Investigation of Laser-Assisted Microcrystalline SiGe Films Deposited at Low Temperature

SiGe films deposited by conventional plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) were compared with microcrystalline SiGe (μc-SiGe) films deposited at a low temperature using a laser-assisted plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (LAPECVD). In the LAPECVD system, a CO₂ laser was used to assist the pyrolytic decomposition of SiH₄ and GeH₄ reactant gases. The μc-SiGe structure was identified using electron diffraction patterns from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images. Microcrystalline SiGe films were analyzed using various measurements.     

Silica deposition by excimer-laser-induced chemical vapour deposition in perpendicular configuration

Silicon oxide films have been deposited on silicon wafers at low temperature by irradiation of the substrates with an ArF (λ = 193 nm) excimer laser beam in a SiH₄ and N₂O atmosphere. A systematic study of the growth rate and properties of the films as a function of the processing parameters (gas composition, substrate temperature, laser pulse energy, pulse repetition rate, total pressure and gas flow rate) has been performed. The process is photolytically activated in the gas phase and the diffusion of photodecomposed precursor species towards the surface plays an important limiting role. The N₂O/SiH₄ ratio mainly controls the film composition; for ratios above 40, stoichiometric silica may be obtained, as confirmed by Rutherford backscattering (RBS) measurements. The role of the surface temperature in the growth kinetics is not critical, so that deposition of films is possible down to substrate temperatures as low as 70°C. Nevertheless, the density of the films varies greatly with the substrate temperature. The fact that no Si(SINGLE BOND)H vibration was detected with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry is surprising, since hydrogen incorporation is a very typical phenomenon encountered in most silane systems. This effect is probably associated with the ultraviolet photon irradiation of the adsorbed species and the film as it grows, thus breaking bonds and affecting the bond structure of the film.     

Microwave performance-property relationships of YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films grown on LaAlO3 (001) substrate

We report correlations between growth parameters, structure and microwave performance for YBa₂Cu₃O7-δ (YBCO) thin films. Two series of YBCO thin films were grown byin-situ laser ablation. The first series were deposited at 100 mTorr oxygen pressure with a laser fluence of 2.9 Joule/cm², the second series were deposited at 600 mTorr of oxygen and a higher laser fluence of 5 Joule/cm². Microwave performance of these films was evaluated using a 5.6 GHz resonator. In both series, we found that films with higherT _c , narrower x-ray rocking curve width, and sharper electron channeling pattern tend to have higher microwave resonator Qs. Optimal film growth conditions were infered from this systematic study. Films grown at higher oxygen pressure have smoother surfaces and fewer second phases.     

Synthesis and characterization of Pb(Zr0.54Ti0.46)O3 thin films on (100)Si using textured YBa2Cu3O7−δ and yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layers by laser physical vapor deposition technique

We have fabricated high-quality <001> textured Pb(Zr_0.54Ti_0.46)O₃ (PZT) thin films on (00l)Si with interposing <001> textured YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (YBCO) and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) buffer layers using pulsed laser deposition (KrF excimer laser, λ, = 248 nm, τ = 20 nanosecs). The YBCO layer provides a seed for PZT growth and can also act as an electrode for the PZT films, whereas YSZ provides a diffusion barrier as well as a seed for the growth of YBCO films on (001)Si. These heterostructures were characterized using x-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Rutherford backscattering techniques. The YSZ films were deposited in oxygen ambient (∼9 × 10⁻⁴ Torr) at 775°C on (001)Si substrate having <001>YSZ // <001>Si texture. The YBCO thin films were deposited in-situ in oxygen ambient (200 mTorr) at 650°C. The temperature and oxygen ambient for the PZT deposition were optimized to be 530°C and 0.4-0.6 Torr, respectively. The laser fluence to deposit this multilayer structure was 2.5-5.0 J/cm². The <001> textured perovskite PZT films showed a dielectric constant of 800-1000, a saturation polarization of 37.81 μC/cm², remnant polarization of 24.38 μC/cm² and a coercive field of 125 kV/cm. The effects of processing parameters on microstructure and ferroelectric properties of PZT films and device implications of these structures are discussed.     

Synthesis of the PZT films deposited on pt-coated (100) Si substrates for nonvolatile memory applications

Ferroelectric lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films were deposited by the pulsed laser deposition technique on Pt-coated (100) Si substrates. This study was focused on the investigation of the PZT film growth on (100) Si substrate at varying deposition parameters and electrical characterization of the films including hysteresis loop and fatigue properties by RT66A Standardized Ferroelectric Test System. PZT deposited at higher temperature (575°C in 450 mTorr O₂ partial pressure) showed the best crystalline structure. The remnant polarization and the retained polarization of the ferroelectric capacitors were 13 μC/cm² and 20 μC/cm², respectively. The crystallographic properties of the films were determined using the x-ray diffractometer method. The cross-sectional transmission electron microscope results showed very smooth interfaces among different layers of films.     

Precursor-dependent structural and electrical characteristics of atomic layer deposited films: Case study on titanium oxide

Thin (10–20 nm) TiO₂ films were atomic layer deposited from TiCl₄, Ti(OC₂H₅)₄, H₂O and H₂O₂ in the substrate temperature range 125–350 °C. The structure, chemical composition and electrical properties were correlated to the process temperature and nature of precursors, whereas the effect of precursors on conduction mechanisms was considerable only in the films grown at 125 °C, otherwise controlled by oxide-electrode interfaces. The use of chloride resulted in films with highest permittivity while the use of hydrogen peroxide resulted in lowest permittivity but also in lowest leakage. The post-deposition (pre-metallization) annealing resulted in densification and (re)crystallization of TiO₂ layer but also in thickening of low-permittivity interface layers.     

Synthesis of highly conductive cobalt thin films by LCVD at atmospheric pressure

We have deposited very low resistant Co films on SiO₂-coated Si substrates using UV pulsed laser pyrolytic decomposition of Co₂(CO)₈ with 355 nm laser radiation at atmospheric pressure. Facile decomposition of the precursors and the use of Ar curtain enable the deposition of relatively pure Co (with O less than 7% and negligible C) at the power of 1.11–3.33 W, and of pure Co at 6.67 W. The resistivity decreases from 58 to 19 µΩ-cm as the power increases from 2.22 to 3.33 W, showing inverse-linear dependence on grain size. In addition, further increase of the power to 6.67 W decreases the resistivity to 9 µΩ-cm, due to both the growth of large grains with negligible contaminants, and the adverse effect of surface roughness. The effects of oxygen contaminants on the resistivity can be minimal, because of its presence in the form of oxide. These low resistant fine metal lines deposited by a direct-writing laser chemical vapor deposition technique at atmospheric pressure have been reported for the first time.     

Growth of diamond films on si(100) with and without boron nitride buffer layer

Diamond films were grown on Si(100) and boron nitride deposited Si(100) substrates using hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. Microstructure and morphology of diamond films have been investigated systematically as a function of CH₄ and H₂ ratio and the ambient pressure. The deposited films were characterized by employing techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser Raman spectroscopy. The average size and growth rate of diamond particles were found to increase with the CH₄ to H₂ ratio and decrease with the ambient pressure. Maximum growth rate of synthetic diamond deposited on Si(100) was found to be &#x223C;3.5 &#x00B5;m/hr for the film deposited at 20 Torr with CH₄:H₂ &#x223C; 1.5:100 (substrate temperature &#x223C;850&#x00B0;C). In most of these depositions, the morphology of the diamond crystals was cubic with significant secondary nucleation at higher methane concentrations and ambient pressure. The diamond film deposited on Si(100) with BN buffer layer shows an improvement in growth rate and the coverage, and the secondary nucleation was found to be substantially reduced, resulting in relatively smooth morphology. MicroRaman investigations show less amorphous graphite formation and better structural quality of diamond film than the one deposited without the BN buffer layer. On leave from Department of Physics University of Poona, Pune-411007 INDIA     

Effect of annealing on the structural and optical properties of laser ablated nanostructured barium tungstate thin films

High quality BaWO₄ thin films are successfully deposited on quartz substrate for a duration of 30 min using pulsed laser ablation technique and using a laser radiation of wavelength 355 nm and the effect of thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties is studied by using techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy, micro-Raman, FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy. All the films show monoclinic crystalline structure with (2 0 2) plane as the preferred orientation of crystal growth. From the XRD analysis it is found that the optimum annealing temperature for better crystallization of the BaWO₄ film is 700 °C and there is no phase change observed with annealing temperature. The presence of the characteristic bands for the BaWO₄ in the Raman spectra of the films suggests the formation of BaWO₄ crystalline phase in all the films. SEM and AFM analyses show that as the annealing temperature increases the connectivity between individual grains increases and shows an ordered packing. The geometrical optimization and energy calculation of the title compound were done using the Gaussian 09 software package and the calculations were carried out using the CAM-B3LYP functional combined with standard Lanl2Dz basis set. The thickness of the films was calculated using lateral SEM images and also from optical transmission spectral data using PUMA software.     

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of silver thin films for future interconnects by direct liquid injection system

Deposition of Ag films by direct liquid injection-metal organic chemical vapor deposition (DLI-MOCVD) was chosen because this preparation method allows precise control of precursor flow and prevents early decomposition of the precursor as compared to the bubbler-delivery. Silver(I)-2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-3,5-octanedionato-triethylphosphine [Ag(fod)(PEt₃)] as the precursor for Ag CVD was studied, which is liquid at 30 °C. Ag films were grown on different substrates of SiO₂/Si and TiN/Si. Argon and nitrogen/hydrogen carrier gas was used in a cold wall reactor at a pressure of 50–500 Pa with deposition temperature ranging between 220 °C and 350 °C. Ag films deposited on a TiN/Si diffusion barrier layer have favorable properties over films deposited on SiO₂/Si substrate. At lower temperature (220 °C), film growth is essentially reaction-limited on SiO₂ substrate. Significant dependence of the surface morphology on the deposition conditions exists in our experiments. According to XPS analysis pure Ag films are deposited by DLI-MOCVD at 250 °C by using argon as carrier gas.     

Semiconductor-to-metallic phase transition of VO<Subscript>2</Subscript> by laser excitation

VO₂ thin films deposited on MgO and fused silica glass substrates were prepared by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, which shows phase transition (PT) from the monoclinic semiconductor phase to a metallic tetragonal rutile structure at temperatures over 68°C. The observed PT is reversible, showing a typical hysteresis. The PT can also be induced through optical pumping by laser excitation. In this case, it was found that the optically induced PT is ultrafast and passive, but not thermally initiated. In order to understand the PT mechanism, a study of transient holography using degenerate-four-wavemixing (DFWM) measurement was conducted. A Nd:YAG pulsed laser with pulse duration of 30 psec operating at 532 nm was employed as the coherent light source. This showed that the observed transient holography in VO₂ thin film is associated with the excited state dynamical process, which essentially causes the structural change, or so-called optically induced PT. The observed extremely large polarizability is believed to relate to the large offset in the potential well minimum between the ground state and excited state. Through an unidentified intermediate state, the transient lattice distortion triggered the structural change.     

Moisture absorption studies of fluorocarbon films deposited from pentafluoroethane and octafluorocyclobutane plasmas

The moisture absorption and diffusion characteristics of fluorocarbon films deposited from pentafluoroethane (PFE) and octafluorocyclobutane C₄F₈ plasmas are presented. The moisture absorption studies were carried out using a quartz crystal microbalance in a controlled environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectroscopy were used to monitor the changes in bulk and surface chemical structure and composition of the deposited films. The equilibrium moisture uptake at relative humidity >90% was lower than 0.13 wt.% for films deposited from PFE or C₄F₈ monomers. Humidity cycling measurements showed no moisture chemisorption in the deposited films. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) spectra of the deposited films indicated negligible change in the bulk composition of the deposited films. The estimated diffusivities of water in the deposited fluorocarbon films were of the order of 10⁻¹⁰ cm²/sec, and films deposited from C₄F₈ monomer showed higher diffusivity as compared to films deposited from PFE monomer. The equilibrium moisture uptake is affected by the presence of polar groups, the F/C ratio, and the O/C ratio. The relatively high diffusivity of water in the fluorocarbon films is attributed to the lack of polar groups in the deposited films. Adsorption onto the surface followed by diffusion into the bulk is proposed as the mechanism for moisture absorption in the fluorocarbon films. Finally, the moisture uptake of the fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon films is compared to that of a conventionally used microelectronic polymer, polyimide (PI 2611), in order to evaluate the effect of polar groups and fluorine content on diffusion and equilibrium moisture uptake.     

Preparation and characterization of thin films of MgO,Al2O3 and MgAl2O4 by atomic layer deposition

MgO, Al₂O₃ and MgAl₂O₄ thin films were deposited on silicon substrates at various temperatures by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method using bis(cyclopentadienyl)magnesium, triethylaluminum, and H₂O and were characterized systematically. High-quality polycrystalline MgO films were deposited for a substrate temperature above 500°C, and amorphous thin films were deposited around 400°C. The deposited Al₂O₃ and MgAl₂O₄ thin films were characterized as amorphous in structure. Applicability of ALD to complex oxides is discussed.     

Hf-O-N and HfO2 barrier layers for Hf-Ti-O gate dielectric thin films

Hf-O-N and HfO₂ thin films were evaluated as barrier layers for Hf-Ti-O metal oxide semiconductor capacitor structures. The films were processed by sequential pulsed laser deposition at 300 °C and ultra-violet ozone oxidation process at 500 °C. The as-deposited Hf-Ti-O films were polycrystalline in nature after oxidation at 500 °C and a fully crystallized (o)-HfTiO₄ phase was formed upon high temperature annealing at 900 °C. The Hf-Ti-O films deposited on Hf-O-N barrier layer exhibited a higher dielectric constant than the films deposited on the HfO₂ barrier layer. Leakage current densities lower than 5 × 10 A/cm² were achieved with both barrier layers at a sub 20 Å equivalent oxide thickness.     

Synthesis of low resistivity complex oxides on MgO using Pt as buffer layer

Highly crystalline SrRuO₃ (SRO) and La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ (LSCO) thin films were deposited on (100) Pt/ MgO by pulsed laser deposition. The films were mainly (001) textured normal to the substrate surface with a high degree of in-plane orientation with respect to the substrate’s major axes. These films were characterized using x-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering, four-point probe resistivity measurement, and transmission electron microscopy. The room temperature resistivity for LSCO and SRO films on Pt/MgO was found to be ∼35 and ∼40 μΩ-cm, respectively. An ion beam minimum channeling yield of ∼43% and ∼33% was obtained for LSCO and SRO films, respectively. The interface between Pt and oxide was found to be smooth and free from any interfacial diffusion. This result showed that high-quality low resistivity oxide thin films can be deposited on Pt.     

Properties of Flame Sprayed Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9‐δ Electrolyte Thin Films

Thin films of Ce_0.8Gd_0.2O_1.9‐δ (CGO) are deposited by flame spray deposition with a deposition rate of about 30 nm min^?1. The films (deposited at 200 °C) are dense, smooth, and particle‐free and show a biphasic amorphous/nanocrystalline microstructure. Isothermal grain growth and microstrain are determined as a function of dwell time and temperature and correlated to the electrical conductivity. CGO films annealed for 10 h at 600 °C present the best electrical conductivity of 0.46 S m^?1 measured at 550 °C. Reasons for the superior performance of films annealed at low temperature over higher‐temperature‐treated samples are discussed and include grain‐size evolution, microstrain relaxation, and chemical decomposition. Nanoindentation measurements are conducted on the CGO thin films as a function of annealing temperature to determine the hardness and elastic modulus of the films for potential application as free‐standing electrolyte membranes in low‐temperature micro‐SOFCs (solid oxide fuel cells).     

Pulsed laser deposition of titanium nitride and diamond-like carbon films on polymers

We have investigated the deposition of titanium nitride (TiN) and diamond-like carbon (DLC ) films on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The TiN and diamond-like films were deposited by laser ablation (KrF excimer laser λ = 248 nm, pulse duration τ～25 × 10^?9 s, energy density ～2?15J/cm²) of TiN and graphite targets, respectively, at room temperature. These films were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The TiN films were smooth and found to be polycrystalline with average grain size of 120Å. The diamond-like carbon films were amorphous with a characteristic Raman peak at 1550 cm^?1. The TiN films are highly adherent to the polymer substrates as compare to DLC films. The adhesion strength of DLC films on polymers was increased by interposing thin TiN layer (200Å) on polymers byin-situ pulsed laser deposition. The DLC films were found to be amorphous with good adhesion to TiN/PMMA substrates.     

Growth of Nanocrystalline ZnSe:N Films by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Nanocrystalline zinc-blende-structured ZnSe:N films have been deposited on GaAs(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The growth of the nanocrystalline ZnSe:N films is found to be greatly affected by the pressure of ambient N₂. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results show that the morphologies of the as-grown films are sensitive to the ambient pressure at a fixed substrate temperature of 300 °C, and the sizes of the as-grown ZnSe:N nanocrystals increase as the ambient pressure increases from 0.1 Pa to 100 Pa. The average sizes of the as-grown nanocrystals are estimated to be about 19 nm, 29 nm, and 71 nm for 0.1 Pa, 1 Pa, and 100 Pa ambient N₂ pressure, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses show that the N-doping concentration in the as-grown film is over 10²¹ cm⁻³. Raman spectra demonstrate the broadening of the longitudinal optical (LO) phonon and transverse optical (TO) phonon modes of the ZnSe nanocrystals. Based on these analyses, the mechanism of the formation of ZnSe:N nanocrystals is discussed.     

A comparative study of pulsed laser deposition and flash evaporation of Culn0.75Ga0.25Se2 thin films

In this paper initial results are presented for the growth and characterisation of polycrystalline Culn_0.75Ga_0.25Se₂ thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition and flash evaporation. Analogies are drawn between these two important deposition technologies. The deposited films were characterised using a veriety of analytical techniques, including energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays and Rutherford-backscattering spectroscopy for compositional evaluation, X-ray diffreaction and Raman spectroscopy for structural evaluation, scanning electron microscopy for surface examination and the four-point and hot-point probe techniques for electrical characterisation. The comparison of films produced by these two deposition methods revealed that, in terms of their stochiometry, electrical and physical characteristics, good-quality GIGS thin films could be produced by both techniques.     

Growth-Temperature-Controlled Optical Properties of Textured MgxZn1?xO Thin Films

Pulsed laser deposition was used to grow magnesium zinc oxide thin films on amorphous fused silica substrates at several temperatures between room temperature and 750°C. In this study, the effect of growth temperature on the optical properties of textured Mg _x Zn_1−x O thin films was examined. The optical properties of the films were measured using absorption and photoluminescence spectrometry. Absorption spectra revealed that the bandgap values of textured Mg _x Zn_1−x O thin films were enhanced in films grown at higher temperatures. The absorption spectra near the absorption edge were fitted using the Urbach equation in order to investigate the effects of growth temperature on exponential band tail and bandgap. The photoluminescence spectra were measured for magnesium zinc oxide thin films deposited at 250°C, 350°C, 450°C, 550°C, and 650°C. The film grown at 350°C provided the highest excitonic peak intensity. On the other hand, the film grown at 250°C exhibited the lowest excitonic peak intensity. The excitonic peak intensity was considerably reduced in magnesium zinc oxide thin films grown at temperatures greater than 350°C. The ability to perform substrate-temperature-dependent bandgap engineering of Mg _x Zn_1−x O will enable use of this material in next-generation optical and optoelectronic devices.