−xGex alloys grown under strong out-of-equilibrium conditions determines the character of the population of threading dislocations (TDs. Above a critical value x ∼ 0.25 vertical TDs dominate over the common slanted ones. This is demonstrated by exploiting a statistically relevant analysis of TD orientation in micrometer-sized Si1−xGex crystals, deposited on deeply patterned Si(001 substrates. Experiments involving an abrupt change of composition in the middle of the crystals clarify the role of misfit-strain versus chemical composition in favoring the vertical orientation of TDs. A scheme invoking vacancy-mediated climb mechanism is proposed to rationalize the observed behavior.

Electrochemically synthesized Si nano wire arrays and thermoelectric nano structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khuan, N.I.; Ying, K.K.; Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Foo, C.T.

2012-01-01

Thermoelectric nano structures hold great promise for capturing and directly converting into electricity some vast amount of low-grade waste heats now being lost to the environment (for example from nuclear power plant, fossil fuel burning, automotive and household appliances). In this study, large-area vertically-aligned silicon nano wire (SiNW) arrays were synthesized in an aqueous solution containing AgNO 3 and HF on p-type Si (100) substrate by self-selective electroless etching process. The etching conditions were systematically varied in order to achieve different stages of nano wire formation. Diameters of the SiNWs obtained varied from approximately 50 to 200 nm and their lengths ranged from several to a few tens of μm. Te/ Bi 2 Te 3 -Si thermoelectric core-shell nano structures were subsequently obtained via galvanic displacement of SiNWs in acidic HF electrolytes containing HTeO 2 + and Bi 3+ / HTeO 2 + ions. The reactions were basically a nano-electrochemical process due to the difference in redox potentials between the materials. the surface-modified SiNWs of core-shell structures had roughened surface morphologies and therefore, higher surface-t-bulk ratios compared to unmodified SiNWs. They have potential applications in sensors, photovoltaic and thermoelectric nano devices. Growth study on the SiNWs and core-shell nano structures produced is presented using various microscopy, diffraction and probe-based techniques for microstructural, morphological and chemical characterizations. (Author)

Subsurface dimerization in III-V semiconductor (001) surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumpf, C.; Marks, L.D.; Ellis, D.

2001-01-01

We present the atomic structure of the c(8 X 2) reconstructions of InSb-, InAs-, and GaAs-(001) surfaces as determined by surface x-ray diffraction using direct methods. Contrary to common belief, group III dimers are not prominent on the surface, instead subsurface dimerization of group m atoms ...... takes place in the second bilayer, accompanied by a major rearrangement of the surface atoms above the dimers to form linear arrays. By varying the occupancies of four surface sites the (001)-c(8 X 2) reconstructions of III-V semiconductors can be described in a unified model....

Adsorption and surface reaction of bis-diethylaminosilane as a Si precursor on an OH-terminated Si (0 0 1) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baek, Seung-Bin; Kim, Dae-Hee; Kim, Yeong-Cheol

2012-01-01

The adsorption and the surface reaction of bis-diethylaminosilane (SiH 2 [N(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ] 2 , BDEAS) as a Si precursor on an OH-terminated Si (0 0 1) surface were investigated to understand the initial reaction mechanism of the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process using density functional theory. The bond dissociation energies between two atoms in BDEAS increased in the order of Si-H, Si-N, and the rest of the bonds. Therefore, the relatively weak Si-H and Si-N bonds were considered for bond breaking during the surface reaction. Optimum locations of BDEAS for the Si-H and Si-N bond breaking were determined on the surface, and adsorption energies of 0.43 and 0.60 eV, respectively, were obtained. The Si-H bond dissociation energy of the adsorbed BDEAS on the surface did not decrease, so that a high reaction energy barrier of 1.60 eV was required. On the other hand, the Si-N bond dissociation energy did decrease, so that a relatively low reaction energy barrier of 0.52 eV was required. When the surface reaction energy barrier was higher than the adsorption energy, BDEAS would be desorbed from the surface instead of being reacted. Therefore, the Si-N bond breaking would be dominantly involved during the surface reaction, and the result is in good agreement with the experimental data in the literature.

The origin of narrowing of the Si 2p coincidence photoelectron spectroscopy main line of Si(1 0 0) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohno, Masahide

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The Si 2p coincidence photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) main line of Si(1 0 0) is calculated. → The PES main line shows an asymmetric line shape change compared to the singles one. → The narrowing of the coincidence Si 2p PES main line is well reproduced. → The inherent mechanism of APECS is explained by a many-body theory. - Abstract: The Si 2p photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) main line of Si(1 0 0) surface measured in coincidence with the singles (noncoincidence) Si L 2,3 -VV Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES) elastic peak is calculated. The agreement with the experiment is good. The present work is the first many-body calculation of the experimental coincidence PES spectrum of solid surface. The narrowing of the coincidence Si 2p PES main line compared to the singles one is due to the mechanism inherent in the coincidence PES. The inherent mechanism is explained by a many-body theory by which photoemission and Auger-electron emission are treated on the same footing.

Surface structure of AU3Cu(001)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eckstein, G.A.; Maupai, S.; Dakkouri, A.S.

1999-01-01

The surface morphology, composition, and structure of Au3Cu(001) as determined by scanning tunneling microscopy and surface x-ray diffraction are presented. Atomic resolution STM images reveal distinctive geometric features. The analysis of the surface x-ray diffraction data provides clear evidence...... for the surface structure. [S0163-1829(99)04535-X]....

Diagnostic of corrosion–erosion evolution for [Hf-Nitrides/V-Nitrides]n structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escobar, C.; Villarreal, M. [Thin Film Group, Universidad del Valle, A.A. 25360, Cali (Colombia); Caicedo, J.C., E-mail: jcaicedoangulo1@gmail.com [Powder Metallurgy and Processing of Solid Recycled Research Group, Universidad del Valle, Cali (Colombia); Aperador, W. [Ingeniería Mecatrónica, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Bogotá (Colombia); Caicedo, H.H. [Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612 (United States); Prieto, P. [Thin Film Group, Universidad del Valle, A.A. 25360, Cali (Colombia); Center of Excellence for Novel Materials, CENM, Cali (Colombia)

2013-10-31

HfN/VN multilayered systems were grown on 4140 steel substrates with the aim to improve their electrochemical behavior. The multilayered coatings were grown via reactive r.f. magnetron sputtering technique by systematically varying the bilayer period (Λ) and the bilayer number (n) while maintaining constant the total coating thickness (∼ 1.2 μm). The coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties were studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Tafel curves. XRD results showed preferential growth in the face-centered cubic (111) crystal structure for [HfN/VN]{sub n} multilayered coatings. The maximum corrosion resistance was obtained for coatings with (Λ) equal to 15 nm, corresponding to bilayer n = 80. Polarization resistance and corrosion rate was around 112.19 kΩ cm{sup 2} and 0.094*10{sup −3} mmy respectively; moreover, these multilayered system showed a decrease of 80% on mass loss due to the corrosive–erosive process, in relation to multilayered systems with n = 1 and Λ = 1200. HfN/VN multilayers have been designed and deposited on Si (100) and AISI 4140 steel substrates with bilayer periods (Λ) in a broad range, from nanometers to hundreds of nanometers to study the microstructural evolution and electrochemical progress with decreasing bilayer thickness. - Highlights: • Enhancements on surface electrochemical properties and response to surface corrosion attack. • Superficial phenomenon that occurs in corrosion surface of [Hf-Nitrides/V-Nitrides]n • Corrosion–erosion evolution for [Hf-Nitrides/V-Nitrides]n structures.

Diagnostic of corrosion–erosion evolution for [Hf-Nitrides/V-Nitrides]n structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar, C.; Villarreal, M.; Caicedo, J.C.; Aperador, W.; Caicedo, H.H.; Prieto, P.

2013-01-01

HfN/VN multilayered systems were grown on 4140 steel substrates with the aim to improve their electrochemical behavior. The multilayered coatings were grown via reactive r.f. magnetron sputtering technique by systematically varying the bilayer period (Λ) and the bilayer number (n) while maintaining constant the total coating thickness (∼ 1.2 μm). The coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties were studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Tafel curves. XRD results showed preferential growth in the face-centered cubic (111) crystal structure for [HfN/VN] n multilayered coatings. The maximum corrosion resistance was obtained for coatings with (Λ) equal to 15 nm, corresponding to bilayer n = 80. Polarization resistance and corrosion rate was around 112.19 kΩ cm 2 and 0.094*10 −3 mmy respectively; moreover, these multilayered system showed a decrease of 80% on mass loss due to the corrosive–erosive process, in relation to multilayered systems with n = 1 and Λ = 1200. HfN/VN multilayers have been designed and deposited on Si (100) and AISI 4140 steel substrates with bilayer periods (Λ) in a broad range, from nanometers to hundreds of nanometers to study the microstructural evolution and electrochemical progress with decreasing bilayer thickness. - Highlights: • Enhancements on surface electrochemical properties and response to surface corrosion attack. • Superficial phenomenon that occurs in corrosion surface of [Hf-Nitrides/V-Nitrides]n • Corrosion–erosion evolution for [Hf-Nitrides/V-Nitrides]n structures

Resistance change effect in SrTiO3/Si (001) isotype heterojunction

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiushi; Gao, Zhaomeng; Li, Pei; Wang, Longfei; Liu, Xiansheng; Zhang, Weifeng; Guo, Haizhong

2018-02-01

Resistance switching has been observed in double and multi-layer structures of ferroelectric films. The higher switching ratio opens up a vast path for emerging ferroelectric semiconductor devices. An n-n+ isotype heterojunction has been fabricated by depositing an oxide SrTiO3 layer on a conventional n-type Si (001) substrate (SrTiO3/Si) by pulsed laser disposition. Rectification and resistive switching behaviors in the n-n+ SrTiO3/Si heterojunction were observed by a conductive atomic force microscopy, and the n-n+ SrTiO3/Si heterojunction exhibits excellent endurance and retention characteristics. The possible mechanism was proposed based on the band structure of the n-n+ SrTiO3/Si heterojunction, and the observed electrical behaviors could be attributed to the modulation effect of the electric field reversal on the width of accumulation and the depletion region, as well as the height of potential of the n-n+ junction formed at the STO/Si interface. Moreover, oxygen vacancies are also indicated to play a crucial role in causing insulator to semiconductor transition. These results open the way to potential application in future microelectronic devices based on perovskite oxide layers on conventional semiconductors.

Analyses of desorbed H2O with temperature programmed desorption technique in sol-gel derived HfO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, H.; Nemoto, D.; Ikeda, M.; Nishide, T.

2009-01-01

Hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) is a promising material for the gate insulator in highly miniaturized silicon (Si) ultra-large-scale-integration (ULSI) devices (32 nm and beyond). In the field chemistry, a sol-gel processing has been used to fabricate HfO 2 thin film with the advantages of low cost, relative simplicity, and easy control of the composition of the layers formed. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) has been used not only for analyzing adsorbed gases on the surfaces of bulk sol-gel-derived HfO 2 of sol-gel-derived HfO 2 thin film fired at 350, 450, 550 and 700 deg C in sol-gel derived HfO 2 films in air is investigated using TPD, and also the material characterization of HfO 2 thin films is evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The dielectric constant of the films was also estimated using the capacitance-voltage (C-V) method. TPD is essentially a method of analyzing desorped gases from samples heated by infra-red light as a function of temperature under vacuum conditions using a detector of quadruple mass spectroscopy (QMS). Sol-gel-derived HfO 2 films were fabricated on 76-mm-diameter Si(100) wafers as follows. Hafnia sol solutions were prepared by dissolving HfCl 4 in NH 4 OH solution, followed by the of HCOOH. (author)

On the compliant behaviour of free-standing Si nanostructures on Si(001) for Ge nanoheteroepitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozlowski, Grzegorz

2012-04-24

phenomenon was observed. In clear contradiction to the present NHE theory, no strain partitioning phenomenon was found even for {approx}50 nm wide Si pillars for which the compliant substrate effects are expected. The absence of the strain partitioning between Ge and Si is caused by the stress field exerted by the SiO{sub 2} growth mask on the Si nanopillar. In contrast to such nanostructures monolithically prepared from a Si(001) wafer, first results in this thesis clearly prove the strain partitioning phenomenon within Ge/Si nanostructures on Silicon-on-insulator substrate. Here, the compliant substrate effects were clearly observed for pillar widths even bigger than 50 nm. This experimental work demonstrates, that NHE with its compliant substrate effects, offers an interesting approach for high quality Ge nanostructures on Si, avoiding even the misfit dislocation network with its non-tolerable electrical activity in Ge nanodevices. However, the theory does not yet include important aspects of thin film growth on the nano-scale and must be further developed. It is the aim of this PhD thesis to provide this experimental basis for the Ge/Si heterosystem. Finally, it is noted that here developed growth approach is fully Si CMOS compatible and is not only relevant for Ge integration but also for other lattice mismatched alternative semiconductors (GaAs etc.) to enable higher performance / new functions in future Si microelectronics technologies.

Developing Effective Separation of Feldspar and Quartz While Recycling Tailwater by HF Pretreatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiqing Wang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The effect of hydrofluoric acid (HF pretreatment on flotation of feldspar and quartz using dodecylamine (DDA as collector was investigated by micro-flotation, zeta potential, pyrene fluorescence spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection flourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR, scanning electron microscope (SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and bench scale flotation. The micro-flotation tests revealed that there was little difference in the flotation of feldspar and quartz at pH 2, using H2SO4 as pH regulator. After HF pretreatment, the floatability of feldspar significantly increased while the floatability of quartz showed no change. HF pretreatment resulted in leaching of SiO2 and enrichment of Na, K and Al on the feldspar surface. Consequently, the negative surface charge of feldspar increased at pH 2, which allowed for the flotation separation of the feasible minerals. This took place via an increased electrostatic adsorption between DDA and Na, K, Al on the feldspar surface, which effectively increased its hydrophobicity and as a result, improved the floatability of feldspar. An alternative process which exhibited effective separation of quartz and feldspar while recycling the tailwater from the flotation was proposed.

Hydrometallurgical extraction of Al and Si from kaolinitic clays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliana G. Pinna

Full Text Available Abstract Herein is presented the results of a study on the hydrometallurgic extraction and recovery of aluminum and silicon by leaching of kaolinitic clays with HF. The studied extraction parameters were: temperature, reaction time, solid/liquid ratio, concentration, and precipitating agent mass. In the leaching process, mineral dissolutions near 100% were obtained when working at 348 K, solid/liquid ratio 2% w/v, HF 12% v/v, for 120 minutes. The HF leach liquor generated from the dissolution of kaolinitic clays contains H2SiF6and H3AlF6. Studies were conducted to recover the two valuable fluorides as K2SiF6and Na3AlF6by precipitation with alkaline salts from the leach liquor. Phases of precipitated fluorides were identified by XRD and surface morphology by SEM. The purity of the K2SiF6precipitate was 98.8%, whereas for Na3AlF6, it was 89.3%. Also, both synthesized solids are of high commercial value due to their industrial applications.

A comparative study of charge trapping in HfO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and ZrO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} based multilayered metal/high-k/oxide/Si structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spassov, D., E-mail: d_spassov@abv.bg [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Skeparovski, A. [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Arhimedova 3, 1000 Skopje (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Paskaleva, A. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Novkovski, N. [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Arhimedova 3, 1000 Skopje (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of)

2016-09-01

The electrical properties of multilayered HfO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZrO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} metal-oxide semiconductor capacitors were investigated in order to evaluate the possibility of their application in charge-trapping non-volatile memory devices. The stacks were deposited by reactive radiofrequency magnetron sputtering on Si substrates with thermal SiO{sub 2} with a thickness ranging from 2 to 5 nm. Both types of stacks show negative initial oxide charge and its density is higher for HfO{sub 2}-based structures. Memory window up to 6V at sweeping voltage range of ± 16V was obtained for HfO{sub 2}-based stacks. The hysteresis in these structures is mainly due to a trapping of electrons injected from the Si substrate. The charge-trapping properties of ZrO{sub 2}-based samples are compromised by the high leakage currents and the dielectric breakdown. The conduction through the capacitors at low applied voltages results from hopping of thermally excited electrons from one isolated state to another. The energy depth of the traps participating in the hopping conduction was determined as ~ 0.7 eV for the HfO{sub 2}-based layers and ~ 0.6 eV for ZrO{sub 2}-based ones, originating from negatively charged oxygen vacancies. At high electric fields, the current voltage characteristics were interpreted in terms of space charge limited currents, Fowler–Nordheim tunneling, Schottky emission, and Poole–Frenkel mechanism. The charge retention characteristics do not depend on the thickness of the tunnel SiO{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Sputtered HfO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/HfO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/ZrO{sub 2} charge-trapping layers were studied. • HfO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/HfO{sub 2} stacks show memory window up to 6 V and good retention times. • Negatively charged oxygen vacancies were identified as main defects in the stacks. • Electrical breakdown compromise the charge-trapping properties

One-dimensional electron liquid at a surface. Gold nanowires on Ge(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blumenstein, Christian

2012-09-11

Self-organized nanowires at semiconductor surfaces offer the unique opportunity to study electrons in reduced dimensions. Notably the dimensionality of the system determines it's electronic properties, beyond the quasiparticle description. In the quasi-one-dimensional (1D) regime with weak lateral coupling between the chains, a Peierls instability can be realized. A nesting condition in the Fermi surface leads to a backfolding of the 1D electron band and thus to an insulating state. It is accompanied by a charge density wave (CDW) in real space that corresponds to the nesting vector. This effect has been claimed to occur in many surface-defined nanowire systems, such as the In chains on Si(111) or the Au reconstructions on the terraced Si(553) and Si(557) surfaces. Therefore a weak coupling between the nanowires in these systems has to be concluded. However theory proposes another state in the perfect 1D limit, which is completely destroyed upon slight coupling to higher dimensions. In this so-called Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) state, the quasiparticle description of the Fermi liquid breaks down. Since the interaction between the electrons is enhanced due to the strong confinement, only collective excitations are allowed. This leads to novel effects like spin charge separation, where spin and charge degrees of freedom are decoupled and allowed to travel independently along the 1D-chain. Such rare state has not been realized at a surface until today. This thesis uses a novel approach to realize nanowires with improved confinement by studying the Au reconstructed Ge(001) surface. A new cleaning procedure using piranha solution is presented, in order to prepare a clean and long-range ordered substrate. To ensure optimal growth of the Au nanowires the phase diagram is extensively studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). The structural elements of the chains are revealed and described in high detail. Remarkably

Influence of Sn on the optical anisotropy of single-domain Si(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astropekakis, A.; Power, J.R.; Fleischer, K.; Esser, N.; Richter, W.; Galata, S.; Papadimitriou, D.

2001-01-01

We apply reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) to the study of Sn deposited on a single-domain vicinal Si(001) sample. Large variations in RAS are recorded when up to 5 monolayers (ML) of Sn is deposited on the Si substrate at room temperature. We observe (2x2) and (1x1) LEED patterns for the 0.5-ML and 1.0-ML Sn covered surfaces, respectively. The (1x1) LEED pattern exists beyond this coverage and up to 5.0-ML deposition. Even though a (1x1) LEED pattern is observed upon deposition of 1.5 ML, surprisingly, a significant optical anisotropy is observed. After annealing to 570 degree sign C for 2 min, we observe a progression of LEED pattern changes from c(4x4)→(6x2)→c(8x4)→(5x1) with increased Sn coverage up to 1.5 ML. Similar RAS line shapes are obtained for all reconstructions produced through annealing with the exception of the (5x1). For the (5x1) phase, a significant anisotropy appears in the region of 1.8 eV. Similarities in the RAS line shape for both the (5x1) phase and that obtained after deposition of 1.5 ML of Sn at room temperature may indicate a RAS sensitivity to Sn dimer orientation within the uppermost layer

Investigation of the near-surface electronic structure of Cr(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klebanoff, L.E.; Robey, S.W.; Liu, G.; Shirley, D.A.

1985-01-01

An angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) study of Cr(001) near-surface electronic structure is presented. Measurements are reported for energy-band dispersions along the [010] direction parallel to the crystal surface. The periodicity of these band dispersions indicates that the valence electrons experience and self-consistently establish antiferromagnetism in the near-surface layers of Cr(001). We also present highly-surface-sensitive ARPES measurements of the energy-band dispersions along the [001] direction normal to the surface. The results suggest that the surface magnetic moments, which couple ferromagnetically to each other within the surface layer, couple antiferromagnetically to the moments of the atoms in the second layer. Temperature-dependent studies are presented that reveal the persistence of near-surface antiferromagnetic order for temperatures up to 2.5 times the bulk Neel temperature. The temperature dependence of this antiferromagnetic order suggests that its thermal stability derives in part from the stability of the Cr(001) ferromagnetic surface phase

Magnetron sputtered Hf-B-Si-C-N films with controlled electrical conductivity and optical transparency, and with ultrahigh oxidation resistance

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šímová, V.; Vlček, J.; Zuzjaková, Š.; Houška, J.; Shen, Y.; Jiang, J. C.; Meletis, E. I.; Peřina, Vratislav

2018-01-01

Roč. 653, č. 5 (2018), s. 333-340 ISSN 0040-6090 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2015056 Institutional support: RVO:61389005 Keywords : Hf-B-Si-C-N films * pulsed reactive magnetron sputtering * electrical conductivitiy * optical transparency * high-temperature oxidation resistance Subject RIV: BG - Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Colliders OBOR OECD: Nuclear physics Impact factor: 1.879, year: 2016

Effects of various etching protocols on the flexural properties and surface topography of fiber-reinforced composite dental posts.

Science.gov (United States)

Aksornmuang, Juthatip; Chuenarrom, Chanya; Chittithaworn, Natjira

2017-09-26

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the flexural properties and surface topography of fiber posts surface-treated with various etching protocols. Seventy each of three types of fiber posts: RelyX Fiber Post, Tenax Fiber Trans, and D.T. Light-Post Illusion X-Ro, were randomly divided into 7 groups: no surface treatment, surface treated with hydrofluoric acid (HF) 4.5% for 60 s, HF 4.5% for 120 s, HF 9.6% for 15 s, HF 9.6% for 60 s, HF 9.6% for 120 s, and treated with H 2 O 2 24% for 10 min. The specimens were then subjected to a three-point bending test. Surface topographies of the posts were observed using a SEM. The results indicate that fiber post surface pretreatments had no adverse effects on the flexural properties. However, the fiber posts treated with high HF concentrations or long etching times seemed to have more surface irregularities.

Effect of fiber surface state on mechanical properties of Cf/Si-O-C composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Song; Chen Zhaohui; Ma Qingsong; Hu Haifeng; Zheng Wenwei

2005-01-01

Three-dimensional braided carbon fiber reinforced silicon oxycarbide composites (3D-B C f /Si-O-C) were fabricated via a polysiloxane infiltration and pyrolysis route. The effects of fiber surface state on microstructure and mechanical properties of C f /Si-O-C composites were investigated. The change of carbon fiber surface state was achieved via heat treatment in vacuum. The results showed that heat treatment decreased carbon fiber surface activity due to the decrease of the amount of oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The C f /Si-O-C composites fabricated from the carbon fiber with low surface activity had excellent mechanical properties, which resulted from perfect interfacial bonding and good in situ fiber strength. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the C f /Si-O-C composites from the treated fiber were 534 MPa and 23.4 MPa m 1/2 , respectively, which were about 7 and 11 times more than those of the composites from the as-received carbon fiber, respectively

CVD growth of (001) and (111)3C-SiC epilayers and their interface reactivity with praseodymium oxide dielectric layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohal, R.

2006-01-01

In this work, growth and characterisation of 3C-SiC thin films, investigation of oxidation of thus prepared layers and Pr-silicate and AlON based interface with SiC have been studied. Chemical vapor deposition of 3C-SiC thin films on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates has been investigated. Prior to the actual SiC growth, preparation of initial buffer layers of SiC was done. Using such a buffer layer, epitaxial growth of 3C-SiC has been achieved on Si(111) and Si(001) substrates. The temperature of 1100 C and 1150 C has been determined to be the optimal temperature for 3C-SiC growth on Si (111) and Si(001) substrates respectively. The oxidation studies on SiC revealed that a slow oxidation process at moderate temperatures in steps was useful in reducing and suppressing the g-C at the SiO 2 /SiC interface. Clean, graphite-free SiO 2 has been successfully grown on 3C-SiC by silicon evaporation and UHV anneal. For the application of high-k Pr 2 O 3 on silicon carbide, plausible interlayer, Pr-Silicate and AlON, have been investigated. Praseodymium silicate has been prepared successfully completely consuming the SiO2 and simultaneously suppressing the graphitic carbon formation. A comparatively more stable interlayer using AlON has been achieved. This interlayer mainly consists of stable phases of AlN along with some amount of Pr-aluminates and CN. Such layers act as a reaction barrier between Pr 2 O 3 and SiC, and simultaneously provide higher band offsets. (orig.)

CVD growth of (001) and (111)3C-SiC epilayers and their interface reactivity with pradeodymium oxide dielectric layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohal, R.

2006-07-24

In this work, growth and characterisation of 3C-SiC thin films, investigation of oxidation of thus prepared layers and Pr-silicate and AlON based interface with SiC have been studied. Chemical vapor deposition of 3C-SiC thin films on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates has been investigated. Prior to the actual SiC growth, preparation of initial buffer layers of SiC was done. Using such a buffer layer, epitaxial growth of 3C-SiC has been achieved on Si(111) and Si(001) substrates. The temperature of 1100 C and 1150 C has been determined to be the optimal temperature for 3C-SiC growth on Si (111) and Si(001) substrates respectively. The oxidation studies on SiC revealed that a slow oxidation process at moderate temperatures in steps was useful in reducing and suppressing the g-C at the SiO{sub 2}/SiC interface. Clean, graphite-free SiO{sub 2} has been successfully grown on 3C-SiC by silicon evaporation and UHV anneal. For the application of high-k Pr{sub 2}O{sub 3} on silicon carbide, plausible interlayer, Pr-Silicate and AlON, have been investigated. Praseodymium silicate has been prepared successfully completely consuming the SiO2 and simultaneously suppressing the graphitic carbon formation. A comparatively more stable interlayer using AlON has been achieved. This interlayer mainly consists of stable phases of AlN along with some amount of Pr-aluminates and CN. Such layers act as a reaction barrier between Pr{sub 2}O{sub 3} and SiC, and simultaneously provide higher band offsets. (orig.)

Effects of SiO2 encapsulation and laser processing on single CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots grown on Si (001) substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hong Seok; Rastelli, Armando; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Kim, Tae Whan; Lee, In Won

2011-01-01

Micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) measurements are carried out to investigate the effects of SiO 2 encapsulation and laser processing of single CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots (QDs) grown on Si (001) substrates by using molecular beam epitaxy and atomic layer epitaxy. After laser processing, the μ-PL peak shift for the 200-nm SiO 2 capped single QD is larger than that of the as-grown sample. The large μ-PL peak shift in the 200-nm SiO 2 capped sample is related to the compressive stress induced by the ZnTe cap layer during laser processing. These results indicate that SiO 2 encapsulation and laser processing represent effective methods for achieving local wavelength tuning in single QDs.

Piezoelectric characterization of Sc0.26Al0.74N layers on Si (001) substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Sinusía Lozano, M.; Pérez-Campos, A.; Reusch, M.; Kirste, L.; Fuchs, Th; Žukauskaitė, A.; Chen, Z.; Iriarte, G. F.

2018-03-01

Scandium aluminum nitride (ScAlN) films have been synthesized by pulsed-DC reactive magnetron sputtering. The degree of c-axis orientation as well as piezoelectric characteristics of the Sc0.26Al0.74N thin films grown on Si (001) at various discharge powers and processing pressures values have been investigated. According to x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the texture of the as-grown Sc0.26Al0.74N thin films becomes more prominent in the [0001]-direction at the highest target power (700 W) and at the lowest processing pressure (4 mTorr). The piezoelectric response, as determined by measuring the d33 piezoelectric constant, shows a maximum value of -12 pC/N also at 4 mTorr and 700 W, confirming a direct correlation between the d33 piezoelectric constant and the degree of orientation in the [0001]-direction. The atomic concentration of Sc and Al in the synthesized ScAlN thin film, determined by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), reveals a Sc concentration lower than in the ScAl alloy target. The piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) shows homogeneous polarity distribution with no inversion domains. The piezoelectric layers have been used to fabricate and measure surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators on a Sc0.26Al0.74N/Si (001) bilayer system with resonance frequency of 1.4 GHz and coupling coefficient of 0.567. Such characteristic in the frequency response reveals the potential of these materials for advanced SAW devices in applications such as next generation (5 G) wireless communication systems.

The stability and half-metallicity of (001) surface and (001) interface based on zinc blende MnAs

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Hongpei; Feng, Tuanhui; Zhang, Chunli; Feng, Zhibo; Li, Ming; Yao, K. L.

2018-06-01

Motivated by the growth of MnAs/GaAs thin films in many experimental researches, we investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of bulk, (001) surfaces and (001) interfaces for zinc blende MnAs by means of first-principle calculations. It is confirmed that zinc blende MnAs is a nearly half-metallic ferromagnet with 4.00 μB magnetic moment. The calculated density of states show that the half-metallicity exists in As-terminated (001) surface while it is lost in Mn-terminated (001) surface. For the (001) interfaces of MnAs with semiconductor GaAs, it is found that As-Ga and Mn-As interfaces not only have higher spin polarization but also are more stable among the four considered interfaces. Our results would be helpful to grow stable and high polarized thin films or multilayers for the practical applications of spintronic devices.

Fabrication of low reflective nanopore-type black Si layer using one-step Ni-assisted chemical etching for Si solar cell application

Science.gov (United States)

Takaloo, AshkanVakilipour; Kolahdouz, Mohammadreza; Poursafar, Jafar; Es, Firat; Turan, Rasit; Ki-Joo, Seung

2018-03-01

Nanotextured Si fabricated through metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) technique exhibits a promising potential for producing antireflective layer for photovoltaic (PV) application. In this study, a novel single-step nickel (Ni) assisted etching technique was applied to produce an antireflective, nonporous Si (black Si) in an aqueous solution containing hydrofluoric acid (HF), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and NiSO4 at 40 °C. Field emission scanning electron microscope was used to characterize different morphologies of the textured Si. Optical reflection measurements of samples were carried out to compare the reflectivity of different morphologies. Results indicated that vertical as well as horizontal pores with nanosized diameters were bored in the Si wafer after 1 h treatment in the etching solution containing different molar ratios of H2O2 to HF. Increasing H2O2 concentration in electrochemical etching solution had a considerable influence on the morphology due to higher injection of positive charges from Ni atoms onto the Si surface. Optimized concentration of H2O2 led to formation of an antireflective layer with 2.1% reflectance of incident light.

Structural and optical features of InGaAs quantum dots grown on Si(001) substrates

CERN Document Server

Vdovin, V I; Rzaev, M M; Burbaev, T M

2002-01-01

A multilayer GaAs/SiGe/Si heterostructure with InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a GaAs layer was grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on a Si(001) substrate. A step-graded Si sub 1 sub - sub x Ge sub x (0 <= x <= 1) buffer layer and a GaAs layer with In sub y Ga sub 1 sub sub - sub y As (y approx 0.5) QDs were deposited consecutively in two different MBE systems. The heterostructure exhibits intense photoluminescence in the region of 1.3 mu m at room temperature. Perfect crystal InGaAs islands with height less than 10 nm are the sources of this radiation.

Control of in-plane orientation of phthalocyanine molecular columns using vicinal Si(001)-(2x1)-H

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Masakazu; Matsunobe, Takeshi; Tokumoto, Hiroshi

2001-01-01

In-plane crystal orientation of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) films formed by organic molecular-beam epitaxy have been successfully controlled by using vicinal Si(001)-(2x1)-H as a substrate, containing atomic steps of an approximately 4 nm period. A continuous film was grown at 60 degree C and the film thickness ranged between 5 and 8 molecular layers. By observing a frictional force image of the film, 90% of the molecular columns were found to align across the substrate step rows. The preferential orientation is considered to be induced by artificial surface lattices, which result from the striped effective contact area between the rigid CuPc crystals and the stair-like surfaces. The anisotropic optical properties of the film have been also confirmed by polarized reflection measurements. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Electrically detected magnetic resonance of carbon dangling bonds at the Si-face 4H-SiC/SiO2 interface

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, G.; Cottom, J.; Meszaros, R.; Koch, M.; Pobegen, G.; Aichinger, T.; Peters, D.; Hadley, P.

2018-04-01

SiC based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) have gained a significant importance in power electronics applications. However, electrically active defects at the SiC/SiO2 interface degrade the ideal behavior of the devices. The relevant microscopic defects can be identified by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) or electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR). This helps to decide which changes to the fabrication process will likely lead to further increases of device performance and reliability. EDMR measurements have shown very similar dominant hyperfine (HF) spectra in differently processed MOSFETs although some discrepancies were observed in the measured g-factors. Here, the HF spectra measured of different SiC MOSFETs are compared, and it is argued that the same dominant defect is present in all devices. A comparison of the data with simulated spectra of the C dangling bond (PbC) center and the silicon vacancy (VSi) demonstrates that the PbC center is a more suitable candidate to explain the observed HF spectra.

Monolithically integrated InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well laser grown by MOCVD on exact Ge/Si(001) substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aleshkin, V. Ya.; Dubinov, A. A.; Krasilnik, Z. F.; Kudryavtsev, K. E.; Novikov, A. V.; Yurasov, D. V., E-mail: Inquisitor@ipm.sci-nnov.ru [Institute for Physics of Microstructures of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Baidus, N. V.; Samartsev, I. V. [Physical-Technical Research Institute of Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Fefelov, A. G. [FGUE “Salut,” 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Nekorkin, S. M. [Institute for Physics of Microstructures of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Physical-Technical Research Institute of Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Pavlov, D. A.; Sushkov, A. A. [Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Skorokhodov, E. V.; Shaleev, M. V.; Yablonskiy, A. N.; Yunin, P. A. [Institute for Physics of Microstructures of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation)

2016-08-08

We report on realization of the InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well laser grown by metallorganic chemical vapor deposition on a virtual Ge-on-Si(001) substrate. The Ge buffer layer has been grown on a nominal Si(001) substrate by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. Such Ge buffer possessed rather good crystalline quality and smooth surface and so provided the subsequent growth of the high-quality A{sub 3}B{sub 5} laser structure. The laser operation has been demonstrated under electrical pumping at 77 K in the continuous wave mode and at room temperature in the pulsed mode. The emission wavelengths of 941 nm and 992 nm have been obtained at 77 K and 300 K, respectively. The corresponding threshold current densities were estimated as 463 A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K and 5.5 kA/cm{sup 2} at 300 K.

Report on the Fracture Analysis of HfB(sub 2)-SiC and ZrB(sub 2)-SiC Composites; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MECHOLSKY, JR. JOHN J.

2001-01-01

Hafnium diboride-silicon carbide (HS) and zirconium diboride-silicon carbide (ZS) composites are potential materials for high temperature, thermal shock applications such as for components on re-entry vehicles. In order to establish material constants necessary for evaluation of in situ fracture, bars fractured in four-point flexure were examined using fractographic principles. The fracture toughness was determined from measurements of the critical crack sizes and the strength values and the crack branching constants were established to use in forensic fractography for future in-flight tests. The fracture toughnesses range from about 13 MPam(sup 1/2) at room temperature to about 6 MPam(sup 1/2) at 1400 C for ZrB(sub 2)-Sic composites and from about 13 MPam(sup 1/2) at room temperature to about 4 MPam(sup 1/2) at 1400 C for HfB(sub 2)-SiC composites. Thus, the toughnesses of either the HS or ZS composites have the potential for use in thermal shock applications. Processing and manufacturing defects limited the strength of the test bars. However, examination of the microstructure on the fracture surfaces shows that the processing of these composites can be improved. There is potential for high toughness composites with high strength to be used in thermal shock conditions if the processing and handling are controlled

Growth of gallium nitride based devices on silicon(001) substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy; Wachstum von Galliumnitrid-basierten Bauelementen auf Silizium(001)-Substraten mittels metallorganischer Gasphasenepitaxie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiher, Fabian

2009-02-25

The main topic of this thesis is to investigate GaN-based layer systems grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on Si(001) substrates. A temperature shift up to 45 K is measured for a complete device structure on a 2-inch silicon substrate. By using a 40 nm thin LT-AlN-seed layer (680 C), the GaN crystallites on Si(001) substrates are almost oriented with their GaN(10 anti 12)-planes parallel to the Si(001)-plane. A four-fold azimuthal symmetry occurs for these layers, with the GaN[10 anti 11]-direction is aligned parallel to one of the four equivalent left angle 110 right angle -directions, respectively. However, a mono-crystalline and fully coalesced GaN-layer with this crystallographic orientation could not yet been obtained. If a deposition temperature of more than 1100 C is used for the AlN-seed layer, solely the GaN[0001]- growth direction of crystallites occurs in the main GaN layer on Si(001) substrates. These c-axis oriented GaN columns feature two opposite azimuthal alignments that are rotated by 90 with respect to each other and with GaN[11 anti 20] parallel Si[110] and GaN[10 anti 10] parallel Si[110], respectively. By using 4 off-oriented substrates towards the Si[110]-direction, one certain azimuthal texture component can be selected. The critical value of the miscut angle corresponds to theoretical calculations predicting the occurrence of atomic double steps on the Si(001) surface. The achieved crystallographic quality of the GaN layers on Si(001) is characterized by having a tilt of FWHM=0.27 and a twist of FWHM=0.8 of the crystallites, determined by X-ray diffraction. A completely crack-free, up to 2.5 {mu}m thick, and mono-crystalline GaN-template can be realized on Si(001), integrating 4 or 5 LT-AlN-interlayers in the GaN buffer structure. Based on this structure, the first successful implementation of an (InGaN/GaN)-LED on Si(001) is achieved. Furthermore, the possible fabrication of GaN-based FET-structures is demonstrated with a fully

Tuning patterning conditions by co-adsorption of gases: Br2 and H2 on Si(001).

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Sananda; Deshpande, Sadanand V; Dunn, Derren N; Narasimhan, Shobhana

2013-11-14

We have studied the co-adsorption of Br2 and H2 on Si(001), and obtained co-adsorption energies and the surface phase diagram as a function of the chemical potential and pressure of the two gases. To do this, we have used density functional theory calculations in combination with ab initio atomistic thermodynamics. Over large ranges of bromine and hydrogen chemical potentials, the favored configuration is found to be either one with only Br atoms adsorbed on the surface, at full coverage, in a (3 × 2) pattern, or a fully H-covered surface in a (2 × 1) structure. However, we also find regions of the phase diagram where there are configurations with either only Br atoms, or Br and H atoms, arranged in a two-atom-wide checkerboard pattern with a (4 × 2) surface unit cell. Most interestingly, we find that by co-adsorbing with H2, we bring this pattern into a region of the phase diagram corresponding to pressures that are significantly higher than those where it is observed with Br2 alone. We also find small regions of the phase diagram with several other interesting patterns.

Electronic structure of the chromium dioxide (001) surface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leuken, H. van; Groot, R.A. de

1995-01-01

Local-density calculations on the CrO2 (001) surface are reported. The half-metallic character of the bulk is found to be maintained at the surface. Surface states of oxygen p character at the top of the valence band for the semiconducting spin direction are discussed.

Eu-doped ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded low-loss glass-ceramic waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Subhabrata; N, Shivakiran Bhaktha B.

2016-03-01

We report on the sol-gel fabrication, using a dip-coating technique, of low-loss Eu-doped 70SiO2 -(30-x) HfO2-xZnO (x = 2, 5, 7 and 10 mol%) ternary glass-ceramic planar waveguides. Transmission electron microscopy and grazing incident x-ray diffraction experiments confirm the controlled growth of hybrid nanocrystals with an average size of 3 nm-25 nm, composed of ZnO encapsulated by a thin layer of nanocrystalline HfO2, with an increase of ZnO concentration from x = 2 mol% to 10 mol% in the SiO2-HfO2 composite matrix. The effect of crystallization on the local environment of Eu ions, doped in the ZnO-HfO2 hybrid nanocrystal-embedded glass-ceramic matrix, is studied using photoluminescence spectra, wherein an intense mixed-valence state (divalent as well as trivalent) emission of Eu ions is observed. The existence of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in the SiO2-HfO2-ZnO ternary matrix is confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Importantly, the Eu{}2+,3+-doped ternary waveguides exhibit low propagation losses (0.3 ± 0.2 dB cm-1 at 632.8 nm) and optical transparency in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which makes ZnO-HfO2 nanocrystal-embedded SiO2-HfO2-ZnO waveguides a viable candidate for the development of on-chip, active, integrated optical devices.

Near-surface segregation in irradiated Ni3Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, W.; Rehn, L.E.; Wiedersich, H.

1982-01-01

The radiation-induced growth of Ni 3 Si films on the surfaces of Ni(Si) alloys containing = 3 Si phase has been observed. Post-irradiation depth profiling by Auger electron spectroscopy, as well as in situ analysis by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, reveals Si-enrichment at the surfaces of Ni(Si) alloys in excess of stoichiometric Ni 3 Si during irradiation. Thin, near-surface layers with silicon concentrations of 28 to 30 at.% are observed, and even higher Si enrichment is found in the first few atom layers. Transmission electron microscopy and selected area-electron diffraction were employed to characterize these Si-enriched layers. A complex, multiple-spot diffraction pattern is observed superposed on the diffraction pattern of ordered Ni 3 Si. The d-spacings obtained from the extra spots are consistent with those of the orthohexagonal intermetallic compound Ni 5 Si 2 . (author)

(001) 3C SiC/Ni contact interface: In situ XPS observation of annealing induced Ni2Si formation and the resulting barrier height changes

Science.gov (United States)

Tengeler, Sven; Kaiser, Bernhard; Chaussende, Didier; Jaegermann, Wolfram

2017-04-01

The electronic states of the (001) 3C SiC/Ni interface prior and post annealing are investigated via an in situ XPS interface experiment, allowing direct observation of the induced band bending and the transformation from Schottky to ohmic behaviour for the first time. A single domain (001) 3C SiC sample was prepared via wet chemical etching. Nickel was deposited on the sample in multiple in situ deposition steps via RF sputtering, allowing observation of the 3C SiC/Ni interface formation. Over the course of the experiments, an upward band bending of 0.35 eV was observed, along with defect induced Fermi level pinning. This indicates a Schottky type contact behaviour with a barrier height of 0.41 eV. The subsequent annealing at 850 °C for 5 min resulted in the formation of a Ni2Si layer and a reversal of the band bending to 0.06 eV downward. Thus explaining the ohmic contact behaviour frequently reported for annealed n-type 3C SiC/Ni contacts.

Enhanced photoluminescence of multilayer Ge quantum dots on Si(001) substrates by increased overgrowth temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhi; Cheng, Buwen; Hu, Weixuan; Su, Shaojian; Li, Chuanbo; Wang, Qiming

2012-07-11

Four-bilayer Ge quantum dots (QDs) with Si spacers were grown on Si(001) substrates by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition. In three samples, all Ge QDs were grown at 520 °C, while Si spacers were grown at various temperatures (520 °C, 550 °C, and 580 °C). Enhancement and redshift of room temperature photoluminescence (PL) were observed from the samples in which Si spacers were grown at a higher temperature. The enhancement of PL is explained by higher effective electrons capturing in the larger size Ge QDs. Quantum confinement of the Ge QDs is responsible for the redshift of PL spectra. The Ge QDs' size and content were investigated by atomic force microscopy and Raman scattering measurements.

Surface Chemistry Involved in Epitaxy of Graphene on 3C-SiC(111/Si(111

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abe Shunsuke

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Surface chemistry involved in the epitaxy of graphene by sublimating Si atoms from the surface of epitaxial 3C-SiC(111 thin films on Si(111 has been studied. The change in the surface composition during graphene epitaxy is monitored by in situ temperature-programmed desorption spectroscopy using deuterium as a probe (D2-TPD and complementarily by ex situ Raman and C1s core-level spectroscopies. The surface of the 3C-SiC(111/Si(111 is Si-terminated before the graphitization, and it becomes C-terminated via the formation of C-rich (6√3 × 6√3R30° reconstruction as the graphitization proceeds, in a similar manner as the epitaxy of graphene on Si-terminated 6H-SiC(0001 proceeds.

Surface Wettability of Oxygen Plasma Treated Porous Silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Jiang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Oxygen plasma treatment on porous silicon (p-Si surfaces was studied as a practical and effective means to modify wetting properties of as-fabricated p-Si surfaces, that is, contact angles of the p-Si materials. P-Si samples spanning a wide range of surface nanostructures have been fabricated which were subjected to a series of oxygen plasma treatments. Reduction of the p-Si surface contact angles has been systematically observed, and the surface activation rate constant as a function of different pore geometries has been analyzed to achieve an empirical equation. The underlying diffusion mechanisms have been discussed by taking into account of different pore diameters of p-Si samples. It is envisaged that such an approach as well as the corresponding empirical equation may be used to provide relevant process guidance in order to achieve precise control of p-Si contact angles, which is essential for many p-Si applications especially in biosensor areas.

Growth and structural investigations of epitaxial hexagonal YMnO3 thin films deposited on wurtzite GaN(001) substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balasubramanian, K.R.; Chang, Kai-Chieh; Mohammad, Feroz A.; Porter, Lisa M.; Salvador, Paul A.; DiMaio, Jeffrey; Davis, Robert F.

2006-01-01

Epitaxial hexagonal YMnO 3 (h-YMnO 3 ) films having sharp (00l) X-ray diffraction peaks were grown above 700 deg. C in 5 mTorr O 2 via pulsed laser deposition both on as-received wurtzite GaN/AlN/6H-SiC(001) (w-GaN) substrates as well as on w-GaN surfaces that were etched in 50% HF solution. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed an interfacial layer between film and the unetched substrate; this layer was absent in those samples wherein an etched substrate was used. However, the substrate treatment did not affect the epitaxial arrangement between the h-YMnO 3 film and w-GaN substrate. The epitaxial relationships of the h-YMnO 3 films with the w-GaN(001) substrate was determined via X-ray diffraction to be (001) YMnO 3 -parallel (001) GaN : [11-bar0] YMnO 3 -parallel [110] GaN ; in other words, the basal planes of the film and the substrate are aligned parallel to one another, as are the most densely packed directions in planes of the film and the substrate. Interestingly, this arrangement has a larger lattice mismatch than if the principal axes of the unit cells were aligned

Preparation of crosslinked polysiloxane/SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite via in-situ condensation and its surface modification on cotton fabrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hao, Lifen, E-mail: haolifen@sust.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710021 (China); Zibo Dahuanjiu Polygrace Tannery Group Co. Ltd., Zibo, Shandong 256400 (China); Gao, Tingting [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710021 (China); Xu, Wei [College of Resource and Environment, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710021 (China); Zibo Dahuanjiu Polygrace Tannery Group Co. Ltd., Zibo, Shandong 256400 (China); Wang, Xuechuan [College of Resource and Environment, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710021 (China); Yang, Shuqin; Liu, Xiangguo [Zibo Dahuanjiu Polygrace Tannery Group Co. Ltd., Zibo, Shandong 256400 (China)

2016-05-15

Highlights: • We used a two-step method to fabricate novel crosslinked polysiloxane/SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite (CLPS-SiO{sub 2}). • Superhydrophobic surface on cotton fiber can be conveniently constructed by CLPS-SiO{sub 2}. • Color and softness of the CLPS-SiO{sub 2} treated fabric would not be influenced at all. • The CLPS-SiO{sub 2} treated fabric possessed good washing durability. - Abstract: Novel crosslinked polysiloxane/SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite (CLPS-SiO{sub 2}) was successfully prepared via the in-situ condensation reaction of silica sols and crosslinked polysiloxane with end-capped triethoxysilane in solvent, which was firstly fabricated through the modification of our previously developed crosslinked polysiloxane with end-capped epoxy groups using aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and noted as APTES-CLPS. Chemical structures and thermal properties of the as-prepared resultants were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectra ({sup 1}H/{sup 13}C NMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CLPS-SiO{sub 2} was applied as surface modification agent to treat cotton fabrics. Film morphologies and surface properties were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle measurements, and other instruments. FTIR and NMR confirmed structure of the products. CLPS-SiO{sub 2} showed better thermal stability than APTES-CLPS due to anchor of the nanosilica. APTES-CLPS could deposit a smooth film on cotton fiber surface. Besides, CLPS-SiO{sub 2} also coated the fibers with many nano-scaled tubercles beneath this smooth film by SEM. However, the APTES-CLPS film and the CLPS-SiO{sub 2} film on silicon-wafer were never homogeneous and had a few low or high peaks. The root mean square roughness (Rq) of APTES-CLPS film reached to 0.441 nm in 2 × 2 μm{sup 2} scanning field and at 5 nm data scale. Owing to the incorporation of

High reflectivity YDH/SiO2 distributed Bragg reflector for UV-C wavelength regime

KAUST Repository

Alias, Mohd Sharizal

2018-02-15

A distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) composed of Y2O3-doped HfO2 (YDH)/SiO2 layers with high reflectivity spectrum centered at a wavelength of ~240 nm is deposited using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Before the DBR deposition, optical properties for a single layer of YDH, SiO2, and HfO2 thin films were studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry and spectrophotometry. To investigate the performance of YDH as a material for the high refractive index layer in the DBR, a comparison of its optical properties was made with HfO2 thin films. Due to larger optical bandgap, the YDH thin films demonstrated higher transparency, lower extinction coefficient, and lower absorption coefficient in the UV-C regime (especially for wavelengths below 250 nm) compared to the HfO2 thin films. The deposited YDH/SiO2 DBR consisting of 15 periods achieved a reflectivity higher than 99.9% at the wavelength of ~240 nm with a stopband of ~50 nm. The high reflectivity and broad stopband of YDH/SiO2 DBRs will enable further advancement of various photonic devices such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, resonant-cavity light-emitting diodes, and resonant-cavity photodetectors operating in the UV-C wavelength regime.

Determination of the rate of HF hydration and the effects of HF on moisture condensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCulla, W.H.

1982-01-01

There were four basic questions addressed in this report that relate to the HF interaction in the environment. As to whether HF hydrates in the vapor phase and what the rate of that hydration is, there seems ample evidence that HF hydrates readily in the vapor phase and the rate of that hydration is very fast, i.e., dHF/dt greater than or equal to 25 torr sec -1 . Concerning under what conditions condensation of the hydrate will occur and whether a third body is required for condensation, it was found that HF does effect the dew point or condensation of water and data was presented indicating the extent of that effect. It was also determined that condensation will occur without a third body present. Thus, in attempting to model an HF release for the Safety Analysis Report the hydration of HF and the subsequent heat released may be treated as occurring instantaneously; but the ultimate disposition of the HF will be strongly dependent upon the environmental conditions at the time of the release

Determination of the rate of HF hydration and the effects of HF on moisture condensation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCulla, W H

1982-04-30

There were four basic questions addressed in this report that relate to the HF interaction in the environment. As to whether HF hydrates in the vapor phase and what the rate of that hydration is, there seems ample evidence that HF hydrates readily in the vapor phase and the rate of that hydration is very fast, i.e., dHF/dt greater than or equal to 25 torr sec/sup -1/. Concerning under what conditions condensation of the hydrate will occur and whether a third body is required for condensation, it was found that HF does effect the dew point or condensation of water and data was presented indicating the extent of that effect. It was also determined that condensation will occur without a third body present. Thus, in attempting to model an HF release for the Safety Analysis Report the hydration of HF and the subsequent heat released may be treated as occurring instantaneously; but the ultimate disposition of the HF will be strongly dependent upon the environmental conditions at the time of the release.

Preparation and study of the critical-mass-free plutonium ceramics with neutron poisons Hf, Gd and Li

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timoefeeva, L.F.; Orlov, V.K.; Malyukov, E.E.; Molomin, V.I.; Zhmak, V.A.; Semova, E.A.; Shishkov, N.V.; Nadykto, B.A.

2002-01-01

Powder sintering was used to produce homogeneous type oxide ceramics of Pu with Hf, Gd and Li 6 . In all the ceramics, there is the number of neutron poison (Hf, Gd and Li) atoms per plutonium atom needed, according to the physical calculation, for them to be free of critical mass. PuO 2 stabilizers high-temperature modifications of cubic HfO 2 or hexagonal Gd 2 O 3 , however, at the ratio given by the physical calculation, the plutonium is insufficient for their full stabilization. Addition of yttrium oxide as an additive stabilizing the fcc phase of HfO 2 resulted in cubic solid solution (Pu, Hf, Y)O 2-x . Pu/Li/Hf and Pu/Li/Si ceramics produced by sintering of PuO 2 and compound Li 2 HfO 3 or 6 Li 4 SiO 4 powders is characterized with presence of two phases. The method of differential thermal analysis demonstrated the phase stability of (Pu-Hf, Pu-Gd, Pu-Li-Hf) oxide ceramics in the 20-1500degC temperature range. Ceramic (Pu/Li/Si) has several endothermal effects. Tests in boiling water solutions of various composition suggest that the specimens of Pu, Hf oxides and ternary oxides (Pu, Hf, Y)O 2 are less stable in weakly acidic media than in weakly alkaline medium and distilled water. The obtained results were used as a basis to estimate the assumed solid solution region boundaries for binary Hf, Pu and ternary Hf, Pu, Y oxides on the side of HfO 2 . (author)

Surface current dynamics under sea breeze conditions observed by simultaneous HF radar, ADCP and drifter measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Sentchev, Alexei; Forget, Philippe; Fraunié, Philippe

2017-04-01

Ocean surface boundary layer dynamics off the southern coast of France in the NW Mediterranean is investigated by using velocity observations by high-frequency (HF) radars, surface drifting buoys and a downward-looking drifting acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The analysis confirms that velocities measured by HF radars correspond to those observed by an ADCP at the effective depth z f = k -1, where k is wavenumber of the radio wave emitted by the radar. The radials provided by the radars were in a very good agreement with in situ measurements, with the relative errors of 1 and 9 % and root mean square (RMS) differences of 0.02 and 0.04 m/s for monostatic and bistatic radar, respectively. The total radar-based velocities appeared to be slightly underestimated in magnitude and somewhat biased in direction. At the end of the survey period, the difference in the surface current direction, based on HF radar and ADCP data, attained 10°. It was demonstrated that the surface boundary layer dynamics cannot be reconstructed successfully without taking into the account velocity variation with depth. A significant misalignment of ˜30° caused by the sea breeze was documented between the HF radar (HFR-derived) surface current and the background current. It was also found that the ocean response to a moderate wind forcing was confined to the 4-m-thick upper layer. The respective Ekman current attained the maximum value of 0.15 m/s, and the current rotation was found to be lagging the wind by approximately 40 min, with the current vector direction being 15-20° to the left of the wind. The range of velocity variability due to wind forcing was found comparable with the magnitude of the background current variability.

Evolution of Zr/Hf/Zr trilayers during annealing studied by RBS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kling, A.; Soares, J.C.

2010-01-01

The Zr/Hf system is highly interesting due its various applications, e.g. formation of amorphous ternary alloys, superconductive properties and production of gate oxide layers with high dielectric coefficients by oxidation of Zr/Hf multilayers. In this work Zr/Hf/Zr trilayers with an individual layer thickness of approximately 50 nm were deposited by electron gun evaporation on a substrate consisting of silicon covered by a micrometer thick thermal oxide layer. Samples were subjected to annealing procedures at 500 and 1200 o C in flowing air atmosphere to promote oxidation and Zr/Hf interdiffusion effects. RBS studies of the as-deposited and annealed samples were performed at the van-de-Graaff accelerator of ITN using He + and H + beams with energies between 2.0 and 2.525 MeV in order to study compositional changes induced by the heat treatment. In the case of low-temperature annealing the layer system appears, besides the oxidation process starting from the surface, to be stable. On the other hand, high-temperature annealing leads to an asymmetric Hf-diffusion into the surface and interior Zr-layer provoked by anomalous diffusion due to a phase transition in Zr accompanied by an almost complete oxidation of the layer structure Oxygen and metal depth distributions obtained by RBS in the as-deposited and treated samples are provided.

Metastability and relaxation in tensile SiGe on Ge(001) virtual substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frigerio, Jacopo; Lodari, Mario; Chrastina, Daniel; Mondiali, Valeria; Isella, Giovanni; Bollani, Monica

2014-01-01

We systematically study the heteroepitaxy of SiGe alloys on Ge virtual substrates in order to understand strain relaxation processes and maximize the tensile strain in the SiGe layer. The degree of relaxation is measured by high-resolution x-ray diffraction, and surface morphology is characterized by atomic force microscopy. The results are analyzed in terms of a numerical model, which considers dislocation nucleation, multiplication, thermally activated glide, and strain-dependent blocking. Relaxation is found to be sensitive to growth rate and substrate temperature as well as epilayer misfit and thickness, and growth parameters are found which allow a SiGe film with over 4 GPa of tensile stress to be obtained.

Characterization and surface treatment effects on topography of a glass-infiltrated alumina/zirconia-reinforced ceramic.

Science.gov (United States)

Della Bona, Alvaro; Donassollo, Tiago A; Demarco, Flávio F; Barrett, Allyson A; Mecholsky, John J

2007-06-01

Characterize the microstructure, composition and some physical properties of a glass-infiltrated alumina/zirconia-reinforced ceramic (IZ) and the effect of surface treatment on topography. IZ ceramic specimens were fabricated according to ISO6872 instructions and polished through 1 microm alumina abrasive. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), backscattered imaging (BSI), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and stereology. The elastic modulus (E) and Poisson's ratio (nu) were determined using ultrasonic waves, and the density (rho) using a helium pycnometer. The following ceramic surface treatments were used: AP-as-polished; HF-etching with 9.5% hydrofluoric acid for 90 s; SB-sandblasting with 25 microm aluminum oxide particles for 15s and SC-blasting with 30 microm aluminum oxide particles modified by silica (silica coating) for 15s. An optical profilometer was used to examine the surface roughness (Ra) and SEM-EDS were used to measure the amount of silica after all treatments. The IZ mean property values were as follows: rho=4.45+/-0.01 g/cm(3); nu=0.26 and E=245 GPa. Mean Ra values were similar for AP- and HF-treated IZ but significantly increased after either SC or SB treatment (psurface concentration of Si(K) increased 76% after SC treatment. HF is an inadequate surface treatment for bonding resins to IZ ceramic. Treating IZ with either SB or SC produced greater Ra values and the SC showed a significant increase in the surface concentration of silica, which may enhance bonding to resin via silane coupling.

Atomic layer deposition of crystalline SrHfO3 directly on Ge (001) for high-k dielectric applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDaniel, Martin D.; Ngo, Thong Q.; Ekerdt, John G.; Hu, Chengqing; Jiang, Aiting; Yu, Edward T.; Lu, Sirong; Smith, David J.; Posadas, Agham; Demkov, Alexander A.

2015-01-01

The current work explores the crystalline perovskite oxide, strontium hafnate, as a potential high-k gate dielectric for Ge-based transistors. SrHfO 3 (SHO) is grown directly on Ge by atomic layer deposition and becomes crystalline with epitaxial registry after post-deposition vacuum annealing at ∼700 °C for 5 min. The 2 × 1 reconstructed, clean Ge (001) surface is a necessary template to achieve crystalline films upon annealing. The SHO films exhibit excellent crystallinity, as shown by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The SHO films have favorable electronic properties for consideration as a high-k gate dielectric on Ge, with satisfactory band offsets (>2 eV), low leakage current (<10 −5 A/cm 2 at an applied field of 1 MV/cm) at an equivalent oxide thickness of 1 nm, and a reasonable dielectric constant (k ∼ 18). The interface trap density (D it ) is estimated to be as low as ∼2 × 10 12  cm −2  eV −1 under the current growth and anneal conditions. Some interfacial reaction is observed between SHO and Ge at temperatures above ∼650 °C, which may contribute to increased D it value. This study confirms the potential for crystalline oxides grown directly on Ge by atomic layer deposition for advanced electronic applications

Development and Property Evaluation of Selected HfO2-Silicon and Rare Earth-Silicon Based Bond Coats and Environmental Barrier Coating Systems for SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Dongming

2016-01-01

Ceramic environmental barrier coatings (EBC) and SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) will play a crucial role in future aircraft propulsion systems because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures, improve component durability, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. Advanced EBC systems for SiC/SiC CMC turbine and combustor hot section components are currently being developed to meet future turbine engine emission and performance goals. One of the significant material development challenges for the high temperature CMC components is to develop prime-reliant, high strength and high temperature capable environmental barrier coating bond coat systems, since the current silicon bond coat cannot meet the advanced EBC-CMC temperature and stability requirements. In this paper, advanced NASA HfO2-Si and rare earth Si based EBC bond coat EBC systems for SiC/SiC CMC combustor and turbine airfoil applications are investigated. High temperature properties of the advanced EBC systems, including the strength, fracture toughness, creep and oxidation resistance have been studied and summarized. The advanced NASA EBC systems showed some promise to achieve 1500C temperature capability, helping enable next generation turbine engines with significantly improved engine component temperature capability and durability.

(001) 3C SiC/Ni contact interface: In situ XPS observation of annealing induced Ni_2Si formation and the resulting barrier height changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tengeler, Sven; Kaiser, Bernhard; Chaussende, Didier; Jaegermann, Wolfram

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Schottky behavior (Φ_B = 0.41 eV) and Fermi level pining were found pre annealing. • Ni_2Si formation was confirmed for 5 min at 850 °C. • 3C/Ni_2Si Fermi level alignment is responsible for ohmic contact behavior. • Wet chemical etching (Si–OH/C–H termination) does not impair Ni_2Si formation. - Abstract: The electronic states of the (001) 3C SiC/Ni interface prior and post annealing are investigated via an in situ XPS interface experiment, allowing direct observation of the induced band bending and the transformation from Schottky to ohmic behaviour for the first time. A single domain (001) 3C SiC sample was prepared via wet chemical etching. Nickel was deposited on the sample in multiple in situ deposition steps via RF sputtering, allowing observation of the 3C SiC/Ni interface formation. Over the course of the experiments, an upward band bending of 0.35 eV was observed, along with defect induced Fermi level pinning. This indicates a Schottky type contact behaviour with a barrier height of 0.41 eV. The subsequent annealing at 850 °C for 5 min resulted in the formation of a Ni_2Si layer and a reversal of the band bending to 0.06 eV downward. Thus explaining the ohmic contact behaviour frequently reported for annealed n-type 3C SiC/Ni contacts.

SiO2-coated LiNi0.915Co0.075Al0.01O2 cathode material for rechargeable Li-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Pengfei; Zhang, Zhen; Meng, Huanju; Lu, Yanying; Cao, Jun; Cheng, Fangyi; Tao, Zhanliang; Chen, Jun

2016-11-24

We reported a one-step dry coating of amorphous SiO 2 on spherical Ni-rich layered LiNi 0.915 Co 0.075 Al 0.01 O 2 (NCA) cathode materials. Combined characterization of XRD, EDS mapping, and TEM indicates that a SiO 2 layer with an average thickness of ∼50 nm was uniformly coated on the surface of NCA microspheres, without inducing any change of the phase structure and morphology. Electrochemical tests show that the 0.2 wt% SiO 2 -coated NCA material exhibits enhanced cyclability and rate properties, combining with better thermal stability compared with those of pristine NCA. For example, 0.2 wt% SiO 2 -coated NCA delivers a high specific capacity of 181.3 mA h g -1 with a capacity retention of 90.7% after 50 cycles at 1 C rate and 25 °C. Moreover, the capacity retention of this composite at 60 °C is 12.5% higher than that of pristine NCA at 1 C rate after 50 cycles. The effects of SiO 2 coating on the electrochemical performance of NCA are investigated by EIS, CV, and DSC tests, the improved performance is attributed to the surface coating layer of amorphous SiO 2 , which effectively suppresses side reactions between NCA and electrolytes, decreases the SEI layer resistance, and retards the growth of charge-transfer resistance, thus enhancing structural and cycling stability of NCA.

Control of the graphene growth rate on capped SiC surface under strong Si confinement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Çelebi, C.; Yanık, C.; Demirkol, A.G.; Kaya, İsmet İ.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Graphene is grown on capped SiC surface with well defined cavity size. ► Graphene growth rate linearly increases with the cavity height. ► Graphene uniformity is reduced with thickness. - Abstract: The effect of the degree of Si confinement on the thickness and morphology of UHV grown epitaxial graphene on (0 0 0 −1) SiC is investigated by using atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy measurements. Prior to the graphene growth process, the C-face surface of a SiC substrate is capped by another SiC comprising three cavities on its Si-rich surface with depths varying from 0.5 to 2 microns. The Si atoms, thermally decomposed from the sample surface during high temperature annealing of the SiC cap /SiC sample stack, are separately trapped inside these individual cavities at the sample/cap interface. Our analyses show that the growth rate linearly increases with the cavity height. It was also found that stronger Si confinement yields more uniform graphene layers.

Formation of (111) orientation-controlled ferroelectric orthorhombic HfO{sub 2} thin films from solid phase via annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mimura, Takanori; Katayama, Kiliha [Department of Innovative and Engineered Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan); Shimizu, Takao [Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Uchida, Hiroshi [Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554 (Japan); Kiguchi, Takanori; Akama, Akihiro; Konno, Toyohiko J. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Sakata, Osami [Synchrotron X-ray Station at SPring-8 and Synchrotron X-ray Group, National Institute for Materials Science, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148 (Japan); Funakubo, Hiroshi, E-mail: funakubo.h.aa@m.titech.ac.jp [Department of Innovative and Engineered Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan); Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan)

2016-08-01

0.07YO{sub 1.5}-0.93HfO{sub 2} (YHO7) films were prepared on various substrates by pulse laser deposition at room temperature and subsequent heat treatment to enable a solid phase reaction. (111)-oriented 10 wt. % Sn-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3}(ITO)//(111) yttria-stabilized zirconia, (111)Pt/TiO{sub x}/SiO{sub 2}/(001)Si substrates, and (111)ITO/(111)Pt/TiO{sub x}/SiO{sub 2}/(001)Si substrates were employed for film growth. In this study, X-ray diffraction measurements including θ–2θ measurements, reciprocal space mappings, and pole figure measurements were used to study the films. The film on (111)ITO//(111)yttria-stabilized zirconia was an (111)-orientated epitaxial film with ferroelectric orthorhombic phase; the film on (111)ITO/(111)Pt/TiO{sub x}/SiO{sub 2}/(001)Si was an (111)-oriented uniaxial textured film with ferroelectric orthorhombic phase; and no preferred orientation was observed for the film on the (111)Pt/TiO{sub x}/SiO{sub 2}/(001)Si substrate, which does not contain ITO. Polarization–hysteresis measurements confirmed that the films on ITO covered substrates had saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops. A remanent polarization (P{sub r}) of 9.6 and 10.8 μC/cm{sup 2} and coercive fields (E{sub c}) of 1.9 and 2.0 MV/cm were obtained for the (111)-oriented epitaxial and uniaxial textured YHO7 films, respectively. These results demonstrate that the (111)-oriented ITO bottom electrodes play a key role in controlling the orientation and ferroelectricity of the phase formation of the solid films deposited at room temperature.

Semiconductor growth on an oxide using a metallic surfactant and interface studies for potential gate stacks from first principles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes Huamantinco, Andrei

2008-05-09

In this work the epitaxial growth of germanium on SrHfO{sub 3}(001), and the La{sub 2}Hf{sub 2}O{sub 7}/Si(001) and SrTiO{sub 3}/GaAs(001) interfaces were studied theoretically using the Projector-Augmented Wave (PAW) method. The PAW method is based on Density Functional Theory and it is implemented in the Car-Parrinello Ab-Initio Molecular Dynamics. The goal of the germanium growth on SrHfO{sub 3}(001) is to form a germanium film with low density of defects and smooth morphology, to be used as channel in a transistor. The feasibility of using a third material to achieve germanium layer-by-layer growth was investigated. The formation of an ordered strontium film on a SrO-terminated oxide substrate, to be used as template for germanium overgrowth, was studied. Deposition of germanium on the strontium 1ML template results in wetting and thus a change of the growth mode to layer-by-layer. The germanium surface is then passivated and a germanium compound is initially formed with strontium at the surface and interface. The interfacial structure and valence band offsets of the La{sub 2}Hf{sub 2}O{sub 7}/Si(001) crystalline system were studied. The SrTiO{sub 3}/GaAs(001) crystalline interfaces with unpinned Fermi level were investigated. (orig.)

Comparative Study of Catalytic Oxidation of Ethanol to Acetaldehyde Using Fe(III Dispersed on Sb2O5 Grafted on SiO2 and on Untreated SiO2 Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benvenutti Edilson V.

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Fe(III was supported on Sb(V oxide grafted on the silica gel surface and directly on the silica gel surface using ion-exchange and impregnation processes producing Fe/Sb/SiO2 and Fe/SiO2, respectively. The catalytic conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde was much more efficient using Fe/Sb/SiO2 than Fe/SiO2 as catalyst. This higher efficiency of the former catalyst takes into account two aspects: a the new phase FeSbO4 formed when Fe/Sb/SiO2 is heat treated and, b it is higher dispersion on the matrix.

Magnetron-sputter deposition of high-indium-content n-AlInN thin film on p-Si(001) substrate for photovoltaic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, H. F.; Tan, C. C.; Dalapati, G. K.; Chi, D. Z.

2012-01-01

Al 0.278 In 0.722 N thin films have been grown on p-type Si(001) and c-plane sapphire substrates by employing radio-frequency magnetron-sputter deposition at elevated temperatures. High-resolution x-ray diffraction, as well as pole-figure measurements, reveals no phase separation of the thin films. The Al 0.278 In 0.722 N film grown on p-Si(001) substrate is a typical fiber-texture with AlInN(0001)//Si(001) while that on the c-sapphire exhibits the onset of epitaxy. Microscopic studies reveal that the growth is dominated by a columnar mechanism and the average columnar grain diameter is about 31.5 and 50.8 nm on p-Si(001) and c-sapphire substrates, respectively. Photoluminescence at room-temperature exhibits a strong emission peak at 1.875 eV, smaller than the optical absorption edge (2.102 eV) but larger than the theoretical bandgap energy (1.70 eV), which is attributable to the band-filling effect, as is supported by the high electron density of 4.5 × 10 20 cm −3 . The n-Al 0.278 In 0.722 N/p-Si(001) heterostructure is tested for solar cells and the results are discussed based on the I-V characteristics and their fittings.

Potential energy and dipole moment surfaces for HF@C60: Prediction of spectral and electric response properties

Science.gov (United States)

Kalugina, Yulia N.; Roy, Pierre-Nicholas

2017-12-01

We present a five-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the HF@C60 system computed at the DF-LMP2/cc-pVTZ level of theory. We also calculated a five-dimensional dipole moment surface (DMS) based on DFT(PBE0)/cc-pVTZ calculations. The HF and C60 molecules are considered rigid with bond length rHF = 0.9255 Å (gas phase ground rovibrational state geometry). The C60 geometry is of Ih symmetry. The ab initio points were fitted to obtain a PES in terms of bipolar spherical harmonics. The minimum of the PES corresponds to a geometry where the center of mass of HF is located 0.11 Å away from the center of the cage with an interaction energy of -6.929 kcal/mol. The DMS was also represented in terms of bipolar spherical harmonics. The PES was used to calculate the rotation-translation bound states of HF@C60, and good agreement was found relative to the available experimental data [A. Krachmalnicoff et al., Nat. Chem. 8, 953 (2016)] except for the splitting of the first rotational excitation levels. We propose an empirical adjustment to the PES in order to account for the experimentally observed symmetry breaking. The form of that effective PES is additive. We also propose an effective Hamiltonian with an adjusted rotational constant in order to quantitatively reproduce the experimental results including the splitting of the first rotational state. We use our models to compute the molecular volume polarizability of HF confined by C60 and obtain good agreement with experiment.

Stability of Ta-encapsulating Si clusters on Si(111)-(7x7) surfaces

CERN Document Server

Uchida, N; Miyazaki, T; Kanayama, T

2003-01-01

Tantalum containing Si cluster ions TaSi sub 1 sub 0 sub - sub 1 sub 3 H sub x sup + were synthesized in an ion trap and deposited onto Si(111)-(7x7) surfaces with a kinetic energy of 18 eV. Scanning tunnelling microscope observations revealed that the clusters adsorbed on the surface without decomposition, consistent with ab initio calculation results, that predicted the clusters would have stable Si-cage structures with a Ta atom at the centre. (rapid communication)

On the interplay between Si(110) epilayer atomic roughness and subsequent 3C-SiC growth direction

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaka, Rami; Michaud, Jean-François; Vennéguès, Philippe; Nguyen, Luan; Alquier, Daniel; Portail, Marc

2016-11-01

In this contribution, we performed the growth of a 3C-SiC/Si/3C-SiC layer stack on a Si(001) substrate by means of chemical vapor deposition. We show that, by tuning the growth conditions, the 3C-SiC epilayer can be grown along either the [111] direction or the [110] direction. The key parameter for the growth of the desired 3C-SiC orientation on the Si(110)/3C-SiC(001)/Si(001) heterostructure is highlighted and is linked to the Si epilayer surface morphology. The epitaxial relation between the layers has been identified using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We showed that, regardless of the top 3C-SiC epilayer orientation, domains rotated by 90° around the growth direction are present in the epilayer. Furthermore, the difference between the two 3C-SiC orientations was investigated by means of high magnification TEM. The results indicate that the faceted Si(110) epilayer surface morphology results in a (110)-oriented 3C-SiC epilayer, whereas a flat hetero-interface has been observed between 3C-SiC(111) and Si(110). The control of the top 3C-SiC growth direction can be advantageous for the development of new micro-electro-mechanical systems.

[Effect of hydrofluoric acid concentration on the surface morphology and bonding effectiveness of lithium disilicate glass ceramics to resin composites].

Science.gov (United States)

Hailan, Qian; Lingyan, Ren; Rongrong, Nie; Xiangfeng, Meng

2017-12-01

This study aimed at determining the influence of hydrofluoric acid (HF) in varied concentrations on the surface morphology of lithium disilicate glass ceramics and bond durability between resin composites and post-treated lithium disilicate glass ceramics. After being sintered, ground, and washed, 72 as-prepared specimens of lithium disilicate glass ceramics with dimensions of 11 mm×13 mm×2 mm were randomly divided into three groups. Each group was treated with acid solution [32% phosphoric acid (PA) or 4% or 9.5% HF] for 20 s. Then, four acidified specimens from each group were randomly selected. One of the specimens was used to observe the surface morphology using scanning electron microscopy, and the others were used to observe the surface roughness using a surface roughness meter (including Ra, Rz, and Rmax). After treatment with different acid solutions in each group, 20 samples were further treated with silane coupling agent/resin adhesive/resin cement (Monobond S/Multilink Primer A&B/Multilink N), followed by bonding to a composite resin column (Filtek™ Z350) with a diameter of 3 mm. A total of 20 specimens in each group were randomly divided into two subgroups, which were used for measuring the microshear bond strength, with one of them subjected to cool-thermal cycle for 20 000 times. The surface roughness (Ra, Rz, and Rmax) of lithium disilicate glass ceramics treated with 4% or 9.5% HF was significantly higher than that of the ceramic treated with PA (Pglass ceramics treated with 9.5% HF also demonstrated better surface roughness (Rz and Rmax) than that of the ceramics treated with 4% HF. Cool-thermal cycle treatment reduced the bond strength of lithium disilicate glass ceramics in all groups (Pglass ceramics treated with HF had higher bond strength than that of the ceramics treated with PA. The lithium disilicate glass ceramics treated with 4% HF had higher bond strength than that of the ceramics treated with 9.5% HF (Pglass ceramics treated with 4

Atomic state and characterization of nitrogen at the SiC/SiO2 interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Y.; Garfunkel, E. L.; Zhu, X.; Lee, H. D.; Xu, C.; Shubeita, S. M.; Gustafsson, T.; Ahyi, A. C.; Sharma, Y.; Williams, J. R.; Lu, W.; Ceesay, S.; Tuttle, B. R.; Pantelides, S. T.; Wan, A.; Feldman, L. C.

2014-01-01

We report on the concentration, chemical bonding, and etching behavior of N at the SiC(0001)/SiO 2 interface using photoemission, ion scattering, and computational modeling. For standard NO processing of a SiC MOSFET, a sub-monolayer of nitrogen is found in a thin inter-layer between the substrate and the gate oxide (SiO 2 ). Photoemission shows one main nitrogen related core-level peak with two broad, higher energy satellites. Comparison to theory indicates that the main peak is assigned to nitrogen bound with three silicon neighbors, with second nearest neighbors including carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms. Surprisingly, N remains at the surface after the oxide was completely etched by a buffered HF solution. This is in striking contrast to the behavior of Si(100) undergoing the same etching process. We conclude that N is bound directly to the substrate SiC, or incorporated within the first layers of SiC, as opposed to bonding within the oxide network. These observations provide insights into the chemistry and function of N as an interface passivating additive in SiC MOSFETs

In Situ AFM Study of Crystal Growth on a Barite (001 Surface in BaSO4 Solutions at 30 °C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshihiro Kuwahara

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The growth behavior and kinetics of the barite (001 surface in supersaturated BaSO4 solutions (supersaturation index (SI = 1.1–4.1 at 30 °C were investigated using in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM. At the lowest supersaturation, the growth behavior was mainly the advancement of the initial step edges and filling in of the etch pits formed in the water before the BaSO4 solution was injected. For solutions with higher supersaturation, the growth behavior was characterized by the advance of the and [010] half-layer steps with two different advance rates and the formation of growth spirals with a rhombic to bow-shaped form and sector-shaped two-dimensional (2D nuclei. The advance rates of the initial steps and the two steps of 2D nuclei were proportional to the SI. In contrast, the advance rates of the parallel steps with extremely short step spacing on growth spirals were proportional to SI2, indicating that the lateral growth rates of growth spirals were directly proportional to the step separations. This dependence of the advance rate of every step on the growth spirals on the step separations predicts that the growth rates along the [001] direction of the growth spirals were proportional to SI2 for lower supersaturations and to SI for higher supersaturations. The nucleation and growth rates of the 2D nuclei increased sharply for higher supersaturations using exponential functions. Using these kinetic equations, we predicted a critical supersaturation (SI ≈ 4.3 at which the main growth mechanism of the (001 face would change from a spiral growth to a 2D nucleation growth mechanism: therefore, the morphology of bulk crystals would change.

Light trapping of crystalline Si solar cells by use of nanocrystalline Si layer plus pyramidal texture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Imamura, Kentaro; Nonaka, Takaaki; Onitsuka, Yuya; Irishika, Daichi; Kobayashi, Hikaru, E-mail: h.kobayashi@sanken.osaka-u.ac.jp

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Ultralow reflectivity Si wafers with light trapping effect can be obtained by forming a nanocrystalline Si layer on pyramidal textured Si surfaces. • Surface passivation using phosphosilicate glass improved minority carrier lifetime of the nanocrystalline Si layer/Si structure. • A high photocurrent density of 40.1 mA/cm{sup 2}, and a high conversion efficiency of 18.5% were achieved. - Abstract: The surface structure chemical transfer (SSCT) method has been applied to fabrication of single crystalline Si solar cells with 170 μm thickness. The SSCT method, which simply involves immersion of Si wafers in H{sub 2}O{sub 2} plus HF solutions and contact of Pt catalyst with Si taking only ∼30 s for 6 in. wafers, can decrease the reflectivity to less than 3% by the formation of a nanocrystalline Si layer. However, the reflectivity of the nanocrystalline Si layer/flat Si surface/rear Ag electrode structure in the wavelength region longer than 1000 nm is high because of insufficient absorption of incident light. The reflectivity in the long wavelength region is greatly decreased by the formation of the nanocrystalline Si layer on pyramidal textured Si surfaces due to an increase in the optical path length. Deposition of phosphosilicate glass (PSG) on the nanocrystalline Si layer for formation of pn-junction does not change the ultralow reflectivity because the surface region of the nanocrystalline Si layer possesses a refractive index of 1.4 which is nearly the same as that of PSG of 1.4–1.5. The PSG layer is found to passivate the nanocrystalline Si layer, which is evident from an increase in the minority carrier lifetime from 12 to 44 μs. Hydrogen treatment at 450 °C further increases the minority carrier lifetime approximately to a doubled value. The solar cells with the Si layer/pyramidal Si substrate/boron-diffused back surface field/Ag rear electrode> structure show a high conversion efficiency of 18

Effect of PECVD SiNx/SiOy Nx –Si interface property on surface passivation of silicon wafer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Xiao-Jie; Zhou Chun-Lan; Zhou Su; Wang Wen-Jing; Zhu Jun-Jie

2016-01-01

It is studied in this paper that the electrical characteristics of the interface between SiO y N x /SiN x stack and silicon wafer affect silicon surface passivation. The effects of precursor flow ratio and deposition temperature of the SiO y N x layer on interface parameters, such as interface state density Di t and fixed charge Q f , and the surface passivation quality of silicon are observed. Capacitance–voltage measurements reveal that inserting a thin SiO y N x layer between the SiN x and the silicon wafer can suppress Q f in the film and D it at the interface. The positive Q f and D it and a high surface recombination velocity in stacks are observed to increase with the introduced oxygen and minimal hydrogen in the SiO y N x film increasing. Prepared by deposition at a low temperature and a low ratio of N 2 O/SiH 4 flow rate, the SiO y N x /SiN x stacks result in a low effective surface recombination velocity (S eff ) of 6 cm/s on a p-type 1 Ω·cm–5 Ω·cm FZ silicon wafer. The positive relationship between S eff and D it suggests that the saturation of the interface defect is the main passivation mechanism although the field-effect passivation provided by the fixed charges also make a contribution to it. (paper)

Grafting cavitands on the Si(100) surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Condorelli, Guglielmo G; Motta, Alessandro; Favazza, Maria; Fragalà, Ignazio L; Busi, Marco; Menozzi, Edoardo; Dalcanale, Enrico; Cristofolini, Luigi

2006-12-19

Cavitand molecules having double bond terminated alkyl chains and different bridging groups at the upper rim have been grafted on H-terminated Si(100) surface via photochemical hydrosilylation of the double bonds. Pure and mixed monolayers have been obtained from mesitylene solutions of either pure cavitand or cavitand/1-octene mixtures. Angle resolved high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used as the main tool for the monolayer characterization. The cavitand decorated surface consists of Si-C bonded layers with the upper rim at the top of the layer. Grafting of pure cavitands leads to not-well-packed layers, which are not able to efficiently passivate the Si(100) surface. By contrast, monolayers obtained from cavitand/1-octene mixtures consist of well-packed layers since they prevent silicon oxidation after aging. AFM measurements showed that these monolayers have a structured topography, with objects protruding from the Si(100) surface with average heights compatible with the expected ones for cavitand molecules.

Vapor-phase hydrothermal transformation of HTiOF3 intermediates into {001} faceted anatase single-crystalline nanosheets.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Porun; Wang, Yun; Zhang, Haimin; An, Taicheng; Yang, Huagui; Tang, Zhiyong; Cai, Weiping; Zhao, Huijun

2012-12-07

For the first time, a facile, one-pot hydrofluoric acid vapor-phase hydrothermal (HF-VPH) method is demonstrated to directly grow single-crystalline anatase TiO(2) nanosheets with 98.2% of exposed {001} faceted surfaces on the Ti substrate via a distinctive two-stage formation mechanism. The first stage produces a new intermediate crystal (orthorhombic HTiOF(3) ) that is transformed into anatase TiO(2) nanosheets during the second stage. The findings reveal that the HF-VPH reaction environment is unique and differs remarkably from that of liquid-phase hydrothermal processes. The uniqueness of the HF-VPH conditions can be readily used to effectively control the nanostructure growth. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

QAPP for Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) Surface Spills Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

This QAPP provides information concerning the analysis of spills associated with hydraulic fracturing. This project is relevant to both the chemical mixing and flowback and produced water stages of the HF water cycle as found in the HF Study Plan.

Evidence for Kinetic Limitations as a Controlling Factor of Ge Pyramid Formation: a Study of Structural Features of Ge/Si(001) Wetting Layer Formed by Ge Deposition at Room Temperature Followed by Annealing at 600 °C.

Science.gov (United States)

Storozhevykh, Mikhail S; Arapkina, Larisa V; Yuryev, Vladimir A

2015-12-01

The article presents an experimental study of an issue of whether the formation of arrays of Ge quantum dots on the Si(001) surface is an equilibrium process or it is kinetically controlled. We deposited Ge on Si(001) at the room temperature and explored crystallization of the disordered Ge film as a result of annealing at 600 °C. The experiment has demonstrated that the Ge/Si(001) film formed in the conditions of an isolated system consists of the standard patched wetting layer and large droplike clusters of Ge rather than of huts or domes which appear when a film is grown in a flux of Ge atoms arriving on its surface. We conclude that the growth of the pyramids appearing at temperatures greater than 600 °C is controlled by kinetics rather than thermodynamic equilibrium whereas the wetting layer is an equilibrium structure. Primary 68.37.Ef; 68.55.Ac; 68.65.Hb; 81.07.Ta; 81.16.Dn.

Enhancement of electroluminescence from embedded Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers film by localized-surface-plasmon and surface roughening.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Wang, Shaolei; Hu, Mingyue; He, Sufeng; Ge, Pengpeng; Wang, Jing; Guo, Yan Yan; Zhaowei, Liu

2015-07-03

In this paper, we prepared a novel structure to enhance the electroluminescence intensity from Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers. An amorphous Si/SiO2 multilayer film was fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a Pt nanoparticle (NP)-coated Si nanopillar array substrate. By thermal annealing, an embedded Si quantum dot (QDs)/SiO2 multilayer film was obtained. The result shows that electroluminescence intensity was significantly enhanced. And, the turn-on voltage of the luminescent device was reduced to 3 V. The enhancement of the light emission is due to the resonance coupling between the localized-surface-plasmon (LSP) of Pt NPs and the band-gap emission of Si QDs/SiO2 multilayers. The other factors were the improved absorption of excitation light and the increase of light extraction ratio by surface roughening structures. These excellent characteristics are promising for silicon-based light-emitting applications.

(001) 3C SiC/Ni contact interface: In situ XPS observation of annealing induced Ni{sub 2}Si formation and the resulting barrier height changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tengeler, Sven, E-mail: stengeler@surface.tu-darmstadt.de [Institute of Material Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Kaiser, Bernhard [Institute of Material Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Chaussende, Didier [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Jaegermann, Wolfram [Institute of Material Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany)

2017-04-01

Highlights: • Schottky behavior (Φ{sub B} = 0.41 eV) and Fermi level pining were found pre annealing. • Ni{sub 2}Si formation was confirmed for 5 min at 850 °C. • 3C/Ni{sub 2}Si Fermi level alignment is responsible for ohmic contact behavior. • Wet chemical etching (Si–OH/C–H termination) does not impair Ni{sub 2}Si formation. - Abstract: The electronic states of the (001) 3C SiC/Ni interface prior and post annealing are investigated via an in situ XPS interface experiment, allowing direct observation of the induced band bending and the transformation from Schottky to ohmic behaviour for the first time. A single domain (001) 3C SiC sample was prepared via wet chemical etching. Nickel was deposited on the sample in multiple in situ deposition steps via RF sputtering, allowing observation of the 3C SiC/Ni interface formation. Over the course of the experiments, an upward band bending of 0.35 eV was observed, along with defect induced Fermi level pinning. This indicates a Schottky type contact behaviour with a barrier height of 0.41 eV. The subsequent annealing at 850 °C for 5 min resulted in the formation of a Ni{sub 2}Si layer and a reversal of the band bending to 0.06 eV downward. Thus explaining the ohmic contact behaviour frequently reported for annealed n-type 3C SiC/Ni contacts.

On the Evaluation of Gate Dielectrics for 4H-SiC Based Power MOSFETs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Nawaz

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This work deals with the assessment of gate dielectric for 4H-SiC MOSFETs using technology based two-dimensional numerical computer simulations. Results are studied for variety of gate dielectric candidates with varying thicknesses using well-known Fowler-Nordheim tunneling model. Compared to conventional SiO2 as a gate dielectric for 4H-SiC MOSFETs, high-k gate dielectric such as HfO2 reduces significantly the amount of electric field in the gate dielectric with equal gate dielectric thickness and hence the overall gate current density. High-k gate dielectric further reduces the shift in the threshold voltage with varying dielectric thicknesses, thus leading to better process margin and stable device operating behavior. For fixed dielectric thickness, a total shift in the threshold voltage of about 2.5 V has been observed with increasing dielectric constant from SiO2 (k=3.9 to HfO2 (k=25. This further results in higher transconductance of the device with the increase of the dielectric constant from SiO2 to HfO2. Furthermore, 4H-SiC MOSFETs are found to be more sensitive to the shift in the threshold voltage with conventional SiO2 as gate dielectric than high-k dielectric with the presence of interface state charge density that is typically observed at the interface of dielectric and 4H-SiC MOS surface.

Super-hydrophobic surfaces of SiO₂-coated SiC nanowires: fabrication, mechanism and ultraviolet-durable super-hydrophobicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jian; Li, Zhenjiang; Zhang, Meng; Meng, Alan

2015-04-15

The interest in highly water-repellent surfaces of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires has grown in recent years due to the desire for self-cleaning and anticorrosive surfaces. It is imperative that a simple chemical treatment with fluoroalkylsilane (FAS, CF3(CF2)7CH2CH2Si(OC2H5)3) in ethanol solution at room temperature resulted in super-hydrophobic surfaces of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires. The static water contact angle of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires surfaces was changed from 0° to 153° and the morphology, microstructure and crystal phase of the products were almost no transformation before and after super-hydrophobic treatment. Moreover, a mechanism was expounded reasonably, which could elucidate the reasons for their super-hydrophobic behavior. It is important that the super-hydrophobic surfaces of SiO2-coated SiC nanowires possessed ultraviolet-durable (UV-durable) super-hydrophobicity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cubic Gallium Nitride on Micropatterned Si (001) for Longer Wavelength LEDs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durniak, Mark T. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering; Chaudhuri, Anabil [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for High Technology Materials; Smith, Michael L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Advanced Material Sciences; Allerman, Andrew A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Advanced Material Sciences; Lee, S. C. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for High Technology Materials; Brueck, S. R. J. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for High Technology Materials; Wetzel, Christian [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States). Dept. of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy and Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

2016-03-01

GaInN/GaN heterostructures of cubic phase have the potential to overcome the limitations of wurtzite structures commonly used for light emitting and laser diodes. Wurtzite GaInN suffers from large internal polarization fields, which force design compromises ( 0001 ) towards ultra-narrow quantum wells and reduce recombination volume and efficiency. Cubic GaInN microstripes grown at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on micropatterned Si , with {111} v-grooves oriented along Si ( 001 ) , offer a system free of internal polarization fields, wider quantum wells, and smaller <00$\\bar1$> bandgap energy. We prepared 6 and 9 nm Ga _x In _1-x N/GaN single quantum well structures with peak wavelength ranges from 520 to 570 nm with photons predominately polarized perpendicular to the grooves. We estimate a cubic InN composition range of 0 < x < 0.5 and an upper limit of the internal quantum efficiency of 50%. Stripe geometry and polarization may be suitable for mode confinement and reduced threshold stimulated emission.

Modulating the Surface State of SiC to Control Carrier Transport in Graphene/SiC.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yuping; Sun, Xiaojuan; Shi, Zhiming; Jiang, Ke; Liu, Henan; Ben, Jianwei; Li, Dabing

2018-05-28

Silicon carbide (SiC) with epitaxial graphene (EG/SiC) shows a great potential in the applications of electronic and photoelectric devices. The performance of devices is primarily dependent on the interfacial heterojunction between graphene and SiC. Here, the band structure of the EG/SiC heterojunction is experimentally investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy. The dependence of the barrier height at the EG/SiC heterojunction to the initial surface state of SiC is revealed. Both the barrier height and band bending tendency of the heterojunction can be modulated by controlling the surface state of SiC, leading to the tuned carrier transport behavior at the EG/SiC interface. The barrier height at the EG/SiC(000-1) interface is almost ten times that of the EG/SiC(0001) interface. As a result, the amount of carrier transport at the EG/SiC(000-1) interface is about ten times that of the EG/SiC(0001) interface. These results offer insights into the carrier transport behavior at the EG/SiC heterojunction by controlling the initial surface state of SiC, and this strategy can be extended in all devices with graphene as the top layer. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Atomic layer deposition of crystalline SrHfO{sub 3} directly on Ge (001) for high-k dielectric applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDaniel, Martin D.; Ngo, Thong Q.; Ekerdt, John G., E-mail: ekerdt@utexas.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Hu, Chengqing; Jiang, Aiting; Yu, Edward T. [Microelectronics Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758 (United States); Lu, Sirong; Smith, David J. [Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 (United States); Posadas, Agham; Demkov, Alexander A. [Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2015-02-07

The current work explores the crystalline perovskite oxide, strontium hafnate, as a potential high-k gate dielectric for Ge-based transistors. SrHfO{sub 3} (SHO) is grown directly on Ge by atomic layer deposition and becomes crystalline with epitaxial registry after post-deposition vacuum annealing at ∼700 °C for 5 min. The 2 × 1 reconstructed, clean Ge (001) surface is a necessary template to achieve crystalline films upon annealing. The SHO films exhibit excellent crystallinity, as shown by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The SHO films have favorable electronic properties for consideration as a high-k gate dielectric on Ge, with satisfactory band offsets (>2 eV), low leakage current (<10{sup −5} A/cm{sup 2} at an applied field of 1 MV/cm) at an equivalent oxide thickness of 1 nm, and a reasonable dielectric constant (k ∼ 18). The interface trap density (D{sub it}) is estimated to be as low as ∼2 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2 }eV{sup −1} under the current growth and anneal conditions. Some interfacial reaction is observed between SHO and Ge at temperatures above ∼650 °C, which may contribute to increased D{sub it} value. This study confirms the potential for crystalline oxides grown directly on Ge by atomic layer deposition for advanced electronic applications.

Passivation of hexagonal SiC surfaces by hydrogen termination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyller, Thomas

2004-01-01

Surface hydrogenation is a well established technique in silicon technology. It is easily accomplished by wet-chemical procedures and results in clean and unreconstructed surfaces, which are extremely low in charged surface states and stable against oxidation in air, thus constituting an ideal surface preparation. As a consequence, methods for hydrogenation have been sought for preparing silicon carbide (SiC) surfaces with similar well defined properties. It was soon recognized, however, that due to different surface chemistry new ground had to be broken in order to find a method leading to the desired monatomic hydrogen saturation. In this paper the results of H passivation of SiC surfaces by high-temperature hydrogen annealing will be discussed, thereby placing emphasis on chemical, structural and electronic properties of the resulting surfaces. In addition to their unique properties, hydrogenated hexagonal SiC {0001} surfaces offer the interesting possibility of gaining insight into the formation of silicon- and carbon-rich reconstructions as well. This is due to the fact that to date hydrogenation is the only method providing oxygen-free surfaces with a C to Si ratio of 1:1. Last but not least, the electronic properties of hydrogen-free SiC {0001} surfaces will be alluded to. SiC {0001} surfaces are the only known semiconductor surfaces that can be prepared in their unreconstructed (1 x 1) state with one dangling bond per unit cell by photon induced hydrogen desorption. These surfaces give indications of a Mott-Hubbard surface band structure

Nonlinear Amplitude Evolution During Spontaneous Patterning of Ion-Bombarded Si(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chason, Eric; Erlebacher, Jonah; Aziz, Michael J.; Floro, Jerold A.; Sinclair, Michael B.

1999-01-01

The time evolution of the amplitude of periodic nanoscale ripple patterns formed on Ar+ sputtered Si(OOl ) surfaces was examined using a recently developed in situ spectroscopic technique. At sufficiently long times, we find that the amplitude does not continue to grow exponentially as predicted by the standard Bradley-Harper sputter rippling model. In accounting for this discrepancy, we rule out effects related to the concentration of mobile species, high surface curvature, surface energy anisotropy, and ion-surface interactions. We observe that for all wavelengths the amplitude ceases to grow when the width of the topmost terrace of the ripples is reduced to approximately 25 nm. This observation suggests that a short circuit relaxation mechanism limits amplitude . growth. A strategy for influencing the ultimate ripple amplitude is discussed

Surface, interface and thin film characterization of nano-materials using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Shigeru; Kobayashi, Keisuke

2005-01-01

From the results of studies in the nanotechnology support project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, several investigations on the surface, interface and thin film characterization of nano-materials are described; (1) the MgB 2 thin film by X-ray diffraction, (2) the magnetism of the Pt thin film on a Co film by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurement, (3) the structure and physical properties of oxygen molecules absorbed in a micro hole of the cheleted polymer crystal by the direct observation in X-ray powder diffraction, and (4) the thin film gate insulator with a large dielectric constant, thermally treated HfO 2 /SiO 2 /Si, by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. (M.H.)

Preparation of crosslinked polysiloxane/SiO2 nanocomposite via in-situ condensation and its surface modification on cotton fabrics

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Lifen; Gao, Tingting; Xu, Wei; Wang, Xuechuan; Yang, Shuqin; Liu, Xiangguo

2016-05-01

Novel crosslinked polysiloxane/SiO2 nanocomposite (CLPS-SiO2) was successfully prepared via the in-situ condensation reaction of silica sols and crosslinked polysiloxane with end-capped triethoxysilane in solvent, which was firstly fabricated through the modification of our previously developed crosslinked polysiloxane with end-capped epoxy groups using aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and noted as APTES-CLPS. Chemical structures and thermal properties of the as-prepared resultants were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (1H/13C NMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CLPS-SiO2 was applied as surface modification agent to treat cotton fabrics. Film morphologies and surface properties were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle measurements, and other instruments. FTIR and NMR confirmed structure of the products. CLPS-SiO2 showed better thermal stability than APTES-CLPS due to anchor of the nanosilica. APTES-CLPS could deposit a smooth film on cotton fiber surface. Besides, CLPS-SiO2 also coated the fibers with many nano-scaled tubercles beneath this smooth film by SEM. However, the APTES-CLPS film and the CLPS-SiO2 film on silicon-wafer were never homogeneous and had a few low or high peaks. The root mean square roughness (Rq) of APTES-CLPS film reached to 0.441 nm in 2 × 2 μm2 scanning field and at 5 nm data scale. Owing to the incorporation of nanosilica, that of CLPS-SiO2 film continuously increased and could attain 4.528 nm in 2 × 2 μm2 scanning field and at 20 nm data scale. XPS analysis further demonstrates that there was a CLPS-SiO2 film covered on the cotton surface and the silyl groups had the tendency to enrich at the film-air interface. In addition, hydrophobicity of the CLPS-SiO2 treated fabric would be enhanced with augment of the amount of nanocomposite. Water contact angle of this

Effect of Mica and Hematite (001 Surfaces on the Precipitation of Calcite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huifang Xu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The substrate effect of mica and hematite on the nucleation and crystallization of calcite was investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD methods. On mica, we found, in the absence of Mg2+, the substrates’ (001 surfaces with hexagonal and pseudo-hexagonal two-dimensional (2-D structure can affect the orientation of calcite nucleation with calcite (001 ~// mica (001 and calcite (010 ~// mica (010 to be the major interfacial relationship. On hematite, we did not observe frequent twinning relationship between adjacent calcite gains, but often saw preferentially nucleation of calcite at surface steps on hematite substrate. We suggest that calcite crystals initially nucleate from the Ca2+ layers adsorbed on the surfaces. The pseudo-hexagonal symmetry on mica (001 surface also leads to the observed calcite (001 twinning. A second and less common orientation between calcite {104} and mica (001 was detected but could be due to local structure damage of the mica surface. Results in the presence of Mg2+ show that the substrate surfaces can weaken Mg toxicity to calcite nucleation and lead to a higher level of Mg incorporation into calcite lattice.

Near-surface and bulk behavior of Ag in SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, H.Y.; Zhang, Y.; Snead, L.L.; Shutthanandan, V.; Xue, H.Z.; Weber, W.J.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ag release from SiC poses problems in safe operation of nuclear reactors. ► Near-surface and bulk behavior of Ag are studied by ab initio and ion beam methods. ► Ag prefers to adsorb on the surface rather than in the bulk SiC. ► At high temperature Ag desorbs from the surface instead of diffusion into bulk SiC. ► Surface diffusion may be a dominating mechanism accounting for Ag release from SiC. - Abstract: The diffusive release of fission products, such as Ag, from TRISO particles at high temperatures has raised concerns regarding safe and economic operation of advanced nuclear reactors. Understanding the mechanisms of Ag diffusion is thus of crucial importance for effective retention of fission products. Two mechanisms, i.e., grain boundary diffusion and vapor or surface diffusion through macroscopic structures such as nano-pores or nano-cracks, remain in debate. In the present work, an integrated computational and experimental study of the near-surface and bulk behavior of Ag in silicon carbide (SiC) has been carried out. The ab initio calculations show that Ag prefers to adsorb on the SiC surface rather than in the bulk, and the mobility of Ag on the surface is high. The energy barrier for Ag desorption from the surface is calculated to be 0.85–1.68 eV, and Ag migration into bulk SiC through equilibrium diffusion process is not favorable. Experimentally, Ag ions are implanted into SiC to produce Ag profiles buried in the bulk and peaked at the surface. High-temperature annealing leads to Ag release from the surface region instead of diffusion into the interior of SiC. It is suggested that surface diffusion through mechanical structural imperfection, such as vapor transport through cracks in SiC coatings, may be a dominating mechanism accounting for Ag release from the SiC in the nuclear reactor.

Effect of structural evolution of ZnO/HfO2 nanocrystals on Eu2+/Eu3+ emission in glass-ceramic waveguides for photonic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Subhabrata; Bhaktha B N, Shivakiran

2018-06-01

Eu-doped 70SiO 2 -23HfO 2 -7ZnO (mol%) glass-ceramic waveguides have been fabricated by sol-gel method as a function of heat-treatment temperatures for on-chip blue-light emitting source applications. Structural evolution of spherical ZnO and spherical as well as rod-like HfO 2 nanocrystalline structures have been observed with heat-treatments at different temperatures. Initially, in the as-prepared samples at 900 ◦ C, both, Eu 2+ as well as Eu 3+ ions are found to be present in the ternary matrix. With controlled heat-treatments of up to 1000 ◦ C for 2 h, local environment of Eu-ions become more crystalline in nature and the reduction of Eu 3+ to Eu 2+ takes place in such ZnO/HfO 2 crystalline environments. In these ternary glass-ceramic waveguides, heat-treated at higher temperatures, the blue-light emission characteristic, which is the signature of 4f 6 5d [Formula: see text] 4f 7 energy level transition of Eu 2+ ions is found to be greatly enhanced. The as-prepared glass-ceramic waveguides exhibit a propagation loss of 0.4 ± 0.2 dB cm -1 at 632.8 nm. Though the propagation losses increase with the growth of nanocrystals, the added functionalities achieved in the optimally heat-treated Eu-doped 70SiO 2 -23HfO 2 -7ZnO (mol%) waveguides, make them a viable functional optical material for the fabrication of on-chip blue-light emitting sources for integrated optic applications.

Effect of structural evolution of ZnO/HfO2 nanocrystals on Eu2+/Eu3+ emission in glass-ceramic waveguides for photonic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Subhabrata; N, Shivakiran Bhaktha B.

2018-06-01

Eu-doped 70SiO2–23HfO2–7ZnO (mol%) glass-ceramic waveguides have been fabricated by sol-gel method as a function of heat-treatment temperatures for on-chip blue-light emitting source applications. Structural evolution of spherical ZnO and spherical as well as rod-like HfO2 nanocrystalline structures have been observed with heat-treatments at different temperatures. Initially, in the as-prepared samples at 900 ◦C, both, Eu2+ as well as Eu3+ ions are found to be present in the ternary matrix. With controlled heat-treatments of up to 1000 ◦C for 2 h, local environment of Eu-ions become more crystalline in nature and the reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ takes place in such ZnO/HfO2 crystalline environments. In these ternary glass-ceramic waveguides, heat-treated at higher temperatures, the blue-light emission characteristic, which is the signature of 4f 65d \\to 4f 7 energy level transition of Eu2+ ions is found to be greatly enhanced. The as-prepared glass-ceramic waveguides exhibit a propagation loss of 0.4 ± 0.2 dB cm‑1 at 632.8 nm. Though the propagation losses increase with the growth of nanocrystals, the added functionalities achieved in the optimally heat-treated Eu-doped 70SiO2–23HfO2–7ZnO (mol%) waveguides, make them a viable functional optical material for the fabrication of on-chip blue-light emitting sources for integrated optic applications.

Phase and Microstructural Correlation of Spark Plasma Sintered HfB2-ZrB2 Based Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ambreen Nisar

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The refractory diborides (HfB2 and ZrB2 are considered as promising ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTCs where low damage tolerance limits their application for the thermal protection system in re-entry vehicles. In this regard, SiC and CNT have been synergistically added as the sintering aids and toughening agents in the spark plasma sintered (SPS HfB2-ZrB2 system. Herein, a novel equimolar composition of HfB2 and ZrB2 has shown to form a solid-solution which then allows compositional tailoring of mechanical properties (such as hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness. The hardness of the processed composite is higher than the individual phase hardness up to 1.5 times, insinuating the synergy of SiC and CNT reinforcement in HfB2-ZrB2 composites. The enhanced fracture toughness of CNT reinforced composite (up to a 196% increment surpassing that of the parent materials (ZrB2/HfB2-SiC is attributed to the synergy of solid solution formation and enhanced densification (~99.5%. In addition, the reduction in the analytically quantified interfacial residual tensile stress with SiC and CNT reinforcements contribute to the enhancement in the fracture toughness of HfB2-ZrB2-SiC-CNT composites, mandatory for aerospace applications.

Roles of Ag in fabricating Si nanowires by the electroless chemical etching technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, X.; Wang, Q. K.; Wangyang, P. H.; Tao, H.

2012-01-01

Silicon wafers coated with a film of Ag pattern are used for investigating roles of Ag in the fabrication of silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWs) by the electroless chemical etching technique. The diameter of SiNWs grown in the mixed AgNO 3 /HF solution ranges from 20 to 250 nm. A growth mechanism for such obtained SiNWs is proposed and further experimentally verified. As a comparison as well as to better understand this chemical process, another popular topic on growing SiNWs in the H 2 O 2 /HF solution is also studied. Originating from different chemical reaction mechanisms, Ag film could protect the underneath Si in the AgNO 3 /HF solution and it could, on the contrary, accelerate etching of the underneath Si in the H 2 O 2 /HF solution.

Impact of organic overlayers on a-Si:H/c-Si surface potential

KAUST Repository

Seif, Johannes P.

2017-04-11

Bilayers of intrinsic and doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon, deposited on crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces, simultaneously provide contact passivation and carrier collection in silicon heterojunction solar cells. Recently, we have shown that the presence of overlaying transparent conductive oxides can significantly affect the c-Si surface potential induced by these amorphous silicon stacks. Specifically, deposition on the hole-collecting bilayers can result in an undesired weakening of contact passivation, thereby lowering the achievable fill factor in a finished device. We test here a variety of organic semiconductors of different doping levels, overlaying hydrogenated amorphous silicon layers and silicon-based hole collectors, to mitigate this effect. We find that these materials enhance the c-Si surface potential, leading to increased implied fill factors. This opens opportunities for improved device performance.

Impact of organic overlayers on a-Si:H/c-Si surface potential

KAUST Repository

Seif, Johannes P.; Niesen, Bjoern; Tomasi, Andrea; Ballif, Christophe; De Wolf, Stefaan

2017-01-01

Bilayers of intrinsic and doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon, deposited on crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces, simultaneously provide contact passivation and carrier collection in silicon heterojunction solar cells. Recently, we have shown that the presence of overlaying transparent conductive oxides can significantly affect the c-Si surface potential induced by these amorphous silicon stacks. Specifically, deposition on the hole-collecting bilayers can result in an undesired weakening of contact passivation, thereby lowering the achievable fill factor in a finished device. We test here a variety of organic semiconductors of different doping levels, overlaying hydrogenated amorphous silicon layers and silicon-based hole collectors, to mitigate this effect. We find that these materials enhance the c-Si surface potential, leading to increased implied fill factors. This opens opportunities for improved device performance.

Tribological Properties of Aluminum Alloy treated by Fine Particle Peening/DLC Hybrid Surface Modification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanbu H.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the adhesiveness of the DLC coating, Fine Particle Peening (FPP treatment was employed as pre-treatment of the DLC coating process. FPP treatment was performed using SiC shot particles, and then AA6061-T6 aluminum alloy was DLC-coated. A SiC-rich layer was formed around the surface of the aluminum alloy by the FPP treatment because small chips of shot particles were embedded into the substrate surface. Reciprocating sliding tests were conducted to measure the friction coefficients. While the DLC coated specimen without FPP treatment showed a sudden increase in friction coefficient at the early stage of the wear cycles, the FPP/DLC hybrid treated specimen maintained a low friction coefficient value during the test period. Further investigation revealed that the tribological properties of the substrate after the DLC coating were improved with an increase in the amount of Si at the surface.

Observation of band bending of metal/high-k Si capacitor with high energy x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and its application to interface dipole measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Kakushima, K.; Okamoto, K.; Tachi, K.; Song, J.; Sato, S.; Kawanago, T.; Tsutsui, K.; Sugii, N.; Ahmet, P.; Hattori, T.; Iwai, H.

2008-11-01

Band bendings of Si substrates have been observed using hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. With a capability of collecting photoelectrons generated as deep as 40 nm, the binding energy shift in a core level caused by the potential profile at the surface of the substrate results in a spectrum broadening. The broadening is found to be significant when heavily doped substrates are used owing to its steep potential profile. The surface potential of the substrate can be obtained by deconvolution of the spectrum. This method has been applied to observe the band bending profile of metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with high-k gate dielectrics. By comparing the band bending profiles of heavily-doped n+- and p+-Si substrates, the interface dipoles presented at interfaces can be estimated. In the case of W gated La2O3/La-silicate capacitor, an interface dipole to shift the potential of -0.45 V has been estimated at La-silicate/Si interface, which effectively reduces the apparent work function of W. On the other hand, an interface dipole of 0.03-0.07 V has been found to exist at Hf-silicate/SiO2 interface for W gated HfO2/Hf-silicate/SiO2 capacitor.

Study of Si wafer surfaces irradiated by gas cluster ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isogai, H.; Toyoda, E.; Senda, T.; Izunome, K.; Kashima, K.; Toyoda, N.; Yamada, I.

2007-01-01

The surface structures of Si (1 0 0) wafers subjected to gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) irradiation have been analyzed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). GCIB irradiation is a promising technique for both precise surface etching and planarization of Si wafers. However, it is very important to understand the crystalline structure of Si wafers after GCIB irradiation. An Ar-GCIB used for the physically sputtering of Si atoms and a SF 6 -GCIB used for the chemical etching of the Si surface are also analyzed. The GCIB irradiation increases the surface roughness of the wafers, and amorphous Si layers are formed on the wafer surface. However, when the Si wafers are annealed in hydrogen at a high temperature after the GCIB irradiation, the surface roughness decreases to the same level as that before the irradiation. Moreover, the amorphous Si layers disappear completely

In-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization of Si interlayer based surface passivation process for AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wire transistors