Growth and characterization of indium arsenide thin films

The growth and characterization of indium arsenide films grown on indium phosphide substrates by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process is reported. Either ethyl dimethyl indium or trimethyl indium were found to be suitable in combination with arsine as source compounds. The highest electron mobilities were observed in films nucleated at reduced growth temperature. Scanning electron microscopy studies show that film nucleation at low temperature prevents thermal etch pits from forming on the InP surface before growth proceeds at an elevated temperature. Electron mobilities as high as 21,000 cm²V⁻¹ sec⁻¹ at 300 K were thus obtained for a film only 3.4 μm thick. This mobility is significantly higher than was previously observed in InAs films grown by MOCVD. From the depth dependence of transport properties, we find that in our films electrons are accumulated near the air interface of the film, presumably by positive ions in the native oxide. The mobility is limited by electrons scattering predominantly from ionized impurities at low temperature and from lattice vibrations and dislocations at high temperature. However, scattering from dislocations is greatly reduced in the surface accumulation layer due to screening by a high density of electrons. These dislocations arise from lattice mismatch and interface disorder at the film-substrate interface, preventing these films from obtaining mobility values of bulk indium arsenide.     

Dislocation nucleation mechanism and doping effect in p-type ZnSe/GaAs

Nitrogen doped ZnSe/GaAs heterostructures grown at 150 and 250°C were studied by transmission électron microscopy (TEM). The density of threading dislocations and the interfacial dislocation structure in ZnSe/GaAs heterostructures are related to the N-doping concentration. In addition, in-situ TEM heating studies show that Frank partial dislocations formed below critical thickness in N-doped ZnSe/GaAs are the sources for nucleation of a regular array of misfit dislocations at the ZnSe/GaAs interface. By the dissociation of the Frank partial dislocations and interaction reactions between the dislocations, the 60° misfit dislocations form. The Frank partial dislocations bound stacking faults which usually form in pairs at the film/substrate interface. The density of stacking faults increases with increasing N-doping concentration. Thus, at high N-doping levels, the dislocation nucleation sources are close together and not all of the Frank partial dislocations dissociate, so that a high density of threading dislocations results in samples with high N-doping concentrations. The high density of threading dislocations in the ZnSe film are found to be associated with a reduction or saturation of the net carrier density.     

Optical characterization of highly mismatched InP/GaAs(l11)B epitaxial heterostructures

In this work, we investigate heteroepitaxial layers of InP with various thicknesses grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on (111)B surfaces of GaAs substrates. We evaluate the heteroepilayers using low temperature photoluminescence (PL) and we discuss the dependence of the PL spectrum on temperature for the thick epilayer. We determine the residual strain for the various layer thicknesses with photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy. The strain is due to different lattice constants of layer and substrate material and is relaxed by the nucleation of misfit dislocations during growth. This relaxation process depends on substrate orientation, layer thickness and growth conditions.     

Thermal stability of Hfl'aON films prepared by physical vapor deposition

We investigate the thermal stability of HfTaON films prepared by physical vapor deposition using high resolution transmission electronic microscope (HRTEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicate that the magnetron-sputtered HtTaON films on Si substrate are not stable during the post-deposition an-healing (PDA). HfTaON will react with Si and form the interfacial layer at the interface between HfTaON and Si substrate. Hf-N bonds are not stale at high temperature and easily replaced by oxygen, resulting in significant loss of nitrogen from the bulk film. SiO2 buffer layer introduction at the interface of HfTaON and Si substrate may effec-tively suppress their reaction and control the formation of thicker interfacial layer. But SiO2 is a low k gate dielectric and too thicker SiO2 buffer layer will increase the gate dielectric's equivalent oxide thickness. SiON prepared by oxidation of N-implanted Si substrate has thinner physical thickness than SiO2 and is helpful to reduce the gate dielectric's equivalent oxide thickness.     

Interfacial Strain‐Induced Oxygen Disorder as the Cause of Enhanced Critical Current Density in Superconducting Thin Films

To understand the origin of the increase in critical current density of rare earth barium cuprate superconductor thin films with decreasing thickness, a series of sub‐300‐nm EuBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ thin films deposited on SrTiO₃ substrates are studied by X‐ray diffraction and electrical transport measurements. The out‐of‐plane crystallographic mosaic tilt and the out‐of‐plane microstrain both increase with decreasing film thickness. The calculated density of c‐axis threading dislocations matches the extent of the observed low‐field enhancement in critical current density for fields applied parallel to c. The in‐plane mosaic twist and in‐plane microstrain are both around twice the magnitude of the out‐of‐plane values, and both increase with decreasing film thickness. The results are consistent with the observed stronger field enhancement in critical current density for fields applied parallel to ab. The lattice parameter variation with thickness is not as expected from consideration of the biaxial strain with the substrate, indicative of in‐plane microstrain accommodation by oxygen disorder. Collectively, the results point to an enhancement of critical current by interfacial strain induced oxygen disorder which is greatest closest to the film‐substrate interface. The findings of this study have important implications for other thin functional oxide perovskite films and nanostructures where surface and interfacial strains dominate the properties.     

Intense Terahertz Radiation from InAs Thin Films

Terahertz (THz) radiation from InAs thin films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on closely lattice-matched p-type GaSb (100) substrates and lattice-mismatched semi-insulating GaAs (100) substrates was investigated. The THz radiation intensity was measured from InAs films with thicknesses between 100 nm and 1.5 μm excited by a femtosecond laser pulse with a wavelength of approximately 780 nm. The radiation intensity increased as the InAs film thickness increased and it exceeded that from a bulk n-type InAs substrate with an electron concentration of 2.3 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³ when the InAs film thickness was greater than about 500 nm. In addition, the THz intensity from a 1-μm-thick InAs film was greater than that from a bulk p-type InAs substrate. We ascribe this enhanced THz intensity to the wave reflected from the lower interface between the InAs film and the layer grown beneath it. We confirmed this by observing an increased pulse width due to constructive overlap of the reflected wave. The results demonstrate that InAs thin films are promising materials for THz emitting devices.     

Si基外延Ge薄膜及退火对其特性的影响研究

采用超高真空化学气相沉积(UHV-CVD)系统,用低温Ge缓冲层技术在Si衬底上外延了张应变Ge薄膜.扫描电镜(TEM)图表明Si基外延Ge薄膜拥有低的位错密度,原子力显微镜(AFM)测试Ge层表面粗糙度仅为1.2 nm.对Si基外延Ge薄膜进行了不同温度下的退火,并用双晶X射线衍射(DCXRD)曲线和Raman谱进行...     

利用双低温缓冲层和插入应变超晶格技术制备高质量InP-on-GaAs复合衬底的MOCVD生长

提出一种结合双低温缓冲层和应变超晶格优势的高质量InP-on-GaAs复合衬底制备技术．研究发现LT-InP/LT-GaAs的双低温缓冲层比单一低温InP缓冲层的聚集应变的效果更为显著．并且,双低温缓冲层中的低温GaAs层存在一个最优生长厚度．当低温InP生长厚度一定,低温GaAs层的生长厚度达到优化生长厚度时,LT-InP/LT-GaAs双低温缓冲层能达到调节应变的最佳状态．最后,通过插入InGaP/lnP应变超晶格,并且优化其在外延层中的插入位置．得到了高质量的InP-on-GaAs的复合衬底,2μm厚的lnP外延层XRD-ω/2θ扫描的半高宽小于200．     

Plastic relaxation of GeSi/Si(001) films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy in the presence of the Sb surfactant

Plastically relaxed GeSi films with the Ge fraction equal to 0.29–0.42 and thickness as large as 0.5 μm were grown on Si (001) substrates using the low-temperature (350°C) buffer Si layer and Sb as a surfactant. It is shown that introduction of Sb that smoothens the film surface at the stage of pseudomorphic growth lowers the density of threading dislocations in the plastically relaxed heterostructure by 1–1.5 orders of magnitude and also reduces the final roughness of the surface. The root-mean-square value of roughness smaller than 1 nm was obtained for a film with the Ge content of 0.29 and the density of threading dislocations of about 10⁶ cm^?2. It is assumed that the effect of surfactant is based on the fact that the activity of surface sources of dislocations is reduced in the presence of Sb.     

InP基多周期InAs/InAlGaAs量子点阵列的结构和光学性质

在InP（001）衬底上使用分子束外延技术自组织生长了多周期InAs/InAlGaAs量子点阵列结构。根据对透射电镜和光致发光谱结果的分析，认为引入与InP衬底晶格匹配的InAlGaAs缓冲层可以获得较大的InAs量子点结构，而InAlGaAs层的表面特性对InAs量子点的结构及光学性质有很大影响。对InP基InAlGaAs缓冲层上自组织量子点的形核和演化机制进行了探讨，提出量子点的演化过程表现为量子点的合并长大并伴随着自身的徙动，以获得能量最优的分布状态。     

Influence of Bias-Enhanced Nucleation on Thermal Conductance Through Chemical Vapor Deposited Diamond Films

This work describes an experimental study of the cross-plane thermal conductance of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) diamond films grown as a result of bias-enhanced nucleation (BEN). The diamond films are grown on silicon wafers using a two-step process in which a nucleation layer of amorphous or diamond like (DLC) carbon is first deposited on the silicon under the influence of a voltage bias. Then, conditions are adjusted to allow for polycrystalline diamond (PD) growth. The nucleation layer is essential for seeding diamond growth on smooth substrates and for optimizing PD properties such as grain size, orientation, transparency, adhesion, and roughness. A photoacoustic (PA) technique is employed to measure the thermal conductivities of and the thermal interface resistances between the layers in the diamond film structure. The influence of nucleation layers that are 70, 240, 400, and 650 nm thick on the thermal conductance of the diamond film structure is characterized. The thermal conductivity of the nucleation layer exhibits a thickness dependence for relatively thin layers. For each sample, the thermal conductivity of the PD is higher than 500 Wldrm^-1K^-1 (measurement sensitivity limit). A resistive network for the diamond film structure is developed. The resistance at the silicon/nucleation interface is less than 10^-9m²ldrKldrW^-1 (measurement sensitivity limit), which is of the order of theoretical predictions. The minimum diamond film structure resistance occurs when the nucleation layer is thinnest. When the nucleation layer is sufficiently thick, it begins to exhibit bulk behavior, and the resistance at the nucleation/PD interface dominates the thermal resistance of the diamond film structure.     

蓝宝石上横向外延GaN薄膜

在蓝宝石衬底上利用金属有机物气相外延(MOCVD)方法对横向外延(ELO)GaN薄膜的生长条件进行了研究.在蓝宝石衬底上利用化学腐蚀的方法刻饰出图案,再沉积低温GaN缓冲层作为外延层的子晶层,以降低外延层与衬底的晶格失配与热失配,制备出低位错密度的GaN外延层.分别利用X射线衍射、原子力显微镜及湿法腐蚀对外延层进行检测.     

LP-MOCVD grown (lnAs)m(GaAs)m short period superlattices on InP

(InAs)_m(GaAs)_m (1 ≤ m ≤ 12) short period superlattices (SPSs) have been grown on semi-insulated InP substrates with a 200 nm InP cap layer using low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). According to double crystal x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results, the critical layer thickness of (InAs)_m(GaAs)_m SPS was observed to be ～30Å (m = 5). For the SPS below the critical layer thickness, mirror-like surface morphology was found without defects, and strong intensity Fourier transformed photoluminescence (FT-PL) spectra were also obtained at room temperature. The SPS with m = 4 showed a drastic improvement in photoluminescence intensity of order of two compared to an InGaAs ternary layer. However, the SPS with a large value of m (m ≥ 6), rough surface was observed with defects, with broad and weak FT-PL spectra. The surface morphology of SPS was greatly affected by the substrate orientation. The SPS with m = 5 was grown on two degree tilted substrate from (100) direction and showed poor surface morphology as compared to the one grown on (100) exact substrate Moreover, the SPS grown on a (111)B substrate showed a rough triangular pattern with Nomarski optical microscopy. In-situ thermal annealed SPS with m = 4 showed a 18 meV increase in PL peak energy compared to the as-grown sample due to phase separation resulting from thermal interdiffusion.     

溅射AlN技术对GaN基LED性能的影响

研究了在图形蓝宝石衬底(PSS)上利用磁控溅射制备AlN薄膜的相关技术,随后通过采用金属有机化学气相沉积(MOCVD)在相关AlN薄膜上生了长GaN基LED.通过一系列对比实验,分析了AlN薄膜的制备条件对GaN外延层晶体质量的影响,研究了AlN薄膜溅射前N2预处理功率和溅射后热处理温度对GaN基LED性能的作用机制.实验结果表明:AlN薄膜厚度的增加,导致GaN缓冲层成核密度逐渐升高和GaN外延膜螺位错密度降低刃位错密度升高;N2处理功率的提升会加剧衬底表面晶格损伤,在GaN外延膜引入更多的螺位错;AlN热处理温度的升高粗化了表面并提高了GaN成核密度,使得GaN外延膜螺位错密度降低刃位错密度升高;而这些GaN外延膜位错密度的变化又进一步影响到LED的光电特性.     

Transmission electron microscopy studies of defects in HgCdTe device structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to evaluate the microstructure of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown (211)B oriented HgCdTe films. TEM analysis of in-situ doped p-on-n and n-p-n device structures will be presented. Under fully optimized growth conditions the substrate-epilayer interface is free of threading dislocations and twins, and a high degree of structural integrity is retained throughout the entire device structure. However, under non-optimal growth conditions that employ high Hg/Te flux ratios, twins can be generated in the p-type layer of p-on-n device structure, resulting in roughness and facetting of the film surface. We propose a mechanism for twin formation that is associated with surface facetting. TEM evaluation of voids, threading dislocations and Te-precipitates in HgCdTe films are also discussed.     

Post deposition UV-induced O2 annealing of HfO2 thin films

UV-assisted annealing processes for thin oxide films is an alternative to conventional thermal annealing and has shown many advantages such as low annealing temperature, reducing annealing time and easy to control. We report in this work the deposition of ultra-thin HfO₂ films on silicon substrate by two CVD techniques, namely thermal CVD and photo-induced CVD using 222 nm excimer lamps at 400 °C. As-deposited films of around 10 nm in thickness with refractive indices from 1.72 to 1.80 were grown. The deposition rate measured by ellipsometry was found to be about 2 nm/min by UV-CVD, while the deposition rate by thermal CVD is 20% less than that by UV-CVD. XRD showed that the as-deposited HfO₂ films were amorphous. This work focuses on the effect of post deposition UV annealing in oxygen on the structural, optical and electrical properties of the HfO₂ films at low temperature (400 °C). Investigation of the interfacial layer by FTIR revealed that thickness of the interfacial SiO₂ layer slightly increases with the UV-annealing time and UV annealing can convert sub-oxides at the interface into stoichiometric SiO₂, leading to improved interfacial qualities. The permittivity ranges in 8–16, are lower than theoretical values. However, the post deposition UV O₂ annealing results in an improvement in effective breakdown field and calculated permittivity, and a reduction in leakage current density for the HfO₂ films.     

Silicon and Nanoscale Metal Interface Characterization Using Stress-Engineered Superlayer Test Methods

Thin film layers are utilized in emerging microelectronics, optoelectronics, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Typically, these thin film layers are composed of different materials with dissimilar properties. A common mode of failure for thin films is delamination caused by external loading or intrinsic stress present in the materials. To characterize bonded thin film material systems, it is necessary to measure the interfacial fracture toughness. When material thicknesses approach micro- and nanoscales, interfacial fracture toughness measurement is a challenging task. Accordingly, innovative test techniques need to be developed to study interfacial fracture parameters. The ongoing research at Georgia Institute of Technology is developing fixtureless delamination test techniques that can be used to measure interfacial properties of micro- and nanoscale thin films. The single substrate decohesion test (SSuDT) and the single-strip decohesion Test (SSDT) are such fixtureless tests under development. In these tests, a thin film interface material of interest is deposited on a substrate. Then, delamination is driven by a superlayer material on top of the interface material. This superlayer material is sputter deposited and has high intrinsic stress. A deposited release layer material allows for the contact area between the interface material and the substrate to be controlled. These tests differ in geometry, but share the same generic methodology and can be used for a number of material systems over a wide range of mode mixities. This paper presents the methodology and implementation of the SSuDT and SSDT tests and compares results to better understand their scope. A case study of the interfacial fracture toughness as a function of mode mixity for titanium and silicon interface was performed.      

热丝化学气相沉积法在CH4／H2混合气体中低温生长超薄纳米金刚石膜

用热丝化学气相沉积方法研究了低温(~550℃)和低反应气压(~7 Torr)下硅片上金刚石膜的成核和生长.成核过程中采用2.5%的CH4浓度,在经充分超声波预处理的硅片上获得了高达1.5×1011cm-2的成核密度.随CH4浓度的增加所成膜中的金刚石晶粒尺寸由亚微米转变到纳米级.成功合成了表面粗糙度小于4nm、超薄(厚度小于500nm)和晶粒尺寸小于50nm的纳米金刚石膜.膜与衬底结合牢固.膜从可见光至红外的光吸收系数小于2×104cm-1.用我们常规的HFCVD技术,在低温度和低压下可以生长出表面光滑超薄的纳米金刚石膜.     

基于硼酸溶液处理的GaAs/InP低温晶片键合技术

提出了一种基于硼酸溶液的GaAs/InP低温晶片键合技术,实现了GaAs/InP基材料间简单、无毒性的高质量、低温(290℃)晶片键合。GaAs/InP键合晶片解理截面的扫描电子显微镜(SEM)图显示,键合界面整齐,没有裂缝和气泡。通过键合过程,InP上的In0.53Ga0.47As/InP多量子阱结构转移到了GaAs基底上。X射线衍射及荧光谱显示,键合后的多量子阱晶体质量未变。二次离子质谱(SIMS)和Raman光谱图显示,GaAs/InP键合晶片的中间层厚度约为17 nm,界面处B元素有较高的浓度,键合晶片的中间层很薄,因此可以得到较好的电学、光学特性。     

SnO2 nanosheet as a photoanode interfacial layer for dyesensitized solar cells

SnO2 nanosheet films about 200 nm in thickness are successfully fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by a facile solution-grown approach. The prepared SnO2 nanosheet film is applied as an interfacial layer between the nanocrystalline TiO2 film and the FTO substrate in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Experimental results show that the introduction of a SnO2 nanosheet film not only suppresses the electron back-transport reaction at the electrolyte/FTO interface but also provides an efficient electron transition channel along the SnO2 nanosheets, and as a result, increasing the open circuit voltage and short current density, and finally improving the conversion efficiency for the DSCs from 3.89% to 4.62%.