Evidence and understanding of ALD HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate MIM capacitors outperforming sandwich counterparts

Metal-insulator-metal capacitors with atomic-layer-deposited HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminated and sandwiched dielectrics have been compared, for the first time, for analog circuit applications. The experimental results indicate that significant improvements can be obtained using the laminated dielectrics, including an extremely low leakage current of 1/spl times/10/sup -9/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 3.3V and 125/spl deg/C, a high breakdown electric field of /spl sim/3.3MV/cm at 125/spl deg/C, good polarity-independent electrical characteristics, while retaining relatively high capacitance density of 3.13 fF//spl mu/m/sup 2/ as well as voltage coefficients of capacitance as low as -80 ppm/V and 100 ppm/V/sup 2/ at 100 kHz. The underlying mechanism is likely due to alternate insertions of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ layers that reduce the thickness of each HfO/sub 2/ layer, hereby efficiently inhibiting HfO/sub 2/ crystallization, and blocking extensions of grain boundary channels from top to bottom as well as to achieve good interfacial quality.     

DC and RF characteristics of InAlAs/InGaAs dual-gate TEGFETs

DC and microwave measurements on 0.7 mu m single-gate (SG) and dual-gate (DG) In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As/In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As planar doped two-dimensional electron gas field-effect transistors (TEGFETs) are reported. The DG devices show a large increase of the g/sub m/ to g/sub D/ ratios, which are as high as 100 at g/sub m/=380 mS/mm, compared with 12 at 420 mS/mm for the single gate (SG) devices on the same chip, as well as 6 dB improvement in the RF power gain compared with their SG counterparts.<>     

Study on high-temperature performances of 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAsP-InP strained multiquantum-well buried-heterostructure lasers

Stripe-width and cavity length dependencies of high-temperature performances of 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAsP-InP well-designed buried-heterostructure strained multiquantum-well (MQW) lasers were investigated. The threshold currents as low as 4.5/10.5 mA and slope efficiencies as high as 0.48/0.42 mW/mA at 25/spl deg/C/85/spl deg/C were obtained in the MQW lasers with 1.5-/spl mu/m width, 250-/spl mu/m length, and 0.3/0.85 facet reflectivity. With temperature increasing from 25/spl deg/C to 85/spl deg/C, the MQW lasers exhibited lower output power degradation, the minimum value was 1.78 dB at an operation current of 45 mA. The MQW lasers were suitable for application in optical access networks.     

High-performance highly strainedGa0.23In0.77As/Al0.48In0.52As MODFET's obtained by selective and shallow etch guide recesstechniques

Record high f_TL_g products of 57 and 46 GHz-μm have been achieved in Ga_1-x In_x As/AlInAs MODFETs with a strain compensated channel of x=0.77 and a lattice-matched channel of x=0.53, respectively. Although g_m as high as 950 mS/mm has been obtained by conventional deep recess for the gate, these latter devices show a prominent kink effect which lowers f_T and the voltage gain. By limiting the depth of final nonselective recess etch to 3 nm with the help of selective step etches, f_T as high as 47 GHz and g_m as high as 843 mS/mm have been achieved for MODFETs with x=0.77 and L_g=1.1 μm     

Performance improvement of scaled-down top-contact OTFTs by two-step-deposition of pentacene

When scaling down to the channel length (L/sub c/) of 1.8 /spl mu/m using a membrane shadow mask, top-contact pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs) show that grain size dependency on the anomalous leakage current becomes conspicuous as L/sub c/ is comparable to the grain size. For scaled-down OTFTs with large and small grain, the obvious difference of off-current in the depletion regime can be attributed to various reasons such as pentacene conductivity, parasitic resistance, locally ill-defined source/drain edge, and Au interdiffusion. To improve mobility as well as I/sub on//I/sub off/ ratio for scaled-down OTFTs, two-step-deposition (TSD) technique that enables us to control the channel conductivity in the depletion and accumulation regime as well as to improve the film continuity was proposed. To the best of our knowledge, the I/sub on//I/sub off/ ratio of 10/sup 7/ and the mobility of 0.20 cm/sup 2//V/spl middot/s for OTFTs with L/sub c/ of 1.8 /spl mu/m deposited by using the TSD technique was one of the best results in the literature.     

Gate Influence on the Layout Sensitivity of $ hbox{Si}_{1 - x}hbox{Ge}_{x} hbox{S/D}$ and $hbox{Si}_{1 - y}hbox{C}_{y} hbox{S/D}$ Transistors Including an Analytical Model

We present a simulation study on the effect of the gate module on the channel stress in Si_1-xGe_x and Si_1-yC_y S/D MOS transistors. Stiff gate materials, such as titanium nitride, lead to a decreased channel stress, while a replacement-gate scheme allows the increase of the effectiveness of the Si_1-xGe_x and Si_1-yC_y S/D techniques significantly, independent of the gate material used. The drawback of using a replacement gate is that the channel stress becomes more sensitive to layout variations. In terms of effect on Si_1-xGe_x/Si_1-yC_y S/D stress generation, using a thin metal gate capped by polysilicon is similar to a full metal gate if the thin metal gate thickness exceeds 10 nm. Even metal gates as thin as 1 nm have a clear influence on the stress generation by Si_1-xGe_x/Si_1-yC_y S/D. Removing and redepositing the polysilicon layer while leaving the underlying metal gate unchanged increases the stress, although not to the same extent as for complete gate removal. A simple analytical model that estimates the stress in nested short-channel Si_1-xGe_x and Si_1-yC_y S/D transistors is presented. This model includes the effect of germanium/carbon concentration, active-area length, as well as the effect of gate length and the Young's modulus of the gate. Good qualitative agreement with 2-D finite element modeling is demonstrated.     

Electrical characteristics and lifetimes of microdischarge devices having thin dielectric films of aluminum oxide,boron nitride, or barium titanate

The electrical (V-I) characteristics, radiative efficiencies, and lifetimes of Ni screen/dielectric/Ni microdischarge devices, having overall thicknesses as small as <100 /spl mu/m and cylindrical microchannels 50-150 /spl mu/m in diameter, are investigated for Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, BN, and BaTiO/sub 3/ dielectric films that are 120 or 200 /spl mu/m, 30 /spl mu/m, and 5 /spl mu/m in thickness, respectively. Having dielectrics fabricated by sol-gel processes or colloidal deposition and operated with Ne gas pressures between 300 and 1200 Torr (300K), these devices operate at voltages as low as /spl sim/93 V (100 /spl mu/m dia. BaTiO/sub 3/ device), and exhibit exceptional stability and lifetimes. After 100 h of continuous operation, a Ni screen/30 /spl mu/m BN/Ni device operating in 700 Torr Ne (static gas fill) at 100 V produces /spl sim/98% of its initial radiant output.     

Low-noise silicon carbide X-ray sensor with wide operating temperature range

A silicon carbide (SiC) sensor is presented with high energy resolution in X-ray spectroscopy over a wide temperature range (27-100/spl deg/C). The sensor, consisting of a Schottky barrier diode on high resistivity epitaxial SiC, is characterised by an extremely low noise due to its ultra-low reverse current density even at high operating temperature (15 pA/cm/sup 2/ at 27/spl deg/C and 0.5 nA/cm/sup 2/ at 100/spl deg/C). Equivalent noise charges as low as 17 electrons rms at 27/spl deg/C and 47 electrons rms at 100/spl deg/C have been measured, allowing X-ray spectroscopy with an energy resolution as low as 315 eV and 797 eV FWHM, respectively.     

High-performance 1.06-/spl mu/m selectively oxidized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with InGaAs-GaAsP strain-compensated quantum wells

We present the first room-temperature continuous-wave operation of high-performance 1.06-/spl mu/m selectively oxidized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL's). The lasers contain strain-compensated InGaAs-GaAsP quantum wells (QW's) in the active region grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. The threshold current is 190 /spl mu/A for a 2.5/spl times/2.5 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ device, and the threshold voltage is as low as 1.255 V for a 6/spl times/6 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ device. Lasing at a wavelength as long as 1.1 /spl mu/m was also achieved. We discuss the wavelength limit for lasers using the strain-compensated QW's on GaAs substrates.     

Design of bipolar imaging device (BASIS)

The design methodology of a bipolar imaging device, BASIS (base-stored image sensor), with a capacitor-loaded emitter-follower circuitry, is established by analyzing the basic operation of BASIS and the generation mechanism of fixed pattern noise where theoretical results coincide well with experimental results. From this methodology, a wide dynamic range of linearity is assured by optimizing the forward-bias voltage in readout operation, while high sensitivity is realized by making the base-to-collector junction capacitance C _bc as small as possible and by designing the emitter common current gain h_FE of a phototransistor in a pixel to be as high as possible. In order to reduce fixed pattern noise, nonuniformities of h_FE and C_bc should be made as small as possible by improving fabrication process technology, while the bootstrap factor k_f defined in this theory should be as small as possible     

Low-frequency noise of InP/InGaAs heterojunction bipolartransistors

The equivalent base noise SI_b of InP/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's) with a circular pattern emitter is investigated experimentally at a low frequency ranging from 10-10⁵ Hz. The measured SI_b exhibits the 1/f dependence in an overall frequency range without any accompanying burst noise. Furthermore, SI_b varies as I_b^γ for the base current I_b and as d^-2 for the emitter diameter d, where the value of γ ranges from 1.62-1.72 depending on d of HBT's used. The 1/f noise model, which rigorously deals with the recombination current at the base surface I_bs as a function of I_b as well as of d is proposed. Applying our noise model to the dependence of SI_b on I_b, as well as on d, reveals that even though γ is less than two, the origin of SI_b is due to the recombination of electrons at the exposed base surface near the emitter edges. On the basis of theoretical considerations for the diffusion length of electrons and traps at the base surface, the Hooge parameter α_H for the noise due to the base surface recombination is deduced to be in the order of 10 ^-2 for the first time     

Automatic VT extractors based on ann×n2 MOS transistor array and theirapplication

The development of incremental and decremental V_T extractors based on the square-law characteristic and an n ×n² transistor array is described. Different implementations have been discussed and the effect of nonidealities such as mobility reduction, channel-length modulation, mismatch, and body effect has been analyzed. Besides automatic V_T extraction, parameter K of an MOS transistor can also be extracted automatically using the V_T extractor, without any need of calculation and delay, and the extracted V_T and K are, respectively, in voltage and current. Experimental results are presented and indicate that the differences between extracted values using the V_T extractor and the most popular numerical method are as small as 0.15% and 0.064%. Additional applications, such as in level shifting, temperature compensation, and temperature measurement, where the V_T extractor can be used either as a PTAT sensor or as a centigrade sensor, are presented     

A 256-kbit flash E/SUP 2/PROM using triple-polysilicon technology

A high-density 256-kb flash electrically erasable PROM (E/SUP 2/PROM) with a single transistor per bit has been developed by utilizing triple-polysilicon technology. As a result of achieving a novel compact cell that is as small as 8/spl times/8 /spl mu/m/SUP 2/, even with relatively conservative 2.0-/spl mu/m design rules, a small die size of 5.69/spl times/5.78 mm/SUP 2/ is realized. This flash E/SUP 2/PROM is fully pin-compatible with a 256-kb UV-EPROM without increasing the number of input pins for erasing by introducing a novel programming and erasing scheme. Programming time is as fast as 200 /spl mu/s/byte and erasing time is less than 100 ms per chip. A typical access time of 90 ns is achieved by using sense-amplifier circuitry.     

Broad-Band Impedance Matching into Dielectric-Filled Waveguides

The problem of impedance matching between two waveguides filled with different dielectrics is discussed, and the conditions for broad-band matching are determined. Experimental results are presented for standard waveguides matched to guides filled with dielectrics having permittivities /spl epsi/ as high as 100/sub epsi0/. Present applications include matching devices for X-band coupled-cavity transmission masers which employ ruby and alumina sections (/spl epsi/ /spl ap/ 10/sub epsi0/) . Future applications include matching devices for masers utilizing rutile (/spl epsi/ as high as 250/spl epsi0/).     

Characterization of InGaAs/AlGaAs pseudomorphic modulation-doped field-effect transistors

High-performance pseudomorphic InyGa1-yAs/Al0.15- Ga0.85As (0.05 le y le 0.2) MODFET's grown by MBE have been characterized at dc (300 and 77 K) and RF frequencies. Transconductances as high as 310 and 380 mS/mm and drain currents as high as 290 and 310 mA/mm were obtained at 300 and 77 K, respectively, for 1-µm gate lengths and 3-µm source-drain spacing devices. Lack of persistent trapping effects,I-Vcollapse, and threshold voltage shifts observed with these devices are attributed to the use of low mole fraction AlxGa1-xAs while still maintaining 2DEG concentrations of about 1.3 × 10¹²cm^-2. Detailed microwave S-parameter measurements indicate a current gain cut-off frequency Of 24.5 GHz Wheny = 0.20, which is as much as 100 percent better than similar GaAs/AlGaAs MODFET structures, and a maximum frequency of oscillation of 40 GHz. These superior results are in part due to the higher electron velocity of InGaAs as compared with GaAs. Velocity field measurement performed up to 3 kV/cm using the magnetoresistance method indicates an electron saturation velocity of greater than 1.7 × 10⁷cm/s at 77 K fory = 0.15, which is 20 percent higher than GaAs/AlGaAs MODFET's of similar structure.     

Subpicometer accuracy laser wavelength sensor using multiplexed Bragg gratings

Wavelength- and angle-multiplexed holographic Bragg gratings are used as a highly sensitive wavelength sensor. An absolute wavelength accuracy as high as 0.3 pm has been demonstrated with gratings recorded in an Fe-doped LiNbO/sub 3/ photorefractive crystals of dimension of 5/spl times/5/spl times/4 (mm/sup 3/). This technique provides a simple and accurate solution to laser wavelength measurement in applications such as wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) fiber-optic networks, precision interferometry, Doppler spectroscopy, and others.     

Fabrication, characterization and analysis of low threshold currentdensity 1.55-μm-strained quantum-well lasers

Tertiarybutylarsine and tertiarybutylphosphine are less hazardous alternatives to arsine and phosphine as group V sources for crystal growth of In_xGa_1-xAs_yP_1-y alloys by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Compressive and tensile-strained quantum-well lasers emitting at 1.55 μm have been fabricated using these sources. Threshold current density as low as 93 A/cm², transparency current density as low as 38 A/cm² and internal efficiency of 91% were obtained for 1.5% compressive-strained single quantum-well lasers. These devices represent the best lasers emitting at this wavelength that have been reported in the literature. An analysis of some of the characteristics of these devices such as transparency current, differential gain and nonradiative recombination is also presented in this paper     

Compound semiconductors for low-noise microwave MESFET applications

In order to determine the low-noise potential of microwave MESFET's fabricated from materials other than GaAs, a one-dimensional FET model is employed. From material parameters and device geometry the model enables the calculation of a small-signal equivalent circuit from which performance information is acquired. Material parameters, as predicted from Monte Carlo calculations, are used to simulate 1-µm devices fabricated from GaAs as well as InP, Ga0.47In0.53As, InP0.8As0.2, Ga0.27In0.73P0.4As0.6, and Ga0.5In0.5As0.96Sb0.04. Results obtained from simulations comparing a Ga0.5In0.5As0.96- Sb0.04device to an equivalent GaAs device indicate that a decrease in minimum noise figure of almost a factor of two is possible. Considerable improvement in noise performance over a GaAs device is also predicted for devices fabricated from Ga0.47In0.53As and Ga0.27In0.73P0.4As0.6. In addition, the quaternary and ternary devices as well as the InP device should exhibit superior gain and high-frequency performance compared to GaAs devices.     

Electrically-pumped vertical-cavity lasers with Al/sub x/O/sub y/-GaAs reflectors

We have fabricated the first electrically-pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) which use oxide-based distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) on both sides of the gain region. They require a third the epitaxial growth time of VCSELs with semiconductor DBRs. We obtain threshold currents as low as 160 /spl mu/A in VCSELs with an active area of 8 /spl mu/m/spl times/8 /spl mu/m using a two quantum well InGaAs-GaAs active region. By etching away mirror pairs from the top reflector, quantum efficiencies as high as 61% are attained, while still maintaining a low threshold current of 290 /spl mu/A.     

Application of laserQswitching for infrared spectroscopy

PassiveQswitching of IR lasers (N2O as well as CO2) has been applied for the detection of coincidences within a few 100 MHz between laser lines (νL) and molecular transitions (νM). Polar (¹²CH3F,¹³CH3F, C2H5OH, and C6H5CH3) as well as nonpolar molecules (SiH4, GeH4, CCl4, C2H4, C3H4, and C6H6) have been studied. The phenomenon depends strongly on the frequency mismatchDeltanu = nu_{M} - nu_{L}. 81combinations between laser lines and molecular absorption lines were found to produce theQ-switch effect.