Experimental Assessment of the Nonuniform Radiation-Induced Space-Charge Distribution in the Surface Region of Silicon

The nonuniform distribution of the positive charge at the Si surface in metal–oxide–semiconductor transistors gamma-irradiated in an electric field was studied by measuring current–voltage and capacitance–voltage characteristics.     

Kinetics of Interaction of Thick Nanocrystalline SnO2 Films with Oxygen

The microstructure effect on the rate of interaction between thick nanocrystalline SnO₂ films and oxygen is studied at different temperatures using in situ electrical conductivity measurements. The process kinetics are analyzed in terms of the diffusion–reaction model. The results suggest that the process rate is limited by the dissociation of ionized oxygen on the surface of crystalline SnO₂ grains.     

Nanopores in Macroporous Silicon

Macroporous silicon is studied by IR absorption spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and the electron–positron annihilation method in comparison with single-crystal Si (substrate), polycrystalline Si (powder), anda-SiO₂ (silica glass). According to IR absorption data, as-prepared macroporous silicon contains a significant amount of oxidized material. Annihilation spectra of macroporous silicon attest to the presence of a system of nanopores, in which positronium atoms are likely to localize. Diffraction patterns reveal considerable amounts of silicon particles oriented at random. Both the polycrystalline phase and nanopores reside on the surface of macropores.     

Effect of reactive ion etching and post-etching annealing on the electrical characteristics of indium-tin oxide/silicon junctions

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited onto p-type Si wafers with radio frequency (r.f.) magnetron sputtering. The effect of the silicon surface treatment with reactive ion etching (RIE) on the current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics of the ITO/Si junction are investigated. When the Si substrate is etched by RIE prior to the deposition of ITO film, the I–V characteristics of the ITO/p-Si junction transfer from an ohmic contact for the unetched-Si to a rectifying contact for the etched Si. In addition, the barrier height, ideality factor, and series resistance increase with increasing etching power. This is attributed to the net positive ion charge and defects on the damaged surface. Thermal annealing can eliminate the damage caused by RIE. The I–V curves of ITO/etched p-Si become more ohmic as samples are annealed in N2 at 300 °C. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profiles indicate that some impurity defects migrate and/or disappear after post-etching annealing. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

Spin drift–diffusion transport and its applications in semiconductors

We study theoretically the propagation and distribution of electron spin density in semiconductors within the drift–diffusion model in an external electric field. From the solution of the spin drift–diffusion equation, we derive the expressions for spin currents in the down-stream (DS) and up-stream (US) directions. We find that drift and diffusion currents contribute to the spin current and there is an electric field, called the drift–diffusion crossover field, where the drift and diffusion mechanisms contribute equally to the spin current in the DS direction, and that the spin current in the US direction vanishes when the electric field is very large. We calculate the drift–diffusion crossover field and show that the intrinsic spin diffusion length in a semiconductor can be determined directly from it if the temperature, electron density and both the temperature and electron density, respectively, are known for nondegenerate, highly degenerate and degenerate systems. The results will be useful in obtaining transport properties of the electron’s spin in semiconductors, the essential information for spintronic technology.     

Zirconium and hafnium oxide interface with silicon: Computational study of stress and strain effects

Computations of the periodic double-interface MO₂/Si (M = Zr and Hf) systems using density functional theory (DFT) demonstrate that very thin epitaxial MO₂ layers at silicon (1 0 0) surface adopt anatase-like structure with six-coordinate M atoms, while tetragonal-like MO₂ structure with seven-coordinated M atoms has a lower stability (metastable). This results from a closer match between Si(1 0 0) surface unit cell and anatase-like ZrO₂ and HfO₂ leading to the overall stress reduction if MO₂ adopts the anatase-like structure on silicon. In agreement with the previous study of Gavartin et al. [Gavartin, Fonseca, Bersuker, Shluger, Microelectron. Eng. 80 (2005) 412–415] formation of oxygen vacancy at the interface is demonstrated to be lower than in bulk film. This result appears to be independent from the film or interface structure but originates from the energy balance between M–O, M–M, Si–O and M–Si bonds, as revealed by a simple molecular model.     

Nucleation and Oriented Textured Growth of Diamond Films on Si(100) via Electron Emission in Ho.t Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition

1. IntroductionIn recent years, there has been increasing illterest in the heteroepitaxial growth of diamond films'by chemicisl vapor deposition(CVD) owing to theirpromising applications for the electronic devices. Epitaxial diamond films have been successfully grown onc-BN and monocrystal diamond substrated~4]. However, it is a more imperative task to deposit heteroepitarial diamond films on St which was anticipated tobe as a low cost substrate to achieve synthesis of singlecrystalline diam…     

Synthesis and characterization of silica aerogels by a novel fast ambient pressure drying process

Using cheap waterglass as silica source, silica aerogels were synthesized via a novel fast ambient drying by using an ethanol/trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS)/Heptane solution for modification of the wet gel. One-step solvent exchange and surface modification were simultaneously progressed by immersing the hydrogel in EtOH/TMCS/Heptane solution, in which TMCS reacting with pore water and Si–OH group on the surface of the gel, with ethanol and heptane helping to decrease the rate of TMCS reacting with pore water and extrude water from gel pores. The synthesized silica aerogel was a light and crack-free solid, with the density of 0.128–0.136 g/cm³ and 93.8–94.2% porosity. The microstructure, morphology and properties of the aerogels were studied by FTIR, SEM, TEM and BET measurement. The results indicate that silica aerogels exhibit a sponge structure with uniform nano-particle and pores size distribution. The specific surface areas of silica aerogels are 559–618 m²/g. And there is an obvious Si–CH₃ group on the surface of the silica aerogel.     

Fabrication of carbon nanotube-emitters on Ag-Cu alloy film by thermal welding

A field emission electron source was fabricated on a Si substrate using Ag-Cu alloy (ACa) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The ACa was adopted as a binder material due to its excellent electrical conductivity, oxidation stability, and suitable melting point (783 degrees C). The surface morphology of the ACa-film was improved by introducing an Nb layer as an adhesion layer between the ACa-film and the Si substrate. The ACa-film thickness was varied from 100 to 500 nm. The spray method was employed to deposit a CNT film on the ACa/Nb/Si substrate for large area fabrication. After annealing the substrate at 700 degrees C for 10 min, the CNT film was tightly welded on the ACa-films, and the CNT-emitters fabricated on the 400-nm-thick ACa-film exhibited high current density and stability with a low turn-on voltage. It is worth noting that ACa could be applied to the glass substrate because the CNT-emitters fabricated at 500 degrees C exhibited good field emission characteristics.     

Short-Range Order and Structural Transformations in Al–Si Melts

The density of Al–Si melts containing 0.2–1.2 wt % Si was measured as a function of temperature. The results were used to construct the liquid microinhomogeneity diagram of the Al–Si system. The structural transformations in Al–Si melts were shown to be associated with microinhomogeneities resulting from the charge transfer from Al to Si.     

Microstructural characterization and hardness of electrodeposited nickel coatings from a sulphamate bath

Pure nickel plates were produced from a sulphamate bath by electrodeposition. A systematic variation of the current density, in the range 0.005 to 0.25 Acm^–2, resulted in a variation of the coating microstructure and properties. Deposits plated below a current density of 0.01 Acm^–2 had a surface morphology consisting of large, deep crevices surrounding smaller substructures. A banded or laminar type microstructure was observed in cross-section. Above this current density, truncated pyramidal structures, with ridged terraces oriented perpendicular to the growth direction, were found on the surface. The planar dimensions of the pyramidal surface features were found to increase with current density, as well as the columnar grain widths observed in the cross-sectional view. To evaluate the mechanical properties of the coatings, microindentation hardness tests were performed using a Knoop indenter. A Hall–Petch type relationship for the samples deposited at and above 0.01 Acm^–2 was seen.     

Characterization of yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films deposited by electron beam evaporation on silicon substrates

Structure, phase composition and electrical conductivity of thin yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films deposited by electron beam evaporation on a silicon (1 0 0) substrate at different temperatures i.e. room temperature (r.t.), 700 and 830°C, as well as the quality of the YSZ–Si interface have been investigated. The phase composition was verified by Raman spectroscopy and by infrared (i.r.) transmission measurements. The structure of films changed in agreement with their electrical conductivity depending on the deposition temperature. Both structure and thereby electrical conductivity were influenced by the high concentration of Y2O3 stabilizer used and by the post-deposition thermal treatment of films. The deposition temperature was also important in determining the quality of the YSZ–Si interface and hence the accessible sweep of the surface potential. The capacitance–voltage characteristics of the metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) structures incorporating YSZ films measured at r.t. showed hysteresis and positive shifts of the flat-band voltages. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

Mechanical properties of in situ Al2O3 formed Al–Si composite coating via atmospheric plasma spraying

In this study, mechanically alloyed Al–12Si/SiO₂ composite powder was deposited onto an aluminum substrate by atmospheric plasma spraying. The composite coating consisting of in situ formed Al₂O₃ reinforced hypereutectic Al–18Si matrix alloy was achieved. The produced coatings were extensively analyzed with respect to X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD patterns of the coatings include Al, Si and Al₂O₃ phase formation. Mechanical properties of layers were examined by Dynamic Ultra-micro hardness test machine for estimating Young’s modulus due to load–unload sensing analysis. The hardness and Young’s modulus of the composite coatings sprayed at different plasma current and the distance were measured under 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mN of applied peak loads by indentation technique. The effects of spray distance and arc current on the hardness and Young’s modulus have been investigated. Additionally, it was observed that the arc current and spray distance strongly influence the mechanical properties of the coatings.     

TriSilanolPhenyl POSS–polyimide nanocomposites: Structure–properties relationship

Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)–polyimide (PI) thin films were synthesized from pre-mixed solution of oxydianiline–pyromellitic dianhydryde (ODA–PMDA) and TriSilanolPhenyl (TSP) POSS. POSS–PI polymerization reaction kinetics was studied using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The POSS–PI films were then investigated by tensile tests, followed by surface morphology examination using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM). An interdisciplinary approach was applied for establishing a relation between POSS–PI composites chemical microstructure properties and failure mechanisms. Inter molecular POSS–POSS interaction by either phase separation, or chemical POSS–POSS condensation reaction were observed as key factors, affecting the nanocomposite mechanical properties via formation of aggregates. The amount and density of these aggregates were shown to be composition dependent. A model based on formation and coalescence of voids during tensile tests was suggested for understanding the effect of the POSS content on the POSS–PI mechanical response.     

硅油为致孔剂合成的St-DVB大孔共聚物

采用硅油与甲苯为混合致孔剂,水相悬浮聚合制备了一系列大孔交联苯乙烯-二乙烯苯树脂。通过改变交联剂DVB用量和致孔剂硅油与甲苯的配比、用量等,研究了所合成的大孔St-DVB共聚物的堆密度、力学强度、比表面积、表面形态及吸附性能。结果表明,硅油与甲苯以一定比例混合作致孔剂时,可得到了一类具特殊结构的小球堆积型(10μm~15μm)大孔共聚物。     

Voltage Relaxation and Its Influence on Critical Current Measurements

Based on the collective creep model, we numerically studied evolution of electric field and current density in superconductors and its influence on transport measurements of critical current. It is shown that many experimental facts, such as the dependence of V-I curves on sweeping rate of applied current and voltage relaxation are the results of this evolution. The simulation results are confirmed by electric transport measurements on Ag-sheathed Bi_2–x Pb _x Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O _y tapes. Discussions on influences of the voltage relaxation on electric transport measurements including superconducting critical current are made.     

阳极氧化电流密度和时间对多孔硅形貌和电子发射特性的影响

为了应用于场发射显示器,采用电化学阳极氧化,快速热氧化和磁控溅射等方法制备出了金属/多孔硅/硅基底/金属结构的多孔硅电子发射体,并运用扫描电子显微镜观察了多孔硅的微观形貌,结果发现多孔硅的孔径随着电化学阳极氧化电流密度的增加而增加,多孔硅层的厚度随着阳极氧化电流密度和时间乘积的增加而增加。在真空系统中测量了多孔硅的电子发射特性,电子发射的阈值电压Vth随着多孔硅层厚度的增加而增加;最大的发射效率η为7.5‰,此效率出现在孔径6~16 nm,多孔硅层厚度为11.06μm的样品中,对应的器件电压Vps为30V。     

Rectifying pyronine-B/p-type silicon junctions formed by sublimation of pyronine-B

The rectifying junction characteristics of the organic compound pyronine-B film on a p-type Si substrate have been studied. The pyronine-B has been sublimed onto the top of p-Si surface. The barrier height and ideality factor values of 0.79 eV and 1.125 for this structure have been obtained from the forward-bias current–voltage characteristics. The density distribution of the interface states in the inorganic semiconductor bandgap and their relaxation time have been determined from the low-capacitance–frequency characteristics by the Schottky capacitance spectroscopy method. The measurement frequency varies from 90 Hz to 10 MHz. The interface state density N_ss ranges from 2.10×10¹⁰ cm^–2 eV^–1 in (0.79–E_v) eV to 1.16×10¹² cm^–2 eV^–1 in (0.53–E_v) eV. Furthermore, the relaxation time ranges from 1.38×10^–3 s in (0.53–F_V) eV to 7.50×10^–3 s in (0.79–E_V) eV.     

两步阳极氧化法制备多孔阳极氧化铝膜

直流恒压下,在酸性溶液中对铝实施两步阳极氧化制备了多孔氧化铝膜。采用扫描电镜(SEM)、原子力显微镜(AFM)对制备的多孔氧化铝膜进行形貌分析,孔径在纳米级且孔分布具有高度均匀性。采用SEM对试样进行观察,分析了工艺对多孔氧化铝膜形貌的影响。利用阳极氧化初期电流密度的变化并结合阳极氧化过程中的试样的SEM照片,分析了多孔氧化铝膜的形成机理。     

Electrical properties of r.f. magnetron sputtered BaxSr1−xTiO3 films on multi-layered bottom electrodes for high-density memory application

Ba_xSr_1–xTiO₃ (BST) thin films have been deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering on silicon and platinum-coated silicon substrates with different buffer and barrier layers. Electrical properties of BST films have been evaluated using both metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) and metal–insulator–metal (MIM) structures. MIS capacitor C–V and G–V characteristics have been utilized to determine the fixed charge density, interface trap density and the trap distribution in the silicon bandgap. BST films deposited on Si/SiO₂/SiN/Pt and Si/SiO₂/Ti/TiN/Pt multilayer bottom electrodes have been used for the fabrication of MIM capacitors. The role of bottom electrode, processing temperature and Ba to Sr ratio on the electrical properties of Ba_xSr_1–xTiO₃ films have been investigated. Current–voltage behavior has indicated an ohmic nature at lower voltages and Poole–Frenkel conduction at higher voltages. Deposited films have shown an excellent time-dependent dielectric breakdown under constant-current stressing.