Formation of low-resistivity poly-Si and SiNx films by Cat-CVD for ULSI application

In this paper, bulk-Si metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are fabricated using the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) method as an alternative technology to the conventional high-temperature thermal chemical vapor deposition. Particularly, formation of low-resistivity phosphorus (P)-doped poly-Si films is attempted by using Cat-CVD-deposited amorphous silicon (a-Si) films and successive rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of them. Even after RTA processes, neither peeling nor bubbling are observed, since hydrogen contents in Cat-CVD a-Si films can be as low as 1.1%. Both the crystallization and low resistivity of 0.004 Ω·cm are realized by RTA at 1000 °C for only 5 s. It is also revealed that Cat-CVD SiN_x films prepared at 250 °C show excellent oxidation resistance, when the thickness of films is larger than approximately 10 nm for wet O₂ oxidation at 1100 °C. It is found that the thickness required to stop oxygen penetration is equivalent to that for thermal CVD SiN_x prepared at 750 °C. Finally, complementary MOSFETs (CMOSs) of single-crystalline Si were fabricated by using Cat-CVD poly-Si for gate electrodes and SiN_x films for masks of local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS). At 3.3 V operation, less than 1.0 pA μm⁻¹ of OFF leakage current and ON/OFF ratio of 10⁷–10⁸ are realized, i.e. the devices can operate similarly to conventional thermal CVD process.     

Parameters affecting the frequencies of transformation and co-transformation with synthetic oligonucleotides in yeast.

Factors influencing the direct transformation of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with synthetic oligonucleotides were investigated by selecting for cyc1 transformants that contained at least partially functional iso-1-cytochrome c. Approximately 3 x 10(4) transformants, constituting 0.1% of the cells, were obtained by using 1 mg of oligonucleotide in the reaction mixture. Carrier, such as heterogeneous oligonucleotides, enhanced transformation frequencies. Transformation frequencies were dramatically reduced if the oligonucleotides had a large number of mismatches or had terminally located mismatches. Transformation with oligonucleotides, but not with linearized double-strand plasmid, was efficient in a rad52- strain, suggesting that the pathway for transformation with oligonucleotides is different from that with linearized double-strand plasmid. We describe a procedure of co-transformation with two oligonucleotides, one correcting the cyc1 defect of the target allele in the host strain, and the other producing a desired amino acid alteration elsewhere in the iso-1-cytochrome c molecule; approximately 20% of the transformants obtained by co-transformation contained these desired second alterations.     

Asymptotic properties on codeword lengths of an optimal FV code for general sources

This correspondence is concerned with asymptotic properties on the codeword length of a fixed-to-variable length code (FV code) for a general source {X/sup n/}/sub n=1//sup /spl infin// with a finite or countably infinite alphabet. Suppose that for each n /spl ges/ 1 X/sup n/ is encoded to a binary codeword /spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/) of length l(/spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/)). Letting /spl epsiv//sub n/ denote the decoding error probability, we consider the following two criteria on FV codes: i) /spl epsiv//sub n/ = 0 for all n /spl ges/ 1 and ii) lim sup/sub n/spl rarr//spl infin///spl epsiv//sub n/ /spl les/ /spl epsiv/ for an arbitrarily given /spl epsiv/ /spl isin/ [0,1). Under criterion i), we show that, if X/sup n/ is encoded by an arbitrary prefix-free FV code asymptotically achieving the entropy, 1/nl(/spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/)) - 1/nlog/sub 2/ 1/PX/sup n/(X/sup n/) /spl rarr/ 0 in probability as n /spl rarr/ /spl infin/ under a certain condition, where P/sub X//sup n/ denotes the probability distribution of X/sup n/. Under criterion ii), we first determine the minimum rate achieved by FV codes. Next, we show that 1/nl(/spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/)) of an arbitrary FV code achieving the minimum rate in a certain sense has a property similar to the lossless case.     

Characterization of C-S-H from Highly Reactive β-Dicalcium Silicate Prepared from Hillebrandite

β-dicalcium silicate synthesized by thermal dissociation of hydrothermally prepared hillebrandite (Ca₂(SiO₃)(OH)₂) exhibits extremely high hydration activity. Characterization of the hydrates obtained and investigation of the hydration mechanism was carried out with the aid of trimethylsilylation analysis, ²⁹Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, transmission electron microscopy selected area electron diffraction, and XRD. The silicate anion structure of C-S-H consisted mainly of a dimer and a single-chain polymer. Polymerization advances with increasing curing temperature and curing time. The C-S-H has an oriented fibrous structure and exhibits a 0.73-nm dreierketten in the longitudinal direction. On heating, the C-S-H dissociates to form β-C₂S. The temperature at which βC₂S begins to form decreases with increasing chain length of the C-S-H or as the Ca/Si ratio becomes higher. The high activity of β-C₂S is due to its large specific surface area and the fact that the hydration is chemical-reaction-rate-controlled until its completion. As a result, the hydration progresses in situ and C-S-H with a high Ca/Si ratio is formed.     

Synthesis of polymeric microspheres employing SPG emulsification technique

Relatively uniform polymeric microspheres, the coefficients of variation being close to 10%, were obtained by the BPO-initiated suspension polymerization of styrenic monomers. Unlike the conventional stirred-tank system, a particular microporous glass membrane (SPG) provided uniform monomer droplets continuously when monomer was allowed to permeate through the micropores. The monomer droplets were suspended in an aqueous solution containing the stabilizing agents, transferred to a stirred vessel, and polymerized. Up to 10μm spheres, of a far narrower size distribution than those obtained by conventional microsuspension polymerization spheres, were obtained. The initial droplet size and distribution were retained with the successful suppression of secondary particle nucleation by the addition of hydroquinone in the aueous phase. Crosslinked polystyrene spheres were also synthesized in the presence of various low-molecular-weight diluents. While a good solvent, toluene, was not so effective; poor solvents, n-heptane and n-heptane, easily yielded the microporous structure, the specific surface area being as high as 160 m²/g. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The characteristics and measuring technique of refractory dissolved organic substances in urban runoff.

It is considered that refractory dissolved organic substances have caused an increase in the COD concentration in Lake Biwa in recent years. We investigated the organic matter in the first flush of stormwater runoff from a road in the watershed area of the lake, and studied the possibility of improvement in the water environment from that aspect. After percolating the stormwater through soil, we analyzed organic substances fractionated by using GPC-TC. And we examined the effect of removal of organic substances by comparing the peak height before and after percolation. In the result of the experiments, we found that soil infiltration reduced the refractory dissolved organic substance and we successfully designed a system for a simple and easy experimental facility to treat urban runoff.     

Effects of weak shear on hyperswollen lyotropic smectic liquid crystals

We have developed a Zimm-type viscometer specially designed for the simultaneous measurements of the structure factor and the viscosity of hyperswollen lyotropic liquid crystals under a very weak shear. We have investigated the shear effects on the layer undulation fluctuation in the lamellar structure and the transition from the anisotropic lamellar to the isotropic sponge phase. We have found a significant difference in the rheological properties between the lamellar and the sponge phase: The former exhibits non-Newtonian flow behavior, while the latter exhibits Newtonian behavior.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

The first specific antibody against cytotoxic polyacetylenic alcohol, panaxynol

Antitumor polyacetylenic alcohol, panaxynol, was isolated and purified from a powder of the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. Panaxynol inhibited the growth of various kinds of cultured tumor cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. In this paper we demonstrated the first specific antibody production against panaxynol. Anti-panaxynol antibody was elicited in rabbits by immunization with panaxynol hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin conjugate (panaxynol hemisuccinate-BSA conjugate). An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the determination of panaxynol was established using a double-antibody technique. The EIA was highly specific against panaxynol although the antibody showed a minimal cross-reactivity with other types of polyacetylenic alcohol, i.e. panaxydol (12.0%) and panaxytriol (0.77%). Panaxynol at a concentration as low as 6.4 ng/ml can be detected. Using this assay we reconfirmed the rapid consumption of panaxynol by target tumor cells in an in vitro-culture system. The anti-panaxynol antibody may be a valuable tool for studies of the biological properties of polyacetylenic compounds.