Fabrication of long lengths of low-loss IR transmitting As40S(60-x)Sex glass fibers

Teflon clad and As₄₀S₆₀ glass clad As₄₀ S₅₅Se₅ fibers transmitting in the 1-6 μm wavelength region have been fabricated in lengths of about 50 m and with minimum losses of 0.098 and 0.65 dB/m, respectively. Short lengths of the Teflon clad fiber possessed a minimum loss of 0.047 dB/m. While current fiber losses are dominated by extrinsic scattering and absorption, the calculated theoretical minimum loss is estimated to be 3.6 dB/km at 5.3 μm and is limited by the contribution from the weak absorption tail. Improvements in the purification and processing of the glasses into the optical fibers are required to reduce the losses further     

Patterning of Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material using UV nano-imprint lithography

DRAM is the most commonly used memory due to many advantages such as high speed and easy manufacturability owing to its simple structure, but is volatile. On the other hand, flash memory is non-volatile, but has other disadvantages such as slow speed, short lifetime, and low endurance for repetitive data writing. Compared to DRAM and flash memory, PRAM (Phase-change Random Access Memory), which is a non-volatile memory using a reversible phase change between amorphous and crystalline state, has many advantages such as high speed, high sensing margin, low operating voltage, and is being pursed as a next generation memory. Being able to pattern and etch phase change memory in nanometer scale is essential for the integration of PRAM. This study uses the Nano-Imprint Lithography (NIL) for patterning the PRAM in nanometer scale which is believed to be a future lithography technology that will replace the conventional Photo Lithography. Si wafers coated with SiO₂ were used as substrates, and Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (GST) films with the thicknesses of 100 nm were deposited by RF sputtering. Poly-benzylmethacrylate based polymer patterns were formed using NIL on the surface of GST films, and the GST films were etched using Cl₂/Ar plasma in an Oxford ICP (inductively coupled plasma) etcher.     

Fabrication of Ge2Sb2Te5 based PRAM device at 60 nm scale by using UV nanoimprint lithography

Phase change memory is one of the most promising non-volatile memory for the next generation memory media due to its simplicity, wide dynamic range, fast switching speed and possibly low power consumption. Low power consuming operation of phase change random access memory (PRAM) can be achieved by confining the switching volume of phase change media into nanometer scale. Nanoimprint lithography is an emerging lithographic technique in which surface protrusions of a mold such as sub-100 nm patterns are transferred into a resin layer easily. In this study, crossbar structures of phase change device array based on Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ were successfully fabricated at 60 nm scale by two consecutive UV nanoimprint lithography and metal lift-off process, which showed on/off resistance ratio up to 3000.     

Reactive-ion etching of Ge2Sb2Te5 in CF4/Ar plasma for non-volatile phase-change memories

Etching of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (GST) is a critical step in the fabrication of chalcogenide random access memories. In this paper, the etch characteristics of GST films were studied with a CF₄/Ar gas mixture using a reactive-ion etching system. We observed a monotonic decrease in etch rate with decreasing CF₄ concentration indicating its importance in defining the material removal rate. Argon, on the other hand, plays an important role in defining the smoothness of the etched surface and sidewall edge acuity. We have studied the importance of gas mixture and RF power on the quality of the etched film. The smoothest surfaces and most vertical sidewalls were achieved using a CF₄/Ar gas mixture ratio of 10/40, a background pressure of 80 mTorr, and power of 200 W.     

Low power resistive switching memory using Cu metallic filament in Ge0.2Se0.8 solid-electrolyte

Bipolar resistive switching memory device using Cu metallic filament in Au/Cu/Ge_0.2Se_0.8/W memory device structure has been investigated. This resistive memory device has the suitable threshold voltage of V_th > 0.18 V, good resistance ratio (R_High/R_Low) of 2.6 × 10³, good endurance of >10⁴ cycles with a programming current of 0.3 mA/0.8 mA, and 5 h of retention time at low compliance current of 10 nA. The low resistance state (R_Low) of the memory device decreases with increasing the compliance current from 1 nA to 500 μA for different device sizes from 0.2 μm to 4 μm. The memory device can work at very low compliance current of 1 nA, which can be applicable for extremely low power-consuming memory devices.     

Fabrication and characterization of a depletion-mode ZnS0.07Se0.93 MESFET

We report the fabrication and characterization of a depletion-mode n-channel ZnS_0.07Se_0.93 metal-semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET). A ZnSSe FET could be a key element in opto-electronic integration consisting of light emitters, light receivers and MESFET pre-amplifiers. Mesa isolation, recess etching and self-alignment techniques were adopted to optimize the MESFET performance. Source and drain (S/D) ohmic contacts and gate Schottky contact were formed by Cr/In/Cr and Au deposition, respectively. Depletion mode FET's with varying gate width-to-length ratio of W/L=200 μm/20 μm, 200 μm/4 μm and 200 μm/2 μm were fabricated. A 2 μm FET was characterized as follows: the turn-on voltage, V_on≈1.75 V, the pinch-off voltage, V_p≈-13 V, the unit transconductance, g_m≈8.73 mS/mm, and the breakdown voltage with zero gate-source bias, BV≈28 V     

Characterization of Ge2Sb2Te5 thin film transistor and its application in non-volatile memory

With the increasing requirement of high density memory technology, a new cell structure—1TR has received much attention. It consists of a single thin film transistor (TFT) with chalcogenide Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ as the channel material. In order to evaluate the feasibility of its application in the field of non-volatile memory, we take a further step in researching on the characteristics of GST-TFT. We fabricated a back-gate GST-TFT and investigated the output and transfer characteristics of its two states. The experimental results show that gate voltage can modulate the GST channel currents in both the amorphous and the crystalline states. Based on the experiments, we can expect that this novel device can ultimately lead to a new nonvolatile memory technology with even higher storage density.     

Effect of annealing on the structure of Bi2Te3-Bi2Se3 films

The crystallization dynamics of Bi₂Te₃-Bi₂Se₃ polycrystalline films annealed at 200–230°C has been investigated. The formation of ordered blocks 70—150 nm in size, depending on the annealing time and temperature, is observed.     

Deposition of thin Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 films by pulsed laser ablation

Bi₂Te₃ and Sb₂Te₃ films were obtained by pulsed laser ablation. The films were deposited in vacuum (1 × 10⁻⁵ Torr) on single crystal substrates of Al₂O₃ (0001), BaF₂ (111), and fresh cleavages of KCl or NaCl (001) heated to 453–523 K. The films were 10–1500 nm thick. The structures of the bulk material of targets and films were studied by X-ray diffractometry and transmission high-energy electron diffraction, respectively. Electrical properties of the films were measured in the temperature range of 77–300 K. It is shown that the films possess semiconductor properties. Several activation portions are observed in the temperature dependences of resistivity; the energies of activation portions depend on the film thickness and crystallite size.     

Thermal stress effects of Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material: Irreversible modification with Ti adhesion layers and segregation of Te

This paper reviews material properties of chalcogenide phase change material Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ under thermal anneal treatments. Stress evolutions of pure Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ films and stacks of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ integrating with Ti adhesion layers are investigated. Segregation of Te atoms in the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film to the interface drives an interaction between Ti and Te atoms and formation of Ti-Te binary phases. The irreversible phase segregation and modification of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ change the crystallization process, completely suppress the final transformation into otherwise stable hcp phase, and thus impact the ultimate life-cycle of such a phase change based memory cell. Since the adhesion layer is required in cell applications, the optimization of adhesion layer material and thickness may improve the life-cycles and reliability of devices.     

Fabrication of fluoride glass single-mode fibers

Single-mode optical fibers are obtained using ZrF4-based fluoride glasses. The fibers are drawn from a preform and jacketing tube. The preform with cladding/core ratio of 5.1 is made by using a built-in casting method. The cutoff wavelength of the fiber is experimentally determined to be 2.7 μm by bending loss measurement. Minimum transmission loss of the obtained fiber is 160 dB/km at a wavelength of 3.28 μm. TheV-value at this wavelength is estimated to be 2.03 from the core diameter and the refractive index difference.     

p-channel modulation-doped field-effect transistors based on AlSb0.9As0.1/GaSb

Operation of the first AlSbAs/GaSb p-channel modulation-doped field-effect transistor (MODFET) is reported. Devices with 1-μm gate length exhibit transconductance of 30 and 110 mS/mm at room temperature and 80 K, with respective maximum drain current densities of 25 and 80 mA/mm. The low field Hall mobility and sheet carrier density of this modulation doped structure were 260 cm²/V-s and 1.8×10 ¹² cm^-2 at room temperature and 1700 cm²/V-s and 1.4×10¹² cm^-2 at 77 K. Calculations based on these results indicate that room-temperature transconductances of 200 mS/mm or greater could be achieved. This device can be integrated with an InAs n-channel HFET for complementary circuit applications     

Optoelectronic properties of Zn0.52Se0.48/Si Schottky diodes

Zn_0.52Se_0.48/Si Schottky diodes are fabricated by depositing zinc selenide (Zn_0.52Se_0.48) thin films onto Si(1 0 0) substrates by vacuum evaporation technique. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) analysis shows that the deposited films are nearly stoichiometric in nature. X-ray diffractogram of the films reveals the preferential orientation of the films along (1 1 1) direction. Structural parameters such as crystallite size (D), dislocation density (δ), strain (ε), and the lattice parameter are calculated as 29.13 nm, 1.187 × 10⁻¹⁵ lin/m², 1.354 × 10⁻³ lin⁻² m⁻⁴ and 5.676 × 10⁻¹⁰ m respectively. From the I–V measurements on the Zn_0.52Se_0.48/p-Si Schottky diodes, ideality and diode rectification factors are evaluated, as 1.749 (305 K) and 1.04 × 10⁴ (305 K) respectively. The built-in potential, effective carrier concentration (N_A) and barrier height were also evaluated from C–V measurement, which are found to be 1.02 V, 5.907 × 10¹⁵ cm⁻³ and 1.359 eV respectively.     

Interaction of electrical active intrinsic defects in Sn-doping Bi2Te3

Impure Sn produces the resonant states on the background of the allowed spectrum of states of the valence band in Bi₂Te₃. A high density of the resonant states stabilizes the Fermi level _F. Stabilization of _F leads to an enhancement of the volume homogeneity of the distribution of electrically active components.We report the results of an experimental study on the influence of doping Sn atoms on hole concentrations of Bi₂Te₃ and replace the part of Te atoms on Se atoms and the part of Bi atoms on Sb atoms. The estimation of the influence of resonant states on the process of crystal defects formation has been attempted theoretically.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Polythiophene/Bi2Te3 Nanocomposite Thermoelectric Material

To achieve low thermal conductivity, polythiophene (PTh)/bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃) nanocomposite has been prepared by spark plasma sintering using a mixture of nanosized Bi₂Te₃ and PTh powders. Bi₂Te₃ powder with spherical-shaped particles of 30 nm diameter and PTh nanosheet powder were first prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and chemical oxidation, respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that the hybrid composite consists of PTh nanosheets and spherical Bi₂Te₃. The organic PTh acts as an adhesive in the composite. Transport measurements showed that the PTh in the Bi₂Te₃ matrix can reduce its thermal conductivity significantly, but also dramatically reduces its electrical conductivity. As a result, the figure of merit of the composite is lower than that of pure Bi₂Te₃ prepared under the same conditions. The maximum value of ZT for the sample with 5% PTh (by weight) was 0.18 at 473 K, which is rather high compared with other polymer/inorganic thermoelectric material composites.     

Transport properties of two-dimensional hole gas in a Ge1? x Si x /Ge/Ge1? x Si x quantum well in the vicinity of metal-insulator transition

Observation of a low-temperature transition from metallic (∂ρ/∂T > 0) to insulator (∂ρ/∂T < 0) behavior of resistivity ρ(T) induced by a perpendicular magnetic field B is reported for a two-dimensional (2D) hole system confined within Ge layers of a p-Ge_1−x Si _x /Ge/Ge_1−x Si _x heterostructure. The essential feature of this system is that it is described by the Luttinger Hamilton with the g-factor highly anisotropic for orientations of magnetic field perpendicular and parallel to the 2D plane (g _⊺ ≫ g _‖). The positive magnetoresistance revealed scales as a function of B/T. We attribute this finding to suppression of the triplet channel of electron-electron (hole-hole) interaction due to Zeeman splitting in the hole spectrum. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Electrical characteristics and memory behavior of Ge3N4GaAs MIS devices

MIS devices have been fabricated by the low temperature chemical vapor deposition of Ge₃N₄ on n-GaAs. From the current-voltage data an estimate of the Ge₃N₄ dielectric constant is made as 6.3 ± 0.2 and devices exhibit a breakdown field strength of ～ 5 × 10⁶ V/cm. Capacitance and conductance measurements have been performed to investigate the electrical characteristics of the Ge₃N₄GaAs interface. The interface properties of the devices are found to depend on the Ge₃N₄ deposition parameters. No major hysteresis is observed in the C-V plot and under large negative gate bias, the capacitance increases as the measurement frequency is lowered. Interface state distribution, evaluated from the conductance data, is found to have a minimum density of states of 2 × 10¹¹ cm^?2 eV^?1 with a distinct shoulder between 0.4 and 0.55 eV from the conduction band. This shoulder is assigned to an electron trap level and from thermally stimulated current measurements we obtained the density of traps as 3 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3.GaAs-MNOS devices have also been fabricated and their charge storage properties have been studied. Pulse voltages as large as 30–35 V are needed to write/erase the memory in the devices.     

Characteristics of chalcogenide nonvolatile memory nano-cell-element based on Sb2Te3 material

Phase-change nonvolatile memory cell elements composed of Sb₂Te₃ chalcogenide have been fabricated by using the focused ion beam method. The contact size between the Sb₂Te₃ phase change film and electrode film in the cell element is 2826 nm² (diameter: 60 nm). The thickness of the Sb₂Te₃ chalcogenide film is 40 nm. The threshold switching current of about 0.1 mA was obtained. A RESET pulse width as short as 5 ns and the SET pulse width as short as 22 ns for Sb₂Te₃ chalcogenide can be obtained. At least 1000 cycle times with a RESET/SET resistance ratio >30 times is achieved for Sb₂Te₃ chalcogenide C-RAM cell element.     

Calculation of Ge0.5Si0.5-Si Superlattice Photodetectors on Ge0.05Si0.95 Waveguides:The Optimum Parameters^①

The optimum parameters are calculated by the large cross-section theory and mode cut-off equation.The effect on reverse bias voltages in analysed by the doping concentration in n^+-Si.The is significant because the reverse bias increases sharply when the doped concentration in n^+-Si is less than 1×10^20cm^-3.     

Electric-pulse-induced resistive switching and possible superconductivity in the Mott insulator GaTa4Se8

There is accumulated evidence today that an electric pulse can drastically modify the physical properties of correlated materials. An electric pulse was shown for example to induce an insulator-to-metal transition in manganites or in organic Mott insulators. We report here the first experimental evidence of a non-volatile electric pulse-induced insulator-to-metal transition and possible superconductivity in the Mott insulator GaTa₄Se₈. This resistive switching is concomitant to an electronic phase separation induced by the pulse. This phenomena most probably differs from the thermal, electronic injection or ionic diffusion processes explaining the resistive switching in materials foreseen for non-volatile memory (RRAM) applications.