A simple CMOS process compatible high performance parallel-stacked spiral inductor for advanced RF analog circuit applications

A high Q on-chip inductor with some unique structures has been fabricated with 0.13 μm CMOS compatible process for the first time. The unique structures including parallel stacked, line via between inter-metal layers, and use the top signal pad as the under path of the inductor instead of conventional bottom signal pad. These structures offer advantages of reducing resistance, high Q value, simple preparing process and small chip area. Experimental results show that the measured peak Q and peak-Q frequency can attain 7.06 and 1.8 GHz, respectively for the structure with four metal layers in parallel, 15 μm in metal width, 5.5 turns in wire number,and an area of 204×240 μm². The results have a better potential for advanced mobile communication applications.     

Formation of n-channel polycrystalline-Si thin-film transistors by using retrograde channel scheme with double implantation

Excellent n-channel poly-Si thin-film transistors (poly-Si TFTs) have been formed by using retrograde channel scheme with channel doping implantation and extra counter-doping implantation. As compared to the conventional sample with undoped channel layer, a much smaller leakage current can be achieved by boron-doping the poly-Si channel layer, due to a significantly reduced depletion region. However, the on-state characteristics are degraded. A retrograde channel scheme, implemented by further phosphorus counter-doping the surface of the boron-doped channel layer, is proposed for lowering the channel surface doping concentration without changing the bulk channel doping concentration. By using the retrograde channel scheme, an off-state leakage current as low as that for the normal channel-doping scheme may be achieved, while yielding excellent on-state I-V transfer characteristics.     

Effects of contact electrode size on the characteristics of polycrystalline-Si p-i-n solar cells

The effects of contact electrode size on the photo-voltaic characteristics of polycrystalline-Si p-i-n solar cells have been studied,with respect to a unit-cell pitch size of 1μm width.For the non-transparent Al contact electrode with a contact width of 0.05-0.2μm,the short-circuit current is obviously reduced with increasing contact width,due to a larger area of optical reflection by the electrode.On the other hand,even when using a transparent ITO(indium-tin-oxide) electrode,a larger width of contact e...     

Stress paths and mechanical behavior of a sandstone in hollow cylinder tests

A series of hollow cylindrical triaxial tests was performed to investigate the potential effect of stress paths on the mechanical behavior of the Pei-Tou sandstone. The tests were carried out with a computer-controlled loading system. The axial loading, outer and inner confining pressures, and torque applied to the specimen were controlled according to a preselected stress path. The stress path moved from the hydrostatic stress axis in principal-stress space and elongated on an octahedral plane, while maintaining a constant angle θ against the projection of the major principal stress axis on the octahedral plane. The proposed hollow cylinder test is shown to be able to follow any designed stress paths in the principal stress space. Thus, it may be used to investigate the effect of stress paths on the mechanical behavior of rock and to construct its failure surface.     

A process simplification scheme for fabricating CMOS polycrystalline-Si thin film transistors

A process simplification scheme for fabricating CMOS poly-Si thin-film transistors (TFTs) has been pro-posed, which employs large-angle-tilt-implantation of dopant through a gate sidewall spacer (LATITS). By this LATITS scheme, a lightly doped drain region under the oxide spacer is formed by low-dose tilt implantation of phosphorus (orboron) dopant through the spacer, and then the n+-source/drain (n+-S/D) (or p+-S/D) region is formed via using the same photo-mask layer during CMOS integration. For both n-TFT and p-TFT devices, as compared to the sample with conventional single n+-S/D (or p+-S/D) structure, the LATITS scheme can cause an obviously smaller leakage current, due to more gradual dopant distribution and thus smaller electric field. In addition, the resultant on-state currents only show slight degradation for the LATITS scheme, As a result, by the LATITS scheme, CMOS poly-Si TFT devices with an on/off current ratio well above 8 orders may be achieved without needing extra photo-mask layers during CMOS integration.     

Nanoindentation-induced phase transformation in (1 1 0)-oriented Si single-crystals

Pressure-induced plastic deformation and phase transformations manifested as the discontinuities displayed in the loading and unloading segments of the load–displacement curves were investigated by performing the cyclic nanoindentation tests on the (1 1 0)-oriented Si single-crystal with a Berkovich diamond indenter. The resultant phases after indentation were examined by using the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) technique. The behaviors of the discontinuities displayed on the loading and re-loading segments of the load–displacement curves are found to closely correlate to the formation of Si-II metallic phase, while those exhibiting on the unloading segments are relating to the formation of metastable phases of Si-III, Si-XII, and amorphous silicon as identified by TEM selected area diffraction (SAD) analyses. Results revealed that the primary indentation-induced deformation mechanism in Si is intimately depending on the detailed stress distributions, especially the reversible Si-II ? Si-XII/Si-III phase transformations might have further complicated the resultant phase distribution. In addition to the frequently observed stress-induced phase transformations and/or crack formations, evidence of dislocation slip bands was also observed in tests of Berkovich nanoindentation.     

Suppression of boron penetration for p+ stacked poly-Sigates by using inductively coupled N2 plasma treatment

Nitridation of stacked poly-Si gates by inductively coupled N₂ plasma (ICNP) treatment has been shown to suppress boron penetration and improve gate oxide integrity. The ICNP treatments on the stacked poly-Si layers create nitrogen-rich layers not only between the stacked poly-Si layers but also in the gate oxide after post implant anneal, thus resulting in effective retardation of boron diffusion. In addition, positioning of ICNP treatment closer to gate oxides leads to higher nitrogen peaks in the gate oxide region, resulting in further suppression of boron penetration and improvement of gate oxide reliability     

Iodized oil enhances the thermal effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound on ablating experimental liver cancer

The influence of the biological medium on high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy for ablating experimental liver cancer was studied. In study 1, the temperature rise in the focal zone in the presence of iodized oil or castor oil was observed in vitro. The results showed that HIFU with iodized oil produced a higher and faster temperature rise than did HIFU with castor oil, whether high-power (500 W/cm2) or relatively low-power (136 W/cm2) conditions were used (P = 0.0008 and P = 0.0004 respectively). With the excised liver samples, the temperature also rose higher and more rapidly after injection of iodized oil into the liver than when castor oil was injected (P = 0.0239), and the target liver tissue revealed more radically and extensive destruction with iodized oil than with castor oil. In study 2, 48 nude mice, bearing primary liver cancer LTNM4 implanted subcutaneously, were randomly divided into four groups. Group I (n = 12) were the controls, group II (n = 12) were injected with iodized oil alone, group III (n = 12) received HIFU treatment, and group IV (n = 12) were exposed to HIFU after iodized oil injection. Significant inhibition of tumor growth was seen in groups III and IV as compared with group I or group II (P < 0.05), the tumor growth inhibition rate on the 28th day after treatment being 87% and 93% respectively. Significantly improved survival was noted in groups III and IV compared with groups I and II (P < 0.05). Histologically, group IV showed more complete tumor necrosis than did group III. These data suggest that HIFU combined with iodized oil might have achieve of synergism, location and targeting in the treatment of liver cancer.     

Lead-lag compensator design by the Hough transform

The frequency response of a compensator can be expressed as a curve in the complex plane. The Hough transform is very useful in finding a mathematical model which matches the curve in a plane very well. We combine these concepts to generate a new method of compensator design. Two examples are illustrated to explain the design procedure and results.     

A Compact Wideband CMOS Low-Noise Amplifier Using Shunt Resistive-Feedback and Series Inductive-Peaking Techniques

A wideband low-noise amplifier (LNA) with shunt resistive-feedback and series inductive-peaking is proposed for wideband input matching, broadband power gain and flat noise figure (NF) response. The proposed wideband LNA is implemented in 0.18-mum CMOS technology. Measured results show that power gain is greater than 10 dB and input return loss is below -10 dB from 2 to 11.5 GHz. The IIP3 is about +3 dBm, and the NF ranges from 3.1 to 4.1 dB over the band of interest. An excellent agreement between the simulated and measured results is found and attributed to less number of passive components needed in this circuit compared with previous designs. Besides, the ratio of figure-of- merit to chip size is as high as 190 (mW^-1 /mm² ) which is the best results among all previous reported CMOS-based wideband LNA.