Ion beam applications research. A summary of Lewis Research Center Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A.

1981-01-01

A summary of the ion beam applications research (IBAR) program organized to enable the development of materials, products, and processes through the nonpropulsive application of ion thruster technology is given. Specific application efforts utilizing ion beam sputter etching, deposition, and texturing are discussed as well as ion source and component technology applications.

Monte Carlo simulations of secondary electron emission due to ion beam milling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahady, Kyle; Tan, Shida; Greenzweig, Yuval

We present a Monte Carlo simulation study of secondary electron emission resulting from focused ion beam milling of a copper target. The basis of this study is a simulation code which simulates ion induced excitation and emission of secondary electrons, in addition to simulating focused ion beam sputtering and milling. This combination of features permits the simulation of the interaction between secondary electron emission, and the evolving target geometry as the ion beam sputters material. Previous ion induced SE Monte Carlo simulation methods have been restricted to predefined target geometries, while the dynamic target in the presented simulations makes thismore » study relevant to image formation in ion microscopy, and chemically assisted ion beam etching, where the relationship between sputtering, and its effects on secondary electron emission, is important. We focus on a copper target, and validate our simulation against experimental data for a range of: noble gas ions, ion energies, ion/substrate angles and the energy distribution of the secondary electrons. We then provide a detailed account of the emission of secondary electrons resulting from ion beam milling; we quantify both the evolution of the yield as high aspect ratio valleys are milled, as well as the emission of electrons within these valleys that do not escape the target, but which are important to the secondary electron contribution to chemically assisted ion induced etching.« less

Ga Lithography in Sputtered Niobium for Superconductive Micro and Nanowires.

DOE PAGES

Henry, Michael David; Lewis, Rupert M.; Wolfley, Steven L.; ...

2014-08-18

This work demonstrates the use of FIB implanted Ga as a lithographic mask for plasma etching of Nb films. Using a highly collimated Ga beam of a FIB, Nb is implanted 12 nm deep with a 14 nm thick Ga layer providing etch selectivity better than 15:1 with fluorine based etch chemistry. Implanted square test patterns, both 10 um by and 10 um and 100 um by 100 um, demonstrate that doses above than 7.5 x 1015 cm-2 at 30 kV provide adequate mask protection for a 205 nm thick, sputtered Nb film. The resolution of this dry lithographic techniquemore » is demonstrated by fabrication of nanowires 75 nm wide by 10 um long connected to 50 um wide contact pads. The residual resistance ratio of patterned Nb films was 3. The superconducting transition temperature, Tc =7.7 K, was measured using MPMS. This nanoscale, dry lithographic technique was extended to sputtered TiN and Ta here and could be used on other fluorine etched superconductors such as NbN, NbSi, and NbTi.« less

Ion beam sputter deposited diamond like films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A.; Rutledge, S. K.

1982-01-01

A single argon ion beam source was used to sputter deposit carbon films on fused silica, copper, and tantalum substrates under conditions of sputter deposition alone and sputter deposition combined with simultaneous argon ion bombardment. Simultaneously deposited and ion bombarded carbon films were prepared under conditions of carbon atom removal to arrival ratios of 0, 0.036, and 0.71. Deposition and etch rates were measured for films on fused silica substrates. Resulting characteristics of the deposited films are: electrical resistivity of densities of 2.1 gm/cu cm for sputter deposited films and 2.2 gm/cu cm for simultaneously sputter deposited and Ar ion bombarded films. For films approximately 1700 A thick deposited by either process and at 5550 A wavelength light the reflectance was 0.2, the absorptance was 0.7, the absorption coefficient was 67,000 cm to the -1 and the transmittance was 0.1.

Review Article: Unraveling synergistic effects in plasma-surface processes by means of beam experiments

PubMed Central

von Keudell, Achim; Corbella, Carles

2017-01-01

The interaction of plasmas with surfaces is dominated by synergistic effects between incident ions and radicals. Film growth is accelerated by the ions, providing adsorption sites for incoming radicals. Chemical etching is accelerated by incident ions when chemical etching products are removed from the surface by ion sputtering. The latter is the essence of anisotropic etching in microelectronics, as elucidated by the seminal paper of Coburn and Winters [J. Appl. Phys. 50, 3189 (1979)]. However, ion-radical-synergisms play also an important role in a multitude of other systems, which are described in this article: (1) hydrocarbon thin film growth from methyl radicals and hydrogen atoms; (2) hydrocarbon thin film etching by ions and reactive neutrals; (3) plasma inactivation of bacteria; (4) plasma treatment of polymers; and (5) oxidation mechanisms during reactive magnetron sputtering of metal targets. All these mechanisms are unraveled by using a particle beam experiment to mimic the plasma–surface interface with the advantage of being able to control the species fluxes independently. It clearly shows that the mechanisms in action that had been described by Coburn and Winters [J. Appl. Phys. 50, 3189 (1979)] are ubiquitous. PMID:29104360

XPS investigation of depth profiling induced chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt, Quinn; Skinner, Charles; Koel, Bruce; Chen, Zhu

2017-10-01

Surface analysis is an important tool for understanding plasma-material interactions. Depth profiles are typically generated by etching with a monatomic argon ion beam, however this can induce unintended chemical changes in the sample. Tantalum pentoxide, a sputtering standard, and PEDOT:PSS, a polymer that was used to mimic the response of amorphous carbon-hydrogen co-deposits, were studied. We compare depth profiles generated with monatomic and gas cluster argon ion beams (GCIB) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to quantify chemical changes. In both samples, monatomic ion bombardment led to beam-induced chemical changes. Tantalum pentoxide exhibited preferential sputtering of oxygen and the polymer experienced significant bond modification. Depth profiling with clusters is shown to mitigate these effects. We present sputtering rates for Ta2O5 and PEDOT:PSS as a function of incident energy and flux. Support was provided through DOE Contract Number DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Industrial ion source technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H. R.; Robinson, R. S.

1978-01-01

An analytical model was developed to describe the development of a coned surface texture with ion bombardment and simultaneous deposition of an impurity. A mathematical model of sputter deposition rate from a beveled target was developed in conjuction with the texturing models to provide an important input to that model. The establishment of a general procedure that will allow the treatment of manay different sputtering configurations is outlined. Calculation of cross sections for energetic binary collisions was extened to Ar, Kr.. and Xe with total cross sections for viscosity and diffusion calculated for the interaction energy range from leV to 1000eV. Physical sputtering and reactive ion etching experiments provided experimental data on the operating limits of a broad beam ion source using CF4 as a working gas to produce reactive species in a sputtering beam. Magnetic clustering effects are observed when Al is seeded with Fe and sputtered with Ar(?) ions. Silicon was textured at a micron scale by using a substrate temperature of 600 C.

Ion beam texturing of surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H. R.; Robinson, R. S.

1979-01-01

Textured surfaces, typically with conical structures, have been produced previously by simultaneously etching a surface and seeding that surface with another material. A theory based on surface diffusion predicts a variation in cone spacing with surface temperature, as well as a critical temperature below which cones will not form. Substantial agreement with theory has been found for several combinations of seed and surface materials, including one with a high sputter yield seed on a low sputter yield surface (gold on aluminum). Coning with this last combination was predicted by the theory for a sufficiently mobile seed material. The existence of a minimum temperature for the formation of cones should also be important to those interested in ion-beam machining smooth surfaces. Elements contained in the environmental contaminants or in the sputtered alloys or compounds may serve as seed material.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mattox, D.M.; Sharp, D.J.

A Veeco microetch system which uses a Kaufman type ion source has been used to study ion erosion yields for a variety of materials of possible interest in CTR wall coating applications. A schematic diagram of the Kaufman gun and etching chamber are given. The ion beam is nearly monoenergetic (within several eV). The extracted ion beam consists of a mixture of H/sub 2//sup +/ and H/sup +/. A H/sub 2//sup +/ ion will have a sputtering yield equivalent to 2H/sup +/ ions with one-half the energy of the H/sub 2//sup +/ ion. For most of these investigations, the chargemore » compensation filament is removed to avoid sputtering of the tungsten filament.« less

Sputtering yields and surface chemical modification of tin-doped indium oxide in hydrocarbon-based plasma etching

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Hu; Karahashi, Kazuhiro; Hamaguchi, Satoshi, E-mail: hamaguch@ppl.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

2015-11-15

Sputtering yields and surface chemical compositions of tin-doped indium oxide (or indium tin oxide, ITO) by CH{sup +}, CH{sub 3}{sup +}, and inert-gas ion (He{sup +}, Ne{sup +}, and Ar{sup +}) incidence have been obtained experimentally with the use of a mass-selected ion beam system and in-situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been found that etching of ITO is chemically enhanced by energetic incidence of hydrocarbon (CH{sub x}{sup +}) ions. At high incident energy incidence, it appears that carbon of incident ions predominantly reduce indium (In) of ITO and the ITO sputtering yields by CH{sup +} and CH{sub 3}{sup +}more » ions are found to be essentially equal. At lower incident energy (less than 500 eV or so), however, a hydrogen effect on ITO reduction is more pronounced and the ITO surface is more reduced by CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions than CH{sup +} ions. Although the surface is covered more with metallic In by low-energy incident CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions than CH{sup +} ions and metallic In is in general less resistant against physical sputtering than its oxide, the ITO sputtering yield by incident CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions is found to be lower than that by incident CH{sup +} ions in this energy range. A postulation to account for the relation between the observed sputtering yield and reduction of the ITO surface is also presented. The results presented here offer a better understanding of elementary surface reactions observed in reactive ion etching processes of ITO by hydrocarbon plasmas.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cuomo, J.J.; Rossnagel, S.M.; Kaufman, H.R.

The work presented in this book deals with ion beam processing for basic sputter etching of samples, for sputter deposition of thin films, for the synthesis of material in thin form, and for the modification of the properties of thin films. The ion energy range covered is from a few tens of eV to about 10,000 eV, with primary interest in the range of about 20 to 1-2 keV, where implantation of the incident ion is a minor effect. Of the types of ion sources and devices available, this book examines principally broad beam ion sources, characterized by high fluxesmore » and large work areas. These sources include the ECR ion source, the Kaufman-type single- and multiple-grid sources, gridless sources such as the Hall effect or closed-drift source, and hydrid sources such as the ionized cluster beam system.« less

Method of sputter etching a surface

DOEpatents

Henager, Jr., Charles H.

1984-01-01

The surface of a target is textured by co-sputter etching the target surface with a seed material adjacent thereto, while the target surface is maintained at a pre-selected temperature. By pre-selecting the temperature of the surface while sputter etching, it is possible to predetermine the reflectance properties of the etched surface. The surface may be textured to absorb sunlight efficiently and have minimal emittance in the infrared region so as to be well-suited for use as a solar absorber for photothermal energy conversion.

Method of sputter etching a surface

DOEpatents

Henager, C.H. Jr.

1984-02-14

The surface of a target is textured by co-sputter etching the target surface with a seed material adjacent thereto, while the target surface is maintained at a pre-selected temperature. By pre-selecting the temperature of the surface while sputter etching, it is possible to predetermine the reflectance properties of the etched surface. The surface may be textured to absorb sunlight efficiently and have minimal emittance in the infrared region so as to be well-suited for use as a solar absorber for photothermal energy conversion. 4 figs.

Sputtered gold mask for deep chemical etching of silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pisciotta, B. P.; Gross, C.; Olive, R. S.

1975-01-01

Sputtered mask resists chemical attack from acid and has adherence to withstand prolonged submergence in etch solution without lifting from silicon surface. Even under prolonged etch conditions with significant undercutting, gold mask maintained excellent adhesion to silicon surface and imperviousness to acid.

Metal-assisted chemical etching using sputtered gold: a simple route to black silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurek, Agnieszka; Barry, Seán T.

2011-08-01

We report an accessible and simple method of producing 'black silicon' with aspect ratios as high as 8 using common laboratory equipment. Gold was sputtered to a thickness of 8 nm using a low-vacuum sputter coater. The structures were etched into silicon substrates using an aqueous H2O2/HF solution, and the gold was then removed using aqua regia. Ultrasonication was necessary to produce columnar structures, and an etch time of 24 min gave a velvety, non-reflective surface. The surface features after 24 min etching were uniformly microstructured over an area of square centimetres.

Sputtering. [as deposition technique in mechanical engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1976-01-01

This paper primarily reviews the potential of using the sputtering process as a deposition technique; however, the manufacturing and sputter etching aspects are also discussed. Since sputtering is not regulated by classical thermodynamics, new multicomponent materials can be developed in any possible chemical composition. The basic mechanism for dc and rf sputtering is described. Sputter-deposition is described in terms of the unique advantageous features it offers such as versatility, momentum transfer, stoichiometry, sputter-etching, target geometry (coating complex surfaces), precise controls, flexibility, ecology, and sputtering rates. Sputtered film characteristics, such as strong adherence and coherence and film morphology, are briefly evaluated in terms of varying the sputtering parameters. Also described are some of the specific industrial areas which are turning to sputter-deposition techniques.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pak, S.; Sites, J.R.

A Kaufman-type broad beam ion source, used for sputtering and etching purposes, has been operated with Ar, Kr,O/sub 2/ and N/sub 2/ gas inputs over a wide range of beam energies (200-1200 eV) and gas flow rates (1-10 sccm). The maximum ion beam current density for each gas saturates at about 2.5 mA/sq. cm. as gas flow is increased. The discharge threshold voltage necessary to produce a beam and the beam efficiency (beam current/molecular current), however, varied considerably. Kr had the lowest threshold and highest efficiency, Ar next, then N/sub 2/ and O/sub 2/. The ion beam current varied onlymore » weakly with beam energy for low gas flow rates, but showed a factor of two increase when the gas flow was higher.« less

Fabrication of self-aligned, nanoscale, complex oxide varactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Richard X.; Toonen, Ryan C.; Hirsch, Samuel G.; Ivill, Mathew P.; Cole, Melanie W.; Strawhecker, Kenneth E.

2015-01-01

Applications in ferroelectric random access memory and superparaelectric devices require the fabrication of ferroelectric capacitors at the nanoscale that exhibit extremely small leakage currents. To systematically study the material-size dependence of ferroelectric varactor performance, arrays of parallel-plate structures have been fabricated with nanoscale dielectric diameters. Electron beam lithography and inductively coupled plasma dry etching have been used to fabricate arrays of ferroelectric varactors using top electrodes as a self-aligned etch mask. Parallel-plate test structures using RF-sputtered Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 thin-films were used to optimize the fabrication process. Varactors with diameters down to 20 nm were successfully fabricated. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured to evaluate the significance of etch-damage and fabrication quality by ensuring low leakage currents through the structures.

Method and apparatus for coating thin foil with a boron coating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lacy, Jeffrey L.

An apparatus and a process is disclosed for applying a boron coating to a thin foil. Preferably, the process is a continuous, in-line process for applying a coating to a thin foil comprising wrapping the foil around a rotating and translating mandrel, cleaning the foil with glow discharge in an etching chamber as the mandrel with the foil moves through the chamber, sputtering the foil with boron carbide in a sputtering chamber as the mandrel moves through the sputtering chamber, and unwinding the foil off the mandrel after it has been coated. The apparatus for applying a coating to amore » thin foil comprises an elongated mandrel. Foil preferably passes from a reel to the mandrel by passing through a seal near the initial portion of an etching chamber. The mandrel has a translation drive system for moving the mandrel forward and a rotational drive system for rotating mandrel as it moves forward. The etching chamber utilizes glow discharge on a surface of the foil as the mandrel moves through said etching chamber. A sputtering chamber, downstream of the etching chamber, applies a thin layer comprising boron onto the surface of the foil as said mandrel moves through said sputtering chamber. Preferably, the coated foil passes from the mandrel to a second reel by passing through a seal near the terminal portion of the sputtering chamber.« less

Physical processes in directed ion beam sputtering. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, R. S.

1979-01-01

The general operation of a discharge chamber for the production of ions is described. A model is presented for the magnetic containment of both primary and secondary or Maxwellian electrons in the discharge plasma. Cross sections were calculated for energy and momentum transfer in binary collisions between like pairs of Ar, Kr, and Xe atoms in the energy range from about 1 eV to 1000 eV. These calculations were made from available pair interaction potentials using a classical model. Experimental data from the literature were fit to a theoretical expression for the Ar resonance charge exchange cross section over the same energy range. A model was developed that describes the processes of conical texturing of a surface due to simultaneous directed ion beam etching and sputter deposition of an impurity material. This model accurately predicts both a minimum temperature for texturing to take place and the variation of cone density with temperature. It also provides the correct order of magnitude of cone separation. It was predicted from the model, and subsequently verified experimentally, that a high sputter yield material could serve as a seed for coning of a lower sputter yield substrate. Seeding geometries and seed deposition rates were studied to obtain an important input to the theoretical texturing model.

Microfabricated Cantilevers Based on Sputtered Thin-Film Ni50Ti50 Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

surface coating developed during the NiTi deposition or anneal that is relatively resistant to the wet etch. Fig. 2 SEMs after the NiTi wet -etch...SEMs of NiTi devices after the 600 °C anneal , wet -etch patterning of the NiTi. A 120-nm Au capping layer was also sputtered. Figure 3a shows a 200-nm...Ni50Ti50 Cantilever 2 3. Results and Discussion 3 3.1 Wet -Etch Patterning NiTi 3 3.2 Dry-Etch Release of NiTi Devices 5 3.3 Thermal Actuation of

Micromirror structure based on TiNi shape memory thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Yong Qing; Hu, Min; Du, Hejun; Luo, Jack; Flewitt, Andrew J.; Milne, William I.

2005-02-01

TiNi films were deposited on silicon by co-sputtering TiNi target and a separate Ti target at a temperature of 450°C. Results from differential scanning calorimeter, in-situ X-ray diffraction and curvature measurement revealed clearly martensitic transformation upon heating and cooling. Two types of TiNi/Si optical micromirror structures with a Si mirror cap (20 micron thick) and TiNi/Si actuation beams were designed and fabricated. For the first design, three elbow shaped Si beams with TiNi electrodes were used as the arms to actuate the mirror. In the second design, a V-shaped cantilever based on TiNi/Si bimorph beams was used as the actuation mechanism for micromirror. TiNi electrodes were patterned and wet-etched in a solutions of HF:HNO3:H2O (1:1:20) with an etch rate of 0.6 μm/min. The TiNi/Si microbeams were flat at room temperature, and bent up with applying voltage in TiNi electrodes (due to phase transformation and shape memory effect), thus causing the changes in angles of micromirror.

Elementary surface processes during reactive magnetron sputtering of chromium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monje, Sascha; Corbella, Carles, E-mail: carles.corbella@rub.de; Keudell, Achim von

2015-10-07

The elementary surface processes occurring on chromium targets exposed to reactive plasmas have been mimicked in beam experiments by using quantified fluxes of Ar ions (400–800 eV) and oxygen atoms and molecules. For this, quartz crystal microbalances were previously coated with Cr thin films by means of high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering. The measured growth and etching rates were fitted by flux balance equations, which provided sputter yields of around 0.05 for the compound phase and a sticking coefficient of O{sub 2} of 0.38 on the bare Cr surface. Further fitted parameters were the oxygen implantation efficiency and the density of oxidationmore » sites at the surface. The increase in site density with a factor 4 at early phases of reactive sputtering is identified as a relevant mechanism of Cr oxidation. This ion-enhanced oxygen uptake can be attributed to Cr surface roughening and knock-on implantation of oxygen atoms deeper into the target. This work, besides providing fundamental data to control oxidation state of Cr targets, shows that the extended Berg's model constitutes a robust set of rate equations suitable to describe reactive magnetron sputtering of metals.« less

Multiresonant layered plasmonic films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeVetter, Brent M.; Bernacki, Bruce E.; Bennett, Wendy D.

Multi-resonant nanoplasmonic films have numerous applications in areas such as nonlinear optics, sensing, and tamper indication. While techniques such as focused ion beam milling and electron beam lithography can produce high-quality multi-resonant films, these techniques are expensive, serial processes that are difficult to scale at the manufacturing level. Here, we present the fabrication of multi-resonant nanoplasmonic films using a layered stacking technique. Periodically-spaced gold nanocup substrates were fabricated using self-assembled polystyrene nanospheres followed by oxygen plasma etching and metal deposition via magnetron sputter coating. By adjusting etch parameters and initial nanosphere size, it was possible to achieve an optical responsemore » ranging from the visible to the near-infrared. Singly resonant, flexible films were first made by performing peel-off using an adhesive-coated polyolefin film. Through stacking layers of the nanofilm, we demonstrate fabrication of multi-resonant films at a fraction of the cost and effort as compared to top-down lithographic techniques.« less

Growth of KOH etched AZO nanorods and investigation of its back scattering effect in thin film a-Si solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Jayasree Roy; Mitra, Suchismita; Ghosh, Hemanta; Das, Gourab; Bose, Sukanta; Mandal, Sourav; Mukhopadhyay, Sumita; Saha, Hiranmay; Barua, A. K.

2018-02-01

In order to increase the stabilized efficiencies of thin film silicon (TFS) solar cells it is necessary to use better light management techniques. Texturization by etching of sputtered aluminum doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO or AZO) films has opened up a variety of promises to optimize light trapping schemes. RF sputtered AZO film has been etched by potassium hydroxide (KOH). A systematic study of etching conditions such as etchant concentration, etching time, temperature management etc. have been performed in search of improved electrical and optical performances of the films. The change in etching conditions has exhibited a noticeable effect on the structure of AZO films for which the light trapping effect differs. After optimizing the etching conditions, nanorods have been found on the substrate. Hence, nanorods have been developed only by chemical etching, rather than the conventional development method (hydrothermal method, sol-gel method, electrolysis method etc.). The optimized etched substrate has 82% transmittance, moderate haze in the visible range and sheet resistance ∼13 (Ω/□). The developed nanorods (optimized etched substrate) provide better light trapping within the cell as the optical path length has been increased by using the nanorods. This provides an effect on carrier collection as well as the efficiency in a-Si solar cells. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations have been performed to observe the light trapping by AZO nanorods formed on sputtered AZO films. For a p-i-n solar cell developed on AZO nanorods coated with sputtered AZO films, it has been found through simulations that, the incident light is back scattered into the absorbing layer, leading to an increase in photogenerated current and hence higher efficiency. It has been found that, the light that passes through the nanorods is not getting absorbed and maximum amount of light is back scattered towards the solar cell.

Gold surface plasmon crystal structure based-on polystyrene template for biosensor application.

PubMed

Cheng, Min-Zhuo; Zhang, Jing; Bao, Dequan; Huang, Xiwei

2018-05-21

In this communication, we assembled ordered polystyrene (PS) microsphere array as a template with the drop-coating method, and the oxygen plasma was used to etch the template to adjust the spacing between the PS microspheres. Nano-triangular gold array and silver nano-pyramid array were obtained by ion beam sputtering to deposit precious metal gold and silver. We observed the surface morphology of Au and Au/Ag composite films by scanning electron microscope and characterized the films by X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet/visible light spectrophotometer. The results show that the etching time of oxygen plasma has an obvious effect in adjusting the spacing between PSs and has a significant effect on the morphology of Au structure. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of Blistering and Delamination in Depleted Uranium Hohlraums

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biobaum, K. J. M.

2013-03-01

Blistering and delamination are the primary failure mechanisms during the processing of depleted uranium (DU) hohlraums. These hohlraums consist of a sputter-deposited DU layer sandwiched between two sputter-deposited layers of gold; a final thick gold layer is electrodeposited on the exterior. The hohlraum is deposited on a copper-coated aluminum mandrel; the Al and Cu are removed with chemical etching after the gold and DU layers are deposited. After the mandrel is removed, blistering and delamination are observed on the interiors of some hohlraums, particularly at the radius region. It is hypothesized that blisters are caused by pinholes in the coppermore » and gold layers; etchant leaking through these holes reaches the DU layer and causes it to oxidize, resulting in a blister. Depending on the residual stress in the deposited layers, blistering can initiate larger-scale delamination at layer interfaces. Scanning electron microscopy indicates that inhomogeneities in the machined aluminum mandrel are replicated in the sputter-deposited copper layer. Furthermore, the Cu layer exhibits columnar growth with pinholes that likely allow etchant to come in contact with the gold layer. Any inhomogeneities or pinholes in this initial gold layer then become nucleation sites for blistering. Using a focused ion beam system to etch through the gold layer and extract a cross-sectional sample for transmission electron microscopy, amorphous, intermixed layers at the gold/DU interfaces are observed. Nanometer-sized bubbles in the sputtered and electrodeposited gold layers are also present. Characterization of the morphology and composition of the deposited layers is the first step in determining modifications to processing parameters, with the goal of attaining a significant improvement in hohlraum yield.« less

Beam Simulation Studies of Plasma-Surface Interactions in Fluorocarbon Etching of Silicon and Silicon Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, David C.

1992-01-01

A molecular beam apparatus has been constructed which allows the synthesis of dominant species fluxes to a wafer surface during fluorocarbon plasma etching. These species include atomic F as the primary etchant, CF _2 as a potential polymer forming precursor, and Ar^{+} or CF _{rm x}^{+} type ions. Ionic and neutral fluxes employed are within an order of magnitude of those typical of fluorocarbon plasmas and are well characterized through the use of in -situ probes. Etching yields and product distributions have been measured through the use of in-situ laser interferometry and line-of-sight mass spectrometry. XPS studies of etched surfaces were performed to assess surface chemical bonding states and average surface stoichiometry. A useful design guide was developed which allows optimal design of straight -tube molecular beam dosers in the collisionally-opaque regime. Ion-enhanced surface reaction kinetics have been studied as a function of the independently variable fluxes of free radicals and ions, as well as ion energy and substrate temperature. We have investigated the role of Ar ^{+} ions in enhancing the chemistries of F and CF_2 separately, and in combination on undoped silicon and silicon dioxide surfaces. We have employed both reactive and inert ions in the energy range most relevant to plasma etching processes, 20-500 eV, through the use of Kaufman and ECR type ion sources. The effect of increasing ion energy on the etching of fluorine saturated silicon and silicon dioxide surfaces was quantified through extensions of available low energy physical sputtering theory. Simple "site"-occupation models were developed for the quantification of the ion-enhanced fluorine etching kinetics in these systems. These models are suitable for use in topography evolution simulators (e.g. SAMPLE) for the predictive modeling of profile evolution in non-depositing fluorine-based plasmas such as NF_3 and SF_6. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617 -253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.) (Abstract shortened with permission of school.).

Molecular dynamics simulations of Si etching in Cl- and Br-based plasmas: Cl{sup +} and Br{sup +} ion incidence in the presence of Cl and Br neutrals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakazaki, Nobuya, E-mail: nakazaki.nobuya.58x@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Takao, Yoshinori; Eriguchi, Koji

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been performed for Cl{sup +} and Br{sup +} ions incident on Si(100) surfaces with Cl and Br neutrals, respectively, to gain a better understanding of the ion-enhanced surface reaction kinetics during Si etching in Cl- and Br-based plasmas. The ions were incident normally on surfaces with translational energies in the range E{sub i} = 20–500 eV, and low-energy neutrals of E{sub n} = 0.01 eV were also incident normally thereon with the neutral-to-ion flux ratio in the range Γ{sub n}{sup 0}/Γ{sub i}{sup 0} = 0–100, where an improved Stillinger--Weber potential form was employed for the interatomic potential concerned. The etch yieldsmore » and thresholds presently simulated were in agreement with the experimental results previously reported for Si etching in Cl{sub 2} and Br{sub 2} plasmas as well as in Cl{sup +}, Cl{sub 2}{sup +}, and Br{sup +} beams, and the product stoichiometry simulated was consistent with that observed during Ar{sup +} beam incidence on Si in Cl{sub 2}. Moreover, the surface coverage of halogen atoms, halogenated layer thickness, surface stoichiometry, and depth profile of surface products simulated for Γ{sub n}{sup 0}/Γ{sub i}{sup 0} = 100 were in excellent agreement with the observations depending on E{sub i} reported for Si etching in Cl{sub 2} plasmas. The MD also indicated that the yield, coverage, and surface layer thickness are smaller in Si/Br than in Si/Cl system, while the percentage of higher halogenated species in product and surface stoichiometries is larger in Si/Br. The MD further indicated that in both systems, the translational energy distributions of products and halogen adsorbates desorbed from surfaces are approximated by two Maxwellians of temperature T{sub 1} ≈ 2500 K and T{sub 2} ≈ 7000–40 000 K. These energy distributions are discussed in terms of the desorption or evaporation from hot spots formed through chemically enhanced physical sputtering and physically enhanced chemical sputtering, which have so far been speculated to both occur in the ion-enhanced surface reaction kinetics of plasma etching.« less

Direct wafer bonding of highly conductive GaSb/GaInAs and GaSb/GaInP heterojunctions prepared by argon-beam surface activation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Predan, Felix, E-mail: felix.predan@ise.fraunhofer.de; Reinwand, Dirk; Cariou, Romain

The authors present a low-temperature wafer bonding process for the formation of electrically conductive n-GaSb/n-Ga{sub 0.79}In{sub 0.21}As and n-GaSb/n-Ga{sub 0.32}In{sub 0.68}P heterojunctions. The surfaces are deoxidized by sputter-etching with an argon-beam and bonded in ultrahigh vacuum. The sputtering behavior was investigated for each material, revealing a distinct selective sputtering characteristic for Ga{sub 0.32}In{sub 0.68}P. According to these findings, the settings for the bonding process were chosen. The mechanical and electrical properties of the wafer bonds were studied. Fully bonded 2 in. wafer pairs were found for both material combinations exhibiting high bond energies, which are comparable to the binding energiesmore » in the semiconductors. Furthermore, bond resistances below 5 mΩ cm{sup 2} could be reached, which are in the range of the lowest resistances that have been reported for wafer bonded heterojunctions. This speaks, together with the high bond energies, for a high amount of covalent bonds at the interfaces. These promising bond characteristics make the integration of antimonides with arsenides or phosphides by wafer bonding attractive for various optoelectronic applications such as multijunction solar cells.« less

Ion beam sputter-etched ventricular catheter for hydrocephalus shunt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A cerebrospinal fluid shunt in the form of a ventricular catheter for controlling the condition of hydrocephalus by relieving the excessive cerebrospinal fluid pressure is described. A method for fabrication of the catheter and shunting the cerebral fluid from the cerebral ventricles to other areas of the body is also considered. Shunt flow failure occurs if the ventricle collapse due to improper valve function causing overdrainage. The ventricular catheter comprises a multiplicity of inlet microtubules. Each microtubule has both a large openings at its inlet end and a multiplicity of microscopic openings along its lateral surfaces.

Fabrication of high aspect ratio tungsten nanostructures on ultrathin c-Si membranes for extreme UV applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delachat, F.; Le Drogoff, B.; Constancias, C.; Delprat, S.; Gautier, E.; Chaker, M.; Margot, J.

2016-01-01

In this work, we demonstrate a full process for fabricating high aspect ratio diffraction optics for extreme ultraviolet lithography. The transmissive optics consists in nanometer scale tungsten patterns standing on flat, ultrathin (100 nm) and highly transparent (>85% at 13.5 nm) silicon membranes (diameter of 1 mm). These tungsten patterns were achieved using an innovative pseudo-Bosch etching process based on an inductively coupled plasma ignited in a mixture of SF6 and C4F8. Circular ultra-thin Si membranes were fabricated through a state-of-the-art method using direct-bonding with thermal difference. The silicon membranes were sputter-coated with a few hundred nanometers (100-300 nm) of stress-controlled tungsten and a very thin layer of chromium. Nanoscale features were written in a thin resist layer by electron beam lithography and transferred onto tungsten by plasma etching of both the chromium hard mask and the tungsten layer. This etching process results in highly anisotropic tungsten features at room temperature. The homogeneity and the aspect ratio of the advanced pattern transfer on the membranes were characterized with scanning electron microscopy after focus ion beam milling. An aspect ratio of about 6 for 35 nm size pattern is successfully obtained on a 1 mm diameter 100 nm thick Si membrane. The whole fabrication process is fully compatible with standard industrial semiconductor technology.

Trapezoidal diffraction grating beam splitters in single crystal diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiss, Marcell; Graziosi, Teodoro; Quack, Niels

2018-02-01

Single Crystal Diamond has been recognized as a prime material for optical components in high power applications due to low absorption and high thermal conductivity. However, diamond microstructuring remains challenging. Here, we report on the fabrication and characterization of optical diffraction gratings exhibiting a symmetric trapezoidal profile etched into a single crystal diamond substrate. The optimized grating geometry diffracts the transmitted optical power into precisely defined proportions, performing as an effective beam splitter. We fabricate our gratings in commercially available single crystal CVD diamond plates (2.6mm x 2.6mm x 0.3mm). Using a sputter deposited hard mask and patterning by contact lithography, the diamond is etched in an inductively coupled oxygen plasma with zero platen power. The etch process effectively reveals the characteristic {111} diamond crystal planes, creating a precisely defined angled (54.7°) profile. SEM and AFM measurements of the fabricated gratings evidence the trapezoidal shape with a pitch of 3.82μm, depth of 170 nm and duty cycle of 35.5%. Optical characterization is performed in transmission using a 650nm laser source perpendicular to the sample. The recorded transmitted optical power as function of detector rotation angle shows a distribution of 21.1% in the 0th order and 23.6% in each +/-1st order (16.1% reflected, 16.6% in higher orders). To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of diffraction gratings with trapezoidal profile in single crystal diamond. The fabrication process will enable beam splitter gratings of custom defined optical power distribution profiles, while antireflection coatings can increase the efficiency.

Photonic guiding structures in lithium niobate crystals produced by energetic ion beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Feng

2009-10-01

A range of ion beam techniques have been used to fabricate a variety of photonic guiding structures in the well-known lithium niobate (LiNbO3 or LN) crystals that are of great importance in integrated photonics/optics. This paper reviews the up-to-date research progress of ion-beam-processed LiNbO3 photonic structures and reports on their fabrication, characterization, and applications. Ion beams are being used with this material in a wide range of techniques, as exemplified by the following examples. Ion beam milling/etching can remove the selected surface regions of LiNbO3 crystals via the sputtering effects. Ion implantation and swift ion irradiation can form optical waveguide structures by modifying the surface refractive indices of the LiNbO3 wafers. Crystal ion slicing has been used to obtain bulk-quality LiNbO3 single-crystalline thin films or membranes by exfoliating the implanted layer from the original substrate. Focused ion beams can either generate small structures of micron or submicron dimensions, to realize photonic bandgap crystals in LiNbO3, or directly write surface waveguides or other guiding devices in the crystal. Ion beam-enhanced etching has been extensively applied for micro- or nanostructuring of LiNbO3 surfaces. Methods developed to fabricate a range of photonic guiding structures in LiNbO3 are introduced. Modifications of LiNbO3 through the use of various energetic ion beams, including changes in refractive index and properties related to the photonic guiding structures as well as to the materials (i.e., electro-optic, nonlinear optic, luminescent, and photorefractive features), are overviewed in detail. The application of these LiNbO3 photonic guiding structures in both micro- and nanophotonics are briefly summarized.

Industrial ion source technology. [for ion beam etching, surface texturing, and deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H. R.

1977-01-01

Plasma probe surveys were conducted in a 30-cm source to verify that the uniformity in the ion beam is the result of a corresponding uniformity in the discharge-chamber plasma. A 15 cm permanent magnet multipole ion source was designed, fabricated, and demonstrated. Procedures were investigated for texturing a variety of seed and surface materials for controlling secondary electron emission, increasing electron absorption of light, and improved attachment of biological tissue for medical implants using argon and tetrafluoromethane as the working gases. The cross section for argon-argon elastic collisions in the ion-beam energy range was calculated from interaction potentials and permits calculation of beam interaction effects that can determine system pumping requirements. The data also indicate that different optimizations of ion-beam machines will be advantageous for long and short runs, with 1 mA-hr/cm being the rough dividing line for run length. The capacity to simultaneously optimize components in an ion-beam machine for a single application, a capacity that is not evident in competitive approaches such as diode sputtering is emphasized.

Chemical Etching of Zinc Oxide for Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Hüpkes, Jürgen; Owen, Jorj I; Pust, Sascha E; Bunte, Eerke

2012-01-01

Abstract Chemical etching is widely applied to texture the surface of sputter-deposited zinc oxide for light scattering in thin-film silicon solar cells. Based on experimental findings from the literature and our own results we propose a model that explains the etching behavior of ZnO depending on the structural material properties and etching agent. All grain boundaries are prone to be etched to a certain threshold, that is defined by the deposition conditions and etching solution. Additionally, several approaches to modify the etching behavior through special preparation and etching steps are provided. PMID:22162035

Electrical transport properties of epitaxial titanium nitride nanowire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makise, K.; Shinozaki, B.

2018-03-01

We have measured the transport properties of epitaxial titanium nitride (TiN) nanowires. Epitaxial TiN layer, deposited by dc magnetron sputtering on MgO(100) substrates at growth temperature T = 1073 K. Samples of nanowire were fabricated by e-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. Although TiN films with 100 nm-thickness have superconducting transition temperature T C ∼ 5 K, nanowires does not appear resistive transition until 0.15 K. The magnetoresistance (MR) are always negative. Furthermore for MR experimental results, we attempt to fit the data using one-dimensional weak localization theory. In addition we observed oscillations of magnetoresistance below 5 K.

Magnetron-Sputtered Amorphous Metallic Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thakoor, A. P.; Mehra, M.; Khanna, S. K.

1985-01-01

Amorphous coatings of refractory metal/metalloid-based alloys deposited by magnetron sputtering provide extraordinary hardness and wear resistance. Sputtering target fabricated by thoroughly mixing powders of tungsten, rhenium, and boron in stated proportions and pressing at 1,200 degrees C and 3,000 lb/in. to second power (21 MPa). Substrate lightly etched by sputtering before deposition, then maintained at bias of - 500 V during initial stages of film growth while target material sputtered onto it. Argon gas at pressure used as carrier gas for sputter deposition. Coatings dense, pinhole-free, extremely smooth, and significantly resistant to chemical corrosion in acidic and neutral aqueous environments.

Evaluation of resonating Si cantilevers sputter-deposited with AlN piezoelectric thin films for mass sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sökmen, Ü.; Stranz, A.; Waag, A.; Ababneh, A.; Seidel, H.; Schmid, U.; Peiner, E.

2010-06-01

We report on a micro-machined resonator for mass sensing applications which is based on a silicon cantilever excited with a sputter-deposited piezoelectric aluminium nitride (AlN) thin film actuator. An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) cryogenic dry etching process was applied for the micro-machining of the silicon substrate. A shift in resonance frequency was observed, which was proportional to a mass deposited in an e-beam evaporation process on top. We had a mass sensing limit of 5.2 ng. The measurements from the cantilevers of the two arrays revealed a quality factor of 155-298 and a mass sensitivity of 120.34 ng Hz-1 for the first array, and a quality factor of 130-137 and a mass sensitivity of 104.38 ng Hz-1 for the second array. Furthermore, we managed to fabricate silicon cantilevers, which can be improved for the detection in the picogram range due to a reduction of the geometrical dimensions.

Ion beam sputtering of Ag - Angular and energetic distributions of sputtered and scattered particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feder, René; Bundesmann, Carsten; Neumann, Horst; Rauschenbach, Bernd

2013-12-01

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBD) provides intrinsic features which influence the properties of the growing film, because ion properties and geometrical process conditions generate different energy and spatial distribution of the sputtered and scattered particles. A vacuum deposition chamber is set up to measure the energy and spatial distribution of secondary particles produced by ion beam sputtering of different target materials under variation of geometrical parameters (incidence angle of primary ions and emission angle of secondary particles) and of primary ion beam parameters (ion species and energies).

Characterization of Sputtered Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) Stress and Thermally Actuated Cantilever Bimorphs Based on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

necessary anneal . Following this, a thin film of NiTi was blanket sputtered at 600 °C. This NiTi blanket layer was then wet -etch patterned using a...varying the sputter parameters during NiTi deposition, such as thickness, substrate temperature during deposition and anneal , and argon pressure during...6 Fig. 4 Surface texture comparison between NiTi sputtered at RT, then annealed at 600 °C, and NiTi

Heterogeneous processes in CF4/O2 plasmas probed using laser-induced fluorescence of CF2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, S. G.; Luckman, G.; Nieman, George C.; Colson, Steven D.

1990-09-01

Laser-induced fluorescence of CF2 is used to monitor heterogeneous processes in ≊300 mTorr CF4/O2 plasmas. CF2 is rapidly removed at fluorinated copper and silver surfaces in 13.56-MHz rf discharges as judged by a distinct dip in its spatial distribution. These metals, when employed as etch masks, are known to accelerate plasma etching of silicon, and the present results suggest catalytic dehalogenation of CF2 is involved in this process. In contrast, aluminum and silicon dioxide exhibit negligible reactivity with CF2, which suggests that aluminum masks will not appreciably accelerate silicon etching and that ground state CF2 does not efficiently etch silicon dioxide. Measurement of CF2 decay in a pulsed discharge coupled with direct laser sputtering of metal into the gas phase indicates the interaction between CF2 and the active metals is purely heterogeneous. Aluminum does, however, exhibit homogeneous reactivity with CF2. Redistribution of active metal by plasma sputtering readily occurs; silicon etch rates may also be enhanced by the metal's presence on the silicon surface. Polymers contribute CF2 to the plasma as they etch. The observation of an induction period suggests fluorination of the polymer surface is the first step in its degradation. Polymeric etch masks can therefore depress the silicon etch rate by removal of F atoms, the primary etchants.

Development of long-lived thick carbon stripper foils for high energy heavy ion accelerators by a heavy ion beam sputtering method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muto, Hideshi; Ohshiro, Yukimitsu; Kawasaki, Katsunori

2013-04-19

In the past decade, we have developed extremely long-lived carbon stripper foils of 1-50 {mu}g/cm{sup 2} thickness prepared by a heavy ion beam sputtering method. These foils were mainly used for low energy heavy ion beams. Recently, high energy negative Hydrogen and heavy ion accelerators have started to use carbon stripper foils of over 100 {mu}g/cm{sup 2} in thickness. However, the heavy ion beam sputtering method was unsuccessful in production of foils thicker than about 50 {mu}g/cm{sup 2} because of the collapse of carbon particle build-up from substrates during the sputtering process. The reproduction probability of the foils was lessmore » than 25%, and most of them had surface defects. However, these defects were successfully eliminated by introducing higher beam energies of sputtering ions and a substrate heater during the sputtering process. In this report we describe a highly reproducible method for making thick carbon stripper foils by a heavy ion beam sputtering with a Krypton ion beam.« less

Studies on ion scattering and sputtering processes relevant to ion beam sputter deposition of multicomponent thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Auciello, O.; Ameen, M.S.; Kingon, A.I.

1989-01-01

Results from computer simulation and experiments on ion scattering and sputtering processes in ion beam sputter deposition of high Tc superconducting and ferroelectric thin films are presented. It is demonstrated that scattering of neutralized ions from the targets can result in undesirable erosion of, and inert gas incorporation in, the growing films, depending on the ion/target atom ass ratio and ion beam angle of incidence/target/substrate geometry. The studies indicate that sputtering Kr{sup +} or Xe{sup +} ions is preferable to the most commonly used Ar{sup +} ions, since the undesirable phenomena mentioned above are minimized for the first two ions.more » These results are used to determine optimum sputter deposition geometry and ion beam parameters for growing multicomponent oxide thin films by ion beam sputter-deposition. 10 refs., 5 figs.« less

Process margin enhancement for 0.25-μm metal etch process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chung Y.; Ma, Wei Wen; Lim, Eng H.; Cheng, Alex T.; Joy, Raymond; Ross, Matthew F.; Wong, Selmer S.; Marlowe, Trey

2000-06-01

This study evaluates electron beam stabilization of UV6, a positive tone Deep-UV (DUV) resist from Shipley, for a 0.25 micrometer metal etch application. Results are compared between untreated resist and resist treated with different levels of electron beam stabilization. The electron beam processing was carried out in an ElectronCureTM flood electron beam exposure system from Honeywell International Inc., Electron Vision. The ElectronCureTM system utilizes a flood electron beam source which is larger in diameter than the substrate being processed, and is capable of variable energy so that the electron range is matched to the resist film thickness. Changes in the UV6 resist material as a result of the electron beam stabilization are monitored via spectroscopic ellipsometry for film thickness and index of refraction changes and FTIR for analysis of chemical changes. Thermal flow stability is evaluated by applying hot plate bakes of 150 degrees Celsius and 200 degrees Celsius, to patterned resist wafers with no treatment and with an electron beam dose level of 2000 (mu) C/cm2. A significant improvement in the thermal flow stability of the patterned UV6 resist features is achieved with the electron beam stabilization process. Etch process performance of the UV6 resist was evaluated by performing a metal pattern transfer process on wafers with untreated resist and comparing these with etch results on wafers with different levels of electron beam stabilization. The etch processing was carried out in an Applied Materials reactor with an etch chemistry including BCl3 and Cl2. All wafers were etched under the same conditions and the resist was treated after etch to prevent further erosion after etch but before SEM analysis. Post metal etch SEM cross-sections show the enhancement in etch resistance provided by the electron beam stabilization process. Enhanced process margin is achieved as a result of the improved etch resistance, and is observed in reduced resist side-wall angles after etch. Only a slight improvement is observed in the isolated to dense bias effects of the etch process. Improved CD control is also achieved by applying the electron beam process, as more consistent CDs are observed after etch.

Dry etching of metallization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bollinger, D.

1983-01-01

The production dry etch processes are reviewed from the perspective of microelectronic fabrication applications. The major dry etch processes used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices can be divided into two categories - plasma processes in which samples are directly exposed to an electrical discharge, and ion beam processes in which samples are etched by a beam of ions extracted from a discharge. The plasma etch processes can be distinguished by the degree to which ion bombardment contributes to the etch process. This, in turn is related to capability for anisotropic etching. Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) and Ion Beam Etching are of most interest for etching of thin film metals. RIE is generally considered the best process for large volume, anisotropic aluminum etching.

Ion-beam nanopatterning: experimental results with chemically-assisted beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pochon, Sebastien C. R.

2018-03-01

The need for forming gratings (for example used in VR headsets) in materials such as SiO2 has seen a recent surge in the use of Ion beam etching techniques. However, when using an argon-only beam, the selectivity is limited as it is a physical process. Typically, gases such as CHF3, SF6, O2 and Cl2 can be added to argon in order to increase selectivity; depending on where the gas is injected, the process is known as Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) or Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE). The substrate holder can rotate in order to provide an axisymmetric etch rate profile. It can also be tilted over a range of angles to the beam direction. This enables control over the sidewall profile as well as radial uniformity optimisation. Ion beam directionality in conjunction with variable incident beam angle via platen angle setting enables profile control and feature shaping during nanopatterning. These hardware features unique to the Ion Beam etching methods can be used to create angled etch features. The CAIBE technique is also well suited to laser diode facet etch (for optoelectronic devices); these typically use III-V materials like InP. Here, we report on materials such as SiO2 etched without rotation and at a fixed platen angle allowing the formation of gratings and InP etched at a fixed angle with rotation allowing the formation of nanopillars and laser facets.

Large Area Microcorrals and Cavity Formation on Cantilevers using a Focused Ion Beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saraf, Laxmikant V.; Britt, David W.

2011-09-14

We utilize focused ion beam (FIB) to explore various sputtering parameters to form large area microcorrals and cavities on cantilevers. Microcorrals were rapidly created by modifying ion beam blur and overlaps. Modification in FIB sputtering parameters affects the periodicity and shape of corral microstructure. Cantilever deflections show ion beam amorphization effects as a function of sputtered area and cantilever base cavities with or without side walls. The FIB sputtering parameters address a method for rapid creation of a cantilever tensiometer with integrated fluid storage and delivery.

Pretreatment of lubricated surfaces with sputtered cadmium oxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fusaro, Robert L. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

Cadmium oxide is used with a dry solid lubricant on a surface to improve wear resistance. The surface topography is first altered by photochemical etching to a predetermined pattern. The cadmium oxide is then sputtered onto the altered surface to form an intermediate layer to more tightly hold the dry lubricant, such as graphite.

Underlying role of mechanical rigidity and topological constraints in physical sputtering and reactive ion etching of amorphous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattarai, Gyanendra; Dhungana, Shailesh; Nordell, Bradley J.; Caruso, Anthony N.; Paquette, Michelle M.; Lanford, William A.; King, Sean W.

2018-05-01

Analytical expressions describing ion-induced sputter or etch processes generally relate the sputter yield to the surface atomic binding energy (Usb) for the target material. While straightforward to measure for the crystalline elemental solids, Usb is more complicated to establish for amorphous and multielement materials due to composition-driven variations and incongruent sublimation. In this regard, we show that for amorphous multielement materials, the ion-driven yield can instead be better understood via a consideration of mechanical rigidity and network topology. We first demonstrate a direct relationship between Usb, bulk modulus, and ion sputter yield for the elements, and then subsequently prove our hypothesis for amorphous multielement compounds by demonstrating that the same relationships exist between the reactive ion etch (RIE) rate and nanoindentation Young's modulus for a series of a -Si Nx :H and a -Si OxCy :H thin films. The impact of network topology is further revealed via application of the Phillips-Thorpe theory of topological constraints, which directly relates the Young's modulus to the mean atomic coordination () for an amorphous solid. The combined analysis allows the trends and plateaus in the RIE rate to be ultimately reinterpreted in terms of the atomic structure of the target material through a consideration of . These findings establish the important underlying role of mechanical rigidity and network topology in ion-solid interactions and provide additional considerations for the design and optimization of radiation-hard materials in nuclear and outer space environments.

Deposition of PTFE thin films by ion beam sputtering and a study of the ion bombardment effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, J. L.; Li, W. Z.; Wang, L. D.; Wang, J.; Li, H. D.

1998-02-01

Ion beam sputtering technique was employed to prepare thin films of Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE). Simultaneous ion beam bombardment during film growth was also conducted in order to study the bombardment effects. Infrared absorption (IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to evaluate the material's integrity. It was found that PTFE thin films could be grown at room temperature by direct sputtering of a PTFE target. The film's composition and structure were shown to be dependent on the sputtering energy. Films deposited by single sputtering at higher energy (˜1500 eV) were structurally quite similar to the original PTFE material. Simultaneous ion beam bombarding during film growth caused defluorination and structural changes. Mechanism for sputtering deposition of such a polymeric material is also discussed.

Correlation between surface chemistry and ion energy dependence of the etch yield in multicomponent oxides etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bérubé, P.-M.; Poirier, J.-S.; Margot, J.; Stafford, L.; Ndione, P. F.; Chaker, M.; Morandotti, R.

2009-09-01

The influence of surface chemistry in plasma etching of multicomponent oxides was investigated through measurements of the ion energy dependence of the etch yield. Using pulsed-laser-deposited CaxBa(1-x)Nb2O6 (CBN) and SrTiO3 thin films as examples, it was found that the etching energy threshold shifts toward values larger or smaller than the sputtering threshold depending on whether or not ion-assisted chemical etching is the dominant etching pathway and whether surface chemistry is enhancing or inhibiting desorption of the film atoms. In the case of CBN films etched in an inductively coupled Cl2 plasma, it is found that the chlorine uptake is inhibiting the etching reaction, with the desorption of nonvolatile NbCl2 and BaCl2 compounds being the rate-limiting step.

Nearly amorphous Mo-N gratings for ultimate resolution in extreme ultraviolet interference lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Kirk, E.; Wäckerlin, C.; Schneider, C. W.; Hojeij, M.; Gobrecht, J.; Ekinci, Y.

2014-06-01

We present fabrication and characterization of high-resolution and nearly amorphous Mo1 - xNx transmission gratings and their use as masks for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) interference lithography. During sputter deposition of Mo, nitrogen is incorporated into the film by addition of N2 to the Ar sputter gas, leading to suppression of Mo grain growth and resulting in smooth and homogeneous thin films with a negligible grain size. The obtained Mo0.8N0.2 thin films, as determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, are characterized to be nearly amorphous using x-ray diffraction. We demonstrate a greatly reduced Mo0.8N0.2 grating line edge roughness compared with pure Mo grating structures after e-beam lithography and plasma dry etching. The amorphous Mo0.8N0.2 thin films retain, to a large extent, the benefits of Mo as a phase grating material for EUV wavelengths, providing great advantages for fabrication of highly efficient diffraction gratings with extremely low roughness. Using these grating masks, well-resolved dense lines down to 8 nm half-pitch are fabricated with EUV interference lithography.

Semiconductor etching by hyperthermal neutral beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minton, Timothy K. (Inventor); Giapis, Konstantinos P. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

An at-least dual chamber apparatus and method in which high flux beams of fast moving neutral reactive species are created, collimated and used to etch semiconductor or metal materials from the surface of a workpiece. Beams including halogen atoms are preferably used to achieve anisotropic etching with good selectivity at satisfactory etch rates. Surface damage and undercutting are minimized.

Influence of in-situ ion-beam sputter cleaning on the conditioning effect of vacuum gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Shinichi; Kojima, Hiroyuki; Saito, Yoshio

1994-05-01

An ion beam sputtering technique was used to clean the electrode surfaces of vacuum gaps. Ions of the sputtering gas were irradiated by means of an ion gun in a vacuum chamber attached to a breakdown measurement chamber. By providing in situ ion-beam sputter cleaning, this system makes it possible to make measurements free from contamination due to exposure to the air. The sputtering gas was He or Ar, and the electrodes were made of oxygen-free copper (purity more than 99.96%). An impulse voltage with the wave form of 64/700 microsecond(s) was applied to the test gap, and the pressure in the breakdown measurement chamber at the beginning of breakdown tests was 1.3 X 10-8 Pa. These experiments showed that ion-beam sputter cleaning results in higher breakdown fields after a repetitive breakdown conditioning procedure, and that He is more effective in improving hold- off voltages after the conditioning (under the same ion current density, the breakdown field was 300 MV/m for He sputtering and 200 MV/m for Ar sputtering). The breakdown fields at the first voltage application after the sputtering cleaning, on the other hand, were not improved.

Etude fondamentale des mecanismes de gravure par plasma de materiaux de pointe: Application a la fabrication de dispositifs photoniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stafford, Luc

Advances in electronics and photonics critically depend upon plasma-based materials processing either for transferring small lithographic patterns into underlying materials (plasma etching) or for the growth of high-quality films. This thesis deals with the etching mechanisms of materials using high-density plasmas. The general objective of this work is to provide an original framework for the plasma-material interaction involved in the etching of advanced materials by putting the emphasis on complex oxides such as SrTiO3, (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 and SrBi2Ta2O9 films. Based on a synthesis of the descriptions proposed by different authors to explain the etching characteristics of simple materials in noble and halogenated plasma mixtures, we propose comprehensive rate models for physical and chemical plasma etching processes. These models have been successfully validated using experimental data published in literature for Si, Pt, W, SiO2 and ZnO. As an example, we have been able to adequately describe the simultaneous dependence of the etch rate on ion and reactive neutral fluxes and on the ion energy. From an exhaustive experimental investigation of the plasma and etching properties, we have also demonstrated that the validity of the proposed models can be extended to complex oxides such as SrTiO3, (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 and SrBi2Ta2O9 films. We also reported for the first time physical aspects involved in plasma etching such as the influence of the film microstructural properties on the sputter-etch rate and the influence of the positive ion composition on the ion-assisted desorption dynamics. Finally, we have used our deep investigation of the etching mechanisms of STO films and the resulting excellent control of the etch rate to fabricate a ridge waveguide for photonic device applications. Keywords: plasma etching, sputtering, adsorption and desorption dynamics, high-density plasmas, plasma diagnostics, advanced materials, photonic applications.

Plasma/Neutral-Beam Etching Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, William; Cohen, Samuel; Cuthbertson, John; Manos, Dennis; Motley, Robert

1989-01-01

Energies of neutral particles controllable. Apparatus developed to produce intense beams of reactant atoms for simulating low-Earth-orbit oxygen erosion, for studying beam-gas collisions, and for etching semiconductor substrates. Neutral beam formed by neutralization and reflection of accelerated plasma on metal plate. Plasma ejected from coaxial plasma gun toward neutralizing plate, where turned into beam of atoms or molecules and aimed at substrate to be etched.

Controllable Fabrication of Non-Close-Packed Colloidal Nanoparticle Arrays by Ion Beam Etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jie; Zhang, Mingling; Lan, Xu; Weng, Xiaokang; Shu, Qijiang; Wang, Rongfei; Qiu, Feng; Wang, Chong; Yang, Yu

2018-06-01

Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticle films with non-close-packed arrays were prepared by using ion beam etching technology. The effects of etching time, beam current, and voltage on the size reduction of PS particles were well investigated. A slow etching rate, about 9.2 nm/min, is obtained for the nanospheres with the diameter of 100 nm. The rate does not maintain constant with increasing the etching time. This may result from the thermal energy accumulated gradually in a long-time bombardment of ion beam. The etching rate increases nonlinearly with the increase of beam current, while it increases firstly then reach its saturation with the increase of beam voltage. The diameter of PS nanoparticles can be controlled in the range from 34 to 88 nm. Based on the non-close-packed arrays of PS nanoparticles, the ordered silicon (Si) nanopillars with their average diameter of 54 nm are fabricated by employing metal-assisted chemical etching technique. Our results pave an effective way to fabricate the ordered nanostructures with the size less than 100 nm.

More vertical etch profile using a Faraday cage in plasma etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Byeong-Ok; Hwang, Sung-Wook; Ryu, Jung-Hyun; Moon, Sang Heup

1999-05-01

Scanning electron microscope images of sidewalls obtained by plasma etching of an SiO2 film with and without a Faraday cage have been compared. When the substrate film is etched in the Faraday cage, faceting is effectively suppressed and the etch profile becomes more vertical regardless of the process conditions. This is because the electric potential in the cage is nearly uniform and therefore distortion of the electric field at the convex corner of a microfeature is prevented. The most vertical etch profile is obtained when the cage is used in fluorocarbon plasmas, where faceting is further suppressed due to the decrease in the chemical sputtering yield and the increase in the radical/ion flux on the substrate.

Influence of various surface pretreatments on adherence of sputtered molybdenum disulfide to silver, gold, copper, and bronze

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1973-01-01

Solid film lubricants of radio frequency sputtered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) were applied to silver, gold, copper, and bronze surfaces that had various pretreatments (mechanical polishing, sputter etching, oxidation, and sulfurization). Optical and electron transmission micrographs and electron diffraction patterns were used to interpret the film formation characteristics and to evaluate the sputtering conditions in regard to the film and substrate compatibility. Sputtered MoS2 films flaked and peeled on silver, copper, and bronze surfaces except when the surfaces had been specially oxidized. The flaking and peeling was a result of sulfide compound formation and the corresponding grain growth of the sulfide film. Sputtered MoS2 films showed no peeling and flaking on gold surfaces regardless of surface pretreatment.

Ion-beam-assisted etching of diamond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Efremow, N. N.; Geis, M. W.; Flanders, D. C.; Lincoln, G. A.; Economou, N. P.

1985-01-01

The high thermal conductivity, low RF loss, and inertness of diamond make it useful in traveling wave tubes operating in excess of 500 GHz. Such use requires the controlled etching of type IIA diamond to produce grating like structures tens of micrometers deep. Previous work on reactive ion etching with O2 gave etching rates on the order of 20 nm/min and poor etch selectivity between the masking material (Ni or Cr) and the diamond. An alternative approach which uses a Xe(+) beam and a reactive gas flux of NO2 in an ion-beam-assisted etching system is reported. An etching rate of 200 nm/min was obtained with an etching rate ratio of 20 between the diamond and an aluminum mask.

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Helps Diagnose Plasma Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beattie, J. R.; Mattosian, J. N.; Gaeta, C. J.; Turley, R. S.; Williams, J. D.; Williamson, W. S.

1994-01-01

Technique developed to provide in situ monitoring of rates of ion sputter erosion of accelerator electrodes in ion thrusters also used for ground-based applications to monitor, calibrate, and otherwise diagnose plasma processes in fabrication of electronic and optical devices. Involves use of laser-induced-fluorescence measurements, which provide information on rates of ion etching, inferred rates of sputter deposition, and concentrations of contaminants.

Etching nano-holes in silicon carbide using catalytic platinum nano-particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moyen, E.; Wulfhekel, W.; Lee, W.; Leycuras, A.; Nielsch, K.; Gösele, U.; Hanbücken, M.

2006-09-01

The catalytic reaction of platinum during a hydrogen etching process has been used to perform controlled vertical nanopatterning of silicon carbide substrates. A first set of experiments was performed with platinum powder randomly distributed on the SiC surface. Subsequent hydrogen etching in a hot wall reactor caused local atomic hydrogen production at the catalyst resulting in local SiC etching and hole formation. Secondly, a highly regular and monosized distribution of Pt was obtained by sputter deposition of Pt through an Au membrane serving as a contact mask. After the lift-off of the mask, the hydrogen etching revealed the onset of well-controlled vertical patterned holes on the SiC surface.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of radiofrequency-sputtered refractory compound steel interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, D. R.; Brainard, W. A.

1978-01-01

Radiofrequency sputtering was used to deposit Mo2C, Mo2B5, and MoSi2 coatings on 440C steel substrates. Both sputter etched and preoxidized substrates were used, and the films were deposited with and without a substrate bias of -300 V. The composition of the coatings was measured as a function of depth by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with argon ion etching. In the interfacial region there was evidence that bias produced a graded interface in Mo2B5 but not in Mo2C. Oxides of iron and of all film constituents except carbon were presented in all cases but the iron oxide concentration was higher and the layer thicker on the preoxidized substrates. The film and iron oxides were mixed in the MoSi2 and Mo2C films but layered in the Mo2B5 film. The presence of mixed oxides correlates with enhanced film adhesion.

Annealing dependence of residual stress and optical properties of TiO2 thin film deposited by different deposition methods.

PubMed

Chen, Hsi-Chao; Lee, Kuan-Shiang; Lee, Cheng-Chung

2008-05-01

Titanium oxide (TiO(2)) thin films were prepared by different deposition methods. The methods were E-gun evaporation with ion-assisted deposition (IAD), radio-frequency (RF) ion-beam sputtering, and direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. Residual stress was released after annealing the films deposited by RF ion-beam or DC magnetron sputtering but not evaporation, and the extinction coefficient varied significantly. The surface roughness of the evaporated films exceeded that of both sputtered films. At the annealing temperature of 300 degrees C, anatase crystallization occurred in evaporated film but not in the RF ion-beam or DC magnetron-sputtered films. TiO(2) films deposited by sputtering were generally more stable during annealing than those deposited by evaporation.

Bias in bonding behavior among boron, carbon, and nitrogen atoms in ion implanted a-BN, a-BC, and diamond like carbon films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Genisel, Mustafa Fatih; Uddin, Md. Nizam; Say, Zafer

2011-10-01

In this study, we implanted N{sup +} and N{sub 2}{sup +} ions into sputter deposited amorphous boron carbide (a-BC) and diamond like carbon (DLC) thin films in an effort to understand the chemical bonding involved and investigate possible phase separation routes in boron carbon nitride (BCN) films. In addition, we investigated the effect of implanted C{sup +} ions in sputter deposited amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) films. Implanted ion energies for all ion species were set at 40 KeV. Implanted films were then analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The changes in the chemical composition and bonding chemistry due to ion-implantationmore » were examined at different depths of the films using sequential ion-beam etching and high resolution XPS analysis cycles. A comparative analysis has been made with the results from sputter deposited BCN films suggesting that implanted nitrogen and carbon atoms behaved very similar to nitrogen and carbon atoms in sputter deposited BCN films. We found that implanted nitrogen atoms would prefer bonding to carbon atoms in the films only if there is no boron atom in the vicinity or after all available boron atoms have been saturated with nitrogen. Implanted carbon atoms also preferred to either bond with available boron atoms or, more likely bonded with other implanted carbon atoms. These results were also supported by ab-initio density functional theory calculations which indicated that carbon-carbon bonds were energetically preferable to carbon-boron and carbon-nitrogen bonds.« less

The (001) 3C SiC surface termination and band structure after common wet chemical etching procedures, stated by XPS, LEED, and HREELS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tengeler, Sven; Kaiser, Bernhard; Ferro, Gabriel; Chaussende, Didier; Jaegermann, Wolfram

2018-01-01

The (001) surface of cubic silicon carbide (3C SiC) after cleaning, Ar sputtering and three different wet chemical etching procedures was thoroughly investigated via (angle resolved) XPS, HREELS, and LEED. While Ar sputtering was found to be unsuitable for surface preparation, all three employed wet chemical etching procedures (piranha/NH4F, piranha/HF, and RCA) provide a clean surface. HF as oxide removal agent tends to result in fluorine traces on the sample surface, despite thorough rinsing. All procedures yield a 1 × 1 Si-OH/C-H terminated surface. However, the XPS spectra reveal some differences in the resulting surface states. NH4F for oxide removal produces a flat band situation, whereas the other two procedures result in a slight downward (HF) or upward (RCA) band bending. Because the band bending is small, it can be concluded that the number of unsaturated surface defects is low.

Neutral beam and ICP etching of HKMG MOS capacitors: Observations and a plasma-induced damage model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Tai-Chen; Shih, Tzu-Lang; Su, Yin-Hsien; Lee, Wen-Hsi; Current, Michael Ira; Samukawa, Seiji

2018-04-01

In this study, TiN/HfO2/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors were etched by a neutral beam etching technique under two contrasting conditions. The configurations of neutral beam etching technique were specially designed to demonstrate a "damage-free" condition or to approximate "reactive-ion-etching-like" conditions to verify the effect of plasma-induced damage on electrical characteristics of MOS capacitors. The results show that by neutral beam etching (NBE), the interface state density (Dit) and the oxide trapped charge (Qot) were lower than routine plasma etching. Furthermore, the decrease in capacitor size does not lead to an increase in leakage current density, indicating less plasma induced side-wall damage. We present a plasma-induced gate stack damage model which we demonstrate by using these two different etching configurations. These results show that NBE is effective in preventing plasma-induced damage at the high-k/Si interface and on the high-k oxide sidewall and thus improve the electrical performance of the gate structure.

Ion beam sputtering of in situ superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, J. D.; Yen, A.; Clauson, S. L.

1990-05-01

Oriented superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 thin films were deposited on yttria stabilized zirconia and SrTiO3 substrates by ion-beam sputtering of a nonstoichiometric oxide target. The films exhibited zero-resistance critical temperatures as high as 83.5 K without post-deposition anneals. Both the deposition rate and the c-lattice parameter data displayed two distinct regimes of dependence on the beam power of the ion source. Low-power sputtering yielded films with large c-dimensions and low Tc. Higher-power sputtering produced a continuous decrease in the c-lattice parameter and increase in critical temperature. Films having the smaller c-lattice parameters were Cu rich. The Cu content of films deposited at beam voltages of 800 V and above increased with increasing beam power.

SERS spectra of pyridine adsorbed on nickel film prepared by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Daoyong; Ouyang, Yu; Chen, Li; Cao, Weiran; Shi, Shaohua

2011-02-01

As a repeating well and cheaper enhancement substrate, the nickel film was fabricated with magnetron sputtering coating instrument. Surface enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) of pyridine adsorbed on this nickel film are compared with the experimental values of gaseous pyridine, the theoretical value of pyridine solution listed in other literatures and our method is better than electro-chemical etching electrode method for large scale preparation. The enhancement factor of the nickel film is calculated and the result indicates that magnetron sputtering coating technology is feasible for obtaining good SERS active surface.

Modeling Cl2/O2/Ar inductively coupled plasmas used for silicon etching: effects of SiO2 chamber wall coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinck, S.; Boullart, W.; Bogaerts, A.

2011-08-01

In this paper, simulations are performed to gain a better insight into the properties of a Cl2/Ar plasma, with and without O2, during plasma etching of Si. Both plasma and surface properties are calculated in a self-consistent manner. Special attention is paid to the behavior of etch products coming from the wafer or the walls, and how the chamber walls can affect the plasma and the resulting etch process. Two modeling cases are considered. In the first case, the reactor walls are defined as clean (Al2O3), whereas in the second case a SiO2 coating is introduced on the reactor walls before the etching process, so that oxygen will be sputtered from the walls and introduced into the plasma. For this reason, a detailed reaction set is presented for a Cl2/O2/Ar plasma containing etched species, as well as an extensive reaction set for surface processes, including physical and chemical sputtering, chemical etching and deposition processes. Density and flux profiles of various species are presented for a better understanding of the bulk plasma during the etching process. Detailed information is also given on the composition of the surfaces at various locations of the reactor, on the etch products in the plasma and on the surface loss probabilities of the plasma species at the walls, with different compositions. It is found that in the clean chamber, walls are mostly chlorinated (Al2Cl3), with a thin layer of etch products residing on the wall. In the coated chamber, an oxy-chloride layer is grown on the walls for a few nanometers during the etching process. The Cl atom wall loss probability is found to decrease significantly in the coated chamber, hence increasing the etch rate. SiCl2, SiCl4 and SiCl3 are found to be the main etch products in the plasma, with the fraction of SiCl2 being always slightly higher. The simulation results compare well with experimental data available from the literature.

Sputter deposition for multi-component thin films

DOEpatents

Krauss, A.R.; Auciello, O.

1990-05-08

Ion beam sputter-induced deposition using a single ion beam and a multicomponent target is capable of reproducibly producing thin films of arbitrary composition, including those which are close to stoichiometry. Using a quartz crystal deposition monitor and a computer controlled, well-focused ion beam, this sputter-deposition approach is capable of producing metal oxide superconductors and semiconductors of the superlattice type such as GaAs-AlGaAs as well as layered metal/oxide/semiconductor/superconductor structures. By programming the dwell time for each target according to the known sputtering yield and desired layer thickness for each material, it is possible to deposit composite films from a well-controlled sub-monolayer up to thicknesses determined only by the available deposition time. In one embodiment, an ion beam is sequentially directed via a set of X-Y electrostatic deflection plates onto three or more different element or compound targets which are constituents of the desired film. In another embodiment, the ion beam is directed through an aperture in the deposition plate and is displaced under computer control to provide a high degree of control over the deposited layer. In yet another embodiment, a single fixed ion beam is directed onto a plurality of sputter targets in a sequential manner where the targets are each moved in alignment with the beam under computer control in forming a multilayer thin film. This controlled sputter-deposition approach may also be used with laser and electron beams. 10 figs.

Sputter deposition for multi-component thin films

DOEpatents

Krauss, Alan R.; Auciello, Orlando

1990-01-01

Ion beam sputter-induced deposition using a single ion beam and a multicomponent target is capable of reproducibly producing thin films of arbitrary composition, including those which are close to stoichiometry. Using a quartz crystal deposition monitor and a computer controlled, well-focused ion beam, this sputter-deposition approach is capable of producing metal oxide superconductors and semiconductors of the superlattice type such as GaAs-AlGaAs as well as layered metal/oxide/semiconductor/superconductor structures. By programming the dwell time for each target according to the known sputtering yield and desired layer thickness for each material, it is possible to deposit composite films from a well-controlled sub-monolayer up to thicknesses determined only by the available deposition time. In one embodiment, an ion beam is sequentially directed via a set of X-Y electrostatic deflection plates onto three or more different element or compound targets which are constituents of the desired film. In another embodiment, the ion beam is directed through an aperture in the deposition plate and is displaced under computer control to provide a high degree of control over the deposited layer. In yet another embodiment, a single fixed ion beam is directed onto a plurality of sputter targets in a sequential manner where the targets are each moved in alignment with the beam under computer control in forming a multilayer thin film. This controlled sputter-deposition approach may also be used with laser and electron beams.

Ripple formation on Si surfaces during plasma etching in Cl2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakazaki, Nobuya; Matsumoto, Haruka; Sonobe, Soma; Hatsuse, Takumi; Tsuda, Hirotaka; Takao, Yoshinori; Eriguchi, Koji; Ono, Kouichi

2018-05-01

Nanoscale surface roughening and ripple formation in response to ion incidence angle has been investigated during inductively coupled plasma etching of Si in Cl2, using sheath control plates to achieve the off-normal ion incidence on blank substrate surfaces. The sheath control plate consisted of an array of inclined trenches, being set into place on the rf-biased electrode, where their widths and depths were chosen in such a way that the sheath edge was pushed out of the trenches. The distortion of potential distributions and the consequent deflection of ion trajectories above and in the trenches were then analyzed based on electrostatic particle-in-cell simulations of the plasma sheath, to evaluate the angular distributions of ion fluxes incident on substrates pasted on sidewalls and/or at the bottom of the trenches. Experiments showed well-defined periodic sawtooth-like ripples with their wave vector oriented parallel to the direction of ion incidence at intermediate off-normal angles, while relatively weak corrugations or ripplelike structures with the wave vector perpendicular to it at high off-normal angles. Possible mechanisms for the formation of surface ripples during plasma etching are discussed with the help of Monte Carlo simulations of plasma-surface interactions and feature profile evolution. The results indicate the possibility of providing an alternative to ion beam sputtering for self-organized formation of ordered surface nanostructures.

Adaptation of ion beam technology to microfabrication of solid state devices and transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Topich, J. A.

1978-01-01

A number of areas were investigated to determine the potential uses of ion beam techniques in the construction of solid state devices and transducers and the packaging of implantable electronics for biomedical applications. The five areas investigated during the past year were: (1) diode-like devices fabricated on textured silicon; (2) a photolithographic technique for patterning ion beam sputtered PVC (polyvinyl chloride); (3) use of sputtered Teflon as a protective coating for implantable pressure sensors; (4) the sputtering of Macor to seal implantable hybrid circuits; and (5) the use of sputtered Teflon to immobilize enzymes.

Deposition of reactively ion beam sputtered silicon nitride coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grill, A.

1982-01-01

An ion beam source was used to deposit silicon nitride films by reactively sputtering a silicon target with beams of Ar + N2 mixtures. The nitrogen fraction in the sputtering gas was 0.05 to 0.80 at a total pressure of 6 to 2 millionth torr. The ion beam current was 50 mA at 500 V. The composition of the deposited films was investigated by auger electron spectroscopy and the rate of deposition was determined by interferometry. A relatively low rate of deposition of about 2 nm. one-tenth min. was found. AES spectra of films obtained with nitrogen fractions higher than 0.50 were consistent with a silicon to nitrogen ratio corresponding to Si3N4. However the AES spectra also indicated that the sputtered silicon nitride films were contaminated with oxygen and carbon and contained significant amounts of iron, nickel, and chromium, most probably sputtered from the holder of the substrate and target.

Elemental depth profiles and plasma etching rates of positive-tone electron beam resists after sequential infiltration synthesis of alumina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozaki, Yuki; Ito, Shunya; Hiroshiba, Nobuya; Nakamura, Takahiro; Nakagawa, Masaru

2018-06-01

By scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM–EDS), we investigated the elemental depth profiles of organic electron beam resist films after the sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) of inorganic alumina. Although a 40-nm-thick poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film was entirely hybridized with alumina, an uneven distribution was observed near the interface between the substrate and the resist as well as near the resist surface. The uneven distribution was observed around the center of a 100-nm-thick PMMA film. The thicknesses of the PMMA and CSAR62 resist films decreased almost linearly as functions of plasma etching period. The comparison of etching rate among oxygen reactive ion etching, C3F8 reactive ion beam etching (RIBE), and Ar ion beam milling suggested that the SIS treatment enhanced the etching resistance of the electron beam resists to chemical reactions rather than to ion collisions. We proposed oxygen- and Ar-assisted C3F8 RIBE for the fabrication of silica imprint molds by electron beam lithography.

Sputtering erosion in ion and plasma thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Pradosh K.

1995-01-01

An experimental set-up to measure low-energy (below 1 keV) sputtering of materials is described. The materials to be bombarded represent ion thruster components as well as insulators used in the stationary plasma thruster. The sputtering takes place in a 9 inch diameter spherical vacuum chamber. Ions of argon, krypton and xenon are used to bombard the target materials. The sputtered neutral atoms are detected by a secondary neutral mass spectrometer (SNMS). Samples of copper, nickel, aluminum, silver and molybdenum are being sputtered initially to calibrate the spectrometer. The base pressure of the chamber is approximately 2 x 10(exp -9) Torr. the primary ion beam is generated by an ion gun which is capable of delivering ion currents in the range of 20 to 500 nA. The ion beam can be focused to a size approximately 1 mm in diameter. The mass spectrometer is positioned 10 mm from the target and at 90 deg angle to the primary ion beam direction. The ion beam impinges on the target at 45 deg. For sputtering of insulators, charge neutralization is performed by flooding the sample with electrons generated from an electron gun. Preliminary sputtering results, methods of calculating the instrument response function of the spectrometer and the relative sensitivity factors of the sputtered elements will be discussed.

Fabrication of precision high quality facets on molecular beam epitaxy material

DOEpatents

Petersen, Holly E.; Goward, William D.; Dijaili, Sol P.

2001-01-01

Fabricating mirrored vertical surfaces on semiconductor layered material grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Low energy chemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) is employed to prepare mirrored vertical surfaces on MBE-grown III-V materials under unusually low concentrations of oxygen in evacuated etching atmospheres of chlorine and xenon ion beams. UV-stabilized smooth-surfaced photoresist materials contribute to highly vertical, high quality mirrored surfaces during the etching.

Photonic jet μ-etching: from static to dynamic process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdurrochman, A.; Lecler, S.; Zelgowski, J.; Mermet, F.; Fontaine, J.; Tumbelaka, B. Y.

2017-05-01

Photonic jet etching is a direct-laser etching method applying photonic jet phenomenon to concentrate the laser beam onto the proceeded material. We call photonic jet the phenomenon of the localized sub-wavelength propagative beam generated at the shadow-side surfaces of micro-scale dielectric cylinders or spheres, when they are illuminated by an electromagnetic plane-wave or laser beam. This concentration has made possible the laser to yield sub-μ etching marks, despite the laser was a near-infrared with nano-second pulses sources. We will present these achievements from the beginning when some spherical glasses were used for static etching to dynamic etching using an optical fiber with a semi-elliptical tip.

Neutral beam dose and sputtering characteristics in an ion implantation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, A. S., Jr.; Ash, R. L.; Berger, M. H.

1973-01-01

A technique and instrument design for calorimetric detection of the neutral atom content of a 60 keV argon ion beam. A beam sampling method is used to measure local heat flux to a small platinum wire at steady state; integration of power density profiles leads to a determination of equivalent neutral beam current. The fast neutral production occurs as a result of charge transfer processes in the region of the beam system between analyzing magnet and beam stop where the pressure remains less than .00001 torr. A description of the neutral beam detector is given in section along with a presentation of results. An elementary analysis of sputter material transport from target to substrate was performed; the analysis relates to semiconductor sputtering.

Sputtering yields of carbon based materials under high particle flux with low energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, K.; Nagase, A.; Dairaku, M.; Akiba, M.; Araki, M.; Okumura, Y.

1995-04-01

A new ion source which can produce high particle flux beams at low energies has been developed. This paper presents preliminary results on the sputtering yield of the carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFCs) measured with the new ion source. The sputtering yields of 1D and 2D CFCs, which are candidate materials for the divertor armour tiles, have been measured by the weight loss method under the hydrogen and deuterium particle fluxes of 2 ˜ 7 × 10 20/m 2 s at 50 ˜ 150 eV. Preferential sputtering of the matrix was observed on CFCs which included the matrix of 40 ˜ 60 w%. The energy dependence of the sputtering yields was weak. The sputtering yields of CFCs normally irradiated with deuterium beam were from 0.073 to 0.095, and were around three times larger than those with hydrogen beam.

Preparation of Ga-doped ZnO films by pulsed dc magnetron sputtering with cylindrical rotating target for thin film solar cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Beom-Ki; Lee, Tae-Il; Park, Ji-Hyeon; Park, Kang-Il; Ahn, Kyung-Jun; Park, Sung-Kee; Lee, Woong; Myoung, Jae-Min

2011-11-01

Applicability of Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) films for thin film solar cells (TFSCs) was investigated by preparing GZO films via pulsed dc magnetron sputtering (PDMS) with rotating target. The GZO films showed improved crystallinity and increasing degree of Ga doping with increasing thickness to a limit of 1000 nm. The films also fulfilled requirements for the transparent electrodes of TFSCs in terms of electrical and optical properties. Moreover, the films exhibited good texturing potential based on etching studies with diluted HCl, which yielded an improved light trapping capability without significant degradation in electrical propreties. It is therefore suggested that the surface-textured GZO films prepared via PDMS and etching are promising candidates for indium-free transparent electrodes for TFSCs.

Nearly amorphous Mo-N gratings for ultimate resolution in extreme ultraviolet interference lithography.

PubMed

Wang, L; Kirk, E; Wäckerlin, C; Schneider, C W; Hojeij, M; Gobrecht, J; Ekinci, Y

2014-06-13

We present fabrication and characterization of high-resolution and nearly amorphous Mo1 - xNx transmission gratings and their use as masks for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) interference lithography. During sputter deposition of Mo, nitrogen is incorporated into the film by addition of N2 to the Ar sputter gas, leading to suppression of Mo grain growth and resulting in smooth and homogeneous thin films with a negligible grain size. The obtained Mo0.8N0.2 thin films, as determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, are characterized to be nearly amorphous using x-ray diffraction. We demonstrate a greatly reduced Mo0.8N0.2 grating line edge roughness compared with pure Mo grating structures after e-beam lithography and plasma dry etching. The amorphous Mo0.8N0.2 thin films retain, to a large extent, the benefits of Mo as a phase grating material for EUV wavelengths, providing great advantages for fabrication of highly efficient diffraction gratings with extremely low roughness. Using these grating masks, well-resolved dense lines down to 8 nm half-pitch are fabricated with EUV interference lithography.

Mechanisms of Hydrocarbon Based Polymer Etch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lane, Barton; Ventzek, Peter; Matsukuma, Masaaki; Suzuki, Ayuta; Koshiishi, Akira

2015-09-01

Dry etch of hydrocarbon based polymers is important for semiconductor device manufacturing. The etch mechanisms for oxygen rich plasma etch of hydrocarbon based polymers has been studied but the mechanism for lean chemistries has received little attention. We report on an experimental and analytic study of the mechanism for etching of a hydrocarbon based polymer using an Ar/O2 chemistry in a single frequency 13.56 MHz test bed. The experimental study employs an analysis of transients from sequential oxidation and Ar sputtering steps using OES and surface analytics to constrain conceptual models for the etch mechanism. The conceptual model is consistent with observations from MD studies and surface analysis performed by Vegh et al. and Oehrlein et al. and other similar studies. Parameters of the model are fit using published data and the experimentally observed time scales.

Multilayer coating of optical substrates by ion beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, M. V.; Demmler, M.

2017-10-01

Ion beam sputtering is well established in research and industry, despite its relatively low deposition rates compared to electron beam evaporation. Typical applications are coatings of precision optics, like filters, mirrors and beam splitter. Anti-reflective or high-reflective multilayer stacks benefit from the high mobility of the sputtered particles on the substrate surface and the good mechanical characteristics of the layers. This work gives the basic route from single layer optimization of reactive ion beam sputtered Ta2O5 and SiO2 thin films towards complex multilayer stacks for high-reflective mirrors and anti-reflective coatings. Therefore films were deposited using different oxygen flow into the deposition chamber Afterwards, mechanical (density, stress, surface morphology, crystalline phases) and optical properties (reflectivity, absorption and refractive index) were characterized. These knowledge was used to deposit a multilayer coating for a high reflective mirror.

ITO/InP solar cells: A comparison of devices fabricated by ion beam and RF sputtering of the ITO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coutts, T. J.

1987-01-01

This work was performed with the view of elucidating the behavior of indium tin oxide/indium phosphide (ITO/InP) solar cells prepared by RF and ion beam sputtering. It was found that using RF sputter deposition of the ITO always leads to more efficient devices than ion beam sputter deposition. An important aspect of the former technique is the exposure of the single crystal p-InP substrates to a very low plasma power prior to deposition. Substrates treated in this manner have also been used for ion beam deposition of ITO. In this case the cells behave very similarly to the RF deposited cells, thus suggesting that the lower power plasma exposure (LPPE) is the crucial process step.

Particle beam experiments for the analysis of reactive sputtering processes in metals and polymer surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbella, Carles; Grosse-Kreul, Simon; Kreiter, Oliver; de los Arcos, Teresa; Benedikt, Jan; von Keudell, Achim

2013-10-01

A beam experiment is presented to study heterogeneous reactions relevant to plasma-surface interactions in reactive sputtering applications. Atom and ion sources are focused onto the sample to expose it to quantified beams of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, noble gas ions, and metal vapor. The heterogeneous surface processes are monitored in situ by means of a quartz crystal microbalance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Two examples illustrate the capabilities of the particle beam setup: oxidation and nitriding of aluminum as a model of target poisoning during reactive magnetron sputtering, and plasma pre-treatment of polymers (PET, PP).

An XPS study of the adherence of refractory carbide, silicide, and boride RF-sputtered wear-resistant coatings. [X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of steel surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brainard, W. A.; Wheeler, D. R.

1978-01-01

Radio frequency sputtering was used to deposit refractory carbide, silicide, and boride coatings on 440-C steel substrates. Both sputter etched and pre-oxidized substrates were used and the films were deposited with and without a substrate bias. The composition of the coatings was determined as a function of depth by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with argon ion etching. Friction and wear tests were conducted to evaluate coating adherence. In the interfacial region there was evidence that bias may produce a graded interface for some compounds. Biasing, while generally improving bulk film stoichiometry, can adversely affect adherence by removing interfacial oxide layers. Oxides of all film constituents except carbon and iron were present in all cases but the iron oxide coverage was only complete on the preoxidized substrates. The film and iron oxides were mixed in the MoSi2 and Mo2C films but layered in the Mo2B5 films. In the case of mixed oxides, preoxidation enhanced film adherence. In the layered case it did not.

Advanced Baffle Materials Technology Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

few baffle materials, data from Misty North and Diesel Train provide guidance on damage mechanisms and give points with which theory can be compared...adequate to permit correlation of theory with experiment for thin film baffle structures which can be approximated as a series of planes. No means of...etching to produce surface microtexture on samples of 3 aluminum (see Figure 3-5). Current theory predicts that sputter texture etching works because

The magnetic properties and microstructure of Co-Pt thin films using wet etching process.

PubMed

Lee, Chang-Hyoung; Cho, Young-Lae; Lee, Won-Pyo; Suh, Su-Jeong

2014-11-01

Perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) is a promising candidate for high density magnetic recording and has already been applied to hard disk drive (HDD) systems. However, media noise still limits the recording density. To reduce the media noise and achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in hard disk media, the grains of the magnetic layer must be magnetically isolated from each other. This study examined whether sputter-deposited Co-Pt thin films can have adjacent grains that are physically isolated. To accomplish this, the effects of the sputtering conditions and wet etching process on magnetic properties and the microstructure of the films were investigated. The film structure was Co-Pt (30 nm)/Ru (30 nm)/NiFe (10 nm)/Ta (5 nm). The composition of the Co-Pt thin films was Co-30.7 at.% Pt. The Co-Pt thin films were deposited in Ar gas at 5, 10, 12.5, and 15 mTorr. Wet etching process was performed using 7% nitric acid solution at room temperature. These films had high out-of-plane coercivity of up to 7032 Oe, which is twice that of the as-deposited film. These results suggest that wet etched Co-Pt thin films have weaker exchange coupling and enhanced out-of-plane coercivity, which would reduce the medium noise.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Auciello, O.; Ameen, M.S.; Graettinger, T.M.

Ion beam sputtering is presently used to deposit films from single phase YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} targets. Generally, Ar+ ion beams ({approx}1500 eV) produced by Kaufman-type ion sources are used for this purpose. It has been observed that these ion beams induce compositional and morphological changes on the polycrystalline ceramic target surface, which results in the composition of sputtered flux displaying a time-dependent behavior. This in turn may lead to undesirably long times for reaching steady state conditions in the sputtering process.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Auciello, O.; Ameen, M.S.; Graettinger, T.

Ion beam sputtering is presently used to deposit films from single phase YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} targets. Generally, Ar{sup +} ion beams ({similar to}1500 eV) produced by Kaufman-type ion sources are used for this purpose. It has been observed that these ion beams induce compositional and morphological changes on the polycrystalline ceramic target surface, which results in the composition of sputtered flux displaying a time-dependent behavior. This in turn may lead to undesirably long times for reaching steady state conditions in the sputtering process.

Fabrication of ultra-high aspect ratio (>160:1) silicon nanostructures by using Au metal assisted chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hailiang; Ye, Tianchun; Shi, Lina; Xie, Changqing

2017-12-01

We present a facile and effective approach for fabricating high aspect ratio, dense and vertical silicon nanopillar arrays, using a combination of metal etching following electron-beam lithography and Au metal assisted chemical etching (MacEtch). Ti/Au nanostructures used as catalysts in MacEtch are formed by single layer resist-based electron-beam exposure followed by ion beam etching. The effects of MacEtch process parameters, including half period, etching time, the concentrations of H2O2 and HF, etching temperature and drying method are systematically investigated. Especially, we demonstrate an enhancement of etching quality by employing cold MacEtch process, and an enhancement in preventing the collapse of high aspect ratio nanostructures by employing low surface tension rinse liquid and natural evaporation in the drying stage. Using an optimized MacEtch process, vertical silicon nanopillar arrays with a period of 250 nm and aspect ratio up to 160:1 are realized. Our results should be instructive for exploring the achievable aspect ratio limit in silicon nanostructures and may find potential applications in photovoltaic devices, thermoelectric devices and x-ray diffractive optics.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sills, L.G.

In this study, hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide thin films were deposited by reactive ion-beam sputtering under varying conditions to determine whether a film's optical properties can be controlled, focusing on refractive index. Using a Kaufman type ion source to sputter a pure silicon target, three distinct series of films were grown. The first series varied the mixture of methane and argon used in the ion-beam. holding all other parameters constant. For the second series the gas mix was fixed, and only the beam energy (beam voltage) was varied. The final series also varied beam energy, but was grown with amore » graphite shield next to the target to reduce metal contamination sputtered from chamber surfaces. Results show the index of refraction increased monotonically with beam energy up to a beam voltage of 1300 volts. Both the second and third series of films followed this trend, but analysis of differences in atomic composition between two series revealed opposite trends for how the silicon to carbon content ratio and refractive index were related. More precise control of the gas flow, and sputtering from only the intended (silicon)target would have reduced experimental errors.« less

Method for sequentially processing a multi-level interconnect circuit in a vacuum chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Routh, D. E.; Sharma, G. C. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

The processing of wafer devices to form multilevel interconnects for microelectronic circuits is described. The method is directed to performing the sequential steps of etching the via, removing the photo resist pattern, back sputtering the entire wafer surface and depositing the next layer of interconnect material under common vacuum conditions without exposure to atmospheric conditions. Apparatus for performing the method includes a vacuum system having a vacuum chamber in which wafers are processed on rotating turntables. The vacuum chamber is provided with an RF sputtering system and a DC magnetron sputtering system. A gas inlet is provided in the chamber for the introduction of various gases to the vacuum chamber and the creation of various gas plasma during the sputtering steps.

Research and Development for Continued Performance Improvement in Flexible a-Si PV

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-14

accomplished, however, at low temperatures silicides tend to form on the surface of the filament, which affected filament lifetime and deposition rate...considered. Titanium Nitride, sputtered As an alternative to the hot wire deposition of silicon, samples were prepared with various thicknesses of...Silicon 21 Insitu DC Sputtering Titanium Nitride 22 Metal Machine 2 ឈ> RF Oxygen Plasma Silicon Dioxide 20. Oxygen Etch Table A.4.1 Open circuit

Molecular dynamic simulation study of plasma etching L10 FePt media in embedded mask patterning (EMP) process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jianxin; Quarterman, P.; Wang, Jian-Ping

2017-05-01

Plasma etching process of single-crystal L10-FePt media [H. Wang et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 102(5) (2013)] is studied using molecular dynamic simulation. Embedded-Atom Method [M. S. Daw and M. I. Baskes, Phy. Rev. B 29, 6443 (1984); X. W. Zhou, R. A. Johnson and H. N. G. Wadley, Phy. Rev. B 69, 144113 (2004)] is used to calculate the interatomic potential within atoms in FePt alloy, and ZBL potential [J.F. Ziegler, J. P. Biersack and U. Littmark, "The Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter," Volume 1, Pergamon,1985] in comparison with conventional Lennard-Jones "12-6" potential is applied to interactions between etching gas ions and metal atoms. It is shown the post-etch structure defects can include amorphized surface layer and lattice interstitial point defects that caused by etchant ions passed through the surface layer. We show that the amorphized or damaged FePt lattice surface layer (or "magnetic dead-layer") thickness after etching increases with ion energy for Ar ion impacts, but significantly small for He ions at up to 250eV ion energy. However, we showed that He sputtering creates more interstitial defects at lower energy levels and defects are deeper below the surface compared to Ar sputtering. We also calculate the interstitial defect level and depth as dependence on ion energy for both Ar and He ions. Media magnetic property loss due to these defects is also discussed.

Pulsed Laser-Assisted Focused Electron-Beam-Induced Etching of Titanium with XeF 2 : Enhanced Reaction Rate and Precursor Transport

DOE PAGES

Noh, J. H.; Fowlkes, J. D.; Timilsina, R.; ...

2015-01-28

We introduce a laser-assisted focused electron-beam-induced etching (LA-FEBIE) process which is a versatile, direct write nanofabrication method that allows nanoscale patterning and editing; we do this in order to enhance the etch rate of electron-beam-induced etching. The results demonstrate that the titanium electron stimulated etch rate via the XeF2 precursor can be enhanced up to a factor of 6 times with an intermittent pulsed laser assist. Moreover, the evolution of the etching process is correlated to in situ stage current measurements and scanning electron micrographs as a function of time. Finally, the increased etch rate is attributed to photothermally enhancedmore » Ti–F reaction and TiF4 desorption and in some regimes enhanced XeF2 surface diffusion to the reaction zone.« less

Fabrication of Long Period Gratings by Periodically Removing the Coating of Cladding-Etched Single Mode Optical Fiber Towards Optical Fiber Sensor Development.

PubMed

Ascorbe, Joaquin; Corres, Jesus M; Del Villar, Ignacio; Matias, Ignacio R

2018-06-07

Here, we present a novel method to fabricate long period gratings using standard single mode optical fibers (SMF). These optical devices were fabricated in a three-step process, which consisted of etching the SMF, then coating it with a thin-film and, the final step, which involved removing sections of the coating periodically by laser ablation. Tin dioxide was chosen as the material for this study and it was sputtered using a pulsed DC sputtering system. Theoretical simulations were performed in order to select the appropriate parameters for the experiments. The responses of two different devices to different external refractive indices was studied, and the maximum sensitivity obtained was 6430 nm/RIU for external refractive indices ranging from 1.37 to 1.39.

Laser-induced phase transitions of Ge2Sb2Te5 thin films used in optical and electronic data storage and in thermal lithography.

PubMed

Chu, Cheng Hung; Shiue, Chiun Da; Cheng, Hsuen Wei; Tseng, Ming Lun; Chiang, Hai-Pang; Mansuripur, Masud; Tsai, Din Ping

2010-08-16

Amorphous thin films of Ge(2)Sb(2)Te(5), sputter-deposited on a ZnS-SiO(2) dielectric layer, are investigated for the purpose of understanding the structural phase-transitions that occur under the influence of tightly-focused laser beams. Selective chemical etching of recorded marks in conjunction with optical, atomic force, and electron microscopy as well as local electron diffraction analysis are used to discern the complex structural features created under a broad range of laser powers and pulse durations. Clarifying the nature of phase transitions associated with laser-recorded marks in chalcogenide Ge(2)Sb(2)Te(5) thin films provides useful information for reversible optical and electronic data storage, as well as for phase-change (thermal) lithography.

YBa2Cu307 superconducting microbolometer linear arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Burgess R.; Ohnstein, Thomas R.; Marsh, Holly A.; Dunham, Scott B.; Kruse, Paul W.

1992-09-01

Single pixels and linear arrays of microbolometers employing the high-T(subscript c) superconductor YBa(subscript 2)Cu(subscript 3)O(subscript 7) have been fabricated by silicon micromachining techniques. The substrates are 3 in. diameter silicon wafers upon which buffer layers of Si(subscript 3)N(subscript 4) and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) have been deposited. The YBa(subscript 2)Cu(subscript 3)O(subscript 7) was deposited by ion beam sputtering upon the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), then photolithographically patterned into serpentines 4 micrometers wide. Anisotropic etching in KOH removed the silicon underlying each pixel, thereby providing the necessary thermal isolation. When operated at 70 degree(s)K with 1 (mu) A dc bias, the D(superscript *) is 7.5 X 10(superscript 8) cm Hz(superscript 1/2)/Watt with a thermal response time of 24 msec.

High-Tc superconducting microbolometer for terahertz applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulysse, C.; Gaugue, A.; Adam, A.; Kreisler, A. J.; Villégier, J.-C.; Thomassin, J.-L.

2002-05-01

Superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers are now a competitive alternative to Schottky diode mixers in the terahertz frequency range because of their ultra wideband (from millimeter waves to visible light), high conversion gain, and low intrinsic noise level. High Tc superconductor materials can be used to make hot electron bolometers and present some advantage in term of operating temperature and cooling. In this paper, we present first a model for the study of superconducting hot electron bolometers responsivity in direct detection mode, in order to establish a firm basis for the design of future THz mixers. Secondly, an original process to realize YBaCuO hot electron bolometer mixers will be described. Submicron YBaCuO superconducting structures are expitaxially sputter deposited on MgO substrates and patterned by using electron beam lithography in combination with optical lithography. Metal masks achieved by electron beam lithography are insuring a good bridge definition and protection during ion etching. Finally, detection experiments are being performed with a laser at 850 nm wavelength, in homodyne mode in order to prove the feasibility and potential performances of these devices.

Ion beam microtexturing of surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, R. S.

1981-01-01

Some recent work in surface microtecturing by ion beam sputtering is described. The texturing is accomplished by deposition of an impurity onto a substrate while simultaneously bombarding it with an ion beam. A summary of the theory regarding surface diffusion of impurities and the initiation of cone formation is provided. A detailed experimental study of the time-development of individual sputter cones is described. A quasi-liquid coating was observed that apparently reduces the sputter rate of the body of a cone compared to the bulk material. Experimental measurements of surface diffusion activation energies are presented for a variety of substrate-seed combinations and range from about 0.3 eV to 1.2 eV. Observations of apparent crystal structure in sputter cones are discussed. Measurements of the critical temperature for cone formation are also given along with a correlation of critical temperature with substrate sputter rate.

Anisotropic selective etching between SiGe and Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Yohei; Scott-McCabe, Ritchie; Yu, Alex; Okuma, Kazumasa; Maeda, Kenji; Sebastian, Joseph; Manos, Jim

2018-06-01

In Si/SiGe dual-channel FinFETs, it is necessary to simultaneously control the etched amounts of SiGe and Si. However, the SiGe etch rate is higher than the Si etch rate in not only halogen plasmas but also physical sputtering. In this study, we found that hydrogen plasma selectively etches Si over SiGe. The result shows that the selectivity of Si over SiGe can be up to 38 with increasing Ge concentration in SiGe. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) results indicate that hydrogen selectively bonds with Si rather than with Ge in SiGe. During the etching, hydrogen-induced Si surface segregation is also observed. It is also observed that the difference in etched amount between SiGe and Si can be controlled from positive to negative values even in Si/SiGe dual-channel fin patterning while maintaining the vertical profiles. Furthermore, no plasma-induced lattice damage was observed by transmission electron microscopy for both Si and SiGe fin sidewalls.

The characteristics of a new negative metal ion beam source and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paik, Namwoong

2001-10-01

Numerous efforts at energetic thin film deposition processes using ion beams have been made to meet the demands of today's thin film industry. As one of these efforts, a new Magnetron Sputter Negative Ion Source (MSNIS) was developed. In this study, the development and the characterization of the MSNIS were investigated. Amorphous carbon films were used as a sample coating medium to evaluate the ion beam energy effect. A review of energetic Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques is presented in Chapter 1. The energetic PVD methods can be classified into two major categories: the indirect ion beam method Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD), and the direct ion beam method-Direct Ion Beam Deposition (DIBD). In this chapter, currently available DIBD processes such as Cathodic Arc, Laser Ablation, Ionized Physical Vapor Deposition (I-PVD) and Magnetron Sputter Negative Ion Source (MSNIS) are individually reviewed. The design and construction of the MSNIS is presented in chapter 2. The MSNIS is a hybrid of the conventional magnetron sputter configuration and the cesium surface ionizer. The negative sputtered ions are produced directly from the sputter target by surface ionization. In chapter 3, the ion beam and plasma characteristics of an 8″ diameter MSNIS are investigated using a retarding field analyzer and a cylindrical Langmuir Probe. The measured electron temperature is approximately 2-5 eV, while the plasma density and plasma potential were of the order of 10 11-1012 cm3 and 5-20 V, respectively, depending on the pressure and power. In chapter 4, in order to evaluate the effect of the ion beam on the resultant films, amorphous carbon films were deposited under various conditions. The structure of carbon films was investigated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The result suggests the fraction of spa bonding is more than 70% in some samples prepared by MSNIS while magnetron sputtered samples showed less than 30%. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Improving depth resolutions in positron beam spectroscopy by concurrent ion-beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, Marco; Dalla, Ayham; Ibrahim, Alaa M.; Anwand, Wolfgang; Wagner, Andreas; Böttger, Roman; Krause-Rehberg, Reinhard

2018-05-01

The depth resolution of mono-energetic positron annihilation spectroscopy using a positron beam is shown to improve by concurrently removing the sample surface layer during positron beam spectroscopy. During ion-beam sputtering with argon ions, Doppler-broadening spectroscopy is performed with energies ranging from 3 keV to 5 keV allowing for high-resolution defect studies just below the sputtered surface. With this technique, significantly improved depth resolutions could be obtained even at larger depths when compared to standard positron beam experiments which suffer from extended positron implantation profiles at higher positron energies. Our results show that it is possible to investigate layered structures with a thickness of about 4 microns with significantly improved depth resolution. We demonstrated that a purposely generated ion-beam induced defect profile in a silicon sample could be resolved employing the new technique. A depth resolution of less than 100 nm could be reached.

Sputtering Erosion Measurement on Boron Nitride as a Hall Thruster Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britton, Melissa; Waters, Deborah; Messer, Russell; Sechkar, Edward; Banks, Bruce

2002-01-01

The durability of a high-powered Hall thruster may be limited by the sputter erosion resistance of its components. During normal operation, a small fraction of the accelerated ions will impact the interior of the main discharge channel, causing its gradual erosion. A laboratory experiment was conducted to simulate the sputter erosion of a Hall thruster. Tests of sputter etch rate were carried out using 300 to 1000 eV Xenon ions impinging on boron nitride substrates with angles of attack ranging from 30 to 75 degrees from horizontal. The erosion rates varied from 3.41 to 14.37 Angstroms/[sec(mA/sq cm)] and were found to depend on the ion energy and angle of attack, which is consistent with the behavior of other materials.

Physics and chemistry of complex oxide etching and redeposition control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margot, Joëlle

2012-10-01

Since its introduction in the 1970s, plasma etching has become the universal method for fine-line pattern transfer onto thin films and is anticipated to remain so in foreseeable future. Despite many success stories, plasma etching processes fail to meet the needs for several of the newest materials involved in advanced devices for photonic, electronic and RF applications like ferroelectrics, electro-optic materials, high-k dielectrics, giant magnetoresistance materials and unconventional conductors. In this context, the work achieved over the last decade on the etching of multicomponent oxides thin films such as barium strontium titanate (BST), strontium titanate (STO) and niobate of calcium and barium (CBN) will be reviewed. These materials present a low reactivity with usual etching gases such as fluorinated and chlorinated gases, their etching is mainly governed by ion sputtering and reactive gases sometimes interact with surface materials to form compounds that inhibit etching. The etching of platinum will also be presented as an example of unconventional conductor materials for which severe redeposition limits the achievable etching quality. Finally, it will be shown how simulation can help to understand the etching mechanisms and to define avenues for higher quality patterning.

Fabrication of silicon-on-diamond substrate with an ultrathin SiO2 bonding layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagata, Masahiro; Shirahama, Ryouya; Duangchan, Sethavut; Baba, Akiyoshi

2018-06-01

We proposed and demonstrated a sputter etching method to prepare both a flat surface (root-mean-square surface roughness of approximately 0.2–0.3 nm) and an ultrathin SiO2 bonding layer at an accuracy of approximately 5 nm in thickness to fabricate a silicon-on-diamond substrate (SOD). We also investigated a plasma activation method on a SiO2 surface using various gases. We found that O2 plasma activation is more suitable for the bonding between SiO2 and Si than N2 or Ar plasma activation. We speculate that the concentration of hydroxyl groups on the SiO2 surface was increased by O2 plasma activation. We fabricated the SOD substrate with an ultrathin (15 nm in thickness) SiO2 bonding layer using the sputter etching and O2 plasma activation methods.

Ion beam deposition of in situ superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, J. D.; Yen, A.; Clauson, S. L.

1990-01-01

Oriented superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 thin films were deposited on yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates by ion beam sputtering of a nonstoichiometric oxide target. The films exhibited zero-resistance critical temperatures as high as 80.5 K without post-deposition anneals. Both the deposition rate and the c lattice parameter data displayed two distinct regimes of dependence on the beam power of the ion source. Low-power sputtering yielded films with large c dimensions and low Tc's. Higher power sputtering produced a continuous decrease in the c lattice parameter and an increase in critical temperatures.

Adaptation of ion beam technology to microfabrication of solid state devices and transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Topich, J. A.

1977-01-01

It was found that ion beam texturing of silicon surfaces can be used to increase the effective surface area of MOS capacitors. There is, however, a problem with low dielectric breakdown. Preliminary work was begun on the fabrication of ion implanted resistors on textured surfaces and the potential improvement of wire bond strength by bonding to a textured surface. In the area of ion beam sputtering, the techniques for sputtering PVC were developed. A PVC target containing valinomycin was used to sputter an ion selective membrane on a field effect transistor to form a potassium ion sensor.

Direct comparison of the performance of commonly used e-beam resists during nano-scale plasma etching of Si, SiO2, and Cr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodyear, Andy; Boettcher, Monika; Stolberg, Ines; Cooke, Mike

2015-03-01

Electron beam writing remains one of the reference pattern generation techniques, and plasma etching continues to underpin pattern transfer. We report a systematic study of the plasma etch resistance of several e-beam resists, both negative and positive as well as classical and Chemically Amplified Resists: HSQ[1,2] (Dow Corning), PMMA[3] (Allresist GmbH), AR-P6200 (Allresist GmbH), ZEP520 (Zeon Corporation), CAN028 (TOK), CAP164 (TOK), and an additional pCAR (non-disclosed provider). Their behaviour under plasma exposure to various nano-scale plasma etch chemistries was examined (SF6/C4F8 ICP silicon etch, CHF3/Ar RIE SiO2 etch, Cl2/O2 RIE and ICP chrome etch, and HBr ICP silicon etch). Samples of each resist type were etched simultaneously to provide a direct comparison of their etch resistance. Resist thicknesses (and hence resist erosion rates) were measured by spectroscopic ellipsometer in order to provide the highest accuracy for the resist comparison. Etch selectivities (substrate:mask etch rate ratio) are given, with recommendations for the optimum resist choice for each type of etch chemistry. Silicon etch profiles are also presented, along with the exposure and etch conditions to obtain the most vertical nano-scale pattern transfer. We identify one resist that gave an unusually high selectivity for chlorinated and brominated etches which could enable pattern transfer below 10nm without an additional hard mask. In this case the resist itself acts as a hard mask. We also highlight the differing effects of fluorine and bromine-based Silicon etch chemistries on resist profile evolution and hence etch fidelity.

Anisotropic Etching Using Reactive Cluster Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koike, Kunihiko; Yoshino, Yu; Senoo, Takehiko; Seki, Toshio; Ninomiya, Satoshi; Aoki, Takaaki; Matsuo, Jiro

2010-12-01

The characteristics of Si etching using nonionic cluster beams with highly reactive chlorine-trifluoride (ClF3) gas were examined. An etching rate of 40 µm/min or higher was obtained even at room temperature when a ClF3 molecular cluster was formed and irradiated on a single-crystal Si substrate in high vacuum. The etching selectivity of Si with respect to a photoresist and SiO2 was at least 1:1000. We also succeeded in highly anisotropic etching with an aspect ratio of 10 or higher. Moreover, this etching method has a great advantage of low damage, compared with the conventional plasma process.

Large area ion beam sputtered YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) films for novel device structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauzzi, A.; Lucia, M. L.; Kellett, B. J.; James, J. H.; Pavuna, D.

1992-03-01

A simple single-target ion-beam system is employed to manufacture large areas of uniformly superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) films which can be reproduced. The required '123' stoichiometry is transferred from the target to the substrate when ion-beam power, target/ion-beam angle, and target temperature are adequately controlled. Ion-beam sputtering is experimentally demonstrated to be an effective technique for producing homogeneous YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) films.

Microscopic morphology evolution during ion beam smoothing of Zerodur® surfaces.

PubMed

Liao, Wenlin; Dai, Yifan; Xie, Xuhui; Zhou, Lin

2014-01-13

Ion sputtering of Zerodur material often results in the formation of nanoscale microstructures on the surfaces, which seriously influences optical surface quality. In this paper, we describe the microscopic morphology evolution during ion sputtering of Zerodur surfaces through experimental researches and theoretical analysis, which shows that preferential sputtering together with curvature-dependent sputtering overcomes ion-induced smoothing mechanisms leading to granular nanopatterns formation in morphology and the coarsening of the surface. Consequently, we propose a new method for ion beam smoothing (IBS) of Zerodur optics assisted by deterministic ion beam material adding (IBA) technology. With this method, Zerodur optics with surface roughness down to 0.15 nm root mean square (RMS) level is obtained through the experimental investigation, which demonstrates the feasibility of our proposed method.

Titanium disilicide formation by sputtering of titanium on heated silicon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanielian, M.; Blackstone, S.

1984-09-01

We have sputter deposited titanium on bare silicon substrates at elevated temperatures. We find that at a substrate temperature of about 515 °C titanium silicide is formed due to the reaction of the titanium with the Si. The resistivity of the silicide is about 15 μΩ cm and it is not etchable in a selective titanium etch. This process can have applications in low-temperature, metal-oxide-semiconductor self-aligned silicide formation for very large scale integrated

Focused Ion Beam Fabrication of Graded Channel Field Effect Transistors (FETs) in GaAs and Si

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-21

is used even though the cut may need to be - I-am wide. Since theL ± ne REMOVAL etch time varies as the inverse square of the beam diameter , a ROF...at room temperature a fairly large diameter capillary 1.4-mm and ion induced deposition or etching , the focused ion beam inner diameter was used . For...Pd/B/As/P (alloy sources) Main - micromachining - implantation uses - ion induced deposition - lithography and etching - high resolution SIMS

Growth of oxide exchange bias layers

DOEpatents

Chaiken, Alison; Michel, Richard P.

1998-01-01

An oxide (NiO, CoO, NiCoO) antiferromagnetic exchange bias layer produced by ion beam sputtering of an oxide target in pure argon (Ar) sputtering gas, with no oxygen gas introduced into the system. Antiferromagnetic oxide layers are used, for example, in magnetoresistive readback heads to shift the hysteresis loops of ferromagnetic films away from the zero field axis. For example, NiO exchange bia layers have been fabricated using ion beam sputtering of an NiO target using Ar ions, with the substrate temperature at 200.degree. C., the ion beam voltage at 1000V and the beam current at 20 mA, with a deposition rate of about 0.2 .ANG./sec. The resulting NiO film was amorphous.

Growth of oxide exchange bias layers

DOEpatents

Chaiken, A.; Michel, R.P.

1998-07-21

An oxide (NiO, CoO, NiCoO) antiferromagnetic exchange bias layer produced by ion beam sputtering of an oxide target in pure argon (Ar) sputtering gas, with no oxygen gas introduced into the system. Antiferromagnetic oxide layers are used, for example, in magnetoresistive readback heads to shift the hysteresis loops of ferromagnetic films away from the zero field axis. For example, NiO exchange bias layers have been fabricated using ion beam sputtering of an NiO target using Ar ions, with the substrate temperature at 200 C, the ion beam voltage at 1000V and the beam current at 20 mA, with a deposition rate of about 0.2 {angstrom}/sec. The resulting NiO film was amorphous. 4 figs.

Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Materials Depth Profiling Using Low Energy Cesium Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noël, Céline; Houssiau, Laurent

2016-05-01

The structures developed in organic electronics, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) or organic photovoltaics (OPVs) devices always involve hybrid interfaces, joining metal or oxide layers with organic layers. No satisfactory method to probe these hybrid interfaces physical chemistry currently exists. One promising way to analyze such interfaces is to use in situ ion beam etching, but this requires ion beams able to depth profile both inorganic and organic layers. Mono- or diatomic ion beams commonly used to depth profile inorganic materials usually perform badly on organics, while cluster ion beams perform excellently on organics but yield poor results when organics and inorganics are mixed. Conversely, low energy Cs+ beams (<500 eV) allow organic and inorganic materials depth profiling with comparable erosion rates. This paper shows a successful depth profiling of a model hybrid system made of metallic (Au, Cr) and organic (tyrosine) layers, sputtered with 500 eV Cs+ ions. Tyrosine layers capped with metallic overlayers are depth profiled easily, with high intensities for the characteristic molecular ions and other specific fragments. Metallic Au or Cr atoms are recoiled into the organic layer where they cause some damage near the hybrid interface as well as changes in the erosion rate. However, these recoil implanted metallic atoms do not appear to severely degrade the depth profile overall quality. This first successful hybrid depth profiling report opens new possibilities for the study of OLEDs, organic solar cells, or other hybrid devices.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Donnelly, Vincent M.; Kornblit, Avinoam

The field of plasma etching is reviewed. Plasma etching, a revolutionary extension of the technique of physical sputtering, was introduced to integrated circuit manufacturing as early as the mid 1960s and more widely in the early 1970s, in an effort to reduce liquid waste disposal in manufacturing and achieve selectivities that were difficult to obtain with wet chemistry. Quickly, the ability to anisotropically etch silicon, aluminum, and silicon dioxide in plasmas became the breakthrough that allowed the features in integrated circuits to continue to shrink over the next 40 years. Some of this early history is reviewed, and a discussionmore » of the evolution in plasma reactor design is included. Some basic principles related to plasma etching such as evaporation rates and Langmuir–Hinshelwood adsorption are introduced. Etching mechanisms of selected materials, silicon, silicon dioxide, and low dielectric-constant materials are discussed in detail. A detailed treatment is presented of applications in current silicon integrated circuit fabrication. Finally, some predictions are offered for future needs and advances in plasma etching for silicon and nonsilicon-based devices.« less

Development of ion beam sputtering techniques for actinide target preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aaron, W. S.; Zevenbergen, L. A.; Adair, H. L.

1985-06-01

Ion beam sputtering is a routine method for the preparation of thin films used as targets because it allows the use of a minimum quantity of starting material, and losses are much lower than most other vacuum deposition techniques. Work is underway in the Isotope Research Materials Laboratory (IRML) at ORNL to develop the techniques that will make the preparation of actinide targets up to 100 μg/cm 2 by ion beam sputtering a routinely available service from IRML. The preparation of the actinide material in a form suitable for sputtering is a key to this technique, as is designing a sputtering system that allows the flexibility required for custom-ordered target production. At present, development work is being conducted on low-activity actinides in a bench-top system. The system will then be installed in a hood or glove box approved for radioactive materials handling where processing of radium, actinium, and plutonium isotopes among others will be performed.

Nanopatterning of optical surfaces during low-energy ion beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Wenlin; Dai, Yifan; Xie, Xuhui

2014-06-01

Ion beam figuring (IBF) provides a highly deterministic method for high-precision optical surface fabrication, whereas ion-induced microscopic morphology evolution would occur on surfaces. Consequently, the fabrication specification for surface smoothness must be seriously considered during the IBF process. In this work, low-energy ion nanopatterning of our frequently used optical material surfaces is investigated to discuss the manufacturability of an ultrasmooth surface. The research results indicate that ion beam sputtering (IBS) can directly smooth some amorphous or amorphizable material surfaces, such as fused silica, Si, and ULE under appropriate processing conditions. However, for IBS of a Zerodur surface, preferential sputtering together with curvature-dependent sputtering overcome ion-induced smoothing mechanisms, leading to the granular nanopatterns' formation and the coarsening of the surface. Furthermore, the material property difference at microscopic scales and the continuous impurity incorporation would affect the ion beam smoothing of optical surfaces. Overall, IBS can be used as a promising technique for ultrasmooth surface fabrication, which strongly depends on processing conditions and material characters.

Dynamic Pattern Formation in Electron-Beam-Induced Etching [Emergent formation of dynamic topographic patterns in electron beam induced etching

DOE PAGES

Martin, Aiden A.; Bahm, Alan; Bishop, James; ...

2015-12-15

Here, we report highly ordered topographic patterns that form on the surface of diamond, span multiple length scales, and have a symmetry controlled by the precursor gas species used in electron-beam-induced etching (EBIE). The pattern formation dynamics reveals an etch rate anisotropy and an electron energy transfer pathway that is overlooked by existing EBIE models. Therefore, we, modify established theory such that it explains our results and remains universally applicable to EBIE. Furthermore, the patterns can be exploited in controlled wetting, optical structuring, and other emerging applications that require nano- and microscale surface texturing of a wide band-gap material.

Three-dimensional particle simulation of back-sputtered carbon in electric propulsion test facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Hongru; Cai, Guobiao; Liu, Lihui; Shang, Shengfei; He, Bijiao

2017-03-01

The back-sputtering deposition on thruster surface caused by ion bombardment on chamber wall material affects the performance of thrusters during the ground based electric propulsion endurance tests. In order to decrease the back-sputtering deposition, most of vacuum chambers applied in electric propulsion experiments are equipped with anti-sputtering targets. In this paper, a three-dimensional model of plume experimental system (PES) including double layer anti-sputtering target is established. Simulation cases are made to simulate the plasma environment and sputtering effects when an ion thruster is working. The particle in cell (PIC) method and direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is used to calculate the velocity and position of particles. Yamamura's model is used to simulate the sputtering process. The distribution of sputtered anti-sputtering target material is presented. The results show that the double layer anti-sputtering target can significantly reduce the deposition on thruster surface. The back-sputtering deposition rates on thruster exit surface for different cases are compared. The chevrons on the secondary target are rearranged to improve its performance. The position of secondary target has relation with the ion beam divergence angle, and the radius of the vacuum chamber. The back-sputtering deposition rate is lower when the secondary target covers the entire ion beam.

Application of optical broadband monitoring to quasi-rugate filters by ion-beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lappschies, Marc; Görtz, Björn; Ristau, Detlev

2006-03-01

Methods for the manufacture of rugate filters by the ion-beam-sputtering process are presented. The first approach gives an example of a digitized version of a continuous-layer notch filter. This method allows the comparison of the basic theory of interference coatings containing thin layers with practical results. For the other methods, a movable zone target is employed to fabricate graded and gradual rugate filters. The examples demonstrate the potential of broadband optical monitoring in conjunction with the ion-beam-sputtering process. First-characterization results indicate that these types of filter may exhibit higher laser-induced damage-threshold values than those of classical filters.

Ion beam sputter modification of the surface morphology of biological implants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weigand, A. J.; Banks, B. A.

1976-01-01

The surface chemistry and texture of materials used for biological implants may significantly influence their performance and biocompatibility. Recent interest in the microscopic control of implant surface texture has led to the evaluation of ion beam sputtering as a potentially useful surface roughening technique. Ion sources, similar to electron bombardment ion thrusters designed for propulsive applications, are used to roughen the surfaces of various biocompatible alloys or polymer materials. These materials are typically used for dental implants, orthopedic prostheses, vascular prostheses, and artificial heart components. Masking techniques and resulting surface textures are described along with progress concerning evaluation of the biological response to the ion beam sputtered surfaces.

Ion-beam-sputter modification of the surface morphology of biological implants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weigand, A. J.; Banks, B. A.

1977-01-01

The surface chemistry and texture of materials used for biological implants may significantly influence their performance and biocompatibility. Recent interest in the microscopic control of implant surface texture has led to the evaluation of ion-beam sputtering as a potentially useful surface roughening technique. Ion sources, similar to electron-bombardment ion thrusters designed for propulsive applications, are used to roughen the surfaces of various biocompatible alloys or polymer materials. These materials are typically used for dental implants, orthopedic prostheses, vascular prostheses, and artificial heart components. Masking techniques and resulting surface textures are described along with progress concerning evaluation of the biological response to the ion-beam-sputtered surfaces.

Investigation of the refractive index repeatability for tantalum pentoxide coatings, prepared by physical vapor film deposition techniques.

PubMed

Stenzel, O; Wilbrandt, S; Wolf, J; Schürmann, M; Kaiser, N; Ristau, D; Ehlers, H; Carstens, F; Schippel, S; Mechold, L; Rauhut, R; Kennedy, M; Bischoff, M; Nowitzki, T; Zöller, A; Hagedorn, H; Reus, H; Hegemann, T; Starke, K; Harhausen, J; Foest, R; Schumacher, J

2017-02-01

Random effects in the repeatability of refractive index and absorption edge position of tantalum pentoxide layers prepared by plasma-ion-assisted electron-beam evaporation, ion beam sputtering, and magnetron sputtering are investigated and quantified. Standard deviations in refractive index between 4*10^-4 and 4*10^-3 have been obtained. Here, lowest standard deviations in refractive index close to our detection threshold could be achieved by both ion beam sputtering and plasma-ion-assisted deposition. In relation to the corresponding mean values, the standard deviations in band-edge position and refractive index are of similar order.

Study of copper-free back contacts to thin film cadmium telluride solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, Vijay

The goals of this project are to study Cu free back contact alternatives for CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells, and to research dry etching for CdTe surface preparation before contact application. In addition, an attempt has been made to evaluate the stability of some of the contacts researched. The contacts studied in this work include ZnTe/Cu2Te, Sb2Te 3, and Ni-P alloys. The ZnTe/Cu2Te contact system is studied as basically an extension of the earlier work done on Cu2Te at USF. RF sputtering from a compound target of ZnTe and Cu2Te respectively deposits these layers on etched CdTe surface. The effect of Cu2Te thickness and deposition temperature on contact and cell performance will be studied with the ZnTe depositions conditions kept constant. C-V measurements to study the effect of contact deposition conditions on CdTe doping will also be performed. These contacts will then be stressed to high temperatures (70--100°C) and their stability with stress time is analyzed. Sb2Te3 will be deposited on glass using RF sputtering, to study film properties with deposition temperature. The Sb2Te 3 contact performance will also be studied as a function of the Sb 2Te3 deposition temperature and thickness. The suitability of Ni-P alloys for back contacts to CdTe solar cells was studied by forming a colloidal mixture of Ni2P in graphite paste. The Ni-P contacts, painted on Br-methanol etched CdTe surface, will be studied as a function of Ni-P concentration (in the graphite paste), annealing temperature and time. Some of these cells will undergo temperature stress testing to determine contact behavior with time. Dry etching of CdTe will be studied as an alternative for wet etching processes currently used for CdTe solar cells. The CdTe surface is isotropically etched in a barrel reactor in N2, Ar or Ar:O 2 ambient. The effect of etching ambient, pressure, plasma power and etch time on contact performance will be studied.

Microfabrication of high performance optical diaphragm by plasma ion beam etching technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mestreau, Agnes; Bernardet, Henri; Dancoing, Guy; Godechot, Xavier; Pezant, Christian; Stenger, Vincent; Cousin, Bernard; Etcheto, Pierre; Otrio, Georges

2018-04-01

This paper, "Microfabrication of high performance optical diaphragm by plasma ion beam etching technology," was presented as part of International Conference on Space Optics—ICSO 1997, held in Toulouse, France.

Influence of ion source configuration and its operation parameters on the target sputtering and implantation process.

PubMed

Shalnov, K V; Kukhta, V R; Uemura, K; Ito, Y

2012-06-01

In the work, investigation of the features and operation regimes of sputter enhanced ion-plasma source are presented. The source is based on the target sputtering with the dense plasma formed in the crossed electric and magnetic fields. It allows operation with noble or reactive gases at low pressure discharge regimes, and, the resulting ion beam is the mixture of ions from the working gas and sputtering target. Any conductive material, such as metals, alloys, or compounds, can be used as the sputtering target. Effectiveness of target sputtering process with the plasma was investigated dependently on the gun geometry, plasma parameters, and the target bias voltage. With the applied accelerating voltage from 0 to 20 kV, the source can be operated in regimes of thin film deposition, ion-beam mixing, and ion implantation. Multi-component ion beam implantation was applied to α-Fe, which leads to the surface hardness increasing from 2 GPa in the initial condition up to 3.5 GPa in case of combined N(2)-C implantation. Projected range of the implanted elements is up to 20 nm with the implantation energy 20 keV that was obtained with XPS depth profiling.

Fabrication of a terahertz quantum-cascade laser with a double metal waveguide based on multilayer GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khabibullin, R. A., E-mail: khabibullin@isvch.ru; Shchavruk, N. V.; Pavlov, A. Yu.

2016-10-15

The Postgrowth processing of GaAs/AlGaAs multilayer heterostructures for terahertz quantumcascade lasers (QCLs) are studied. This procedure includes the thermocompression bonding of In–Au multilayer heterostructures with a doped n{sup +}-GaAs substrate, mechanical grinding, and selective wet etching of the substrate, and dry etching of QCL ridge mesastripes through a Ti/Au metallization mask 50 and 100 μm wide. Reactive-ion-etching modes with an inductively coupled plasma source in a BCl{sub 3}/Ar gas mixture are selected to obtain vertical walls of the QCL ridge mesastripes with minimum Ti/Au mask sputtering.

Evaluation of left ventricular assist device pump bladders cast from ion-sputtered polytetrafluorethylene mandrels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A highly thromboresistant blood contacting interface for use in implanatable blood pump is investigated. Biomaterials mechanics, dynamics, durability, surface morphology, and chemistry are among the critical consideration pertinent to the choice of an appropriate blood pump bladder material. The use of transfer cast biopolymers from ion beam textured surfaces is investigated to detect subtle variations in blood pump surface morphology using Biomer as the biomaterial of choice. The efficacy of ion beam sputtering as an acceptable method of fabricating textured blood interfaces is evaluated. Aortic grafts and left ventricular assist devices were implanted in claves; the blood interfaces were fabricated by transfer casting methods from ion beam textured polytetrafluorethylene mandrels. The mandrels were textured by superimposing a 15 micron screen mesh; ion sputtering conditions were 300 volts beam energy, 40 to 50 mA beam, and a mandrel to source distance of 25 microns.

Design and Fabrication of the Second-Generation KID-Based Light Detectors of CALDER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colantoni, I.; Cardani, L.; Casali, N.; Cruciani, A.; Bellini, F.; Castellano, M. G.; Cosmelli, C.; D'Addabbo, A.; Di Domizio, S.; Martinez, M.; Tomei, C.; Vignati, M.

2018-04-01

The goal of the cryogenic wide-area light detectors with excellent resolution project is the development of light detectors with large active area and noise energy resolution smaller than 20 eV RMS using phonon-mediated kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs). The detectors are developed to improve the background suppression in large-mass bolometric experiments such as CUORE, via the double readout of the light and the heat released by particles interacting in the bolometers. In this work we present the fabrication process, starting from the silicon wafer arriving to the single chip. In the first part of the project, we designed and fabricated KID detectors using aluminum. Detectors are designed by means of state-of-the-art software for electromagnetic analysis (SONNET). The Al thin films (40 nm) are evaporated on high-quality, high-resistivity (> 10 kΩ cm) Si(100) substrates using an electron beam evaporator in a HV chamber. Detectors are patterned in direct-write mode, using electron beam lithography (EBL), positive tone resist poly-methyl methacrylate and lift-off process. Finally, the chip is diced into 20 × 20 mm2 chips and assembled in a holder OFHC (oxygen-free high conductivity) copper using PTFE support. To increase the energy resolution of our detectors, we are changing the superconductor to sub-stoichiometric TiN (TiN x ) deposited by means of DC magnetron sputtering. We are optimizing its deposition by means of DC magnetron reactive sputtering. For this kind of material, the fabrication process is subtractive and consists of EBL patterning through negative tone resist AR-N 7700 and deep reactive ion etching. Critical temperature of TiN x samples was measured in a dedicated cryostat.

Comparative analysis of electrophysical properties of ceramic tantalum pentoxide coatings, deposited by electron beam evaporation and magnetron sputtering methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donkov, N.; Mateev, E.; Safonov, V.; Zykova, A.; Yakovin, S.; Kolesnikov, D.; Sudzhanskaya, I.; Goncharov, I.; Georgieva, V.

2014-12-01

Ta2O5 ceramic coatings have been deposited on glass substrates by e-beam evaporation and magnetron sputtering methods. For the magnetron sputtering process Ta target was used. X-ray diffraction measurements show that these coatings are amorphous. XPS survey spectra of the ceramic Ta2O5 coatings were obtained. All spectra consist of well-defined XPS lines of Ta 4f, 4d, 4p and 4s; O 1s; C 1s. Ta 4f doublets are typical for Ta2O5 coatings with two main peaks. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images of the e-beam evaporated and magnetron sputtered Ta2O5 ceramic coatings have revealed a relatively flat surface with no cracks. The dielectric properties of the tantalum pentoxide coatings have been investigated in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz. The electrical behaviour of e-beam evaporated and magnetron sputtered Ta2O5 ceramic coatings have also been compared. The deposition process conditions principally effect the structure parameters and electrical properties of Ta2O5 ceramic coatings. The coatings deposited by different methods demonstrate the range of dielectric parameters due to the structural and stoichiometric composition changes

Effect of nitrogen-containing plasma on adherence, friction, and wear of radiofrequency-sputtered titanium carbide coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brainard, W. A.; Wheeler, D. R.

1979-01-01

Friction and wear experiments on 440C steel surfaces that were rf sputtered with titanium carbide when a small percentage of nitrogen was added to the plasma were conducted. Both X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to analyze the resultant coatings. Results indicate that the small partial pressure of nitrogen (approximately 0.5 percent) markedly improves the adherence, friction, and wear properties when compared with coatings applied to sputter-etched surfaces, oxidized surfaces, or in the presence of a small oxygen partial pressure. The improvements are related to the formation of an interface containing a mixture of the nitrides of titanium and iron, which are harder than their corresponding oxides.

High-performance etching of multilevel phase-type Fresnel zone plates with large apertures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Chengli; Zhang, Zhiyu; Xue, Donglin; Li, Longxiang; Wang, Ruoqiu; Zhou, Xiaoguang; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Xuejun

2018-01-01

To ensure the etching depth uniformity of large-aperture Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) with controllable depths, a combination of a point source ion beam with a dwell-time algorithm has been proposed. According to the obtained distribution of the removal function, the latter can be used to optimize the etching time matrix by minimizing the root-mean-square error between the simulation results and the design value. Owing to the convolution operation in the utilized algorithm, the etching depth error is insensitive to the etching rate fluctuations of the ion beam, thereby reducing the requirement for the etching stability of the ion system. As a result, a 4-level FZP with a circular aperture of 300 mm was fabricated. The obtained results showed that the etching depth uniformity of the full aperture could be reduced to below 1%, which was sufficiently accurate for meeting the use requirements of FZPs. The proposed etching method may serve as an alternative way of etching high-precision diffractive optical elements with large apertures.

Repair of high performance multilayer coatings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaines, D.P.; Ceglio, N.M.; Vernon, S.P.

1991-07-01

Fabrication and environmental damage issues may require that the multilayer x-ray reflection coatings used in soft x-ray projection lithography be replaced or repaired. Two repair strategies were investigated. The first was to overcoat defective multilayers with a new multilayer. The feasibility of this approach was demonstrated by depositing high reflectivity (61% at 130 {Angstrom}) molybdenum silicon (Mo/Si) multilayers onto fused silica figured optics that had already been coated with a Mo/Si multilayer. Because some types of damage mechanisms and fabrication errors are not repairable by this method, a second method of repair was investigated. The multilayer was stripped from themore » optical substrate by etching a release layer which was deposited onto the substrate beneath the multilayer. The release layer consisted of a 1000 {Angstrom} aluminum film deposited by ion beam sputtering or by electron beam evaporation, with a 300 {Angstrom} SiO{sub 2} protective overcoat. The substrates were superpolished zerodur optical flats. The normal incidence x-ray reflectivity of multilayers deposited on these aluminized substrates was degraded, presumably due to the roughness of the aluminum films. Multilayers, and the underlying release layers, have been removed without damaging the substrates.« less

Method for anisotropic etching in the manufacture of semiconductor devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koontz, Steven L. (Inventor); Cross, Jon B. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Hydrocarbon polymer coatings used in microelectronic manufacturing processes are anisotropically etched by hyperthermal atomic oxygen beams (translational energies of 0.2 to 20 eV, preferably 1 to 10 eV). Etching with hyperthermal oxygen atom species obtains highly anisotropic etching with sharp boundaries between etched and mask protected areas.

Method for anisotropic etching in the manufacture of semiconductor devices

DOEpatents

Koontz, Steven L.; Cross, Jon B.

1993-01-01

Hydrocarbon polymer coatings used in microelectronic manufacturing processes are anisotropically etched by atomic oxygen beams (translational energies of 0.2-20 eV, preferably 1-10 eV). Etching with hyperthermal (kinetic energy>1 eV) oxygen atom species obtains highly anisotropic etching with sharp boundaries between etched and mask-protected areas.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yin Yunpeng; Sawin, Herbert H.

The impact of etching kinetics and etching chemistries on surface roughening was investigated by etching thermal silicon dioxide and low-k dielectric coral materials in C{sub 4}F{sub 8}/Ar plasma beams in an inductive coupled plasma beam reactor. The etching kinetics, especially the angular etching yield curves, were measured by changing the plasma pressure and the feed gas composition which influence the effective neutral-to-ion flux ratio during etching. At low neutral-to-ion flux ratios, the angular etching yield curves are sputteringlike, with a peak around 60 deg. -70 deg. off-normal angles; the surface at grazing ion incidence angles becomes roughened due to ionmore » scattering related ion-channeling effects. At high neutral-to-ion flux ratios, ion enhanced etching dominates and surface roughening at grazing angles is mainly caused by the local fluorocarbon deposition induced micromasking mechanism. Interestingly, the etched surfaces at grazing angles remain smooth for both films at intermediate neutral-to-ion flux ratio regime. Furthermore, the oxygen addition broadens the region over which the etching without roughening can be performed.« less

Wavelength-scale Microlasers based on VCSEL-Photonic Crystal Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-20

molecular beam epitaxy , MBE). We will also assume the triangular lattice of air...Abbreviations, and Acronyms InP: indium phosphide InGaAsP: indium gallium arsenide phosphide MBE: molecular beam epiitaxy VCSEL : vertical cavity...substrates and were grown by MBE. Electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching was used to deep‐etch the holes of the PhC‐ VCSELS ,

Ion beam microtexturing and enhanced surface diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, R. S.

1982-01-01

Ion beam interactions with solid surfaces are discussed with particular emphasis on microtexturing induced by the deliberate deposition of controllable amounts of an impurity material onto a solid surface while simultaneously sputtering the surface with an ion beam. Experimental study of the optical properties of microtextured surfaces is described. Measurements of both absorptance as a function of wavelength and emissivity are presented. A computer code is described that models the sputtering and ion reflection processes involved in microtexture formation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Chen; Metzler, Dominik; Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu

Angstrom-level plasma etching precision is required for semiconductor manufacturing of sub-10 nm critical dimension features. Atomic layer etching (ALE), achieved by a series of self-limited cycles, can precisely control etching depths by limiting the amount of chemical reactant available at the surface. Recently, SiO{sub 2} ALE has been achieved by deposition of a thin (several Angstroms) reactive fluorocarbon (FC) layer on the material surface using controlled FC precursor flow and subsequent low energy Ar{sup +} ion bombardment in a cyclic fashion. Low energy ion bombardment is used to remove the FC layer along with a limited amount of SiO{sub 2} frommore » the surface. In the present article, the authors describe controlled etching of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and SiO{sub 2} layers of one to several Angstroms using this cyclic ALE approach. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} etching and etching selectivity of SiO{sub 2} over Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were studied and evaluated with regard to the dependence on maximum ion energy, etching step length (ESL), FC surface coverage, and precursor selection. Surface chemistries of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after vacuum transfer at each stage of the ALE process. Since Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} has a lower physical sputtering energy threshold than SiO{sub 2}, Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} physical sputtering can take place after removal of chemical etchant at the end of each cycle for relatively high ion energies. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} to SiO{sub 2} ALE etching selectivity was observed for these FC depleted conditions. By optimization of the ALE process parameters, e.g., low ion energies, short ESLs, and/or high FC film deposition per cycle, highly selective SiO{sub 2} to Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} etching can be achieved for FC accumulation conditions, where FC can be selectively accumulated on Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} surfaces. This highly selective etching is explained by a lower carbon consumption of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} as compared to SiO{sub 2}. The comparison of C{sub 4}F{sub 8} and CHF{sub 3} only showed a difference in etching selectivity for FC depleted conditions. For FC accumulation conditions, precursor chemistry has a weak impact on etching selectivity. Surface chemistry analysis shows that surface fluorination and FC reduction take place during a single ALE cycle for FC depleted conditions. A fluorine rich carbon layer was observed on the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} surface after ALE processes for which FC accumulation takes place. The angle resolved-XPS thickness calculations confirmed the results of the ellipsometry measurements in all cases.« less

Homogeneous alignment of nematic liquid crystals by ion beam etched surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, E. G.; Mahmood, R.; Johnson, D. L.

1979-01-01

A wide range of ion beam etch parameters capable of producing uniform homogeneous alignment of nematic liquid crystals on SiO2 films are discussed. The alignment surfaces were generated by obliquely incident (angles of 5 to 25 deg) argon ions with energies in the range of 0.5 to 2.0 KeV, ion current densities of 0.1 to 0.6 mA sq cm and etch times of 1 to 9 min. A smaller range of ion beam parameters (2.0 KeV, 0.2 mA sq cm, 5 to 10 deg and 1 to 5 min.) were also investigated with ZrO2 films and found suitable for homogeneous alignment. Extinction ratios were very high (1000), twist angles were small ( or = 3 deg) and tilt-bias angles very small ( or = 1 deg). Preliminary scanning electron microscopy results indicate a parallel oriented surface structure on the ion beam etched surfaces which may determine alignment.

Additive patterning of ion-beam-sputtered non-conformal Ni80Fe20 and Co70Fe30 magnetic films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redondo, C.; Moralejo, S.; Castaño, F.; Lee, W.; Nielsch, K.; Ross, C. A.; Castaño, F. J.

2006-04-01

Additive patterning processes of magnetic films grown using an ion-beam sputter (IBS) system designed to produce non-conformal films are described. The effects of the ion-gun beam current and Ar pressure on the sputtering rates and roughness of Ni80Fe20 and Co70Fe30 magnetic thin films are investigated using atomic-force microscopy (AFM) and the films' magnetic properties are measured using spatially resolved magneto-optical magnetometry. By tailoring the plasma solid angle, non-conformal film growth allows for simple additive patterning down to lateral dimensions ranging from a few microns to the deep-submicron regime, using templates defined by photolithography or electron-beam lithography, and shadow masks created using templated self-assembly. The magnetization reversal exhibited by patterned sub-200 nm nanodisc arrays with different lateral edge-roughness will be discussed.

Reference binding energies of transition metal carbides by core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy free from Ar+ etching artefacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greczynski, G.; Primetzhofer, D.; Hultman, L.

2018-04-01

We report x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) core level binding energies (BE's) for the widely-applicable groups IVb-VIb transition metal carbides (TMCs) TiC, VC, CrC, ZrC, NbC, MoC, HfC, TaC, and WC. Thin film samples are grown in the same deposition system, by dc magnetron co-sputtering from graphite and respective elemental metal targets in Ar atmosphere. To remove surface contaminations resulting from exposure to air during sample transfer from the growth chamber into the XPS system, layers are either (i) Ar+ ion-etched or (ii) UHV-annealed in situ prior to XPS analyses. High resolution XPS spectra reveal that even gentle etching affects the shape of core level signals, as well as BE values, which are systematically offset by 0.2-0.5 eV towards lower BE. These destructive effects of Ar+ ion etch become more pronounced with increasing the metal atom mass due to an increasing carbon-to-metal sputter yield ratio. Systematic analysis reveals that for each row in the periodic table (3d, 4d, and 5d) C 1s BE increases from left to right indicative of a decreased charge transfer from TM to C atoms, hence bond weakening. Moreover, C 1s BE decreases linearly with increasing carbide/metal melting point ratio. Spectra reported here, acquired from a consistent set of samples in the same instrument, should serve as a reference for true deconvolution of complex XPS cases, including multinary carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides.

Ion beam sputter target and method of manufacture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higdon, Clifton; Elmoursi, Alaa A.; Goldsmith, Jason

A target for use in an ion beam sputtering apparatus made of at least two target tiles where at least two of the target tiles are made of different chemical compositions and are mounted on a main tile and geometrically arranged on the main tile to yield a desired chemical composition on a sputtered substrate. In an alternate embodiment, the tiles are of varied thickness according to the desired chemical properties of the sputtered film. In yet another alternate embodiment, the target is comprised of plugs pressed in a green state which are disposed in cavities formed in a mainmore » tile also formed in a green state and the assembly can then be compacted and then sintered.« less

Dry etching of chrome for photomasks for 100-nm technology using chemically amplified resist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Mark; Komarov, Serguie; Baik, Ki-Ho

2002-07-01

Photo mask etching for the 100nm technology node places new requirements on dry etching processes. As the minimum-size features on the mask, such as assist bars and optical proximity correction (OPC) patterns, shrink down to 100nm, it is necessary to produce etch CD biases of below 20nm in order to reproduce minimum resist features into chrome with good pattern fidelity. In addition, vertical profiles are necessary. In previous generations of photomask technology, footing and sidewall profile slope were tolerated, since this dry etch profile was an improvement from wet etching. However, as feature sizes shrink, it is extremely important to select etch processes which do not generate a foot, because this will affect etch linearity and also limit the smallest etched feature size. Chemically amplified resist (CAR) from TOK is patterned with a 50keV MEBES eXara e-beam writer, allowing for patterning of small features with vertical resist profiles. This resist is developed for raster scan 50 kV e-beam systems. It has high contrast, good coating characteristics, good dry etch selectivity, and high environmental stability. Chrome etch process development has been performed using Design of Experiments to optimize parameters such as sidewall profile, etch CD bias, etch CD linearity for varying sizes of line/space patterns, etch CD linearity for varying sizes of isolated lines and spaces, loading effects, and application to contact etching.

Technical use of compact micro-onde devicesa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sortais, P.; Lamy, T.; Médard, J.; Angot, J.; Sudraud, P.; Salord, O.; Homri, S.

2012-02-01

Due to the very small size of a COMIC (Compact MIcrowave and Coaxial) device [P. Sortais, T. Lamy, J. Médard, J. Angot, L. Latrasse, and T. Thuillier, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 02B31 (2010), 10.1063/1.3272878] it is possible to install such plasma or ion source inside very different technical environments. New applications of such a device are presented, mainly for industrial applications. We have now designed ion sources for highly focused ion beam devices, ion beam machining ion guns, or thin film deposition machines. We will mainly present new capabilities opened by the use of a multi-beam system for thin film deposition based on sputtering by medium energy ion beams. With the new concept of multi-beam sputtering (MBS), it is possible to open new possibilities concerning the ion beam sputtering (IBS) technology, especially for large size deposition of high uniformity thin films. By the use of multi-spots of evaporation, each one corresponding to an independent tuning of an individual COMIC ion source, it will be very easy to co-evaporate different components.

Effects of crystallographic and geometric orientation on ion beam sputtering of gold nanorods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hinks, J. A.; Hibberd, F.; Hattar, K.

Nanostructures may be exposed to irradiation during their manufacture, their engineering and whilst in-service. The consequences of such bombardment can be vastly different from those seen in the bulk. In this paper, we combine transmission electron microscopy with in situ ion irradiation with complementary computer modelling techniques to explore the physics governing the effects of 1.7 MeV Au ions on gold nanorods. Phenomena surrounding the sputtering and associated morphological changes caused by the ion irradiation have been explored. In both the experiments and the simulations, large variations in the sputter yields from individual nanorods were observed. These sputter yields havemore » been shown to correlate with the strength of channelling directions close to the direction in which the ion beam was incident. Finally, craters decorated by ejecta blankets were found to form due to cluster emission thus explaining the high sputter yields.« less

Effects of crystallographic and geometric orientation on ion beam sputtering of gold nanorods

DOE PAGES

Hinks, J. A.; Hibberd, F.; Hattar, K.; ...

2018-01-11

Nanostructures may be exposed to irradiation during their manufacture, their engineering and whilst in-service. The consequences of such bombardment can be vastly different from those seen in the bulk. In this paper, we combine transmission electron microscopy with in situ ion irradiation with complementary computer modelling techniques to explore the physics governing the effects of 1.7 MeV Au ions on gold nanorods. Phenomena surrounding the sputtering and associated morphological changes caused by the ion irradiation have been explored. In both the experiments and the simulations, large variations in the sputter yields from individual nanorods were observed. These sputter yields havemore » been shown to correlate with the strength of channelling directions close to the direction in which the ion beam was incident. Finally, craters decorated by ejecta blankets were found to form due to cluster emission thus explaining the high sputter yields.« less

Nanopatterning of swinging substrates by ion-beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, Sun Mi; Kim, J.-S., E-mail: jskim@sm.ac.kr

Graphite substrates are azimuthally swung during ion-beam sputtering (IBS) at a polar angle θ = 78° from the surface normal. The swinging of the substrate not only causes quasi-two-dimensional mass transport but also makes various sputter effects from the different incident angles to work together. Through variation of the swing angle, both the transport and sputtering effects synergistically produce a series of salient patterns, such as asymmetric wall-like structures, which can grow to several tens of nanometers and exhibit a re-entrant orientational change with the increased swing angle. Thus, the present work demonstrates that dynamic variables such as the swing angle, whichmore » have been little utilized, offer an additional parameter space that can be exploited to diversify the sputtered patterns, thereby expanding the applicability of an IBS as well as the comprehension of the IBS nano patterning mechanism.« less

Bulk vertical micromachining of single-crystal sapphire using inductively coupled plasma etching for x-ray resonant cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, P.-C.; Lin, P.-T.; Mikolas, D. G.; Tsai, Y.-W.; Wang, Y.-L.; Fu, C.-C.; Chang, S.-L.

2015-01-01

To provide coherent x-ray sources for probing the dynamic structures of solid or liquid biological substances on the picosecond timescale, a high-aspect-ratio x-ray resonator cavity etched from a single crystal substrate with a nearly vertical sidewall structure is required. Although high-aspect-ratio resonator cavities have been produced in silicon, they suffer from unwanted multiple beam effects. However, this problem can be avoided by using the reduced symmetry of single-crystal sapphire in which x-ray cavities may produce a highly monochromatic transmitted x-ray beam. In this study, we performed nominal 100 µm deep etching and vertical sidewall profiles in single crystal sapphire using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching. The large depth is required to intercept a useful fraction of a stopped-down x-ray beam, as well as for beam clearance. An electroplated Ni hard mask was patterned using KMPR 1050 photoresist and contact lithography. The quality and performance of the x-ray cavity depended upon the uniformity of the cavity gap and therefore verticality of the fabricated vertical sidewall. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such deep, vertical etching of single-crystal sapphire. A gas mixture of Cl2/BCl3/Ar was used to etch the sapphire with process variables including BCl3 flow ratio and bias power. By etching for 540 min under optimal conditions, we obtained an x-ray resonant cavity with a depth of 95 µm, width of ~30 µm, gap of ~115 µm and sidewall profile internal angle of 89.5°. The results show that the etching parameters affected the quality of the vertical sidewall, which is essential for good x-ray resonant cavities.

Effect of helium ion beam treatment on wet etching of silicon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrov, Yu. V.; Grigoryev, E. A.; Sharov, T. V.; Baraban, A. P.

2018-03-01

We investigated the effect of helium ion beam treatment on the etching rate of silicon dioxide in a water based solution of hydrofluoric acid. A 460-nm-thick silicon dioxide film on silicon was irradiated with helium ions having energies of 20 keV and 30 keV with ion fluences ranging from 1014 cm-2 to 1017 cm-2. The dependence of the etching rate on depth was obtained and compared with the depth distribution of ion-induced defects, which was obtained from numerical simulation. Irradiation with helium ions results in an increase of the etching rate of silicon dioxide. The dependence of the etching rate on the calculated concentration of ion-induced defects is described.

Dual beam organic depth profiling using large argon cluster ion beams

PubMed Central

Holzweber, M; Shard, AG; Jungnickel, H; Luch, A; Unger, WES

2014-01-01

Argon cluster sputtering of an organic multilayer reference material consisting of two organic components, 4,4′-bis[N-(1-naphthyl-1-)-N-phenyl- amino]-biphenyl (NPB) and aluminium tris-(8-hydroxyquinolate) (Alq3), materials commonly used in organic light-emitting diodes industry, was carried out using time-of-flight SIMS in dual beam mode. The sample used in this study consists of a ∽400-nm-thick NPB matrix with 3-nm marker layers of Alq3 at depth of ∽50, 100, 200 and 300 nm. Argon cluster sputtering provides a constant sputter yield throughout the depth profiles, and the sputter yield volumes and depth resolution are presented for Ar-cluster sizes of 630, 820, 1000, 1250 and 1660 atoms at a kinetic energy of 2.5 keV. The effect of cluster size in this material and over this range is shown to be negligible. © 2014 The Authors. Surface and Interface Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:25892830

Optical monitoring of ion beam Y-Ba-Cu-O sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, J. D.; Yen, A.

1990-11-01

The emission spectra resulting from ion beam sputtering a Y-Ba-Cu-O target were observed as a function of beam voltage and beam current. The spectra were relatively clean with several peaks readily attributed to each of Y, Ba, and Ar. Monitoring of copper and oxygen was more difficult with a single CuO peak and one O peak evident. The intensities of the cation peaks were linear with respect to beam voltage above 400 V. Since target current was found not to be directly proportional to beam current, target power was defined as the product of beam voltage and target current. The response of cation peak height to changes in target power was linear and similar for variations of either beam voltage or target current.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yang; Liu, Xiao Wei; Zhang, Hai Feng, E-mail: wy3121685@163.com

In this work, we present a method of fabricating super-hydrophobic surface on aluminum alloy substrate. The etching of aluminum surfaces has been performed using Beck's dislocation etchant for different time to create micrometer-sized irregular steps. An optimised etching time of 50 s is found to be essential before polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating, to obtain a highest water contact angle of 165±2° with a lowest contact angle hysteresis as low as 5±2°. The presence of patterned microstructure as revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with the low surface energy ultrathin RF-sputtered PTFE films renders the aluminum alloy surfaces highly super-hydrophobic.

Growth and etching characteristics of (001) β-Ga2O3 by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oshima, Yuichi; Ahmadi, Elaheh; Kaun, Stephen; Wu, Feng; Speck, James S.

2018-01-01

We investigated the homoepitaxial growth and etching characteristics of (001) β-Ga2O3 by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The growth rate of β-Ga2O3 increased with increasing Ga-flux, reaching a clear plateau of 56 nm h-1, and then decreased at higher Ga-flux. The growth rate decreased from 56 to 42 nm h-1 when the substrate temperature was increased from 750 °C to 800 °C. The growth rate was negative (net etching) when only Ga-flux was supplied. The etching rate proportionally increased with increasing the Ga-flux, reaching 84 nm h-1. The etching was enhanced at higher temperatures. It was found that Ga-etching of (001) β-Ga2O3 substrates prior to the homoepitaxial growth markedly improved the surface roughness of the film.

Systematic investigations of low energy Ar ion beam sputtering of Si and Ag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feder, R.; Frost, F.; Neumann, H.; Bundesmann, C.; Rauschenbach, B.

2013-12-01

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBD) delivers some intrinsic features influencing the growing film properties, because ion properties and geometrical process conditions generate different energy and spatial distributions of the sputtered and scattered particles. Even though IBD has been used for decades, the full capabilities are not investigated systematically and specifically used yet. Therefore, a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the correlation between the properties of the ion beam, the generated secondary particles and backscattered ions and the deposited films needs to be done.A vacuum deposition chamber has been set up which allows ion beam sputtering of different targets under variation of geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, position of substrates and analytics in respect to the target) and of ion beam parameters (ion species, ion energy) to perform a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the correlation between the properties of the ion beam, the properties of the sputtered and scattered particles, and the properties of the deposited films. A set of samples was prepared and characterized with respect to selected film properties, such as thickness and surface topography. The experiments indicate a systematic influence of the deposition parameters on the film properties as hypothesized before. Because of this influence, the energy distribution of secondary particles was measured using an energy-selective mass spectrometer. Among others, experiments revealed a high-energetic maximum for backscattered primary ions, which shifts with increasing emission angle to higher energies. Experimental data are compared with Monte Carlo simulations done with the well-known Transport and Range of Ions in Matter, Sputtering version (TRIM.SP) code [J.P. Biersack, W. Eckstein, Appl. Phys. A: Mater. Sci. Process. 34 (1984) 73]. The thicknesses of the films are in good agreement with those calculated from simulated particle fluxes. For the positions of the high-energetic maxima in the energy distribution of the backscattered primary ions, a deviation between simulated and measured data was found, most likely originating in a higher energy loss under experimental conditions than considered in the simulation.

Sputtering Erosion in Ion and Plasma Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Pradosh K.

1996-01-01

Low energy sputtering of molybdenum, tantalum and boron nitride with xenon ions are being studied using secondary neutral and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SNMS/SIMS). An ultrahigh vacuum chamber was used to conduct the experiment at a base pressure of 1x10(exp -9) torr. The primary ion beam is generated by an ion gun which is capable of delivering ion currents in the range of 20 to 500 nA. The ion beam can be focused to a spot size of approximately 1 mm in diameter. The mass spectrometer is positioned 10 mm from the target and 90 deg to the primary ion beam direction. SNMS and SIMS spectra were collected at various incident angles and different ion energies. For boron nitride sputtering, the target was flooded with an electron beam to neutralize the charge buildup on the surface. In the SNMS mode, sputtering of Mo and Ta can be detected at an ion energy as low as 100 eV whereas in boron nitride the same was observed up to an energy of 300 eV. However, in the positive-SIMS mode, the sputtering of Mo was observed at 10 eV incident ion energy. The SIMS spectra obtained for boron nitride clearly identifies the two isotopes of boron as well as cluster ions such as B2(sup +) and molecular ions such as BN(sup +). From the angle versus yields measurements, it was found that the maximum SNMS yield shifts towards lower incident angles at low ion energies for all three samples.

A novel 2D silicon nano-mold fabrication technique for linear nanochannels over a 4 inch diameter substrate

PubMed Central

Yin, Zhifu; Qi, Liping; Zou, Helin; Sun, Lei

2016-01-01

A novel low-cost 2D silicon nano-mold fabrication technique was developed based on Cu inclined-deposition and Ar+ (argon ion) etching. With this technique, sub-100 nm 2D (two dimensional) nano-channels can be etched economically over the whole area of a 4 inch n-type <100> silicon wafer. The fabricating process consists of only 4 steps, UV (Ultraviolet) lithography, inclined Cu deposition, Ar+ sputter etching, and photoresist & Cu removing. During this nano-mold fabrication process, we investigated the influence of the deposition angle on the width of the nano-channels and the effect of Ar+ etching time on their depth. Post-etching measurements showed the accuracy of the nanochannels over the whole area: the variation in width is 10%, in depth it is 11%. However, post-etching measurements also showed the accuracy of the nanochannels between chips: the variation in width is 2%, in depth it is 5%. With this newly developed technology, low-cost and large scale 2D nano-molds can be fabricated, which allows commercial manufacturing of nano-components over large areas. PMID:26752559

Low-damage high-throughput grazing-angle sputter deposition on graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, C.-T.; Casu, E. A.; Gajek, M.; Raoux, S.

2013-07-01

Despite the prevalence of sputter deposition in the microelectronics industry, it has seen very limited applications for graphene electronics. In this letter, we report systematic investigation of the sputtering induced damages in graphene and identify the energetic sputtering gas neutrals as the primary cause of graphene disorder. We further demonstrate a grazing-incidence sputtering configuration that strongly suppresses fast neutral bombardment and retains graphene structure integrity, creating considerably lower damage than electron-beam evaporation. Such sputtering technique yields fully covered, smooth thin dielectric films, highlighting its potential for contact metals, gate oxides, and tunnel barriers fabrication in graphene device applications.

Etch Profile Simulation Using Level Set Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwang, Helen H.; Meyyappan, Meyya; Arnold, James O. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Etching and deposition of materials are critical steps in semiconductor processing for device manufacturing. Both etching and deposition may have isotropic and anisotropic components, due to directional sputtering and redeposition of materials, for example. Previous attempts at modeling profile evolution have used so-called "string theory" to simulate the moving solid-gas interface between the semiconductor and the plasma. One complication of this method is that extensive de-looping schemes are required at the profile corners. We will present a 2D profile evolution simulation using level set theory to model the surface. (1) By embedding the location of the interface in a field variable, the need for de-looping schemes is eliminated and profile corners are more accurately modeled. This level set profile evolution model will calculate both isotropic and anisotropic etch and deposition rates of a substrate in low pressure (10s mTorr) plasmas, considering the incident ion energy angular distribution functions and neutral fluxes. We will present etching profiles of Si substrates in Ar/Cl2 discharges for various incident ion energies and trench geometries.

Etching of Silicon in HBr Plasmas for High Aspect Ratio Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwang, Helen H.; Meyyappan, M.; Mathad, G. S.; Ranade, R.

2002-01-01

Etching in semiconductor processing typically involves using halides because of the relatively fast rates. Bromine containing plasmas can generate high aspect ratio trenches, desirable for DRAM and MEMS applications, with relatively straight sidewalk We present scanning electron microscope images for silicon-etched trenches in a HBr plasma. Using a feature profile simulation, we show that the removal yield parameter, or number of neutrals removed per incident ion due to all processes (sputtering, spontaneous desorption, etc.), dictates the profile shape. We find that the profile becomes pinched off when the removal yield is a constant, with a maximum aspect ratio (AR) of about 5 to 1 (depth to height). When the removal yield decreases with increasing ion angle, the etch rate increases at the comers and the trench bottom broadens. The profiles have ARs of over 9:1 for yields that vary with ion angle. To match the experimentally observed etched time of 250 s for an AR of 9:1 with a trench width of 0.135 microns, we find that the neutral flux must be 3.336 x 10(exp 17)sq cm/s.

Comparative study of resist stabilization techniques for metal etch processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Gerry; Ross, Matthew F.; Wong, Selmer S.; Minter, Jason P.; Marlowe, Trey; Livesay, William R.

1999-06-01

This study investigates resist stabilization techniques as they are applied to a metal etch application. The techniques that are compared are conventional deep-UV/thermal stabilization, or UV bake, and electron beam stabilization. The electron beam tool use din this study, an ElectronCure system from AlliedSignal Inc., ELectron Vision Group, utilizes a flood electron source and a non-thermal process. These stabilization techniques are compared with respect to a metal etch process. In this study, two types of resist are considered for stabilization and etch: a g/i-line resist, Shipley SPR-3012, and an advanced i-line, Shipley SPR 955- Cm. For each of these resist the effects of stabilization on resist features are evaluated by post-stabilization SEM analysis. Etch selectivity in all cases is evaluated by using a timed metal etch, and measuring resists remaining relative to total metal thickness etched. Etch selectivity is presented as a function of stabilization condition. Analyses of the effects of the type of stabilization on this method of selectivity measurement are also presented. SEM analysis was also performed on the features after a compete etch process, and is detailed as a function of stabilization condition. Post-etch cleaning is also an important factor impacted by pre-etch resist stabilization. Results of post- etch cleaning are presented for both stabilization methods. SEM inspection is also detailed for the metal features after resist removal processing.

Molecular dynamics simulations of plasma-surface interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vegh, Joseph James

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are carried out to examine the fundamental mechanisms of plasma-surface interactions for various systems of interest to the semiconductor industry. These include ion and radical bombardment simulations of silicon, model low-k dielectric materials, and hydrocarbon (HC) based model photoresist materials. Simulations of fluorocarbon (FC), fluorine, and argon ion etching of silicon are conducted to find conditions under which the steady state etch of Si in the presence of a FC surface layer occurs. By varying the FC/F/Ar + ratios over a range of conditions, a correlation between FC layer thickness and Si etch yield (EY) is obtained that agrees qualitatively with experimentally observed trends. Further examination of this system allows for a Si etch mechanism to be proposed. This mechanism is similar to that seen in previous Si etching simulations where FC films do not form. The FC layer is observed to fluctuate in thickness during steady state Si etch, as the result of competition between FC deposition and sputtering of relatively large (> 6 C atoms) FC clusters during Ar+ impacts. This cluster ejection process is seen in all of the systems studied, and the properties of these clusters (composition, size, kinetic energy, etc.) are examined and catalogued. Ar+ and H radical and ion bombardment of a methylated Si surface is simulated as a model of plasma etching of low-k dielectric materials. The mechanisms and product distributions observed for 300 K H radical bombardment agree well with experiment. The etch characteristics of Ar+ bombardment are examined as a function of ion energy, and the corresponding variations in surface structure at high ion fluence are characterized. Various HC polymer surfaces are studied under ion and radical bombardment to examine plasma species interactions with model photoresist materials. Simulations of 100 eV Ar+ bombardment of polystyrene (PS), poly(4-methylstyrene) (P4MS), and poly(alpha-methylstyrene) (PalphaMS) show that for all of these materials (which have similar chemical compositions: PS: (C8H 8)x, PalphaMS and P4MS: (C9H 10)x), a densely crosslinked, dehydrogenated damaged layer forms at high ion fluences that greatly reduces the sputter yield of the material. During the initial transient period of bombardment, PalphaMS shows sputter yields nearly twice as high as P4MS or PS; polymer structure can play a role during the early stages of etch. Both the initial and high fluence etch characteristics match those observed experimentally. Further, fluctuations from cell-to-cell are much higher for the PalphaMS simulations, which may correlate to the increased roughening observed experimentally for PalphaMS. Additional simulations are carried out to examine the effects of H and F radical addition during Ar+ bombardment of PS. Both radical species are shown to inhibit and/or reverse the formation of the dehydrogenated layer that forms during bombardment with Ar+ alone. Further studies examine the effect of inert ion mass through simulations of Ar +, Xe+, and He+ bombardment of PS, amorphous C, and nanoscale features on diamond surfaces. The differences in penetration depth, kinetic energy deposition, and scattering patterns are suggestive of the differing etch characteristics that are seen experimentally for these ions. A discussion of dangling bond formation during ion bombardment and longer time-scale dynamics is also offered. A brief review of currently available potential energy functions is presented. Selected results from MD simulations that utilize some of these potentials and are closely related to the work in this dissertation are also discussed. The difficulties of expanding potential energy functions vis-a-vis commonly used ab initio quantum chemical calculations are also addressed.

Low Cost High Performance Phased Array Antennas with Beam Steering Capabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

characteristics of BSTO, the RF vacuum sputtering technique has been used and we investigated effects of sputtering parameters such as substrate...sputtering parameters , various sets of BSTO films have been deposited on different substrates and various size of CPW phase shifters have been fabricated...measurement of phase shifter 18 4. Optimization of the sputtering parameters for BSTO deposition 19 4.1 The first BSTO film sample 20 4.2 The second BSTO

Iodine Beam Dump Design and Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, K. A.; Bradley, D. E.

2017-01-01

During the testing of electric thrusters, high-energy ions impacting the walls of a vacuum chamber can cause corrosion and/or sputtering of the wall materials, which can damage the chamber walls. The sputtering can also introduce the constituent materials of the chamber walls into an experiment, with those materials potentially migrating back to the test article and coating it with contaminants over time. The typical method employed in this situation is to install a beam dump fabricated from materials that have a lower sputter yield, thus reducing the amount of foreign material that could migrate towards the test article or deposit on anything else present in the vacuum facility.

Correlation of process parameters and properties of TiO2 films grown by ion beam sputter deposition from a ceramic target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bundesmann, Carsten; Lautenschläge, Thomas; Spemann, Daniel; Finzel, Annemarie; Mensing, Michael; Frost, Frank

2017-10-01

The correlation between process parameters and properties of TiO2 films grown by ion beam sputter deposition from a ceramic target was investigated. TiO2 films were grown under systematic variation of ion beam parameters (ion species, ion energy) and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle) and characterized with respect to film thickness, growth rate, structural properties, surface topography, composition, optical properties, and mass density. Systematic variations of film properties with the scattering geometry, namely the scattering angle, have been revealed. There are also considerable differences in film properties when changing the process gas from Ar to Xe. Similar systematics were reported for TiO2 films grown by reactive ion beam sputter deposition from a metal target [C. Bundesmann et al., Appl. Surf. Sci. 421, 331 (2017)]. However, there are some deviations from the previously reported data, for instance, in growth rate, mass density and optical properties.

Deposition and characterization of magnetron sputtered bcc tantalum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Anamika

The goal of this thesis was to provide scientific and technical research results for developing and characterizing tantalum (Ta) coatings on steel substrates deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. Deposition of tantalum on steel is of special interest for the protection it offers to surfaces, e.g. the surfaces of gun barrels against the erosive wear of hot propellant gases and the mechanical damage caused by the motion of launching projectiles. Electro-plated chromium is presently most commonly used for this purpose; however, it is considered to be carcinogenic in its hexavalent form. Tantalum is being investigated as non-toxic alternative to chromium and also because of its superior protective properties in these extreme environments. DC magnetron sputtering was chosen for this investigation of tantalum coatings on steel substrates because it is a versatile industrial proven process for deposition of metals. Sputter deposited Ta films can have two crystallographic structures: (1) body center cubic (bcc) phase, characterized by high toughness and high ductility and (2) a tetragonal beta phase characterized by brittleness and a tendency to fail under stress. It was found in this work that the bcc Ta coatings on steel can be obtained reliably by either of two methods: (1) depositing Ta on a submicron, stoichiometric TaN seed layer reactively sputtered on unheated steel and (2) depositing Ta directly on steel heated above a critical temperature. For argon sputtering gas this critical temperature was found to be 400°C at a pressure of 5 mtorr. With the heavier krypton gas, this critical temperature is reduced to 350°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the structure of tantalum and nitride films, and the composition of the nitride films was measured by nuclear reaction analyses (NRA), which were used to study in detail the enhancement of the bcc phase of Ta on steel. The scratch adhesion tests performed with a diamond hemispherical tip of radius 200 mum under increasing loads revealed high critical load values for failure (>15 N) for the bcc coatings versus the low load values (<9 N) for the beta coatings. The coating deposited on TaN interlayers on sputter-etched steel had better adhesion than those on steel surface without sputter etching. The results for this work have demonstrated that by controlling the various process parameters of do magnetron sputtering, high quality bcc Ta coatings of multi-micron thickness with excellent adhesion to steel can be made. An important contribution of this dissertation is in the enhancing an understanding of this process. The impact of this research will be in a number of fields where superior protective castings are needed. These include military applications, electronic components, chemical processing, and others.

Surface Participation Effects in Titanium Nitride and Niobium Resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dove, Allison; Kreikebaum, John Mark; Livingston, William; Delva, Remy; Qiu, Yanjie; Lolowang, Reinhard; Ramasesh, Vinay; O'Brien, Kevin; Siddiqi, Irfan

Improving the coherence time of superconducting qubits requires a precise understanding of the location and density of surface defects. Superconducting microwave resonators are commonly used for quantum state readout and are a versatile testbed to systematically characterize materials properties as a function of device geometry and fabrication method. We report on sputter deposited titanium nitride and niobium on silicon coplanar waveguide resonators patterned using reactive ion etches to define the device geometry. We discuss the impact of different growth conditions (temperature and electrical bias) and processing techniques on the internal quality factor (Q) of these devices. In particular, to investigate the effect of surface participation, we use a Bosch process to etch many-micron-deep trenches in the silicon substrate and quantify the impact of etch depth and profile on the internal Q. This research was supported by the ARO.

Facile preparation of porous alumina through-hole masks for sputtering by two-layer anodization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanagishita, Takashi; Masuda, Hideki

2016-08-01

Highly ordered porous alumina through-hole masks were fabricated on a substrate by combining two-layer anodization with subsequent through-holing by selective etching. This process allowed the fabrication of porous alumina masks without an increase in pore size during the etching performed for through-holing. Additionally, the process contributed to improved operability in the setting of the masks on substrates because the second anodizing layer acts as a supporting layer for the handling of the mask. The fabrication of ordered Au nanodot arrays was demonstrated as an example application of the through-hole masks obtained by the present process.

Effect of BST film thickness on the performance of tunable interdigital capacitors grown by MBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyers, Cedric J. G.; Freeze, Christopher R.; Stemmer, Susanne; York, Robert A.

2017-12-01

Voltage-tunable, interdigital capacitors (IDCs) were fabricated on Ba0.29Sr0.71TiO3 grown by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). In this growth technique, we utilize the metal-organic precursor titanium tetraisopropoxide rather than solid-source Ti as with conventional MBE. Two samples of varying BaxSr(1-x)TiO3 (BST) thicknesses were fabricated and analyzed. High-quality, epitaxial Pt electrodes were deposited by sputtering from a high-purity Pt target at 825 °C. The Pt electrodes were patterned and etched by argon ion milling, passivated with reactively sputtered SiO2, and then metallized with lift-off Ti/Au. The fabricated devices consisted of two-port IDCs embedded in ground-signal-ground, coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines to enable radio-frequency (RF) probing. The sample included open and thru de-embedding structures to remove pad and CPW parasitic impedances. Two-port RF scattering (S) parameters were measured from 100 MHz to 40 GHz while DC bias was stepped from 0 V to 100 V. The IDCs exhibit a high zero-bias radio-frequency (RF) quality factor (Q) approaching 200 at 1 GHz and better than 2.3:1 capacitance tuning for the 300-nm-thick sample. Differences in the Q(V) and C(V) response with varying thicknesses indicate that unknown higher order material phenomena are contributing to the loss and tuning characteristics of the material.

The Deposition of Multicomponent Films for Electrooptic Applications via a Computer Controlled Dual Ion Beam Sputtering System

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-31

AD-A252 218 The Deposition of Multicomponent Films for Electrooptic Applications via a Computer Controlled Dual Ion Beam Sputtering System ONR...6 3 2. Deposition of Electrooptic Thin Films ................................... 11 3. High Resolution Imaging of Twin and Antiphase...Domain Boundaries in Perovskite KNbO3 Thin Films .......... 30 4. Microstructural Characterization of the Epitaxial3 (111) KNbO3 on (0001) Sapphire

Radially polarized conical beam from an embedded etched fiber.

PubMed

Kalaidji, Djamel; Spajer, Michel; Marthouret, Nadège; Grosjean, Thierry

2009-06-15

We propose a method for producing a conical beam based on the lateral refraction of the TM(01) mode from a two-mode fiber after chemical etching of the cladding, and for controlling its radial polarization. The whole power of the guided mode is transferred to the refracted beam with low diffraction. Polarization control by a series of azimuthal detectors and a stress controller affords the transmission of a stabilized radial polarization through an optical fiber. A solid component usable for many applications has been obtained.

Testing and Analysis of NEXT Ion Engine Discharge Cathode Assembly Wear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Domonkos, Matthew T.; Foster, John E.; Soulas, George C.; Nakles, Michael

2003-01-01

Experimental and analytical investigations were conducted to predict the wear of the discharge cathode keeper in the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster. The ion current to the keeper was found to be highly dependent upon the beam current, and the average beam current density was nearly identical to that of the NSTAR thruster for comparable beam current density. The ion current distribution was highly peaked toward the keeper orifice. A deterministic wear assessment predicted keeper orifice erosion to the same diameter as the cathode tube after processing 375 kg of xenon. A rough estimate of discharge cathode assembly life limit due to sputtering indicated that the current design exceeds the qualification goal of 405 kg. Probabilistic wear analysis showed that the plasma potential and the sputter yield contributed most to the uncertainty in the wear assessment. It was recommended that fundamental experimental and modeling efforts focus on accurately describing the plasma potential and the sputtering yield.

Investigation of ion-beam machining methods for replicated x-ray optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drueding, Thomas W.

1996-01-01

The final figuring step in the fabrication of an optical component involves imparting a specified contour onto the surface. This can be expensive and time consuming step. The recent development of ion beam figuring provides a method for performing the figuring process with advantages over standard mechanical methods. Ion figuring has proven effective in figuring large optical components. The process of ion beam figuring removes material by transferring kinetic energy from impinging neutral particles. The process utilizes a Kaufman type ion source, where a plasma is generated in a discharge chamber by controlled electric potentials. Charged grids extract and accelerate ions from the chamber. The accelerated ions form a directional beam. A neutralizer outside the accelerator grids supplies electrons to the positive ion beam. It is necessary to neutralize the beam to prevent charging workpieces and to avoid bending the beam with extraneous electro-magnetic fields. When the directed beam strikes the workpiece, material sputters in a predicable manner. The amount and distribution of material sputtered is a function of the energy of the beam, material of the component, distance from the workpiece, and angle of incidence of the beam. The figuring method described here assumes a constant beam removal, so that the process can be represented by a convolution operation. A fixed beam energy maintains a constant sputtering rate. This temporally and spatially stable beam is held perpendicular to the workpiece at a fixed distance. For non-constant removal, corrections would be required to model the process as a convolution operation. Specific figures (contours) are achieved by rastering the beam over the workpiece at varying velocities. A unique deconvolution is performed, using series-derivative solution developed for the system, to determine these velocities.

Nanofabrication Technology for Production of Quantum Nano-Electronic Devices Integrating Niobium Electrodes and Optically Transparent Gates

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

conditions (pending input from University of California San Diego (UCSD)/Nano3). After dose testing, resist development and bake SF6 etching is done...conditions. After the resist development and bake , a 2-second descum oxygen-plasma exposure is performed followed by RF sputtering at 100 watts in argon of

Effects of polycrystallinity in nano patterning by ion-beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, Sun Mi; Kim, J.-S., E-mail: jskim@sm.ac.kr; Yoon, D.

Employing graphites with distinctly different mean grain sizes, we study the effects of polycrystallinity on the pattern formation by ion-beam sputtering. The grains influence the growth of the ripples in a highly anisotropic fashion; both the mean uninterrupted ripple length along the ridges and the surface width depend on the mean size of the grains, which is attributed to the large sputter yield at the grain boundary compared with that on the terrace. In contrast, the ripple wavelength does not depend on the mean size of the grains, indicating that the mass transport across the grain boundaries should efficiently proceedmore » by both thermal diffusion and ion-induced processes.« less

A STUDY OF DISLOCATION STRUCTURE OF SUBBOUNDARIES IN MOLYBDENUM SINGLE CRYSTALS,

DTIC Science & Technology

MOLYBDENUM, *DISLOCATIONS), GRAIN STRUCTURES(METALLURGY), SINGLE CRYSTALS, ZONE MELTING, ELECTRON BEAM MELTING, GRAIN BOUNDARIES, MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS, ETCHED CRYSTALS, ETCHING, ELECTROEROSIVE MACHINING, CHINA

Effect of etching on bonding of a self-etch adhesive to dentine affected by amelogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Epasinghe, Don Jeevanie; Yiu, Cynthia Kar Yung

2018-02-01

Dentine affected by amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is histologically altered due to loss of hypoplastic enamel and becomes hypermineralized. In the present study, we examined the effect of additional acid etching on microtensile bond strength of a self-etch adhesive to AI-affected dentine. Flat coronal dentine obtained from extracted AI-affected and non-carious permanent molars were allocated to two groups: (a) Clearfil SE Bond (control); and (b) Clearfil SE Bond and additional etching with 34% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds. The bonded teeth were sectioned into .8-mm 2 beams for microtensile bond strength testing, and stressed to failure under tension. The bond strength data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (dentine type and etching step) and Student-Newman-Keuls multiple comparison test (P<.05). Representative fractured beams from each group were examined under scanning electron microscopy. Both factors, dentine substrate (P<.001) and etching step (P<.05), and their interactions (P<.001), were statistically significant. Additional etching had an adverse effect on the bond strength of Clearfil SE Bond to normal dentine (P<.005), and no significant improvement was found for AI-affected dentine (P=.479). Additional acid etching does not improve the bond strength of a self-etch adhesive to AI-affected dentine. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Figuring of plano-elliptical neutron focusing mirror by local wet etching.

PubMed

Yamamura, Kazuya; Nagano, Mikinori; Takai, Hiroyuki; Zettsu, Nobuyuki; Yamazaki, Dai; Maruyama, Ryuji; Soyama, Kazuhiko; Shimada, Shoichi

2009-04-13

Local wet etching technique was proposed to fabricate high-performance aspherical mirrors. In this process, only the limited area facing to the small nozzle is removed by etching on objective surface. The desired objective shape is deterministically fabricated by performing the numerically controlled scanning of the nozzle head. Using the technique, a plano-elliptical mirror to focus the neutron beam was successfully fabricated with the figure accuracy of less than 0.5 microm and the focusing gain of 6. The strong and thin focused neutron beam is expected to be a useful tool for the analyses of various material properties.

Three-dimensional collimation of in-plane-propagating light using silicon micromachined mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabry, Yasser M.; Khalil, Diaa; Saadany, Bassam; Bourouina, Tarik

2014-03-01

We demonstrate light collimation of single-mode optical fibers using deeply-etched three-dimensional curved micromirror on silicon chip. The three-dimensional curvature of the mirror is controlled by a process combining deep reactive ion etching and isotropic etching of silicon. The produced surface is astigmatic with out-of-plane radius of curvature that is about one half the in-plane radius of curvature. Having a 300-μm in-plane radius and incident beam inplane inclined with an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the principal axis, the reflected beam is maintained stigmatic with about 4.25 times reduction in the beam expansion angle in free space and about 12-dB reduction in propagation losses, when received by a limited-aperture detector.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drueding, T.W.

The final figuring step in the fabrication of an optical component involves imparting a specified contour onto the surface. This can be expensive and time consuming step. The recent development of ion beam figuring provides a method for performing the figuring process with advantages over standard mechanical methods. Ion figuring has proven effective in figuring large optical components. The process of ion beam figuring removes material by transferring kinetic energy from impinging neutral particles. The process utilizes a Kaufman type ion source, where a plasma is generated in a discharge chamber by controlled electric potentials. Charged grids extract and acceleratemore » ions from the chamber. The accelerated ions form a directional beam. A neutralizer outside the accelerator grids supplies electrons to the positive ion beam. It is necessary to neutralize the beam to prevent charging workpieces and to avoid bending the beam with extraneous electro-magnetic fields. When the directed beam strikes the workpiece, material sputters in a predicable manner. The amount and distribution of material sputtered is a function of the energy of the beam, material of the component, distance from the workpiece, and angle of incidence of the beam. The figuring method described here assumes a constant beam removal, so that the process can be represented by a convolution operation. A fixed beam energy maintains a constant sputtering rate. This temporally and spatially stable beam is held perpendicular to the workpiece at a fixed distance. For non-constant removal, corrections would be required to model the process as a convolution operation. Specific figures (contours) are achieved by rastering the beam over the workpiece at varying velocities. A unique deconvolution is performed, using series-derivative solution developed for the system, to determine these velocities.« less

Light scattering apparatus and method for determining radiation exposure to plastic detectors

DOEpatents

Hermes, Robert E.

2002-01-01

An improved system and method of analyzing cumulative radiation exposure registered as pits on track etch foils of radiation dosimeters. The light scattering apparatus and method of the present invention increases the speed of analysis while it also provides the ability to analyze exposure levels beyond that which may be properly measured with conventional techniques. Dosimeters often contain small plastic sheets that register accumulated damage when exposed to a radiation source. When the plastic sheet from the dosimeter is chemically etched, a track etch foil is produced wherein pits or holes are created in the plastic. The number of these pits, or holes, per unit of area (pit density) correspond to the amount of cumulative radiation exposure which is being optically measured by the apparatus. To measure the cumulative radiation exposure of a track etch foil a high intensity collimated beam is passed through foil such that the pits and holes within the track etch foil cause a portion of the impinging light beam to become scattered upon exit. The scattered light is focused with a lens, while the primary collimated light beam (unscattered light) is blocked. The scattered light is focused by the lens onto an optical detector capable of registering the optical power of the scattered light which corresponds to the cumulative radiation to which the track etch foil has been exposed.

Laser etching of austenitic stainless steels for micro-structural evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baghra, Chetan; Kumar, Aniruddha; Sathe, D. B.; Bhatt, R. B.; Behere, P. G.; Afzal, Mohd

2015-06-01

Etching is a key step in metallography to reveal microstructure of polished specimen under an optical microscope. A conventional technique for producing micro-structural contrast is chemical etching. As an alternate, laser etching is investigated since it does not involve use of corrosive reagents and it can be carried out without any physical contact with sample. Laser induced etching technique will be beneficial especially in nuclear industry where materials, being radioactive in nature, are handled inside a glove box. In this paper, experimental results of pulsed Nd-YAG laser based etching of few austenitic stainless steels such as SS 304, SS 316 LN and SS alloy D9 which are chosen as structural material for fabrication of various components of upcoming Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam India were reported. Laser etching was done by irradiating samples using nanosecond pulsed Nd-YAG laser beam which was transported into glass paneled glove box using optics. Experiments were carried out to understand effect of laser beam parameters such as wavelength, fluence, pulse repetition rate and number of exposures required for etching of austenitic stainless steel samples. Laser etching of PFBR fuel tube and plug welded joint was also carried to evaluate base metal grain size, depth of fusion at welded joint and heat affected zone in the base metal. Experimental results demonstrated that pulsed Nd-YAG laser etching is a fast and effortless technique which can be effectively employed for non-contact remote etching of austenitic stainless steels for micro-structural evaluation.

High mobility bottom gate InGaZnO thin film transistors with SiOx etch stopper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Minkyu; Jeong, Jong Han; Lee, Hun Jung; Ahn, Tae Kyung; Shin, Hyun Soo; Park, Jin-Seong; Jeong, Jae Kyeong; Mo, Yeon-Gon; Kim, Hye Dong

2007-05-01

The authors report on the fabrication of thin film transistors (TFTs), which use an amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) channel, by rf sputtering at room temperature and for which the channel length and width are patterned by photolithography and dry etching. To prevent plasma damage to the active channel, a 100-nm-thick SiOx layer deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition was adopted as an etch stopper structure. The a-IGZO TFT (W /L=10μm/50μm) fabricated on glass exhibited a high field-effect mobility of 35.8cm2/Vs, a subthreshold gate swing value of 0.59V/decade, a thrseshold voltage of 5.9V, and an Ion/off ratio of 4.9×106, which is acceptable for use as the switching transistor of an active-matrix TFT backplane.

Material growth and characterization for solid state devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collis, Ward J.; Abul-Fadl, Ali; Iyer, Shanthi

1988-01-01

During the period of this research grant, the process of liquid phase electroepitaxy (LPEE) was used to grow ternary and quaternary alloy III-V semiconductor thin films. Selective area growth of InGaAs was performed on InP substrates using a patterned sputtered quartz or spin-on glass layer. The etch back and growth characteristics with respect to substrate orientation were investigated. The etch back behavior is somewhat different from wet chemical etching with respect to the sidewall profiles which are observed. LPEE was also employed to grow epitaxial layers of InGaAsP alloys on InP substrates. The behavior of Mn as an acceptor dopant was investigated with low temperature Hall coefficient and photoluminescence measurements. A metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy system was partially complete within the grant period. This atmospheric pressure system will be used to deposit III-V compound and alloy semiconductor layers in future research efforts.

Deterministic Nanopatterning of Diamond Using Electron Beams.

PubMed

Bishop, James; Fronzi, Marco; Elbadawi, Christopher; Nikam, Vikram; Pritchard, Joshua; Fröch, Johannes E; Duong, Ngoc My Hanh; Ford, Michael J; Aharonovich, Igor; Lobo, Charlene J; Toth, Milos

2018-03-27

Diamond is an ideal material for a broad range of current and emerging applications in tribology, quantum photonics, high-power electronics, and sensing. However, top-down processing is very challenging due to its extreme chemical and physical properties. Gas-mediated electron beam-induced etching (EBIE) has recently emerged as a minimally invasive, facile means to dry etch and pattern diamond at the nanoscale using oxidizing precursor gases such as O 2 and H 2 O. Here we explain the roles of oxygen and hydrogen in the etch process and show that oxygen gives rise to rapid, isotropic etching, while the addition of hydrogen gives rise to anisotropic etching and the formation of topographic surface patterns. We identify the etch reaction pathways and show that the anisotropy is caused by preferential passivation of specific crystal planes. The anisotropy can be controlled by the partial pressure of hydrogen and by using a remote RF plasma source to radicalize the precursor gas. It can be used to manipulate the geometries of topographic surface patterns as well as nano- and microstructures fabricated by EBIE. Our findings constitute a comprehensive explanation of the anisotropic etch process and advance present understanding of electron-surface interactions.

Dual-beam focused ion beam/electron microscopy processing and metrology of redeposition during ion-surface 3D interactions, from micromachining to self-organized picostructures.

PubMed

Moberlychan, Warren J

2009-06-03

Focused ion beam (FIB) tools have become a mainstay for processing and metrology of small structures. In order to expand the understanding of an ion impinging a surface (Sigmund sputtering theory) to our processing of small structures, the significance of 3D boundary conditions must be realized. We consider ion erosion for patterning/lithography, and optimize yields using the angle of incidence and chemical enhancement, but we find that the critical 3D parameters are aspect ratio and redeposition. We consider focused ion beam sputtering for micromachining small holes through membranes, but we find that the critical 3D considerations are implantation and redeposition. We consider ion beam self-assembly of nanostructures, but we find that control of the redeposition by ion and/or electron beams enables the growth of nanostructures and picostructures.

Diffractive optics fabricated by direct write methods with an electron beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kress, Bernard; Zaleta, David; Daschner, Walter; Urquhart, Kris; Stein, Robert; Lee, Sing H.

1993-01-01

State-of-the-art diffractive optics are fabricated using e-beam lithography and dry etching techniques to achieve multilevel phase elements with very high diffraction efficiencies. One of the major challenges encountered in fabricating diffractive optics is the small feature size (e.g. for diffractive lenses with small f-number). It is not only the e-beam system which dictates the feature size limitations, but also the alignment systems (mask aligner) and the materials (e-beam and photo resists). In order to allow diffractive optics to be used in new optoelectronic systems, it is necessary not only to fabricate elements with small feature sizes but also to do so in an economical fashion. Since price of a multilevel diffractive optical element is closely related to the e-beam writing time and the number of etching steps, we need to decrease the writing time and etching steps without affecting the quality of the element. To do this one has to utilize the full potentials of the e-beam writing system. In this paper, we will present three diffractive optics fabrication techniques which will reduce the number of process steps, the writing time, and the overall fabrication time for multilevel phase diffractive optics.

Sputtering of Metals by Mass-Analyzed N2(+) and N(+)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bader, Michel; Witteborn, Fred C.; Snouse, Thomas W.

1961-01-01

Low-energy sputtering studies were conducted with the help of a specially designed ion accelerator. A high-intensity rf ion source was developed for use in conjunction with electrostatic acceleration and magnetic mass separation of ion beams in the 0 to 8 kev energy range. Beams of N(+) or N2(+) ions have been produced with intensities of 200 to 500 micro-a (approx. 1 sq cm in cross section) and energy half-widths of about 20 ev. The sputtering yields of five metals (Cu, Ni, Fe, Mo, and W) were obtained as a function of energy (0-8 kev), bombarding ion (N(+) and N2(+)), and angle of incidence (normal and 450). Results are presented and some of their theoretical implications are discussed.

Single Etch-Pit Shape on Off-Angled 4H-SiC(0001) Si-Face Formed by Chlorine Trifluoride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatayama, Tomoaki; Tamura, Tetsuya; Yano, Hiroshi; Fuyuki, Takashi

2012-07-01

The etch pit shape of an off-angled 4H-SiC Si-face formed by chlorine trifluoride (ClF3) in nitrogen (N2) ambient has been studied. One type of etch pit with a crooked hexagonal shape was formed at an etching temperature below 500 °C. The angle of the etch pit measured from a cross-sectional atomic force microscopy image was about 10° from the [11bar 20] view. The dislocation type of the etch pit was discussed in relation to the etch pit shape and an electron-beam-induced current image.

Sputtered Thin Film Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-11-01

yield (100) oriented wafers, which were lapped and chemi-mechanically polished in sulf uric-peroxide or sodium hypochlorite etches. Prior to mounting...This material will viot oxidize, melt, or diffuse during the subsequent high temperature processing. Platinum silicide contacts are used because...formation of the platinum silicide contacts, the gate region was opened and the wafer was placed in the sput- tering chamber. The same deposition

Effect of deposition temperature on the properties of Al-doped ZnO films prepared by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering for transparent electrodes in thin-film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Doo-Soo; Park, Ji-Hyeon; Shin, Beom-Ki; Moon, Kyeong-Ju; Son, Myoungwoo; Ham, Moon-Ho; Lee, Woong; Myoung, Jae-Min

2012-10-01

A simple but scalable approach to the production of surface-textured Al-doped ZnO(AZO) films for low-cost transparent electrode applications in thin-film solar cells is introduced in this study by combining pulsed dc magnetron sputtering (PDMS) with wet etching in sequence. First, structural, electrical, and optical properties of the AZO films prepared by a PDMS were investigated as functions of deposition temperature to obtain transparent electrode films that can be used as indium-free alternative to ITO electrodes. Increase in the deposition temperature to 230 °C accompanied the improvement in crystalline quality and doping efficiency, which enabled the lowest electrical resistivity of 4.16 × 10-4 Ω cm with the carrier concentration of 1.65 × 1021 cm-3 and Hall mobility of 11.3 cm2/V s. The wet etching of the films in a diluted HCl solution resulted in surface roughening via the formation of crater-like structures without significant degradation in the electrical properties, which is responsible for the enhanced light scattering capability required for anti-reflective electrodes in thin film solar cells.

A flexible method for the preparation of thin film samples for in situ TEM characterization combining shadow-FIB milling and electron-beam-assisted etching.

PubMed

Liebig, J P; Göken, M; Richter, G; Mačković, M; Przybilla, T; Spiecker, E; Pierron, O N; Merle, B

2016-12-01

A new method for the preparation of freestanding thin film samples for mechanical testing in transmission electron microscopes is presented. It is based on a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) milling and electron-beam-assisted etching with xenon difluoride (XeF 2 ) precursor gas. The use of the FIB allows for the target preparation of microstructural defects and enables well-defined sample geometries which can be easily adapted in order to meet the requirements of various testing setups. In contrast to existing FIB-based preparation approaches, the area of interest is never exposed to ion beam irradiation which preserves a pristine microstructure. The method can be applied to a wide range of thin film material systems compatible with XeF 2 etching. Its feasibility is demonstrated for gold and alloyed copper thin films and its practical application is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical-diffraction method for determining crystal orientation

DOEpatents

Sopori, B.L.

1982-05-07

Disclosed is an optical diffraction technique for characterizing the three-dimensional orientation of a crystal sample. An arbitrary surface of the crystal sample is texture etched so as to generate a pseudo-periodic diffraction grating on the surface. A laser light beam is then directed onto the etched surface, and the reflected light forms a farfield diffraction pattern in reflection. Parameters of the diffraction pattern, such as the geometry and angular dispersion of the diffracted beam are then related to grating shape of the etched surface which is in turn related to crystal orientation. This technique may be used for examining polycrystalline silicon for use in solar cells.

Formation of nanoporous Si upon self-organized growth of Al and Si nanostructures.

PubMed

Thøgersen, Annett; Jensen, Ingvild J T; Stange, Marit; Kjeldstad, Torunn; Martinez-Martinez, Diego; Løvvik, Ole Martin; Ulyashin, Alexander G; Diplas, Spyros

2018-08-03

Nanostructured materials offer unique electronic and optical properties compared to their bulk counterparts. The challenging part of the synthesis is to create a balance between the control of design, size limitations, up-scalability and contamination. In this work we show that self-organized Al nanowires in amorphous Si can be produced at room temperature by magnetron co-sputtering using two individual targets. Nanoporous Si, containing nanotunnels with dimensions within the quantum confinement regime, were then made by selective etching of Al. The material properties, film growth, and composition of the films were investigated for different compositions. In addition, the reflectance of the etched film has been measured.

Contact Resistance and Stability Analysis of Oxide-Based Thin Film Transistors

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-19

layer (~ 50 nm) is deposited via RF magnetron sputtering from a 2 inch target (Cerac, Inc.; ZnO and IGO (1:1 molar ratio of In2O3: Ga2O3 )) at a pressure...10.2 600 ~ 50 IGO (1:1, In2O3: Ga2O3 ) 90%/10% 5 ~ 3.7 ~ 10.2 600 ~ 50 Table 4.1: Summary of process parameters for TFTs fabricated on thermal silicon...oxide and furnace annealed. Channel Material Wet Etch Etch Rate ZnO ~ 0.01 M HCl ~ 17.5 Å/s IGO (1:1, In2O3: Ga2O3 ) ~ 2 M HCl ~ 6.3 Å/s

Sputtering phenomena in ion thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, R. S.; Rossnagel, S. M.

1983-01-01

Sputtering effects in discharge chambers of ion thrusters are lifetime limiting in basically two ways: (1) ion bombardment of critical thruster components at energies sufficient to cause sputtering removes significant quantities of material; enough to degrade operation through adverse dimensional changes or possibly lead to complete component failure, and (2) metals sputtered from these intensely bombarded components are deposited in other locations as thin films and subsequently flake or peel off; the flakes then lodge elsewhere in the discharge chamber with the possibility of providing conductive paths for short circuiting of thruster components such as the ion optics. This experimental work has concentrated in two areas. The first has been to operate thrusters for multi-hour periods and to observe and measure the films found inside the thruster. The second was to simulate the environment inside the discharge chamber of the thruster by means of a dual ion beam system. Here, films were sputter deposited in the presence of a second low energy bombarding beam to simulate film deposition on thruster interior surfaces that undergo simultaneous sputtering and deposition. Mo presents serious problems for use in a thruster as far as film deposition is concerned. Mo films were found to be in high stress, making them more likely to peel and flake.

Morphologies of Solid Surfaces Produced Far from Equilibrium

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-10

common to all these applications is that thc surface preparation processes used are far from chemical equilibrium. Many of the processes involve an...energetic ion beam, plasma or gas that is used to modify a surface, either by etching or depositing material. The electrical, optical and mechanical...growth, a number of continuum models have been used in the materials science literature, in particular in the context of electron-beam etching of

Nitrogen incorporation in carbon nitride films produced by direct and dual ion-beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrasonis, G.; Gago, R.; Jimenez, I.

2005-10-01

Carbon (C) and carbon nitride (CN{sub x}) films were grown on Si(100) substrates by direct ion-beam sputtering (IBS) of a carbon target at different substrate temperatures (room temperature-450 deg. C) and Ar/N{sub 2} sputtering gas mixtures. Additionally, the effect of concurrent nitrogen-ion assistance during the growth of CN{sub x} films by IBS was also investigated. The samples were analyzed by elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) and x-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). The ERDA results showed that significant nitrogen amount (up to 20 at. %) was incorporated in the films, without any other nitrogen source but the N{sub 2}-containing sputtering gas.more » The nitrogen concentration is proportional to the N{sub 2} content in the sputtering beam and no saturation limit is reached under the present working conditions. The film areal density derived from ERDA revealed a decrease in the amount of deposited material at increasing growth temperature, with a correlation between the C and N losses. The XANES results indicate that N atoms are efficiently incorporated into the carbon network and can be found in different bonding environments, such as pyridinelike, nitrilelike, graphitelike, and embedded N{sub 2} molecules. The contribution of molecular and pyridinelike nitrogen decreases when the temperature increases while the contribution of the nitrilelike nitrogen increases. The concurrent nitrogen ion assistance resulted in the significant increase of the nitrogen content in the film but it induced a further reduction of the deposited material. Additionally, the assisting ions inhibited the formation of the nitrilelike configurations while promoting nitrogen environments in graphitelike positions. The nitrogen incorporation and release mechanisms are discussed in terms of film growth precursors, ion bombardment effects, and chemical sputtering.« less

Varying Radii of On-Axis Anode Hollows For kJ-Class Dense Plasma Focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Brian; Chapman, Steven; Falabella, Steven; Pankin, Alexei; Liu, Jason; Link, Anthony; Schmidt, Andréa

2017-10-01

A dense plasma focus (DPF) is a compact plasma gun that produces high energy ion beams, up to several MeV, through strong potential gradients. Motivated by particle-in-cell simulations, we have tried a series of hollow anodes on our kJ-class DPF. Each anode has varying hollow sizes, and has been studied to optimize ion beam production in Helium, reduce anode sputter, and increase neutron yields in deuterium. We diagnose the rate at which electrode material is ablated and deposited onto nearby surfaces. This is of interest in the case of solid targets, which perform poorly in the presence of sputter. We have found that the larger the hollow radius produces more energetic ion beams, higher neutron yield, and sputter less than a flat top anode. A complete comparison is presented. This work was prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 and supported by Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development within U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Effect of surface texture by ion beam sputtering on implant biocompatibility and soft tissue attachment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibbons, D. F.

1977-01-01

The objectives in this report were to use the ion beam sputtering technique to produce surface textures on polymers, metals, and ceramics. The morphology of the texture was altered by varying both the width and depth of the square pits which were formed by ion beam erosion. The width of the ribs separating the pits were defined by the mask used to produce the texture. The area of the surface containing pits varies as the width was changed. The biological parameters used to evaluate the biological response to the texture were: (1) fibrous capsule and inflammatory response in subcutaneous soft tissue; (2) strength of the mechanical attachment of the textured surface by the soft tissue; and (3) morphology of the epidermal layer interfacing the textured surface of percutaneous connectors. Because the sputter yield on teflon ribs was approximately an order of magnitude larger than any other material the majority of the measurements presented in the report were obtained with teflon.

Tuning the ferromagnetic resonance frequency of soft magnetic film by patterned permalloy micro-stripes with stripe-domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Lining; Xie, Hongkang; Cheng, Xiaohong; Zhao, Chenbo; Feng, Hongmei; Cao, Derang; Wang, Jianbo; Liu, Qingfang

2018-07-01

Periodic micro-stripes arrays with stripe domains structures upon continuous permalloy (Py) film were fabricated by sputtering, photolithography and ion beam etching technology. These samples display in-plane magnetic anisotropy, and stripe domains structure is observed by the magnetic force microscopy (MFM) in the area of the micro-stripes. The periodic micro-stripes show an effective impact on static and dynamic magnetic properties of Py continuous film. In the case of dynamic magnetic properties, the resonance frequency fr of these samples can be tuned by periodic micro-stripes arrays. Compared to continuous film with resonance frequency fr of 0.64 GHz, the fr of composite structures can be tuned by the separation gap of periodic micro-stripes arrays from 0.8 GHz to 2.3 GHz at zero-field. At the same time, the fr could be also tuned by rotating the samples within the plane. This attributes to the competition of shape anisotropy induced by micro-stripes and the dynamic anisotropy originating by stripe domains structure.

Determining the sputter yields of molybdenum in low-index crystal planes via electron backscattered diffraction, focused ion beam and atomic force microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, H.S., E-mail: 160184@mail.csc.com.tw; Chiu, C.H.; Hong, I.T.

2013-09-15

Previous literature has used several monocrystalline sputtering targets with various crystalline planes, respectively, to investigate the variations of the sputter yield of materials in different crystalline orientations. This study presents a method to measure the sputtered yields of Mo for the three low-index planes (100), (110), and (111), through using an easily made polycrystalline target. The procedure was firstly to use electron backscattered diffraction to identify the grain positions of the three crystalline planes, and then use a focused ion beam to perform the micro-milling of each identified grain, and finally the sputter yields were calculated from the removed volumes,more » which were measured by atomic force microscope. Experimental results showed that the sputter yield of the primary orientations for Mo varied as Y{sub (110)} > Y{sub (100)} > Y{sub (111)}, coincidental with the ranking of their planar atomic packing densities. The concept of transparency of ion in the crystalline substance was applied to elucidate these results. In addition, the result of (110) orientation exhibiting higher sputter yield is helpful for us to develop a Mo target with a higher deposition rate for use in industry. By changing the deformation process from straight rolling to cross rolling, the (110) texture intensity of the Mo target was significantly improved, and thus enhanced the deposition rate. - Highlights: • We used EBSD, FIB and AFM to measure the sputter yields of Mo in low-index planes. • The sputter yield of the primary orientations for Mo varied as Y{sub (110)} > Y{sub (100)} > Y{sub (111)}. • The transparency of ion was used to elucidate the differences in the sputter yield. • We improved the sputter rate of polycrystalline Mo target by adjusting its texture.« less

Xenon Sputter Yield Measurements for Ion Thruster Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, John D.; Gardner, Michael M.; Johnson, Mark L.; Wilbur, Paul J.

2003-01-01

In this paper, we describe a technique that was used to measure total and differential sputter yields of materials important to high specific impulse ion thrusters. The heart of the technique is a quartz crystal monitor that is swept at constant radial distance from a small target region where a high current density xenon ion beam is aimed. Differential sputtering yields were generally measured over a full 180 deg arc in a plane that included the beam centerline and the normal vector to the target surface. Sputter yield results are presented for a xenon ion energy range from 0.5 to 10 keV and an angle of incidence range from 0 deg to 70 deg from the target surface normal direction for targets consisting of molybdenum, titanium, solid (Poco) graphite, and flexible graphite (grafoil). Total sputter yields are calculated using a simple integration procedure and comparisons are made to sputter yields obtained from the literature. In general, the agreement between the available data is good. As expected for heavy xenon ions, the differential and total sputter yields are found to be strong functions of angle of incidence. Significant under- and over-cosine behavior is observed at low- and high-ion energies, respectively. In addition, strong differences in differential yield behavior are observed between low-Z targets (C and Ti) and high-Z targets (Mo). Curve fits to the differential sputter yield data are provided. They should prove useful to analysts interested in predicting the erosion profiles of ion thruster components and determining where the erosion products re-deposit.

Biomedical applications of ion-beam technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A.; Weigand, A. J.; Gibbons, D. F.; Vankampen, C. L.; Babbush, C. A.

1979-01-01

Microscopically-rough surface texture of various biocompatible alloys and polymers produced by ion-beam sputtering may result in improvements in response of hard or soft tissue to various surgical implants.

Patterned microstructures formed with MeV Au implantation in Si(1 0 0)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rout, Bibhudutta; Greco, Richard R.; Zachry, Daniel P.; Dymnikov, Alexander D.; Glass, Gary A.

2006-09-01

Energetic (MeV) Au implantation in Si(1 0 0) (n-type) through masked micropatterns has been used to create layers resistant to KOH wet etching. Microscale patterns were produced in PMMA and SU(8) resist coatings on the silicon substrates using P-beam writing and developed. The silicon substrates were subsequently exposed using 1.5 MeV Au 3+ ions with fluences as high as 1 × 10 16 ions/cm 2 and additional patterns were exposed using copper scanning electron microscope calibration grids as masks on the silicon substrates. When wet etched with KOH microstructures were created in the silicon due to the resistance to KOH etching cause by the Au implantation. The process of combining the fabrication of masked patterns with P-beam writing with broad beam Au implantation through the masks can be a promising, cost-effective process for nanostructure engineering with Si.

Adhesive bonding of ion beam textured metals and fluoropolymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirtich, M. J.; Sovey, J. S.

1978-01-01

An electron bombardment argon ion source was used to ion etch various metals and fluoropolymers. The metal and fluoropolymers were exposed to (0.5 to 1.0) keV Ar ions at ion current densities of (0.2 to 1.5) mA/sq cm for various exposure times. The resulting surface texture is in the form of needles or spires whose vertical dimensions may range from tenths to hundreds of micrometers, depending on the selection of beam energy, ion current density, and etch time. The bonding of textured surfaces is accomplished by ion beam texturing mating pieces of either metals or fluoropolymers and applying a bonding agent which wets in and around the microscopic cone-like structures. After bonding, both tensile and shear strength measurements were made on the samples. Also tested, for comparison's sake, were untextured and chemically etched fluoropolymers. The results of these measurements are presented.

Adhesive bonding of ion beam textured metals and fluoropolymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirtich, M. J.; Sovey, J. S.

1978-01-01

An electron-bombardment argon ion source was used to ion-etch various metals and fluoropolymers. The metal and fluoropolymers were exposed to (0.5 to 1.0)-keV Ar ions at ion current densities of 0.2 to 1.5 mA/sq cm for various exposure times. The resulting surface texture is in the form of needles or spires whose vertical dimensions may range from tenths to hundreds of micrometers, depending on the selection of beam energy, ion current density, and etch time. The bonding of textured surfaces is accomplished by ion-beam texturing mating pieces of either metals or fluoropolymers and applying a bonding agent which wets in and around the microscopic conelike structures. After bonding, both tensile and shear strength measurements were made on the samples. Also tested, for comparison's sake, were untextured and chemically etched fluoropolymers. The results of these measurements are presented in this paper.

Laser marking on soda-lime glass by laser-induced backside wet etching with two-beam interference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakazumi, Tomoka; Sato, Tadatake; Narazaki, Aiko; Niino, Hiroyuki

2016-09-01

For crack-free marking of glass materials, a beam-scanning laser-induced backside wet etching (LIBWE) process by a beam spot with a fine periodic structure was examined. The fine periodic structure was produced within a beam spot by means of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer incorporated to the optical setup for the beam-scanning LIBWE. A fine structure with a period of 9 µm was observed within the microstructures with a diameter of ca. 40 µm fabricated by a laser shot under double-beam irradiation, and they could be homogeneously fabricated within an area of 800  ×  800 µm. The area filled with the microstructures, including fine periodic structures, could be observed in high contrast under a diffuse, on-axis illumination that was used in commercial QR code readers.

Integration of e-beam direct write in BEOL processes of 28nm SRAM technology node using mix and match

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutsch, Manuela; Choi, Kang-Hoon; Hanisch, Norbert; Hohle, Christoph; Seidel, Robert; Steidel, Katja; Thrun, Xaver; Werner, Thomas

2014-10-01

Many efforts were spent in the development of EUV technologies, but from a customer point of view EUV is still behind expectations. In parallel since years maskless lithography is included in the ITRS roadmap wherein multi electron beam direct patterning is considered as an alternative or complementary approach for patterning of advanced technology nodes. The process of multi beam exposures can be emulated by single beam technologies available in the field. While variable shape-beam direct writers are already used for niche applications, the integration capability of e-beam direct write at advanced nodes has not been proven, yet. In this study the e-beam lithography was implemented in the BEoL processes of the 28nm SRAM technology. Integrated 300mm wafers with a 28nm back-end of line (BEoL) stack from GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Dresden, were used for the experiments. For the patterning of the Metal layer a Mix and Match concept based on the sequence litho - etch - litho - etch (LELE) was developed and evaluated wherein several exposure fields were blanked out during the optical exposure. E-beam patterning results of BEoL Metal and Via layers are presented using a 50kV VISTEC SB3050DW variable shaped electron beam direct writer at Fraunhofer IPMS-CNT. Etch results are shown and compared to the POR. In summary we demonstrate the integration capability of EBDW into a productive CMOS process flow at the example of the 28nm SRAM technology node.

Three-port beam splitter of a binary fused-silica grating.

PubMed

Feng, Jijun; Zhou, Changhe; Wang, Bo; Zheng, Jiangjun; Jia, Wei; Cao, Hongchao; Lv, Peng

2008-12-10

A deep-etched polarization-independent binary fused-silica phase grating as a three-port beam splitter is designed and manufactured. The grating profile is optimized by use of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis around the 785 nm wavelength. The physical explanation of the grating is illustrated by the modal method. Simple analytical expressions of the diffraction efficiencies and modal guidelines for the three-port beam splitter grating design are given. Holographic recording technology and inductively coupled plasma etching are used to manufacture the fused-silica grating. Experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical values.

Etched optical fiber vibration sensor to monitor health condition of beam like structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putha, Kishore; Dantala, Dinakar; Kamineni, Srimannarayana; Pachava, Vengal Rao

2013-06-01

Using a center etched single mode optical fiber, a simple vibration senor is designed to monitor the vibrations of a simply supported beam. The sensor has high linear response to the axial displacement of about 0.8 mm with a sensitivity of 32 mV/10 μm strain. The sensor is tested for periodic and suddenly released forces, and the results are found to coincide with the theoretical values. This simple design, small in size and low cost sensor may find applications in industry and civil engineering to monitor the vibrations of the beam structures and bridges.

Formation and characterization of perpendicular mode Si ripples by glancing angle O{sub 2}{sup +} sputtering at room temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mollick, S. A.; Ghose, D.

Off-normal low energy ion beam sputtering of solid surfaces often leads to morphological instabilities resulting in the spontaneous formation of ripple structures in nanometer length scales. In the case of Si surfaces at ambient temperature, ripple formation is found to take place normally at lower incident angles with the wave vector parallel to the ion beam direction. The absence of ripple pattern on Si surface at larger angles is due to the dominance of ion beam polishing effect. We have shown that a gentle chemical roughening of the starting surface morphology can initiate ripple pattern under grazing incidence ion beammore » sputtering (theta>64 deg. with respect to the surface normal), where the ripple wave vector is perpendicular to the ion beam direction. The characteristics of the perpendicular mode ripples are studied as a function of pristine surface roughness (2-30 nm) and projectile fluence (5x10{sup 16}-1.5x10{sup 18} O atoms cm{sup -2}). The quality of the morphological structure is assessed from the analysis of ion induced topological defects.« less

A comparative study of capacitively coupled HBr/He, HBr/Ar plasmas for etching applications: Numerical investigation by fluid model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gul, Banat, E-mail: banatgul@gmail.com; Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp; Aman-ur-Rehman, E-mail: amansadiq@gmail.com

Fluid model has been applied to perform a comparative study of hydrogen bromide (HBr)/He and HBr/Ar capacitively coupled plasma discharges that are being used for anisotropic etching process. This model has been used to identify the most dominant species in HBr based plasmas. Our simulation results show that the neutral species like H and Br, which are the key player in chemical etching, have bell shape distribution, while ions like HBr{sup +}, Br{sup +}, which play a dominant rule in the physical etching, have double humped distribution and show peaks near electrodes. It was found that the dilution of HBrmore » by Ar and/or He results in an increase in electron density and electron temperature, which results in more ionization and dissociation and hence higher densities of neutral and charged species can be achieved. The ratio of positive ion flux to the neutral flux increases with an increase in additive gas fraction. Compare to HBr/He plasma, the HBr/Ar plasma shows a maximum change in the ion density and flux and hence the etching rate can be considered in the ion-assisted and in the ion-flux etch regime in HBr/Ar discharge. The densities of electron and other dominant species in HBr/Ar plasma are higher than those of HBr/He plasma. The densities and fluxes of the active neutrals and positive ions for etching and subsequently chemical etching versus physical sputtering in HBr/Ar and HBr/He plasmas discharge can be controlled by tuning gas mixture ratio and the desire etching can be achieved.« less

Beam limiter for thermonuclear fusion devices

DOEpatents

Kaminsky, Manfred S.

1976-01-01

A beam limiter circumscribes the interior surface of a vacuum vessel to inhibit collisions of contained plasma and the vessel walls. The cross section of the material making up the limiter has a flatsided or slightly concave portion of increased width towards the plasma and portions of decreased width towards the interior surface of the vessel. This configuration is designed to prevent a major fraction of the material sputtered, vaporized and blistered from the limiter from reaching the plasma. It also allows adequate heat transfer from the wider to the narrower portions. The preferred materials for the beam limiter are solids of sintered, particulate materials of low atomic number with low vapor pressure and low sputtering and blistering yields.

Dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy of Au nanoparticles on Si wafer using Bi3+ as primary ion coupled with surface etching by Ar cluster ion beam: The effect of etching conditions on surface structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Eun Ji; Choi, Chang Min; Kim, Il Hee; Kim, Jung-Hwan; Lee, Gaehang; Jin, Jong Sung; Ganteför, Gerd; Kim, Young Dok; Choi, Myoung Choul

2018-01-01

Wet-chemically synthesized Au nanoparticles were deposited on Si wafer surfaces, and the secondary ions mass spectra (SIMS) from these samples were collected using Bi3+ with an energy of 30 keV as the primary ions. In the SIMS, Au cluster cations with a well-known, even-odd alteration pattern in the signal intensity were observed. We also performed depth profile SIMS analyses, i.e., etching the surface using an Ar gas cluster ion beam (GCIB), and a subsequent Bi3+ SIMS analysis was repetitively performed. Here, two different etching conditions (Ar1600 clusters of 10 keV energy or Ar1000 of 2.5 keV denoted as "harsh" or "soft" etching conditions, respectively) were used. Etching under harsh conditions induced emission of the Au-Si binary cluster cations in the SIMS spectra of the Bi3+ primary ions. The formation of binary cluster cations can be induced by either fragmentation of Au nanoparticles or alloying of Au and Si, increasing Au-Si coordination on the sample surface during harsh GCIB etching. Alternatively, use of the soft GCIB etching conditions resulted in exclusive emission of pure Au cluster cations with nearly no Au-Si cluster cation formation. Depth profile analyses of the Bi3+ SIMS combined with soft GCIB etching can be useful for studying the chemical environments of atoms at the surface without altering the original interface structure during etching.

Development of Functional Surfaces on High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) via Gas-Assisted Etching (GAE) Using Focused Ion Beams.

PubMed

Sezen, Meltem; Bakan, Feray

2015-12-01

Irradiation damage, caused by the use of beams in electron and ion microscopes, leads to undesired physical/chemical material property changes or uncontrollable modification of structures. Particularly, soft matter such as polymers or biological materials is highly susceptible and very much prone to react on electron/ion beam irradiation. Nevertheless, it is possible to turn degradation-dependent physical/chemical changes from negative to positive use when materials are intentionally exposed to beams. Especially, controllable surface modification allows tuning of surface properties for targeted purposes and thus provides the use of ultimate materials and their systems at the micro/nanoscale for creating functional surfaces. In this work, XeF2 and I2 gases were used in the focused ion beam scanning electron microscope instrument in combination with gallium ion etching of high-density polyethylene surfaces with different beam currents and accordingly different gas exposure times resulting at the same ion dose to optimize and develop new polymer surface properties and to create functional polymer surfaces. Alterations in the surface morphologies and surface chemistry due to gas-assisted etching-based nanostructuring with various processing parameters were tracked using high-resolution SEM imaging, complementary energy-dispersive spectroscopic analyses, and atomic force microscopic investigations.

Germanium detector passivated with hydrogenated amorphous germanium

DOEpatents

Hansen, William L.; Haller, Eugene E.

1986-01-01

Passivation of predominantly crystalline semiconductor devices (12) is provided for by a surface coating (21) of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material. Passivation of a radiation detector germanium diode, for example, is realized by sputtering a coating (21) of amorphous germanium onto the etched and quenched diode surface (11) in a low pressure atmosphere of hydrogen and argon. Unlike prior germanium diode semiconductor devices (12), which must be maintained in vacuum at cryogenic temperatures to avoid deterioration, a diode processed in the described manner may be stored in air at room temperature or otherwise exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. The coating (21) compensates for pre-existing undesirable surface states as well as protecting the semiconductor device (12) against future impregnation with impurities.

Semiconductor with protective surface coating and method of manufacture thereof. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Hansen, W.L.; Haller, E.E.

1980-09-19

Passivation of predominantly crystalline semiconductor devices is provided for by a surface coating of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material. Passivation of a radiation detector germanium diode, for example, is realized by sputtering a coating of amorphous germanium onto the etched and quenched diode surface in a low pressure atmosphere of hydrogen and argon. Unlike prior germanium diode semiconductor devices, which must be maintained in vacuum at cryogenic temperatures to avoid deterioration, a diode processed in the described manner may be stored in air at room temperature or otherwise exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. The coating compensates for pre-existing undesirable surface states as well as protecting the semiconductor device against future impregnation with impurities.

Surface topographical effects on the structural growth of thick sputtered metal and alloy coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.; Brainard, W. A.

1974-01-01

Thick sputtered S-Monel, silver, and 304 stainless steel coatings were deposited on mica and metal substrates with various surface finishes to investigate the structural growth of the coating by scanning electron microscopy. The geometry and the surface structure of the nodules are characterized. Compositional changes within the coating were analyzed by X-ray dispersion miscroscopy. Defects in the surface finish act as preferential nucleation sites and form isolated and complex nodules and various surface overgrowths in the coating. The nodule boundaries are very vulnerable to chemical etching, and these nodules do not disappear after full annealing. Further, they have undesirable effects on mechanical properties; cracks are initiated at the nodules when the coating is stressed by mechanical forces.

Micro- and Nano-Scale Fabrication of Fluorinated Polymers by Direct Etching Using Focused Ion Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukutake, Naoyuki; Miyoshi, Nozomi; Takasawa, Yuya; Urakawa, Tatsuya; Gowa, Tomoko; Okamoto, Kazumasa; Oshima, Akihiro; Tagawa, Seiichi; Washio, Masakazu

2010-06-01

Micro- and nano-scale fabrications of various fluorinated polymers were demonstrated by direct maskless etching using a focused ion beam (FIB). The etching rates of perfluorinated polymers, such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoroalkoxyvinylether) (PFA), were about 500-1000 times higher than those of partially fluorinated polymers, such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-ethylene) (ETFE) and poly(vinilydene-fluoride) (PVdF). Controlled high quality and high aspect-ratio nanostructures of spin-coated cross-linked PTFE were obtained without solid debris. The height and diameter of the fibers were about 1.5 µm and 90 nm, respectively. Their aspect ratio was about 17.

Micro- and Nano-Scale Fabrication of Fluorinated Polymers by Direct Etching Using Focused Ion Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naoyuki Fukutake,; Nozomi Miyoshi,; Yuya Takasawa,; Tatsuya Urakawa,; Tomoko Gowa,; Kazumasa Okamoto,; Akihiro Oshima,; Seiichi Tagawa,; Masakazu Washio,

2010-06-01

Micro- and nano-scale fabrications of various fluorinated polymers were demonstrated by direct maskless etching using a focused ion beam (FIB). The etching rates of perfluorinated polymers, such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoroalkoxyvinylether) (PFA), were about 500-1000 times higher than those of partially fluorinated polymers, such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-ethylene) (ETFE) and poly(vinilydene-fluoride) (PVdF). Controlled high quality and high aspect-ratio nanostructures of spin-coated cross-linked PTFE were obtained without solid debris. The height and diameter of the fibers were about 1.5 μm and 90 nm, respectively. Their aspect ratio was about 17.

Damage to the Silicon Substrate by Reactive Ion Etching Detected by a Slow Positron Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Long; Tabuki, Yasushi; Tanigawa, Shoichiro

1993-01-01

Defects in reactive ion-etched Si have been investigated by means of a slow positron beam. A thin carbon-containing film (<30 Å) was formed on the Si surface after reactive ion etching (RIE). Vacancy-type defects, which were estimated to distribute over 1200 Å in depth by numerical fitting using the positron trapping model, were observed in the damaged subsurface region of Si. Aside from ion bombardment, ultraviolet radiation is also presumed to affect the formation of vacancies, interstitials in oxide and the formation of vacancies in Si substrate. The ionization-enhanced diffusion (IED) mechanism is expected to promote the diffusion of vacancies and interstitials into Si substrate.

Applications of ion beam technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelerinter, E.; Spielberg, N.

1980-01-01

Wire adhesion in steel belted radial tires; carbon fibers and composite; cold welding, brazing, and fabrication; hydrogen production, separation, and storage; membrane use; catalysis; sputtering and texture; and ion beam implantation are discussed.

Sputtering of cobalt and chromium by argon and xenon ions near the threshold energy region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handoo, A. K.; Ray, P. K.

1993-01-01

Sputtering yields of cobalt and chromium by argon and xenon ions with energies below 50 eV are reported. The targets were electroplated on copper substrates. Measurable sputtering yields were obtained from cobalt with ion energies as low as 10 eV. The ion beams were produced by an ion gun. A radioactive tracer technique was used for the quantitative measurement of the sputtering yield. Co-57 and Cr-51 were used as tracers. The yield-energy curves are observed to be concave, which brings into question the practice of finding threshold energies by linear extrapolation.

Formation of the YBa2Cu2NbOy Phase in Thin Films (POSTPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

protective layer was deposited on the top of YBCNO film by dc sputtering . A 200 nm 200 nm area film was selected and cut with a Ga ion beam (30 kV...200 TEM at 200 kV. Samples for TEM were prepared using a focused ion beam (FIB (Eindhoven, The Netherlands)) microscope. For TEM examination, a thin Pt...by dc magnetron sputtering deposition of Ag with 93 mm thickness. Transport current measurements were made in liquid nitrogen with the 4-probe method

Atomic precision etch using a low-electron temperature plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorf, L.; Wang, J.-C.; Rauf, S.; Zhang, Y.; Agarwal, A.; Kenney, J.; Ramaswamy, K.; Collins, K.

2016-03-01

Sub-nm precision is increasingly being required of many critical plasma etching processes in the semiconductor industry. Accurate control over ion energy and ion/radical composition is needed during plasma processing to meet these stringent requirements. Described in this work is a new plasma etch system which has been designed with the requirements of atomic precision plasma processing in mind. In this system, an electron sheet beam parallel to the substrate surface produces a plasma with an order of magnitude lower electron temperature Te (~ 0.3 eV) and ion energy Ei (< 3 eV without applied bias) compared to conventional radio-frequency (RF) plasma technologies. Electron beam plasmas are characterized by higher ion-to-radical fraction compared to RF plasmas, so a separate radical source is used to provide accurate control over relative ion and radical concentrations. Another important element in this plasma system is low frequency RF bias capability which allows control of ion energy in the 2-50 eV range. Presented in this work are the results of etching of a variety of materials and structures performed in this system. In addition to high selectivity and low controllable etch rate, an important requirement of atomic precision etch processes is no (or minimal) damage to the remaining material surface. It has traditionally not been possible to avoid damage in RF plasma processing systems, even during atomic layer etch. The experiments for Si etch in Cl2 based plasmas in the aforementioned etch system show that damage can be minimized if the ion energy is kept below 10 eV. Layer-by-layer etch of Si is also demonstrated in this etch system using electrical and gas pulsing.

Iodine enhanced focused-ion-beam etching of silicon for photonic applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schrauwen, Jonathan; Thourhout, Dries van; Baets, Roel

Focused-ion-beam etching of silicon enables fast and versatile fabrication of micro- and nanophotonic devices. However, large optical losses due to crystal damage and ion implantation make the devices impractical when the optical mode is confined near the etched region. These losses are shown to be reduced by the local implantation and etching of silicon waveguides with iodine gas enhancement, followed by baking at 300 deg. C. The excess optical loss in the silicon waveguides drops from 3500 to 1700 dB/cm when iodine gas is used, and is further reduced to 200 dB/cm after baking at 300 deg. C. We presentmore » elemental and chemical surface analyses supporting that this is caused by the desorption of iodine from the silicon surface. Finally we present a model to extract the absorption coefficient from the measurements.« less

Ion Beam Etching: Replication of Micro Nano-structured 3D Stencil Masks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weber, Patrick; Guibert, Edouard; Mikhailov, Serguei

2009-03-10

Ion beam LIGA allows the etching of 3D nano-structures by direct writing with a nano-sized beam. However, this is a relatively time consuming process. We propose here another approach for etching structures on large surfaces and faster, compared to the direct writing process. This approach consists of replicating 3D structured masks, by scanning an unfocused ion beam. A polymer substrate is placed behind the mask, as in UV photolithography. But the main advantage is that the 3D structure of the mask can be replicated into the polymer. For that purpose, the masks (developped at LMIS1, EPFL) are made of amore » silicon nitride membrane 100 nm thick, on which 3D gold structures up to 200 nm thick, are deposited. The 3D Au structures are made with the nanostencil method, based on successive gold deposition. The IMA institute, from HE-Arc, owns a High Voltage Engineering 1.7 MV Tandetron with both solid and gaseous negative ion sources, able to generate ions from almost every chemical element in a broad range of energies comprised between 400 keV and 6.8 MeV. The beam composition and energy are chosen in such a way, that ions lose a significant fraction of their energy when passing through the thickest regions of the mask. Ions passing through thinner regions of the mask loose a smaller fraction of their energy and etch the polymer with larger thicknesses, allowing a replication of the mask into the polymer. For our trials, we have used a carbon beam with an energy of 500 keV. The beam was focussed to a diameter of 5 mm with solid slits, in order to avoid border effects and thus ensure a homogeneous dose distribution on the beam diameter. The feasibility of this technique has been demonstrated, allowing industrial applications for micro-mould fabrication, micro-fluidics and micro-optics.« less

Effect of Induced Periimplantitis on Dental Implants With and Without Ultrathin Hydroxyapatite Coating.

PubMed

Madi, Marwa; Zakaria, Osama; Ichinose, Shizuko; Kasugai, Shohei

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of ligature-induced periimplantitis on dental implants with and without hydroxyapatite (HA) coat. Thirty-two dental implants (3.3 mm wide, 13 mm long) with 4 surface treatments (8 implant/group) (M: machined, SA: sandblasted acid etched, S: sputter HA coat and P: plasma-sprayed HA coat) were inserted into canine mandibles. After 12 weeks, oral hygiene procedures were stopped and silk ligatures were placed around the implant abutments to allow plaque accumulation for the following 16 weeks. Implants with the surrounding tissues were retrieved and prepared for histological examination. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and implant surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Histological observation revealed marginal bone loss and large inflammatory cell infiltrates in the periimplant soft tissue. Sputter HA implants showed the largest BIC (98.1%) and machined implant showed the smallest values (70.4%). After 28 weeks, thin sputter HA coat was almost completely dissolved, whereas plasma-sprayed HA coat showed complete thickness preservation. Thin sputter HA-coated implants showed more bone implant contact and less marginal bone loss than thick HA-coated implants under periimplantitis condition.

Isotopic Enrichment of Boron in the Sputtering of Boron Nitride with Xenon Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, P. K.; Shutthanandan, V.

1998-01-01

An experimental study is described to measure the isotopic enrichment of boron. Xenon ions from 100 eV to 1.5 keV were used to sputter a boron nitride target. An ion gun was used to generate the ion beam. The ion current density at the target surface was approximately 30 microA/sq cm. Xenon ions impinged on the target surface at 50 deg angle to the surface normal. Since boron nitride is an insulator, a flood electron gun was used in our experiments to neutralize the positive charge buildup on the target surface. The sputtered secondary ions of boron were detected by a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The spectrometer entrance aperture was located perpendicular to the ion beam direction and 10 mm away from the target surface. The secondary ion flux was observed to be enriched in the heavy isotopes at lower ion energies. The proportion of heavy isotopes in the sputtered secondary ion flux was found to decrease with increasing primary ion energy from 100 to 350 eV. Beyond 350 eV, light isotopes were sputtered preferentially. The light isotope enrichment factor was observed to reach an asymptotic value of 1.27 at 1.5 keV. This trend is similar to that of the isotopic enrichment observed earlier when copper was sputtered with xenon ions in the same energy range.

Defect-free fabrication of nano-disk and nano-wire by fusion of bio-template and neutral beam etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samukawa, S.; Noda, Shuichi; Higo, Akio; Yasuda, Manabu; Wada, Kazumi

2016-11-01

We have developed an innovated fabrication technology of Si, GaAs, and Ge nano-structures, i.e., we called defect-free neutral beam etching. The technology has been successfully applied to prototype the quantum nano-disks and nano-wires with ferritin based bio-templates. SEM observation verifies that the designed structures are prototyped. Photoluminescence measurements demonstrates high optical quality of nano-structures based on the technology.

Diamondlike carbon protective coatings for optical windows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swec, Diane M.; Mirtich, Michael J.

1989-01-01

Diamondlike carbon (DLC) films were deposited on infrared transmitting optical windows and were evaluated as protective coatings for these windows exposed to particle and rain erosion. The DLC films were deposited on zinc selenide (ZnSe) and zinc sulfide (ZnS) by three different ion beam methods: (1) sputter deposition from a carbon target using an 8-cm argon ion source; (2) direct deposition by a 30-cm hollow cathode ion source with hydrocarbon gas in argon; and (3) dual beam direct deposition by the 30-cm hollow cathode ion source and an 8-cm argon ion source. In an attempt to improve the adherence of the DLC films on ZnSc and ZnS, ion beam cleaning, ion implantation with helium and neon ions, or sputter deposition of a thin, ion beam intermediate coating was employed prior to deposition of the DLC film. The protection that the DLC films afforded the windows from particle and rain erosion was evaluated, along with the hydrogen content, adherence, intrinsic stress, and infrared transmittance of the films. Because of the elevated stress levels in the ion beam sputtered DLC films and in those ion beam deposited with butane, films thicker than 0.1 micron and with good adherence on ZnS and ZnSe could not be generated. An intermediate coating of germanium successfully allowed the DLC films to remain adherent to the optical windows and caused only negligible reduction in the specular transmittance of the ZnS and ZnSe at 10 microns.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fleddermann, C.B.

The sputter deposition of high-temperature superconducting thin films was studied using optical emission spectroscopy. Argon or oxygen ions generated by a Kaufman ion gun were used to sputter material from a composite target containing yttrium, barium, and copper which had been oxygen annealed. The impact of ions onto the target generates a plume of sputtered material which includes various excited-state atoms and molecules. In these studies, optical emission is detected for all the metallic components of the film as well as for metallic oxides ejected from the target. No emission due to atomic or molecular oxygen was detected, however. Variationsmore » in sputter conditions such as changes in sputter ion energy, oxygen content of the beam, and target temperature are shown to greatly affect the emission intensity, which may correlate to the characteristics of the sputtering and the quality of the films deposited. The results suggest that optical emission from the sputtered material may be useful for real-time monitoring and control of the sputter deposition process.« less

Soft X-ray multilayers produced by sputtering and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) - Substrate and interfacial roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kearney, Patrick A.; Slaughter, J. M.; Powers, K. D.; Falco, Charles M.

1988-01-01

Roughness measurements were made on uncoated silicon wafers and float glass using a WYKO TOPO-3D phase shifting interferometry, and the results are reported. The wafers are found to be slightly smoother than the flat glass. The effects of different cleaning methods and of the deposition of silicon 'buffer layers' on substrate roughness are examined. An acid cleaning method is described which gives more consistent results than detergent cleaning. Healing of the roughness due to sputtered silicon buffer layers was not observed on the length scale probed by the WYKO. Sputtered multilayers are characterized using both the WYKO interferometer and low-angle X-ray diffraction in order to yield information about the roughness of the top surface and of the multilayer interfaces. Preliminary results on film growth using molecular beam epitaxy are also presented.

Anomalous effects in the aluminum oxide sputtering yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schelfhout, R.; Strijckmans, K.; Depla, D.

2018-04-01

The sputtering yield of aluminum oxide during reactive magnetron sputtering has been quantified by a new and fast method. The method is based on the meticulous determination of the reactive gas consumption during reactive DC magnetron sputtering and has been deployed to determine the sputtering yield of aluminum oxide. The accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated by comparing its results to the common weight loss method excluding secondary effects such as redeposition. Both methods exhibit a decrease in sputtering yield with increasing discharge current. This feature of the aluminum oxide sputtering yield is described for the first time. It resembles the discrepancy between published high sputtering yield values determined by low current ion beams and the low deposition rate in the poisoned mode during reactive magnetron sputtering. Moreover, the usefulness of the new method arises from its time-resolved capabilities. The evolution of the alumina sputtering yield can now be measured up to a resolution of seconds. This reveals the complex dynamical behavior of the sputtering yield. A plausible explanation of the observed anomalies seems to originate from the balance between retention and out-diffusion of implanted gas atoms, while other possible causes are commented.

Solid State Reaction of Thin Metal Films with MERCURY(1-X)CADMIUM(X)TELLURIDE.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehsani, Hassan

The solid state reactions of both e-beam evaporation and sputter deposition of thin layers of Cu, Co, and Ni onto CdTe and Hg_{0.8}Cd _{0.2}Te have been investigated using Transmission Electron Microscopy and Auger Electron Spectroscopy. For a Cu overlayer deposited by either method on CdTe(111) and Hg_{0.8}Cd _{0.2}Te substrates, we observed formation of a relatively thick region of Cu _{rm 2-x}Te (superlattice structure), even though the heat of reactions ( DeltaH_{rm R} ) are positive as calculated using bulk parameters. Deposition of Co onto Hg_{0.8 }Cd_{0.2}Te substrates reacted to form the gamma -phase (Co_3Te_4) at room temperature in the case of deposition by sputtering, and at 150^circC annealing temperature in the case of deposition by e-beam evaporation. This compound was stable at room and elevated temperatures (100 ^circC, 200^ circC, 300^circC, and 400^circC). On the other hand Co did not react with CdTe (at temperature less than 300^circC) instead, generation of Te was observed. The Te generated in the case of sputter deposition and fast deposition (8-10A) e-beam evaporation was polycrystalline whereas, in the case of slow deposition (0.3-0.5A) e-beam evaporation it was amorphous. Auger depth profile indicated that the amount of excess Te in the case of sputter deposition was larger in compared with deposition by e-beam evaporation. The excess Te was distributed throughout the Co film. The results of Ni deposited onto Hg_ {0.8}Cd_{0.2} Te or CdTe substrate were somewhat similar to the Co cases. Ni reacted with Hg_{0.8 }Cd_{0.2}Te at room temperature in either deposition system to form the delta-phase (NiTe-Ni _2Te). From the results of this work it is clear that the solid produced as a result of either e-beam or sputter deposition has a higher free energy than that of a metal layer on contact with the substrate. This result indicates importance of kinetics in the formation of the interface structure of metals deposited on Hg_{0.8 }Cd_{0.2}Te substrates. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).

Magnetron sputtering system for coatings deposition with activation of working gas mixture by low-energy high-current electron beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrilov, N. V.; Kamenetskikh, A. S.; Men'shakov, A. I.; Bureyev, O. A.

2015-11-01

For the purposes of efficient decomposition and ionization of the gaseous mixtures in a system for coatings deposition using reactive magnetron sputtering, a low-energy (100-200 eV) high-current electron beam is generated by a grid-stabilized plasma electron source. The electron source utilizes both continuous (up to 20 A) and pulse-periodic mode of discharge with a self-heated hollow cathode (10-100 A; 0.2 ms; 10-1000 Hz). The conditions for initiation and stable burning of the high-current pulse discharge are studied along with the stable generation of a low-energy electron beam within the gas pressure range of 0.01 - 1 Pa. It is shown that the use of the electron beam with controllable parameters results in reduction of the threshold values both for the pressure of gaseous mixture and for the fluxes of molecular gases. Using such a beam also provides a wide range (0.1-10) of the flux density ratios of ions and sputtered atoms over the coating surface, enables an increase in the maximum pulse density of ion current from plasma up to 0.1 A, ensures an excellent adhesion, optimizes the coating structure, and imparts improved properties to the superhard nanocomposite coatings of (Ti,Al)N/a-Si3N4 and TiC/-a-C:H. Mass-spectrometric measurements of the beam-generated plasma composition proved to demonstrate a twofold increase in the average concentration of N+ ions in the Ar-N2 plasma generated by the high-current (100 A) pulsed electron beam, as compared to the dc electron beam.

Partial analysis of experiment LDEF A-0114

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, J. C.

1986-01-01

Due to delays in manifesting the return of the Long Duration Exposure Facility from space, attention was concentrated on extracting the maximum information from the EIOM-2 (oxygen interaction with materials experiment) flown on STS-8 in September 1983. An analysis was made of the optical surfaces exposed during that flight and an assessment made of the effect of the 5 eV atomic oxygen upon their physical and chemical properties. The surfaces studied were of two types: high-purity thin films sputtered or evaporated onto 2.54-cm diam lambda/20 fused silica optical flats, and highly polished bulk samples. Rapid etching of carbon and carbonaceous surfaces was observed with polycarbonate CR-39 showing the largest etch of any substrate flown and measured. Of the metals tested, only osmium and silver showed large effects, the former being heavily etched and the later forming a very thick layer of oxide. The first measurable effects on iridium, aluminum, nickel, tungsten and niobium thin films are reported.

Surface acoustic waves/silicon monolithic sensor processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kowel, S. T.; Kornreich, P. G.; Fathimulla, M. A.; Mehter, E. A.

1981-01-01

Progress is reported in the creation of a two dimensional Fourier transformer for optical images based on the zinc oxide on silicon technology. The sputtering of zinc oxide films using a micro etch system and the possibility of a spray-on technique based on zinc chloride dissolved in alcohol solution are discussed. Refinements to techniques for making platinum silicide Schottky barrier junctions essential for constructing the ultimate convolver structure are described.

Select Papers. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

the Texture Evolution During Cold Rolling of Al –Mg Alloys . s.l.: Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2011, 508, 922–928. 11. Suhuddin, U.F.H.R.; Mironov...graphene onto a substrate with insulator properties . The current transfer process is still preliminary and presents a number of challenges. Since the...dimensions. The fabrication process flow for the stators uses chemical solution deposited PZT, metal sputtering and evaporation, reactive ion etching

Influence of Nb doping on the phase transition properties of VO2 thin films prepared by ion beam co-sputtering deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Huiqun; Li, Pengfei; Zhao, Lite; Liu, Jiahuan

2016-03-01

The Nb-doped VO2 thin films were successfully prepared on the glass substrates by ion beam co-sputtering at room temperature and post annealing under the air condition. The effects of the preparation processing and Nb doping on the thermal hysteresis loop and phase transition temperature of the VO2 thin films were analyzed by resistancetemperature measurement. The results show that Nb doping significantly changes the surface morphologies of VO2 thin films, and Nb-doped VO2 thin films exhibit VO2(002) preferred orientation growth with greatly improved crystallinity and orientation. Compared with pure VO2, the phase transition temperature of Nb-doped VO2 thin films drops to 40 ºC, and the width of thermal hysteresis loop narrows to 8 ºC. It is demonstrated that Nb-doped VO2 thin films prepared by ion beam co-sputtered at room temperature have an obvious thermal sensitive effect, and keep a good characteristic from metal to semiconductor phase transition.

The thickness correction of sol-gel coating using ion-beam etching in the preparation of antireflection coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Siyu; Xie, Lingyun; He, Tao; Jiao, Hongfei; Bao, Ganghua; Zhang, Jinlong; Wang, Zhanshan; Cheng, Xinbin

2017-09-01

For the sol-gel method, it is still challenging to achieve excellent spectral performance when preparing antireflection (AR) coating by this way. The difficulty lies in controlling the film thickness accurately. To correct the thickness error of sol-gel coating, a hybrid approach that combined conventional sol-gel process with ion-beam etching technology was proposed in this work. The etching rate was carefully adjusted and calibrated to a relatively low value for removing the redundant material. Using atomic force microscope (AFM), it has been demonstrated that film surface morphology will not be changed in this process. After correcting the thickness error, an AR coating working at 1064 nm was prepared with transmittance higher than 99.5%.

Nuclear tracks in lunar samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, P. B.

1971-01-01

An attempt is made to relate the appearance of an etched tract to the atomic number and velocity of the ion that left it using 10 MeV/nucleon Kr beams and 6 MeV/nucleon Zn beams. It was found that the etching rate along a tract in minerals and glass is a monototonic function of ionization rate thus, making particle identification possible. Results show the following were present in lunar samples: superheavy elements, cosmic rays with z greater than 26, and solar flare particles in Surveyor glass.

High Efficiency, Room Temperature Mid-Infrared Semiconductor Laser Development for IR Countermeasures

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

voltage (I-V) characteristics of several infrared LEDs, including a type-II W-well laser grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy at Naval Research Laboratory...Injection Cavity (OPIC) lasers includes >4 um emission from a broadband laser and the measurement of spatial and temporal beam profiles. From August 2006...argon) at 15 mTorr, 400W ICP, and 70W RIE power, with an etch rate of 300 nm/min. Epitaxial ZnO layers were plasma etched using BCl3/SF0gas mixtures

Differential Sputtering Behavior of Pyrolytic Graphite and Carbon-Carbon Composite Under Xenon Bombardment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, John D.; Johnson, Mark L.; Williams, Desiree D.

2003-01-01

A differential sputter yield measurement technique is described, which consists of a quartz crystal monitor that is swept at constant radial distance from a small target region where a high current density xenon ion beam is aimed. This apparatus has been used to characterize the sputtering behavior of various forms of carbon including polycrystalline graphite, pyrolytic graphite, and PVD-infiltrated and pyrolized carbon-carbon composites. Sputter yield data are presented for pyrolytic graphite and carbon-carbon composite over a range of xenon ion energies from 200 eV to 1 keV and angles of incidence from 0 deg (normal incidence) to 60 deg .

Polarity-inverted lateral overgrowth and selective wet-etching and regrowth (PILOSWER) of GaN.

PubMed

Jang, Dongsoo; Jue, Miyeon; Kim, Donghoi; Kim, Hwa Seob; Lee, Hyunkyu; Kim, Chinkyo

2018-03-07

On an SiO 2 -patterned c-plane sapphire substrate, GaN domains were grown with their polarity controlled in accordance with the pattern. While N-polar GaN was grown on hexagonally arranged circular openings, Ga-polar GaN was laterally overgrown on mask regions due to polarity inversion occurring at the boundary of the circular openings. After etching of N-polar GaN on the circular openings by H 3 PO 4 , this template was coated with 40-nm Si by sputtering and was slightly etched by KOH. After slight etching, a thin layer of Si left on the circular openings of sapphire,but not on GaN, was oxidized during thermal annealing and served as a dielectric mask during subsequent regrowth. Thus, the subsequent growth of GaN was made only on the existing Ga-polar GaN domains, not on the circular openings of the sapphire substrate. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed no sign of threading dislocations in this film. This approach may help fabricating an unholed and merged GaN film physically attached to but epitaxially separated from the SiO 2 -patterned sapphire.

Dynamics of nanoparticle morphology under low energy ion irradiation.

PubMed

Holland-Moritz, Henry; Graupner, Julia; Möller, Wolfhard; Pacholski, Claudia; Ronning, Carsten

2018-08-03

If nanostructures are irradiated with energetic ions, the mechanism of sputtering becomes important when the ion range matches about the size of the nanoparticle. Gold nanoparticles with diameters of ∼50 nm on top of silicon substrates with a native oxide layer were irradiated by gallium ions with energies ranging from 1 to 30 keV in a focused ion beam system. High resolution in situ scanning electron microscopy imaging permits detailed insights in the dynamics of the morphology change and sputter yield. Compared to bulk-like structures or thin films, a pronounced shaping and enhanced sputtering in the nanostructures occurs, which enables a specific shaping of these structures using ion beams. This effect depends on the ratio of nanoparticle size and ion energy. In the investigated energy regime, the sputter yield increases at increasing ion energy and shows a distinct dependence on the nanoparticle size. The experimental findings are directly compared to Monte Carlo simulations obtained from iradina and TRI3DYN, where the latter takes into account dynamic morphological and compositional changes of the target.

An exploratory study of recycled sputtering and CsF2- current enhancement for AMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, X.-L.; Charles, C. R. J.; Cornett, R. J.; Kieser, W. E.; MacDonald, C.; Kazi, Z.; St-Jean, N.

2016-01-01

The analysis of 135Cs/Cs ratios at levels below 10-12 by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) would preferably use commonly available negative ion injection systems. The sputter ion sources in these injectors should ideally produce currents of Cs- or Cs-containing molecular anions approaching μA levels from targets containing mg quantities of Cs. However, since Cs is the most electro-positive stable element in nature with a low electron affinity, the generation of large negative atomic, or molecular beams containing Cs, has been very challenging. In addition, the reduction of the interferences from the 135Ba isobar and the primary 133Cs+ beam used for sputtering are also necessary. The measurement of a wide range of the isotope ratios also requires the ion source memory of previous samples be minimized. This paper describes some progresses towards a potential solution of all these problems by recycled sputtering using fluorinating targets of PbF2 with mg CsF mixed in. The problems encountered indicate that considerable further studies and some redesign of the present ion sources will be desirable.

Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO 2 and Si using cyclic Ar/C 4F 8 and Ar/CHF 3 plasma

DOE PAGES

Metzler, Dominik; Li, Chen; Engelmann, Sebastian; ...

2015-11-11

The need for atomic layer etching (ALE) is steadily increasing as smaller critical dimensions and pitches are required in device patterning. A flux-control based cyclic Ar/C 4F 8 ALE based on steady-state Ar plasma in conjunction with periodic, precise C 4F 8 injection and synchronized plasma-based low energy Ar + ion bombardment has been established for SiO 2. 1 In this work, the cyclic process is further characterized and extended to ALE of silicon under similar process conditions. The use of CHF 3 as a precursor is examined and compared to C 4F 8. CHF 3 is shown to enablemore » selective SiO 2/Si etching using a fluorocarbon (FC) film build up. Other critical process parameters investigated are the FC film thickness deposited per cycle, the ion energy, and the etch step length. Etching behavior and mechanisms are studied using in situ real time ellipsometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Silicon ALE shows less self-limitation than silicon oxide due to higher physical sputtering rates for the maximum ion energies used in this work, ranged from 20 to 30 eV. The surface chemistry is found to contain fluorinated silicon oxide during the etching of silicon. As a result, plasma parameters during ALE are studied using a Langmuir probe and establish the impact of precursor addition on plasma properties.« less

Application of ion thruster technology to a 30-cm multipole sputtering ion source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, R. S.; Kaufman, H. R.

1976-01-01

A 30-cm electron-bombardment ion source has been designed and fabricated for micromachining and sputtering applications. This source has a multipole magnetic field that employs permanent magnets between permeable pole pieces. An average ion current density of 1 ma/sq cm with 500-eV argon ions was selected as a design operating condition. The ion beam at this operating condition was uniform and well collimated, with an average variation of + or -5 percent over the center 20 cm of the beam at a distance up to 30 cm from the ion source.

Adhesion to root canal dentine using one and two-step adhesives with dual-cure composite core materials.

PubMed

Foxton, R M; Nakajima, M; Tagami, J; Miura, H

2005-02-01

The regional tensile bond strengths of two dual-cure composite resin core materials to root canal dentine using either a one or two-step self-etching adhesive were evaluated. Extracted premolar teeth were decoronated and their root canals prepared to a depth of 8 mm and a width of 1.4 mm. In one group, a one-step self-etching adhesive (Unifil Self-etching Bond) was applied to the walls of the post-space and light-cured for 10 s. After which, the post-spaces were filled with the a dual-cure composite resin (Unifil Core) and then half the specimens were light-cured for 60 s and the other half placed in darkness for 30 min. In the second group, a self-etching primer (ED Primer II) was applied for 30 s, followed by an adhesive resin (Clearfil Photo Bond), which was light-cured for 10 s. The post-spaces were filled with a dual-cure composite resin (DC Core) and then half the specimens were light-cured for 60 s and the other half placed in darkness for 30 min. Chemical-cure composite resin was placed on the outer surfaces of all the roots, which were then stored in water for 24 h. They were serially sliced perpendicular to the bonded interface into 8, 0.6 mm-thick slabs, and then transversely sectioned into beams, approximately 8 x 0.6 x 0.6 mm, for the microtensile bond strength test (muTBS). Data were divided into two (coronal/apical half of post-space) and analysed using three-way anova and Scheffe's test (P < 0.05). Failure modes were observed under an scanning electron microscope (SEM) and statistically analysed. Specimens for observation of the bonded interfaces were prepared in a similar manner as for bond strength testing, cut in half and embedded in epoxy resin. They were then polished to a high gloss, gold sputter coated, and after argon ion etching, observed under an SEM. For both dual-cure composite resins and curing strategies, there were no significant differences in muTBS between the coronal and apical regions (P > 0.05). In addition, both dual-cure composite resins exhibited no significant differences in muTBS irrespective of whether polymerization was chemically or photoinitiated (P > 0.05). Both dual-cure composite resins exhibited good bonding to root canal dentin, which was not dependent upon region or mode of polymerization.

Morphologies and optical and electrical properties of InGaN/GaN micro-square array light-emitting diode chips.

PubMed

Han, Dan; Ma, Shufang; Jia, Zhigang; Liu, Peizhi; Jia, Wei; Shang, Lin; Zhai, Guangmei; Xu, Bingshe

2018-04-10

InGaN/GaN micro-square array light-emitting diode (LED) chips (micro-chips) have been prepared via the focused ion beam (FIB) etching technique, which can not only reduce ohmic contact degradation but also control the aspect ratio precisely in three-dimensional (3D) structure LED (3D-LED) device fabrication. The effects of FIB beam current and micro-square array depth on morphologies and optical and electrical properties of the micro-chips have been studied. Our results show that sidewall surface morphology and optical and electrical properties of the micro-chips degrade with increased beam current. After potassium hydroxide etching with different times, an optimal current-voltage and luminescence performance can be obtained. Combining the results of cathodoluminescence mappings and light output-current characteristics, the light extraction efficiency of the micro-chips is reduced as FIB etch depth increases. The mechanisms of micro-square depth on light extraction have been revealed by 3D finite difference time domain.

Fabrication of porous microrings via laser printing and ion-beam post-etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syubaev, S.; Nepomnyashchiy, A.; Mitsai, E.; Pustovalov, E.; Vitrik, O.; Kudryashov, S.; Kuchmizhak, A.

2017-08-01

Pulsed-laser dry printing of noble-metal microrings with a tunable internal porous structure, which can be revealed via an ion-beam etching post-procedure, was demonstrated. The abundance and average size of the pores inside the microrings were shown to be tuned in a wide range by varying the incident pulse energy and a nitrogen doping level controlled in the process of magnetron deposition of the gold film in the appropriate gaseous environment. The fabricated porous microrings were shown to provide many-fold near-field enhancement of incident electromagnetic fields, which was confirmed by mapping of the characteristic Raman band of a nanometer-thick covering layer of Rhodamine 6G dye molecules and supporting finite-difference time-domain calculations. The proposed laser-printing/ion-beam etching approach is demonstrated to be a unique tool aimed at designing and fabricating multifunctional plasmonic structures and metasurfaces for spectroscopic bioidentification based on surface-enhanced infrared absorption, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence detection schemes.

Luminal surface fabrication for cardiovascular prostheses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deininger, William D. (Inventor); Gabriel, Stephen B. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

A method is provided for forming a mold surface with microscopic upstanding pillars for molding the inside surface of a vascular prostheses (synthetic blood vessel). The mold article is formed from a quantity of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) which has a polished, flat surface on which a gold film has been sputter deposited. A photoresist layer, which cannot adhere directly to Teflon, adheres to the gold. The photoresist is exposed and developed leaving a sputter resistant mask defining the desired pillar locations, and the resulting workpiece is ion etched to form the pillars in the Teflon. A synthetic blood vessel material is cast against the Teflon mold to form blind recesses on the inside of the synthetic blood vessel, with the recesses being of predetermined uniform cross section and present in a predetermined uniform pattern.

Scanning electron microscope investigation of the structural growth in thick sputtered coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1975-01-01

Sputtered S-Monel, silver, and 304 stainless steel coatings and molybdenum disulfide coatings were deposited on mica and metal substrates with various surface finishes to investigate the structural growth of the coating by scanning electron microscopy. The geometry and the surface morphology of the nodules are characterized. Compositional changes within the coating were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Defects in the surface finish act as preferential nucleation sites and form isolated overlapping and complex nodules and various unusual surface overgrowths on the coating. The nodule boundaries are very vulnerable to chemical etching and these nodules do not disappear after full annealing. Further, they have undesirable effects on mechanical properties; cracks are initiated at the nodules when the coating is stressed by mechanical forces.

Analysis of GaN Damage Induced by Cl2/SiCl4/Ar Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minami, Masaki; Tomiya, Shigetaka; Ishikawa, Kenji; Matsumoto, Ryosuke; Chen, Shang; Fukasawa, Masanaga; Uesawa, Fumikatsu; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru; Tatsumi, Tetsuya

2011-08-01

GaN-based optical devices are fabricated using a GaN/InGaN/GaN sandwiched structure. The effect of radicals, ions, and UV light on the GaN optical properties during Cl2/SiCl4/Ar plasma etching was evaluated using photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The samples were exposed to plasma (radicals, ions, and UV light) using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching system and a plasma ion beam apparatus that can separate the effects of UV and ions both with and without covering the SiO2 window on the surface. Etching damage in an InGaN single quantum well (SQW) was formed by exposing the sample to plasma. The damage, which decreases PL emission intensity, was generated not only by ion beam irradiation but also by UV light irradiation. PL intensity decreased when the thickness of the upper GaN layer was etched to less than 60 nm. In addition, simultaneous irradiation of UV light and ions slightly increased the degree of damage. There seems to be a synergistic effect between the UV light and the ions. For high-quality GaN-based optoelectronics and power devices, UV light must be controlled during etching processes in addition to the etching profile, selectivity, and ion bombardment damage.

Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation on Structural and Optical Properties of Cu-Doped In2O3 Films Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnan, R. Reshmi; Sanjeev, Ganesh; Prabhu, Radhakrishna; Pillai, V. P. Mahadevan

2018-02-01

Undoped and Cu-doped In2O3 films were prepared by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering technique. The effects of Cu doping and high-energy electron beam irradiation on the structural and optical properties of as-prepared films were investigated using techniques such as x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), lateral scanning electron microscopic image analysis, energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, micro-Raman, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Moderate doping of Cu in In2O3 enhanced the intensity of (222) peak, indicating alignment of crystalline grains along <111>. Electron beam irradiation promoted orientation of crystalline grains along <111> in undoped and moderately Cu-doped films. EDX spectroscopic and XPS analyses revealed incorporation of Cu2+ ions in the lattice. The transmittance of Cu-doped films decreased with e-beam irradiation. Systematic reduction of the bandgap energy with increase in Cu doping concentration was seen in unirradiated and electron-beam-irradiated films.

Change Spectrum Characteristics Modification of Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering with the Assistance of Argon Ions Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umnov, S.; Asainov, O.

2015-04-01

Thin aluminum films were prepared using the method of magnetron sputtering with and without argon ion beam assistance. The influence of argon ion beam on the reflectivity in the UV range and the structure of aluminum films was studied. The structure of the films was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and atomic- force microscope (AFM). The study has shown that the films deposed with the assistance of the argon ion beam have more significant microstresses associated with an increase of crystallites microstructure defects as compared to the films deposed without ion assistance. Comparison of the measured reflectivity of aluminum films deposed without and with the assistance of the ion beam has shown that the films characterized by a higher level of microstructure def ects have increased reflectivity in the UV range. The studies suggest that the defects of thin aluminum films crystal structure influence its optical properties.

Fabrication of phonon-based metamaterial structures using focused ion beam patterning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassim, Nabil D.; Giles, Alexander J.; Ocola, Leonidas E.; Caldwell, Joshua D.

2018-02-01

The focused ion beam (FIB) is a powerful tool for rapid prototyping and machining of functional nanodevices. It is employed regularly to fabricate test metamaterial structures but, to date, has been unsuccessful in fabricating metamaterial structures with features at the nanoscale that rely on surface phonons as opposed to surface plasmons because of the crystalline damage that occurs with the collision cascade associated with ion sputtering. In this study, we employ a simple technique of protecting the crystalline substrate in single-crystal 4H-SiC to design surface phonon polariton-based optical resonance structures. By coating the material surface with a thin film of chromium, we have placed a material of high sputter resistance on the surface, which essentially absorbs the energy in the beam tails. When the beam ultimately punches through the Cr film, the hard walls in the film have the effect of channeling the beam to create smooth sidewalls. This demonstration opens the possibility of further rapid-prototyping of metamaterials using FIB.

Transmission sputtering under diatomic molecule bombardment. Model calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitensky, I. S.

1996-04-01

Transmission sputtering means that emission of secondary particles is studied from the downstream side of a bombarded foil. Nonlinear effects in sputtering manifest themselves as a deviation of sputtering yield under molecular ion bombardment from the sum of the yields induced by the constituents at the same velocity. In the reflection geometry the overlap of the spike regions reaches maximum, while in transmission the degree of overlap depends on the projectile and on the foil thickness. It has been shown that the transmission sputtering yield can be described by a function of a scaling parameter determined by beam-foil characteristics and a mechanism of nonlinear sputtering. Calculations of the transmission yield have been made in the thermal spike and shock wave models. The results of calculations are compared with experimental data on phenylalanine molecular ion desorption from organic targets induced by Au + and Au 2+ impact. Suggestions for further experimental study are made.

An etched fiber optic vibration sensor to monitor the simply supported beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putha, Kishore; Dinakar, Dantala; Rao, Pachava V.; Sengupta, Dipankar; Srimannarayana, K.; Sai Shankar, M.

2012-04-01

A single mode fiber optic vibration senor is designed and demonstrated to monitor the vibration of a simply supported beam. A rectangular beam (length 30.8 cm, width 2.5cm and thickness 0.5mm) made of spring-steel is arranged as simply supported beam and is made to vibrate periodically. To sense the vibrations a telecommunication fiber is chemically etched such that its diameter reaches 50μm and is glued using an epoxy at the centre of the beam. A broadband light (1550nm) is launched into Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) through a circulator. The light reflected by the FBG (1540.32nm) is coupled into the centre etched fibre through the circulator and is detected by photodiode connected to a transimpedance amplifier. The electrical signal is logged into the computer through NI-6016 DAQ. The sensor works on transmission power loss due to the mode volume mismatch and flexural strain (field strength) of the fiber due to the bending in the fiber with respect to the bending of the spring-steel beam. The beam is made to vibrate and the corresponding intensity of light is recorded. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) technique is used to measure the frequencies of vibration. The results show that this sensor can sense vibration of low frequency accurately and repeatability is high. The sensor has high linear response to axial displacement of about 0.8 mm with sensitivity of 32mV/10μm strain. This lowcost sensor may find a place in industry to monitor the vibrations of the beam structures and bridges.

Synthesis and x-ray characterization of sputtered bi-alkali antimonide photocathodes

DOE PAGES

Gaowei, M.; Ding, Z.; Schubert, S.; ...

2017-11-10

Advanced photoinjectors, which are critical to many next generation accelerators, open the door to new ways of material probing, both as injectors for free electron lasers and for ultra-fast electron diffraction. For these applications, the nonuniformity of the electric field near the cathode caused by surface roughness can be the dominant source of beam emittance. Therefore, improving the photocathode roughness while maintaining quantum efficiency is essential to the improvement of beam brightness. Here in this article, we report the demonstration of a bi-alkali antimonide photocathode with an order of magnitude improved roughness by sputter deposition from a K 2CsSb sputtermore » target, using in situ and operando X-ray characterizations. We found that a surface roughness of 0.5 nm for a sputtered photocathode with a final thickness of 42 nm can be achieved while still yielding a quantum efficiency of 3.3% at 530 nm wavelength.« less

Synthesis and x-ray characterization of sputtered bi-alkali antimonide photocathodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaowei, M.; Ding, Z.; Schubert, S.

Advanced photoinjectors, which are critical to many next generation accelerators, open the door to new ways of material probing, both as injectors for free electron lasers and for ultra-fast electron diffraction. For these applications, the nonuniformity of the electric field near the cathode caused by surface roughness can be the dominant source of beam emittance. Therefore, improving the photocathode roughness while maintaining quantum efficiency is essential to the improvement of beam brightness. Here in this article, we report the demonstration of a bi-alkali antimonide photocathode with an order of magnitude improved roughness by sputter deposition from a K 2CsSb sputtermore » target, using in situ and operando X-ray characterizations. We found that a surface roughness of 0.5 nm for a sputtered photocathode with a final thickness of 42 nm can be achieved while still yielding a quantum efficiency of 3.3% at 530 nm wavelength.« less

Mechanism of chemical sputtering of graphite under high flux deuterium bombardment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueda, Y.; Sugai, T.; Ohtsuka, Y.; Nishikawa, M.

2000-12-01

Chemical sputtering of graphite materials (isotropic graphite and carbon fiber composite) was studied by irradiation of 5 keV D 3+ beam with a flux up to 4×10 21 m-2 s-1, which is more than one order magnitude higher than previous low flux beam experiments (< 10 20 m-2 s-1) . The chemical sputtering yield was obtained from measurements of the released methane signal with a quadrupole mass analyser. It was found that the methane yield at peak temperatures is almost independent of flux from 5×10 20 to 4×10 21 m-2 s-1. Peak temperatures range between 900 and 1000 K, which is higher than those of the previous low flux experiments (<900 K, <10 20 m-2 s-1) . By comparing our experimental results with calculation results based on Roth's model, the annealing effect of radiation damage to prevent methyl group formation appears to be unimportant.

Stoichiometry of Silicon Dioxide Films Obtained by Ion-Beam Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telesh, E. V.; Dostanko, A. P.; Gurevich, O. V.

2018-03-01

The composition of SiOx films produced by ion-beam sputtering (IBS) of silicon and quartz targets were studied by infrared spectrometry. Films with thicknesses of 150-390 nm were formed on silicon substrates. It was found that increase in the partial pressure of oxygen in the working gas, increase in the temperature of the substrate, and the presence of a positive potential on the target during reactive IBS of silicon shifted the main absorption band νas into the high-frequency region and increased the composition index from 1.41 to 1.85. During IBS of a quartz target the stoichiometry of the films deteriorates with increase of the energy of the sputtering argon ions. This may be due to increase of the deposition rate. Increase in the current of the thermionic compensator, increase of the substrate temperature, and addition of oxygen led to the formation of SiOx films with improved stoichiometry.

Nanostructure formation and regulation during low-energy ion beam sputtering of fused silica surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Wenlin; Dai, Yi-Fan; Nie, Xutao; Nie, Xuqing; Xu, Mingjin

2017-12-01

Ion beam sputtering (IBS) possesses strong surface nanostructuring behaviors, where dual microscopic phenomenon can be aroused to induce the formation of ultrasmooth surfaces or regular nanostructures. Low-energy IBS of fused silica surfaces is investigated to discuss the formation mechanism and the regulation of the IBS-induced nanostructures. The research results indicate that these microscopic phenomena can be attributed to the interaction of the IBS-induced surface roughening and smoothing effects, and the interaction process strongly depends on the sputtering conditions. Alternatively, ultrasmooth surface or regular nanostructure can be selectively generated through the regulation of the nanostructuring process, and the features of the generated nanostructures, such as amplitude and period, also can be regulated. Consequently, two different technology aims of nanofabrication, including nanometer-scale and nanometer-precision fabrication, can be realized, respectively. These dual microscopic mechanisms distinguish IBS as a promising nanometer manufacturing technology for the optical surfaces.

Comparative studies on damages to organic layer during the deposition of ITO films by various sputtering methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Hao; Wang, Meihan; Hoshi, Yoichi; Uchida, Takayuki; Kobayashi, Shinichi; Sawada, Yutaka

2013-11-01

Aluminum (III) bis(2-methyl-8-quninolinato)-4-phenylphenolate (BAlq) was respectively bombarded and irradiated by Ar ions, oxygen ions, electron beam and ultraviolet light to confirm damages during the sputter-deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) on organic layer. The degree of damage was evaluated by the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of BAlq. The results confirmed the oxygen ions led to a larger damage and were thought to play the double roles of bombardment to organic layer and reaction with organic layer as well. The comparative studies on PL spectra of BAlq after the deposition of TCO films by various sputtering systems, such as conventional magnetron sputtering (MS), low voltage sputtering (LVS) and kinetic-energy-control-deposition (KECD) system, facing target sputtering (FTS) were performed. Relative to MS, LVS and KECD system, FTS can completely suppress the bombardment of the secondary electrons and oxygen negative ions, and keep a higher deposition rate simultaneously, thus it is a good solution to attain a low-damage sputter-deposition.

Etched beam splitters in InP/InGaAsP.

PubMed

Norberg, Erik J; Parker, John S; Nicholes, Steven C; Kim, Byungchae; Krishnamachari, Uppiliappan; Coldren, Larry A

2011-01-17

An etched beam splitter (EBS) photonic coupler based on frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) is designed, fabricated and characterized in the InP/InGaAsP material system. The EBS offers an ultra compact footprint (8x11 μm) and a complete range of bar/cross coupling ratio designs. A novel pre-etching process is developed to achieve sufficient depth of the etched coupling gaps. Fabricated EBS couplers demonstrate insertion loss between 1 and 2.6 dB with transmission (cross-coupling) ≤ 10%. The results show excellent agreement with 3D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling. The coupling of EBS has weak wavelength dependence in the C-band, making it suitable for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) or other wide bandwidth applications. Finally, the EBS is integrated with active semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and phase-modulator components; using a flattened ring resonator structure, a channelizing filter tunable in both amplitude and center frequency is demonstrated, as well as an EBS coupled ring laser.

Electron-beam induced nano-etching of suspended graphene

PubMed Central

Sommer, Benedikt; Sonntag, Jens; Ganczarczyk, Arkadius; Braam, Daniel; Prinz, Günther; Lorke, Axel; Geller, Martin

2015-01-01

Besides its interesting physical properties, graphene as a two-dimensional lattice of carbon atoms promises to realize devices with exceptional electronic properties, where freely suspended graphene without contact to any substrate is the ultimate, truly two-dimensional system. The practical realization of nano-devices from suspended graphene, however, relies heavily on finding a structuring method which is minimally invasive. Here, we report on the first electron beam-induced nano-etching of suspended graphene and demonstrate high-resolution etching down to ~7 nm for line-cuts into the monolayer graphene. We investigate the structural quality of the etched graphene layer using two-dimensional (2D) Raman maps and demonstrate its high electronic quality in a nano-device: A 25 nm-wide suspended graphene nanoribbon (GNR) that shows a transport gap with a corresponding energy of ~60 meV. This is an important step towards fast and reliable patterning of suspended graphene for future ballistic transport, nano-electronic and nano-mechanical devices. PMID:25586495

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metzler, Dominik; Li, Chen; Engelmann, Sebastian

The need for atomic layer etching (ALE) is steadily increasing as smaller critical dimensions and pitches are required in device patterning. A flux-control based cyclic Ar/C 4F 8 ALE based on steady-state Ar plasma in conjunction with periodic, precise C 4F 8 injection and synchronized plasma-based low energy Ar + ion bombardment has been established for SiO 2. 1 In this work, the cyclic process is further characterized and extended to ALE of silicon under similar process conditions. The use of CHF 3 as a precursor is examined and compared to C 4F 8. CHF 3 is shown to enablemore » selective SiO 2/Si etching using a fluorocarbon (FC) film build up. Other critical process parameters investigated are the FC film thickness deposited per cycle, the ion energy, and the etch step length. Etching behavior and mechanisms are studied using in situ real time ellipsometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Silicon ALE shows less self-limitation than silicon oxide due to higher physical sputtering rates for the maximum ion energies used in this work, ranged from 20 to 30 eV. The surface chemistry is found to contain fluorinated silicon oxide during the etching of silicon. As a result, plasma parameters during ALE are studied using a Langmuir probe and establish the impact of precursor addition on plasma properties.« less

Design and optimization of a high-efficiency array generator in the mid-IR with binary subwavelength grooves.

PubMed

Bloom, Guillaume; Larat, Christian; Lallier, Eric; Lee-Bouhours, Mane-Si Laure; Loiseaux, Brigitte; Huignard, Jean-Pierre

2011-02-10

We have designed a high-efficiency array generator composed of subwavelength grooves etched in a GaAs substrate for operation at 4.5 μm. The method used combines rigorous coupled wave analysis with an optimization algorithm. The optimized beam splitter has both a high efficiency (∼96%) and a good intensity uniformity (∼0.2%). The fabrication error tolerances are numerically calculated, and it is shown that this subwavelength array generator could be fabricated with current electron beam writers and inductively coupled plasma etching. Finally, we studied the effect of a simple and realistic antireflection coating on the performance of the beam splitter.

Electron beam induced etching of carbon nanotubes enhanced by secondary electrons in oxygen.

PubMed

Yoshida, Hideto; Tomita, Yuto; Soma, Kentaro; Takeda, Seiji

2017-05-12

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are subjected to electron-beam-induced etching (EBIE) in oxygen. The EBIE process is observed in situ by environmental transmission electron microscopy. The partial pressure of oxygen (10 and 100 Pa), energy of the primary electrons (80 and 200 keV), and environment of the CNTs (suspended or supported on a silicon nitride membrane) are investigated as factors affecting the etching rate. The EBIE rate of CNTs was markedly promoted by the effects of secondary electrons that were emitted from a silicon nitride membrane under irradiation by primary electrons. Membrane supported CNTs can be cut by EBIE with a spatial accuracy better than 3 nm, and a nanogap of 2 nm can be successfully achieved between the ends of two suspended CNTs.

Photoluminescence emission from GaAs nanodisks in GaAs/AlGaAs nanopillar arrays fabricated by neutral beam etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohori, Daisuke; Fukuyama, Atsuhiko; Sakai, Kentaro; Higo, Akio; Thomas, Cedric; Samukawa, Seiji; Ikari, Tetsuo

2017-05-01

GaAs quantum nanodisks (QNDs) in nanopillar (NP) arrays are considered to be an attractive candidate for photonic device applications. We report a damageless fabrication technique that can be used to produce large-area lattice-matched GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure NP arrays through the use of a bio-template and neutral beam etching. We have successfully realized GaAs QNDs in NPs owing to nanoscale iron oxide masks included in poly(ethylene glycol)-decorated ferritin protein shells. We observed for first time the photoluminescence emission from as-etched GaAs QNDs and confirmed quantum confinement by quantum mechanical calculation. Our methodology is vital for high-efficiency pillar-based optoelectronic devices such as NP laser diodes.

Making Wide-IF SIS Mixers with Suspended Metal-Beam Leads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaul, Anupama; Bumble, Bruce; Lee, Karen; LeDuc, Henry; Rice, Frank; Zmuidzinas, Jonas

2005-01-01

A process that employs silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates and silicon (Si) micromachining has been devised for fabricating wide-intermediate-frequency-band (wide-IF) superconductor/insulator/superconductor (SIS) mixer devices that result in suspended gold beam leads used for radio-frequency grounding. The mixers are formed on 25- m-thick silicon membranes. They are designed to operate in the 200 to 300 GHz frequency band, wherein wide-IF receivers for tropospheric- chemistry and astrophysical investigations are necessary. The fabrication process can be divided into three sections: 1. The front-side process, in which SIS devices with beam leads are formed on a SOI wafer; 2. The backside process, in which the SOI wafer is wax-mounted onto a carrier wafer, then thinned, then partitioned into individual devices; and 3. The release process, in which the individual devices are separated using a lithographic dicing technique. The total thickness of the starting 4-in. (10.16-cm)-diameter SOI wafer includes 25 m for the Si device layer, 0.5 m for the buried oxide (BOX) layer, and 350 m the for Si-handle layer. The front-side process begins with deposition of an etch-stop layer of SiO2 or AlN(x), followed by deposition of a Nb/Al- AlN(x) /Nb trilayer in a load-locked DC magnetron sputtering system. The lithography for four of a total of five layers is performed in a commercial wafer-stepping apparatus. Diagnostic test dies are patterned concurrently at certain locations on the wafer, alongside the mixer devices, using a different mask set. The conventional, self-aligned lift-off process is used to pattern the SIS devices up to the wire level.

A lithium niobate electro-optic tunable Bragg filter fabricated by electron beam lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierno, L.; Dispenza, M.; Secchi, A.; Fiorello, A.; Foglietti, V.

2008-06-01

We have designed and fabricated a lithium niobate tunable Bragg filter patterned by electron beam lithography and etched by reactive ion etching. Devices with 1 mm, 2 mm and 4 mm length and 360 and 1080 nm Bragg period, with 5 pm V-1 tuning efficiency, have been characterized. Some applications were identified. Optical simulation based on finite element model (FEM) software showing the optical filtering curve and the coupling factor dependence on the manufacturing parameter is reported. The tuning of the filter window position is electro-optically controlled.

High density plasma etching of magnetic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Kee Bum

Magnetic materials such as NiFe (permalloy) or NiFeCo are widely used in the data storage industry. Techniques for submicron patterning are required to develop next generation magnetic devices. The relative chemical inertness of most magnetic materials means they are hard to etch using conventional RIE (Reactive Ion Etching). Therefore ion milling has generally been used across the industry, but this has limitations for magnetic structures with submicron dimensions. In this dissertation, we suggest high density plasmas such as ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) and ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) for the etching of magnetic materials (NiFe, NiFeCo, CoFeB, CoSm, CoZr) and other related materials (TaN, CrSi, FeMn), which are employed for magnetic devices like magnetoresistive random access memories (MRAM), magnetic read/write heads, magnetic sensors and microactuators. This research examined the fundamental etch mechanisms occurring in high density plasma processing of magnetic materials by measuring etch rate, surface morphology and surface stoichiometry. However, one concern with using Cl2-based plasma chemistry is the effect of residual chlorine or chlorinated etch residues remaining on the sidewalls of etched features, leading to a degradation of the magnetic properties. To avoid this problem, we employed two different processing methods. The first one is applying several different cleaning procedures, including de-ionized water rinsing or in-situ exposure to H2, O2 or SF6 plasmas. Very stable magnetic properties were achieved over a period of ˜6 months except O2 plasma treated structures, with no evidence of corrosion, provided chlorinated etch residues were removed by post-etch cleaning. The second method is using non-corrosive gas chemistries such as CO/NH3 or CO2/NH3. There is a small chemical contribution to the etch mechanism (i.e. formation of metal carbonyls) as determined by a comparison with Ar and N2 physical sputtering. The discharge should be NH3-rich to achieve the highest etch rates. Several different mask materials were investigated, including photoresist, thermal oxide and deposited oxide. Photoresist etches very rapidly in CO/NH 3 and use of a hard mask is necessary to achieve pattern transfer. Due to its physically dominated nature, the CO/NH3 chemistry appears suited to shallow etch depth (≤0.5mum) applications, but mask erosion leads to sloped feature sidewalls for deeper features.

Differentiation of grain orientation with corrosive and colour etching on a granular bainitic steel.

PubMed

Reisinger, S; Ressel, G; Eck, S; Marsoner, S

2017-08-01

This study presents a detailed verification of the etching methods with Nital and Klemm on a granular bainitic steel. It is shown that both methods allow the identification of the crystal orientation, whereas Klemm etching enables also a quantification of the apparent phases, as also retained austenite can be distinguished from the other bainitic microstructures. A combination of atom probe tomography with electron-back-scattered-diffraction showed that both etching methods emphasize the bainitic {100} crystal orientation. However, a cross-section produced by focused ion beam evidenced that Klemm etching leads to the formation of a topography of the different oriented bainitic crystals that directly affects the thickness and therefore the apparent colour of the deposited layer formed during etching. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Ag Surfactant on Cu/Co Multilayers Deposited by RF-Ion Beam Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amir, S. M.; Gupta, M.; Gupta, A.; Wildes, A.

2011-07-01

In this work, the effect of Ag surfactant in RF-ion beam sputtered Cu/Co multilayers was studied. It was found that when a sub-monolayer of Ag (termed as surfactant) is deposited prior to the deposition of Cu/Co multilayers, the asymmetry in the Cu/Co or Co/Cu interfaces becomes small. Low surface free energy of Ag helps Ag atoms to float when a Cu or Co layer is getting deposited. This balances the difference between the surface free energy of Cu and Co making the interfaces in the multilayers smoother as compared to the case when no Ag surfactant was used.

Towards an electro-magnetic field separation of deposited material implemented in an ion beam sputter process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malobabic, Sina; Jupe, Marco; Ristau, Detlev

Nowadays, Ion Beam Sputter (IBS) processes are very well optimized on an empirical basis. To achieve further progresses, a modification of the IBS process by guiding the coating material using an axial magnetic field and an additional electrical field has been studied. The electro-magnetic (EM) field leads to a significant change in plasma properties and deposition rate distributions, whereas an increase in deposition rate along the centerline of the axial EM field around 150% was observed. These fundamental studies on the prototype are the basis for the development of an applicable and workable design of a separation device.

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of self-organized pattern formation induced by ion beam sputtering using crater functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhangcan; Lively, Michael A.; Allain, Jean Paul

2015-02-01

The production of self-organized nanostructures by ion beam sputtering has been of keen interest to researchers for many decades. Despite numerous experimental and theoretical efforts to understand ion-induced nanostructures, there are still many basic questions open to discussion, such as the role of erosion or curvature-dependent sputtering. In this work, a hybrid MD/kMC (molecular dynamics/kinetic Monte Carlo) multiscale atomistic model is developed to investigate these knowledge gaps, and its predictive ability is validated across the experimental parameter space. This model uses crater functions, which were obtained from MD simulations, to model the prompt mass redistribution due to single-ion impacts. Defect migration, which is missing from previous models that use crater functions, is treated by a kMC Arrhenius method. Using this model, a systematic study was performed for silicon bombarded by Ar+ ions of various energies (100 eV, 250 eV, 500 eV, 700 eV, and 1000 eV) at incidence angles of 0∘ to 80∘. The simulation results were compared with experimental findings, showing good agreement in many aspects of surface evolution, such as the phase diagram. The underestimation of the ripple wavelength by the simulations suggests that surface diffusion is not the main smoothening mechanism for ion-induced pattern formation. Furthermore, the simulated results were compared with moment-description continuum theory and found to give better results, as the simulation did not suffer from the same mathematical inconsistencies as the continuum model. The key finding was that redistributive effects are dominant in the formation of flat surfaces and parallel-mode ripples, but erosive effects are dominant at high angles when perpendicular-mode ripples are formed. Ion irradiation with simultaneous sample rotation was also simulated, resulting in arrays of square-ordered dots. The patterns obtained from sample rotation were strongly correlated to the rotation speed and to the pattern types formed without sample rotation, and a critical value of about 5 rpm was found between disordered ripples and square-ordered dots. Finally, simulations of dual-beam sputtering were performed, with the resulting patterns determined by the flux ratio of the two beams and the pattern types resulting from single-beam sputtering under the same conditions.

Tuning the Kondo effect in thin Au films by depositing a thin layer of Au on molecular spin-dopants.

PubMed

Ataç, D; Gang, T; Yilmaz, M D; Bose, S K; Lenferink, A T M; Otto, C; de Jong, M P; Huskens, J; van der Wiel, W G

2013-09-20

We report on the tuning of the Kondo effect in thin Au films containing a monolayer of cobalt(II) terpyridine complexes by altering the ligand structure around the Co(2+) ions by depositing a thin Au capping layer on top of the monolayer on Au by magnetron sputtering (more energetic) and e-beam evaporation (softer). We show that the Kondo effect is slightly enhanced with respect to that of the uncapped film when the cap is deposited by evaporation, and significantly enhanced when magnetron sputtering is used. The Kondo temperature (TK) increases from 3 to 4.2/6.2 K for the evaporated/sputtered caps. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy investigation showed that the organic ligands remain intact upon Au e-beam evaporation; however, sputtering inflicts significant change in the Co(2+) electronic environment. The location of the monolayer-on the surface or embedded in the film-has a small effect. However, the damage of Co-N bonds induced by sputtering has a drastic effect on the increase of the impurity-electron interaction. This opens up the way for tuning of the magnetic impurity states, e.g. spin quantum number, binding energy with respect to the host Fermi energy, and overlap via the ligand structure around the ions.

Cryogenic Etching of Silicon: An Alternative Method For Fabrication of Vertical Microcantilever Master Molds

PubMed Central

Addae-Mensah, Kweku A.; Retterer, Scott; Opalenik, Susan R.; Thomas, Darrell; Lavrik, Nickolay V.; Wikswo, John P.

2013-01-01

This paper examines the use of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon with fluorine high-density plasmas at cryogenic temperatures to produce silicon master molds for vertical microcantilever arrays used for controlling substrate stiffness for culturing living cells. The resultant profiles achieved depend on the rate of deposition and etching of a SiOxFy polymer, which serves as a passivation layer on the sidewalls of the etched structures in relation to areas that have not been passivated with the polymer. We look at how optimal tuning of two parameters, the O2 flow rate and the capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) power, determine the etch profile. All other pertinent parameters are kept constant. We examine the etch profiles produced using e-beam resist as the main etch mask, with holes having diameters of 750 nm, 1 µm, and 2 µm. PMID:24223478

Manufacture and application of RuO2 solid-state metal-oxide pH sensor to common beverages.

PubMed

Lonsdale, W; Wajrak, M; Alameh, K

2018-04-01

A new reproducible solid-state metal-oxide pH sensor for beverage quality monitoring is developed and characterised. The working electrode of the developed pH sensor is based on the use of laser-etched sputter-deposited RuO 2 on Al 2 O 3 substrate, modified with thin layers of sputter-deposited Ta 2 O 5 and drop-cast Nafion for minimisation of redox interference. The reference electrode is manufactured by further modifying a working electrode with a porous polyvinyl butyral layer loaded with fumed SiO 2 . The developed pH sensor shows excellent performance when applied to a selection of beverage samples, with a measured accuracy within 0.08 pH of a commercial glass pH sensor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced c-axis orientation of aluminum nitride thin films by plasma-based pre-conditioning of sapphire substrates for SAW applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillinger, M.; Shaposhnikov, K.; Knobloch, T.; Stöger-Pollach, M.; Artner, W.; Hradil, K.; Schneider, M.; Kaltenbacher, M.; Schmid, U.

2018-03-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) on sapphire has been investigated with two different pretreatments prior to sputter deposition of the AlN layer to improve the orientation and homogeneity of the thin film. An inverse sputter etching of the substrate in argon atmosphere results in an improvement of the uniformity of the alignment of the AlN grains and hence, in enhanced electro-mechanical AlN film properties. This effect is demonstrated in the raw measurements of SAW test devices. Additionally, the impulse response of several devices shows that a poor AlN thin film layer quality leads to a higher signal damping during the transduction of energy in the inter-digital transducers. As a result, the triple-transit signal cannot be detected at the receiver.

Wideband two-port beam splitter of a binary fused-silica phase grating.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Zhou, Changhe; Feng, Jijun; Ru, Huayi; Zheng, Jiangjun

2008-08-01

The usual beam splitter of multilayer-coated film with a wideband spectrum is not easy to achieve. We describe the realization of a wideband transmission two-port beam splitter based on a binary fused-silica phase grating. To achieve high efficiency and equality in the diffracted 0th and -1st orders, the grating profile parameters are optimized using rigorous coupled-wave analysis at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Holographic recording and the inductively coupled plasma dry etching technique are used to fabricate the fused-silica beam splitter grating. The measured efficiency of (45% x 2) = 90% diffracted into the both orders can be obtained with the fabricated grating under Littrow mounting. The physical mechanism of such a wideband two-port beam splitter grating can be well explained by the modal method based on two-beam interference of the modes excited by the incident wave. With the high damage threshold, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and wideband high efficiency, the presented beam splitter etched in fused silica should be a useful optical element for a variety of practical applications.

Chemically Modified Microelectrode Arrays. New Kinds of Electronic Devices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-05

switching. Figure 1 shows a typical process for the fabrication of a microelectrode array consisting of eight, individually addressable Au (or Pt...S4r... -n - 2 ORGANIC CLEAN MRC SPUTTERING PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY _Suttred SI.N, & DRY ETCH _LorVO S1. 1.2 pm Figure 1. Flow chart for fabrication of...microelectrochemical devices, including polypyrrole, 14 poly(N-methylpyrrole), 14b poly(3-methylthiophene), 1 5 and polyaniline .15b,16 These materials can all be made by

Novel Zirconia Surface Treatments for Enhanced Osseointegration: Laboratory Characterization

PubMed Central

Ewais, Ola H.; Al Abbassy, Fayza; Ghoneim, Mona M.; Aboushelib, Moustafa N.

2014-01-01

Purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate three novel surface treatments intended to improve osseointegration of zirconia implants: selective infiltration etching treatment (SIE), fusion sputtering (FS), and low pressure particle abrasion (LPPA). The effects of surface treatments on roughness, topography, hardness, and porosity of implants were also assessed. Materials and Methods. 45 zirconia discs (19 mm in diameter × 3 mm in thickness) received 3 different surface treatments: selective infiltration etching, low pressure particle abrasion with 30 µm alumina, and fusion sputtering while nontreated surface served as control. Surface roughness was evaluated quantitatively using profilometery, porosity was evaluated using mercury prosimetry, and Vickers microhardness was used to assess surface hardness. Surface topography was analyzed using scanning and atomic force microscopy (α = 0.05). Results. There were significant differences between all groups regarding surface roughness (F = 1678, P < 0.001), porosity (F = 3278, P < 0.001), and hardness (F = 1106.158, P < 0.001). Scanning and atomic force microscopy revealed a nanoporous surface characteristic of SIE, and FS resulted in the creation of surface microbeads, while LPPA resulted in limited abrasion of the surface. Conclusion. Within the limitations of the study, changes in surface characteristics and topography of zirconia implants have been observed after different surface treatment approaches. Thus possibilities for enhanced osseointegration could be additionally offered. PMID:25349610

Ion beam and dual ion beam sputter deposition of tantalum oxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevro, Mirza; Carter, George

1994-11-01

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBS) and dual ion beam sputter deposition (DIBS) of tantalum oxide films was investigated at room temperature and compared with similar films prepared by e-gun deposition. Optical properties ie refractive index and extinction coefficient of IBS films were determined in the 250 - 1100 nm range by transmission spectrophotometry and at (lambda) equals 632.8 nm by ellipsometry. They were found to be mainly sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen used as a reactive gas in the deposition process. The maximum value of the refractive index of IBS deposited tantalum oxide films was n equals 2.15 at (lambda) equals 550 nm and the extinction coefficient of order k equals 2 X 10-4. Films deposited by e-gun deposition had refractive index n equals 2.06 at (lambda) equals 550 nm. Films deposited using DIBS ie deposition assisted by low energy Ar and O2 ions (Ea equals 0 - 300 eV) and low current density (Ji equals 0 - 40 (mu) A/cm2) showed no improvement in the optical properties of the films. Preferential sputtering occurred at Ea(Ar) equals 300 eV and Ji equals 20 (mu) A/cm2 and slightly oxygen deficient films were formed. Different bonding states in the tantalum-oxide films were determined by x-ray spectroscopy while composition of the film and contaminants were determined by Rutherford scattering spectroscopy. Tantalum oxide films formed by IBS contained relatively high Ar content (approximately equals 2.5%) originating from the reflected argon neutrals from the sputtering target while assisted deposition slightly increased the Ar content. Stress in the IBS deposited films was measured by the bending technique. IBS deposited films showed compressive stress with a typical value of s equals 3.2 X 109 dyn/cm2. Films deposited by concurrent ion bombardment showed an increase in the stress as a function of applied current density. The maximum was s approximately equals 5.6 X 109 dyn/cm2 for Ea equals 300 eV and Ji equals 35 (mu) A/cm2. All deposited films were amorphous as measured by the x-ray diffraction method.

Ion-beam and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition of tantalum oxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevro, Mirza; Carter, George

1995-02-01

Ion-beam sputter deposition (IBS) and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition (DIBS) of tantalum oxide films was investigated at room temperature and compared with similar films prepared by e-gun deposition. The optical properties, i.e., refractive index and extinction coefficient, of IBS films were determined in the 250- to 1100-nm range by transmission spectrophotometry and at (lambda) equals 632.8 nm by ellipsometry. They were found to be mainly sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen used as a reactive gas in the deposition process. The maximum value of the refractive index of IBS deposited tantalum oxide films was n equals 2.15 at (lambda) equals 550 nm and the extinction coefficient of order k equals 2 X 10-4. Films deposited by e-gun deposition had refractive index n 2.06 at (lambda) equals 550 nm. Films deposited using DIBS, i.e., deposition assisted by low energy Ar and O2 ions (Ea equals 0 to 300 eV) and low current density (Ji equals 0 to 40 (mu) A/cm2), showed no improvement in the optical properties of the films. Preferential sputtering occurred at Ea(Ar) equals 300 eV and Ji equals 20 (mu) A/cm2 and slightly oxygen deficient films were formed. Different bonding states in the tantalum-oxide films were determined by x-ray spectroscopy, whereas composition of the film and contaminants were determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Tantalum oxide films formed by IBS contained relatively high Ar content (approximately equals 2.5%) originating from the reflected argon neutrals from the sputtering target whereas assisted deposition slightly increased the Ar content. Stress in the IBS-deposited films was measured by the bending technique. IBS-deposited films showed compressive stress with a typical value of s equals 3.2 X 109 dyn/cm2. Films deposited by concurrent ion bombardment showed an increase in the stress as a function of applied current density. The maximum was s approximately equals 5.6 X 109 dyn/cm2 for Ea equals 300 eV and Ji equals 35 (mu) A/cm2. All deposited films were amorphous as measured by the x-ray diffraction (XRD) method.

Investigation of aluminium ohmic contacts to n-type GaN grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kribes, Y.; Harrison, I.; Tuck, B.; Kim, K. S.; Cheng, T. S.; Foxon, C. T.

1997-11-01

Using epi-layers of different doping concentrations, we have investigated aluminium contacts on n-type gallium nitride grown by plasma source molecular beam epitaxy. To achieve repeatable and reliable results it was found that the semiconductor needed to be etched in aqua-regia before the deposition of the contact metallization. Scanning electron micrographs of the semiconductor surface show a deterioration of the semiconductor surface on etching. The specific contact resistivity of the etched samples were, however, superior. Annealing the contacts at 0268-1242/12/11/030/img9 produced contacts with the lowest specific contact resistance of 0268-1242/12/11/030/img10. The long-term aging of these contacts was also investigated. The contacts and the sheet resistance were both found to deteriorate over a three-month period.

Chemical sputtering by H{sub 2}{sup +} and H{sub 3}{sup +} ions during silicon deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landheer, K., E-mail: c.landheer@uu.nl; Poulios, I.; Rath, J. K.

2016-08-07

We investigated chemical sputtering of silicon films by H{sub y}{sup +} ions (with y being 2 and 3) in an asymmetric VHF Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) discharge in detail. In experiments with discharges created with pure H{sub 2} inlet flows, we observed that more Si was etched from the powered than from the grounded electrode, and this resulted in a net deposition on the grounded electrode. With experimental input data from a power density series of discharges with pure H{sub 2} inlet flows, we were able to model this process with a chemical sputtering mechanism. The obtained chemicalmore » sputtering yields were (0.3–0.4) ± 0.1 Si atom per bombarding H{sub y}{sup +} ion at the grounded electrode and at the powered electrode the yield ranged from (0.4 to 0.65) ± 0.1. Subsequently, we investigated the role of chemical sputtering during PECVD deposition with a series of silane fractions S{sub F} (S{sub F}(%) = [SiH{sub 4}]/[H{sub 2}]*100) ranging from S{sub F} = 0% to 20%. We experimentally observed that the SiH{sub y}{sup +} flux is not proportional to S{sub F} but decreasing from S{sub F} = 3.4% to 20%. This counterintuitive SiH{sub y}{sup +} flux trend was partly explained by an increasing chemical sputtering rate with decreasing S{sub F} and partly by the reaction between H{sub 3}{sup +} and SiH{sub 4} that forms SiH{sub 3}{sup +}.« less

Two-Dimensional Si-Nanodisk Array Fabricated Using Bio-Nano-Process and Neutral Beam Etching for Realistic Quantum Effect Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chi-Hsien; Igarashi, Makoto; Woné, Michel; Uraoka, Yukiharu; Fuyuki, Takashi; Takeguchi, Masaki; Yamashita, Ichiro; Samukawa, Seiji

2009-04-01

A high-density, large-area, and uniform two-dimensional (2D) Si-nanodisk array was successfully fabricated using the bio-nano-process, advanced etching techniques, including a treatment using nitrogen trifluoride and hydrogen radical (NF3 treatment) and a damage-free chlorine neutral beam (NB). By using the surface oxide formed by neutral beam oxidation (NBO) for the preparation of a 2D nanometer-sized iron core array as an etching mask, a well-ordered 2D Si-nanodisk array was obtained owing to the dangling bonds of the surface oxide. By changing the NF3 treatment time without changing the quantum effect of each nanodisk, we could control the gap between adjacent nanodisks. A device with two electrodes was fabricated to investigate the electron transport in a 2D Si-nanodisk array. Current fluctuation and time-dependent currents were clearly observed owing to the charging-discharging of the nanodisks adjacent to the current percolation path. The new structure may have great potential for future novel quantum effect devices.

CoPt/TiN films nanopatterned by RF plasma etching towards dot-patterned magnetic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szívós, János; Pothorszky, Szilárd; Soltys, Jan; Serényi, Miklós; An, Hongyu; Gao, Tenghua; Deák, András; Shi, Ji; Sáfrán, György

2018-03-01

CoPt thin films as possible candidates for Bit Patterned magnetic Media (BPM) were prepared and investigated by electron microscopy techniques and magnetic measurements. The structure and morphology of the Direct Current (DC) sputtered films with N incorporation were revealed in both as-prepared and annealed state. Nanopatterning of the samples was carried out by means of Radio Frequency (RF) plasma etching through a Langmuir-Blodgett film of silica nanospheres that is a fast and high throughput technique. As a result, the samples with hexagonally arranged 100 nm size separated dots of fct-phase CoPt were obtained. The influence of the order of nanopatterning and anneling on the nanostructure formation was revealed. The magnetic properties of the nanopatterned fct CoPt films were investigated by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM). The results show that CoPt thin film nanopatterned by means of the RF plasma etching technique is promising candidate to a possible realization of BPM. Furthermore, this technique is versatile and suitable for scaling up to technological and industrial applications.

Ion beam and plasma methods of producing diamondlike carbon films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swec, Diane M.; Mirtich, Michael J.; Banks, Bruce A.

1988-01-01

A variety of plasma and ion beam techniques was employed to generate diamondlike carbon films. These methods included the use of RF sputtering, dc glow discharge, vacuum arc, plasma gun, ion beam sputtering, and both single and dual ion beam deposition. Since films were generated using a wide variety of techniques, the physico-chemical properties of these films varied considerably. In general, these films had characteristics that were desirable in a number of applications. For example, the films generated using both single and dual ion beam systems were evaluated for applications including power electronics as insulated gates and protective coatings on transmitting windows. These films were impervious to reagents which dissolve graphitic and polymeric carbon structures. Nuclear reaction and combustion analysis indicated hydrogen to carbon ratios to be 1.00, which allowed the films to have good transmittance not only in the infrared, but also in the visible. Other evaluated properties of these films include band gap, resistivity, adherence, density, microhardness, and intrinsic stress. The results of these studies and those of the other techniques for depositing diamondlike carbon films are presented.

Boron ion beam generation utilizing lanthanum hexaboride cathodes: Comparison of vacuum arc and planar magnetron glow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikolaev, A. G.; Vizir, A. V.; Yushkov, G. Yu., E-mail: gyushkov@mail.ru

Boron ion beams are widely used for semiconductor ion implantation and for surface modification for improving the operating parameters and increasing the lifetime of machine parts and tools. For the latter application, the purity requirements of boron ion beams are not as stringent as for semiconductor technology, and a composite cathode of lanthanum hexaboride may be suitable for the production of boron ions. We have explored the use of two different approaches to boron plasma production: vacuum arc and planar high power impulse magnetron in self-sputtering mode. For the arc discharge, the boron plasma is generated at cathode spots, whereasmore » for the magnetron discharge, the main process is sputtering of cathode material. We present here the results of comparative test experiments for both kinds of discharge, aimed at determining the optimal discharge parameters for maximum yield of boron ions. For both discharges, the extracted ion beam current reaches hundreds of milliamps and the fraction of boron ions in the total extracted ion beam is as high as 80%.« less

Fabrication and characterization of one-dimensional multilayer gratings for nanoscale microscope calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xingrui; Zhao, Yang; Liu, Jie; Chen, Jie; Li, Tongbao; Cheng, Xinbin

2016-09-01

One-dimensional multilayer gratings were prepared by four steps. A periodic Si/SiO2 multilayer was firstly deposited on Si substrate using a magnetron sputtering coating process. Then, the multilayer was been bonded and split into small pieces by diamond wire cutting. The side-wall of the cut sample was subsequently grinded and polished until the surface roughness was less than 1nm. Finally, the SiO2 layers were selective etched using hydrofluoric acid to form the grating structure. In the above steps, special attentions were given to optimize the etching processes to achieve a uniform and smooth grating pattern. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to characterize the multilayer gratings. The pitch size of the grating was evaluated by an offline image analysis algorithm and optimized processes are discussed.

Fabrication of Aluminum-Based Thermal Radiation Plate for Thermoelectric Module Using Aluminum Anodic Oxidization and Copper Electroplating.

PubMed

Choi, Yi Taek; Bae, Sung Hwa; Son, Injoon; Sohn, Ho Sang; Kim, Kyung Tae; Ju, Young-Wan

2018-09-01

In this study, electrolytic etching, anodic oxidation, and copper electroplating were applied to aluminum to produce a plate on which a copper circuit for a thermoelectric module was formed. An oxide film insulating layer was formed on the aluminum through anodic oxidation, and platinum was coated by sputtering to produce conductivity. Finally, copper electroplating was performed directly on the substrate. In this structure, the copper plating layer on the insulating layer served as a conductive layer in the circuit. The adhesion of the copper plating layer was improved by electrolytic etching. As a result, the thermoelectric module fabricated in this study showed excellent adhesion and good insulation characteristics. It is expected that our findings can contribute to the manufacture of plates applicable to thermoelectric modules with high dissipation performance.

Process For Patterning Dispenser-Cathode Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garner, Charles E.; Deininger, William D.

1989-01-01

Several microfabrication techniques combined into process cutting slots 100 micrometer long and 1 to 5 micrometer wide into tungsten dispenser cathodes for traveling-wave tubes. Patterned photoresist serves as mask for etching underlying aluminum. Chemically-assisted ion-beam etching with chlorine removes exposed parts of aluminum layer. Etching with fluorine or chlorine trifluoride removes tungsten not masked by aluminum layer. Slots enable more-uniform low-work function coating dispensed to electron-emitting surface. Emission of electrons therefore becomes more uniform over cathode surface.

The structure of biocoats based on TiO2 doped with nitrogen study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boytsova, E. L.; Leonova, L. A.; Pichugin, V. F.

2018-04-01

Nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (N-TiO2) nanofilms were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering under different bias voltage. The mode of sputtering influences to formation and properties of titanium films. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to study the phase transition and crystallinity of the nanofilms. A technique of layer-by-layer measurement of Raman scattering from nanostructured titanium dioxide films based on a preliminary sputtering of the films by argon beam under an angle of 45° and less has been developed. Experimentally confirmed low dissolution rate of the coating in NaCl saline (0.9%).

GaN-based light emitting diodes using p-type trench structure for improving internal quantum efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Garam; Sun, Min-Chul; Kim, Jang Hyun; Park, Euyhwan; Park, Byung-Gook

2017-01-01

In order to improve the internal quantum efficiency of GaN-based LEDs, a LED structure featuring a p-type trench in the multi-quantum well (MQW) is proposed. This structure has effects on spreading holes into the MQW and reducing the quantum-confined stark effect (QCSE). In addition, two simple fabrication methods using electron-beam (e-beam) lithography or selective wet etching for manufacturing the p-type structure are also proposed. From the measurement results of the manufactured GaN-based LEDs, it is confirmed that the proposed structure using e-beam lithography or selective wet etching shows improved light output power compared to the conventional structure because of more uniform hole distribution. It is also confirmed that the proposed structure formed by e-beam lithography has a significant effect on strain relaxation and reduction in the QCSE from the electro-luminescence measurement.

Micro-unmanned aerodynamic vehicle

DOEpatents

Reuel, Nigel [Rio Rancho, NM; Lionberger, Troy A [Ann Arbor, MI; Galambos, Paul C [Albuquerque, NM; Okandan, Murat [Albuquerque, NM; Baker, Michael S [Albuquerque, NM

2008-03-11

A MEMS-based micro-unmanned vehicle includes at least a pair of wings having leading wing beams and trailing wing beams, at least two actuators, a leading actuator beam coupled to the leading wing beams, a trailing actuator beam coupled to the trailing wing beams, a vehicle body having a plurality of fulcrums pivotally securing the leading wing beams, the trailing wing beams, the leading actuator beam and the trailing actuator beam and having at least one anisotropically etched recess to accommodate a lever-fulcrum motion of the coupled beams, and a power source.

Characterisation of RF-sputtered platinum films from industrial production plants using slow positrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osipowicz, A.; Härting, M.; Hempel, M.; Britton, D. T.; Bauer-Kugelmann, W.; Triftshäuser, W.

1999-08-01

Platinum films, used in thin film technology, produced by radio-frequency sputter deposition on aluminium oxide substrates under different conditions, have been studied by positron beam and other techniques, before and after production annealing. The defect structure in the layers has been characterised using both positron lifetime and Doppler-broadening spectroscopy, and compared with X-ray studies of crystallinity and texture.

Effect of different methods of preliminary surface treatment and magnetron sputtering on the adhesion of Si coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisov, D. P.; Slabodchikov, V. A.; Kuznetsov, V. M.

2017-05-01

The paper presents research results on the adhesion of Si coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering on NiTi substrates after preliminary surface treatment (cleaning and activation) with low-energy ion beams and gas discharge plasma. The adhesion properties of the coatings obtained by two methods are analyzed and compared using data of scratch and spherical abrasion tests.

Rigid thin windows for vacuum applications

DOEpatents

Meyer, Glenn Allyn; Ciarlo, Dino R.; Myers, Booth Richard; Chen, Hao-Lin; Wakalopulos, George

1999-01-01

A thin window that stands off atmospheric pressure is fabricated using photolithographic and wet chemical etching techniques and comprises at least two layers: an etch stop layer and a protective barrier layer. The window structure also comprises a series of support ribs running the width of the window. The windows are typically made of boron-doped silicon and silicon nitride and are useful in instruments such as electron beam guns and x-ray detectors. In an electron beam gun, the window does not impede the electrons and has demonstrated outstanding gun performance and survivability during the gun tube manufacturing process.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metzler, Dominik; Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu; Li, Chen

The need for atomic layer etching (ALE) is steadily increasing as smaller critical dimensions and pitches are required in device patterning. A flux-control based cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} ALE based on steady-state Ar plasma in conjunction with periodic, precise C{sub 4}F{sub 8} injection and synchronized plasma-based low energy Ar{sup +} ion bombardment has been established for SiO{sub 2} [Metzler et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 32, 020603 (2014)]. In this work, the cyclic process is further characterized and extended to ALE of silicon under similar process conditions. The use of CHF{sub 3} as a precursor is examined and comparedmore » to C{sub 4}F{sub 8}. CHF{sub 3} is shown to enable selective SiO{sub 2}/Si etching using a fluorocarbon (FC) film build up. Other critical process parameters investigated are the FC film thickness deposited per cycle, the ion energy, and the etch step length. Etching behavior and mechanisms are studied using in situ real time ellipsometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Silicon ALE shows less self-limitation than silicon oxide due to higher physical sputtering rates for the maximum ion energies used in this work, ranged from 20 to 30 eV. The surface chemistry is found to contain fluorinated silicon oxide during the etching of silicon. Plasma parameters during ALE are studied using a Langmuir probe and establish the impact of precursor addition on plasma properties.« less

Tapered capillary optics

DOEpatents

Hirsch, Gregory

1998-01-01

A metal or glass wire is etched with great precision into a very narrowly tapering cone which has the shape of the desired final capillary-optics bore. By controlling the rate of removal of the wire from an etchant bath, a carefully controlled taper is produced. A sensor measures the diameter of the wire as it leaves the surface of the etchant. This signal is used for feedback control of the withdrawal speed. The etched wire undergoes a treatment to produce an extremely low surface-roughness. The etched and smoothed wire is coated with the material of choice for optimizing the reflectivity of the radiation being focused. This could be a vacuum evaporation, sputtering, CVD or aqueous chemical process. The coated wire is either electroplated, built up with electroless plating, or encapsulated in a polymer cylinder such as epoxy to increase the diameter of the wire for easier handling and greater robustness. During this process, the wire is vertically oriented and tensioned to assure that the wire is absolutely straight. The coated and electroformed wire is bonded to a flat, rigid substrate and is then periodically segmented by cutting or etching a series of narrow slits or grooves into the wire. The wire is vertically oriented and tensioned during the bonding process to assure that it is straight. The original wire material is then chemically etched away through the slits or otherwise withdrawn to leave the hollow internal bore of the final tapered-capillary optical element.

Optical properties of micromachined polysilicon reflective surfaces with etching holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Jun; Byrne, Colin; Liu, Chang; Brady, David J.

1998-08-01

MUMPS (Multi-User MEMS Process) is receiving increasingly wide use in micro optics. We have investigated the optical properties of the polysilicon reflective surface in a typical MUMPS chip within the visible light spectrum. The effect of etching holes on the reflected laser beam is studied. The reflectivity and diffraction patterns at five different wavelengths have been measured. The optical properties of the polysilicon reflective surface are greatly affected by the surface roughness, the etching holes, as well as the material. The etching holes contribute to diffraction and reduction of reflectivity. This study provides a basis for optimal design of micromachined free-space optical systems.

Optical and interfacial electronic properties of diamond-like carbon films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woollam, J. A.; Natarajan, V.; Lamb, J.; Khan, A. A.; Bu-Abbud, G.; Banks, B.; Pouch, J.; Gulino, D. A.; Domitz, S.; Liu, D. C.

1984-01-01

Hard, semitransparent carbon films were prepared on oriented polished crystal wafers of silicon, indium phosphide and gallium arsenide, as well as on KBr and quartz. Properties of the films were determined using IR and visible absorption spectrocopy, ellipsometry, conductance-capacitance spectroscopy and alpha particle-proton recoil spectroscopy. Preparation techniques include RF plasma decomposition of methane (and other hydrocarbons), ion beam sputtering, and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition. Optical energy band gaps as large as 2.7 eV and extinction coefficients lower than 0.1 at long wavelengths are found. Electronic state densities at the interface with silicon as low as 10 to the 10th states/eV sq cm per were found.

Transport properties of discontinuous Co{sub 80}Fe{sub 20}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} multilayers, prepared by ion beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kakazei, G.N.; Freitas, P.P.; Cardoso, S.

1999-09-01

Ion beam sputtered Co{sub 80}Fe{sub 20}(t)/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(30 {angstrom}) multilayers were obtained. The Co{sub 80}Fe{sub 20} layers become discontinuous for nominal thicknesses T {le} 18{angstrom}. Tunnel magnetoresistance was measured in CIP and CPP geometries, reaching up to 6.5% at room temperature and 11% at 15 K, for as-deposited films in CIP geometry. The temperature dependence of MR was found quite different for the two geometries: fairly strong in the CIP case and almost absent in the CPP geometry. A model is proposed to explain these large differences in behavior.

Random anisotropy model approach on ion beam sputtered Co 20Cu 80 granular alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Errahmani, H.; Hassanaı̈n, N.; Berrada, A.; Abid, M.; Lassri, H.; Schmerber, G.; Dinia, A.

2002-03-01

The Co 20Cu 80 granular film has been elaborated using ion beam sputtering technique. The magnetic properties of the sample were studied in the temperature range 5-300 K at H⩽50 kOe. From the thermomagnetisation curve, which is found to obey to the Bloch law, we have extracted the spin wave stiffness constant D and the exchange constant A. The magnetic experimental results have been interpreted in the framework of random anisotropy model. We have determined the local anisotropy constant KL and the local correlation length of anisotropy axis Ra, which is compared to the experimental grains size obtained by transmission electronic microscopy.

Oxygen vacancy mediated enhanced photo-absorption from ZnO(0001) nanostructures fabricated by atom beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solanki, Vanaraj; Joshi, Shalik R.; Mishra, Indrani

2016-08-07

The nanoscale patterns created on the ZnO(0001) surfaces during atom beam irradiation have been investigated here for their photo absorption response. Preferential sputtering, during irradiation, promotes Zn-rich zones that serve as the nucleation centers for the spontaneous creation of nanostructures. Nanostructured surfaces with bigger (78 nm) nanodots, displaying hexagonal ordering and long ranged periodic behavior, show higher photo absorption and a ∼0.09 eV reduced bandgap. These nanostructures also demonstrate higher concentration of oxygen vacancies which are crucial for these results. The enhanced photo-response, as observed here, has been achieved in the absence of any dopant elements.

Focused-ion-beam-inflicted surface amorphization and gallium implantation--new insights and removal by focused-electron-beam-induced etching.

PubMed

Roediger, P; Wanzenboeck, H D; Waid, S; Hochleitner, G; Bertagnolli, E

2011-06-10

Recently focused-electron-beam-induced etching of silicon using molecular chlorine (Cl(2)-FEBIE) has been developed as a reliable and reproducible process capable of damage-free, maskless and resistless removal of silicon. As any electron-beam-induced processing is considered non-destructive and implantation-free due to the absence of ion bombardment this approach is also a potential method for removing focused-ion-beam (FIB)-inflicted crystal damage and ion implantation. We show that Cl(2)-FEBIE is capable of removing FIB-induced amorphization and gallium ion implantation after processing of surfaces with a focused ion beam. TEM analysis proves that the method Cl(2)-FEBIE is non-destructive and therefore retains crystallinity. It is shown that Cl(2)-FEBIE of amorphous silicon when compared to crystalline silicon can be up to 25 times faster, depending on the degree of amorphization. Also, using this method it has become possible for the first time to directly investigate damage caused by FIB exposure in a top-down view utilizing a localized chemical reaction, i.e. without the need for TEM sample preparation. We show that gallium fluences above 4 × 10(15) cm(-2) result in altered material resulting from FIB-induced processes down to a depth of ∼ 250 nm. With increasing gallium fluences, due to a significant gallium concentration close beneath the surface, removal of the topmost layer by Cl(2)-FEBIE becomes difficult, indicating that gallium serves as an etch stop for Cl(2)-FEBIE.

Thin-film X-ray filters on microstructured substrates and their thermophysical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrofanov, A. V.

2018-02-01

It is shown that structured substrates having micron- or submicron-sized through holes and coated with an ultrathin organic film can be used for the fabrication of thin-film X-ray filters via direct growth of functional layers on a substrate by sputter deposition, without additional complex processing steps. An optimised process is considered for the fabrication of X-ray filters on support structures in the form of electroplated fine nickel grids and on track-etched polymer membranes with micron- and submicrondiameter through pores. 'Optimisation' is here taken to mean matching the sputter deposition conditions with the properties of substrates so as to avoid overheating. The filters in question are intended for both imaging and single-channel detectors operating in the soft X-ray and vacuum UV spectral regions, at wavelengths from 10 to 60 nm. Thermal calculations are presented for the heating of ultrathin layers of organic films and thin-film support substrates during the sputter deposition of aluminium or other functional materials. The paper discusses approaches for cooling thinfilm composites during the sputter deposition process and the service of the filters in experiments and gives a brief overview of the works that utilised filters produced by the described technique on microstructured substrates, including orbital solar X-ray research in the framework of the CORONAS programme and laboratory laser plasma experiments.

An experiment on the dynamics of ion implantation and sputtering of surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, G. M.; Barnard, H. A.; Kesler, L. A.; Peterson, E. E.; Stahle, P. W.; Sullivan, R. M.; Whyte, D. G.; Woller, K. B.

2014-02-01

A major impediment towards a better understanding of the complex plasma-surface interaction is the limited diagnostic access to the material surface while it is undergoing plasma exposure. The Dynamics of ION Implantation and Sputtering Of Surfaces (DIONISOS) experiment overcomes this limitation by uniquely combining powerful, non-perturbing ion beam analysis techniques with a steady-state helicon plasma exposure chamber, allowing for real-time, depth-resolved in situ measurements of material compositions during plasma exposure. Design solutions are described that provide compatibility between the ion beam analysis requirements in the presence of a high-intensity helicon plasma. The three primary ion beam analysis techniques, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, elastic recoil detection, and nuclear reaction analysis, are successfully implemented on targets during plasma exposure in DIONISOS. These techniques measure parameters of interest for plasma-material interactions such as erosion/deposition rates of materials and the concentration of plasma fuel species in the material surface.

Production of intensive negative lithium beam with caesium sputter-type ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobanov, Nikolai R.

2018-01-01

Compounds of lithium oxide, hydroxide and carbonate, mixed with silver, were prepared for use as a cathode in caesium-sputter ion source. The intention was to determine the procedure which would produce the highest intensity negative lithium beams over extended period and with maximum stability. The chemical composition and properties of the samples were analysed using mass-spectrometry, optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analyses (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy. These analyses showed that the chemical transformations with components resulted from pressing, storage and bake out were qualitatively in agreement with expectations. Intensive negative lithium ion beams >1 μA were delivered using cathodes fabricated from materials with multicomponent chemical composition when the following conditions were met: (i) use of components with moderate enthalpy of formation; (ii) low moisture content at final stage of cathode production and (iii) small concentration of water molecules in hydrate phase in the cathode mixture.

An experiment on the dynamics of ion implantation and sputtering of surfaces.

PubMed

Wright, G M; Barnard, H A; Kesler, L A; Peterson, E E; Stahle, P W; Sullivan, R M; Whyte, D G; Woller, K B

2014-02-01

A major impediment towards a better understanding of the complex plasma-surface interaction is the limited diagnostic access to the material surface while it is undergoing plasma exposure. The Dynamics of ION Implantation and Sputtering Of Surfaces (DIONISOS) experiment overcomes this limitation by uniquely combining powerful, non-perturbing ion beam analysis techniques with a steady-state helicon plasma exposure chamber, allowing for real-time, depth-resolved in situ measurements of material compositions during plasma exposure. Design solutions are described that provide compatibility between the ion beam analysis requirements in the presence of a high-intensity helicon plasma. The three primary ion beam analysis techniques, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, elastic recoil detection, and nuclear reaction analysis, are successfully implemented on targets during plasma exposure in DIONISOS. These techniques measure parameters of interest for plasma-material interactions such as erosion/deposition rates of materials and the concentration of plasma fuel species in the material surface.

Ion beam figuring of CVD silicon carbide mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gailly, P.; Collette, J.-P.; Fleury Frenette, K.; Jamar, C.

2017-11-01

Optical and structural elements made of silicon carbide are increasingly found in space instruments. Chemical vapor deposited silicon carbide (CVD-SiC) is used as a reflective coating on SiC optics in reason of its good behavior under polishing. The advantage of applying ion beam figuring (IBF) to CVD-SiC over other surface figure-improving techniques is discussed herein. The results of an IBF sequence performed at the Centre Spatial de Liège on a 100 mm CVD-SiC mirror are reported. The process allowed to reduce the mirror surface errors from 243 nm to 13 nm rms . Beside the surface figure, roughness is another critical feature to consider in order to preserve the optical quality of CVD-SiC . Thus, experiments focusing on the evolution of roughness were performed in various ion beam etching conditions. The roughness of samples etched at different depths down to 3 ≠m was determined with an optical profilometer. These measurements emphasize the importance of selecting the right combination of gas and beam energy to keep roughness at a low level. Kaufman-type ion sources are generally used to perform IBF but the performance of an end-Hall ion source in figuring CVD-SiC mirrors was also evaluated in this study. In order to do so, ion beam etching profiles obtained with the end-Hall source on CVD-SiC were measured and used as a basis for IBF simulations.

Method for dry etching of transition metals

DOEpatents

Ashby, C.I.H.; Baca, A.G.; Esherick, P.; Parmeter, J.E.; Rieger, D.J.; Shul, R.J.

1998-09-29

A method for dry etching of transition metals is disclosed. The method for dry etching of a transition metal (or a transition metal alloy such as a silicide) on a substrate comprises providing at least one nitrogen- or phosphorus-containing {pi}-acceptor ligand in proximity to the transition metal, and etching the transition metal to form a volatile transition metal/{pi}-acceptor ligand complex. The dry etching may be performed in a plasma etching system such as a reactive ion etching (RIE) system, a downstream plasma etching system (i.e. a plasma afterglow), a chemically-assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) system or the like. The dry etching may also be performed by generating the {pi}-acceptor ligands directly from a ligand source gas (e.g. nitrosyl ligands generated from nitric oxide), or from contact with energized particles such as photons, electrons, ions, atoms, or molecules. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, an intermediary reactant species such as carbonyl or a halide ligand is used for an initial chemical reaction with the transition metal, with the intermediary reactant species being replaced at least in part by the {pi}-acceptor ligand for forming the volatile transition metal/{pi}-acceptor ligand complex.

Method for dry etching of transition metals

DOEpatents

Ashby, Carol I. H.; Baca, Albert G.; Esherick, Peter; Parmeter, John E.; Rieger, Dennis J.; Shul, Randy J.

1998-01-01

A method for dry etching of transition metals. The method for dry etching of a transition metal (or a transition metal alloy such as a silicide) on a substrate comprises providing at least one nitrogen- or phosphorous-containing .pi.-acceptor ligand in proximity to the transition metal, and etching the transition metal to form a volatile transition metal/.pi.-acceptor ligand complex. The dry etching may be performed in a plasma etching system such as a reactive ion etching (RIE) system, a downstream plasma etching system (i.e. a plasma afterglow), a chemically-assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) system or the like. The dry etching may also be performed by generating the .pi.-acceptor ligands directly from a ligand source gas (e.g. nitrosyl ligands generated from nitric oxide), or from contact with energized particles such as photons, electrons, ions, atoms, or molecules. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, an intermediary reactant species such as carbonyl or a halide ligand is used for an initial chemical reaction with the transition metal, with the intermediary reactant species being replaced at least in part by the .pi.-acceptor ligand for forming the volatile transition metal/.pi.-acceptor ligand complex.

Comparison of the Al back contact deposited by sputtering, e-beam, or thermal evaporation for inverted perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahl, Tina; Hanisch, Jonas; Ahlswede, Erik

2018-04-01

In this work, we present inverted perovskite solar cells with Al top electrodes, which were deposited by three different methods. Besides the widely used thermal evaporation of Al, we also used the industrially important high deposition rate processes sputtering and electron beam evaporation for aluminium electrodes and examined the influence of the deposition method on the solar cell performance. The current-voltage characteristics of as grown solar cells with sputtered and e-beam Al electrode show an s-shape due to damage done to the organic electronic transport layers (ETL) during Al deposition. It can be cured by a short annealing step at a moderate temperature so that fill factors  >60% and power conversion efficiencies of almost 12% with negligible hysteresis can be achieved. While solar cells with thermally evaporated Al electrode do not show an s-shape, they also exhibit a clear improvement after a short annealing step. In addition, we varied the thickness of the ETL consisting of a double layer ([6,6]-Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester and bathocuproine) and investigated the influence on the solar cell parameters for the three different Al deposition methods, which showed distinct dependencies on ETL thickness.

Surface topographical effects on the structural growth of thick sputtered metal and alloy coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.; Brainard, W. A.

1974-01-01

Thick sputtered S-Monel, silver, and 304 stainless steel coatings were deposited on mica and metal substrates with various surface finishes to investigate the structural growth of the coating by scanning electron microscopy. The geometry and the surface structure of the nodules are characterized. Compositional changes within the coating were analyzed by X-ray dispersion microscopy. Defects in the surface finish (i.e., scratches, inclusions, etc.) act as preferential nucleation sites and form isolated and complex nodules and various surface overgrowths in the coating. The nodule boundaries are very vulnerable to chemical etching and these nodules do not disappear after full annealing. Further, they have undesirable effects on mechanical properties; cracks are initiated at the nodules when the coating is stressed by mechanical forces. These effects are illustrated by micrographs. Nodular growth within a coating can be minimized or eliminated by reducing the surface roughness.

Characterizing fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of Si using cyclic Ar/C4F8 and Ar/CHF3 plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzler, Dominik; Li, Chen; Engelmann, Sebastian; Bruce, Robert L.; Joseph, Eric A.; Oehrlein, Gottlieb S.

2017-02-01

With the increasing interest in establishing directional etching methods capable of atomic scale resolution for fabricating highly scaled electronic devices, the need for development and characterization of atomic layer etching processes, or generally etch processes with atomic layer precision, is growing. In this work, a flux-controlled cyclic plasma process is used for etching of SiO2 and Si at the Angstrom-level. This is based on steady-state Ar plasma, with periodic, precise injection of a fluorocarbon (FC) precursor (C4F8 and CHF3) and synchronized, plasma-based Ar+ ion bombardment [D. Metzler et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A 32, 020603 (2014) and D. Metzler et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A 34, 01B101 (2016)]. For low energy Ar+ ion bombardment conditions, physical sputter rates are minimized, whereas material can be etched when FC reactants are present at the surface. This cyclic approach offers a large parameter space for process optimization. Etch depth per cycle, removal rates, and self-limitation of removal, along with material dependence of these aspects, were examined as a function of FC surface coverage, ion energy, and etch step length using in situ real time ellipsometry. The deposited FC thickness per cycle is found to have a strong impact on etch depth per cycle of SiO2 and Si but is limited with regard to control over material etching selectivity. Ion energy over the 20-30 eV range strongly impacts material selectivity. The choice of precursor can have a significant impact on the surface chemistry and chemically enhanced etching. CHF3 has a lower FC deposition yield for both SiO2 and Si and also exhibits a strong substrate dependence of FC deposition yield, in contrast to C4F8. The thickness of deposited FC layers using CHF3 is found to be greater for Si than for SiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study surface chemistry. When thicker FC films of 11 Å are employed, strong changes of FC film chemistry during a cycle are seen whereas the chemical state of the substrate varies much less. On the other hand, for FC film deposition of 5 Å for each cycle, strong substrate surface chemical changes are seen during an etching cycle. The nature of this cyclic etching with periodic deposition of thin FC films differs significantly from conventional etching with steady-state FC layers since surface conditions change strongly throughout each cycle.

High precision AlGaAsSb ridge-waveguide etching by in situ reflectance monitored ICP-RIE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, N. T.; Breivik, Magnus; Patra, S. K.; Fimland, Bjørn-Ove

2014-05-01

GaSb-based semiconductor diode lasers are promising candidates for light sources working in the mid-infrared wavelength region of 2-5 μm. Using edge emitting lasers with ridge-waveguide structure, light emission with good beam quality can be achieved. Fabrication of the ridge waveguide requires precise etch stop control for optimal laser performance. Simulation results are presented that show the effect of increased confinement in the waveguide when the etch depth is well-defined. In situ reflectance monitoring with a 675 nm-wavelength laser was used to determine the etch stop with high accuracy. Based on the simulations of laser reflectance from a proposed sample, the etching process can be controlled to provide an endpoint depth precision within +/- 10 nm.

High index glass thin film processing for photonics and photovoltaic (PV) applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogbuu, Okechukwu Anthony

To favorably compete with fossil-fuel technology, the greatest challenge for thin film solar-cells is to improve efficiency and reduce material cost. Thickness scaling to thin film reduces material cost but affects the light absorption in the cells; therefore a concept that traps incident photons and increases its optical path length is needed to boost absorption in thin film solar cells. One approach is the integration of low symmetric gratings (LSG), using high index material, on either the front-side or backside of 30 um thin c-Si cells. In this study, Multicomponent TeO2--Bi2O 3--ZnO (TBZ) glass thin films were prepared using RF magnetron sputtering under different oxygen flow rates. The influences of oxygen flow rate on the structural and optical properties of the resulting thin films were investigated. The structural origin of the optical property variation was studied using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that TBZ glass thin film is a suitable material for front side LSG material photovoltaic and photonics applications due to their amorphous nature, high refractive index (n > 2), broad band optical transparency window, low processing temperature. We developed a simple maskless method to pattern sputtered tellurite based glass thin films using unconventional agarose hydrogel mediated wet etching. Conventional wet etching process, while claiming low cost and high throughput, suffers from reproducibility and pattern fidelity issues due to the isotropic nature of wet chemical etching when applied to glasses and polymers. This method overcomes these challenges by using an agarose hydrogel stamp to mediate a conformal etching process. In our maskless method, agarose hydrogel stamps are patterned following a standard soft lithography and replica molding process from micropatterned masters and soaked in a chemical etchant. The micro-scale features on the stamp are subsequently transferred into glass and polymer thin films via conformal wet etching. High refractive index chalcogenide glass (n = 2.6) thin films with composition As20Se80 was selected for backside LSG material due to their attractive properties. We developed an optimized integration protocol for LSG integration and successfully integrated these LSG structures at the back side of both 30 microm c-Si solar cells and standalone 30 microm c-Si wafers. Optical and electrical characterization of LSG on thin c-Si cells shows that LSG structures create higher absorption enhancement and external quantum efficiency at long wavelengths.

Optimization of surface morphology and scattering properties of TCO/AIT textured glass front electrode for thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addonizio, M. L.; Fusco, L.; Antonaia, A.; Cominale, F.; Usatii, I.

2015-12-01

Aluminium induced texture (AIT) method has been used for obtaining highly textured glass substrate suitable for silicon based thin film solar cell technology. Wet etch step parameters of AIT process have been varied and effect of different etchants and different etching times on morphological and optical properties has been analyzed. The resulting morphology features (shape, size distribution, inclination angle) have been optimized in order to obtain the best scattering properties. ZnO:Ga (GZO) films have been deposited by sputtering technique on AIT-processed glass. Two different ZnO surface morphologies have been obtained, strongly depending on the underlying glass substrate morphology induced by different etching times. Very rough and porous texture (σrms ∼ 150 nm) was obtained on glass etched 2 min showing cauliflower-like structure, whereas a softer texture (σrms ∼ 78 nm) was obtained on glass etched 7 min giving wider and smoother U-shaped craters. The effect of different glass textures on optical confinement has been tested in amorphous silicon based p-i-n devices. Devices fabricated on GZO/high textured glass showed a quantum efficiency enhancement due to both an effective light trapping phenomenon and an effective anti-reflective optical behaviour. Short etching time produce smaller cavities (<1 μm) with deep U-shape characterized by high roughness, high inclination angle and low autocorrelation length. This surface morphology promoted a large light scattering phenomenon, as evidenced by haze value and by angular resolved scattering (ARS) behaviour, into a large range of diffraction angles, giving high probability of effective light trapping inside a PV device.

A junction-level optoelectronic characterization of etching-induced damage for third-generation HgCdTe infrared focal-plane array photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Peng; Wang, Yueming; Wu, Mingzai; Ye, Zhenhua

2018-06-01

Third-generation HgCdTe-based infrared focal plane arrays require high aspect ratio trenches with admissible etch induced damage at the surface and sidewalls for effectively isolating the pixels. In this paper, the high-density inductively coupled plasma enhanced reaction ion etching technique has been used for micro-mesa delineation of HgCdTe for third-generation infrared focal-plane array detectors. A nondestructive junction-level optoelectronic characterization method called laser beam induced current (LBIC) is used to evaluate the lateral junction extent of HgCdTe etch-induced damage scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the LBIC profiles exhibit evident double peaks and valleys phenomena. The lateral extent of etch induced mesa damage of ∼2.4 μm is obtained by comparing the LBIC profile and the scanning electron microscopy image of etched sample. This finding will guide us to nondestructively identify the distributions of the etching damages in large scale HgCdTe micro-mesa.

Vertical osteoconductivity of sputtered hydroxyapatite-coated mini titanium implants after dura mater elevation: Rabbit calvarial model.

PubMed

Wang, Xin; Zakaria, Osama; Madi, Marwa; Kasugai, Shohei

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the quantity and quality of newly formed vertical bone induced by sputtered hydroxyapatite-coated titanium implants compared with sandblasted acid-etched implants after dura mater elevation. Hydroxyapatite-coated and non-coated implants (n = 20/group) were used and divided equally into two groups. All implants were randomly placed into rabbit calvarial bone (four implants for each animal) emerging from the inferior cortical layer, displacing the dura mater 3 mm below the original bone. Animals were sacrificed at 4 (n = 5) and 8 (n = 5) weeks post-surgery. Vertical bone height and area were analyzed histologically and radiographically below the original bone. Vertical bone formation was observed in both groups. At 4 and 8 weeks, vertical bone height reached a significantly higher level in the hydroxyapatite compared with the non-coated group (p < 0.05). Vertical bone area was significantly larger in the hydroxyapatite compared with the non-coated group at 4 and 8 weeks (p < 0.05). This study indicates that vertical bone formation can be induced by dura mater elevation and sputtered hydroxyapatite coating can enhance vertical bone formation.

Pattern transfer with stabilized nanoparticle etch masks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogg, Charles R.; Picard, Yoosuf N.; Narasimhan, Amrit; Bain, James A.; Majetich, Sara A.

2013-03-01

Self-assembled nanoparticle monolayer arrays are used as an etch mask for pattern transfer into Si and SiOx substrates. Crack formation within the array is prevented by electron beam curing to fix the nanoparticles to the substrate, followed by a brief oxygen plasma to remove excess carbon. This leaves a dot array of nanoparticle cores with a minimum gap of 2 nm. Deposition and liftoff can transform the dot array mask into an antidot mask, where the gap is determined by the nanoparticle core diameter. Reactive ion etching is used to transfer the dot and antidot patterns into the substrate. The effect of the gap size on the etching rate is modeled and compared with the experimental results.

Nanosilicon dot arrays with a bit pitch and a track pitch of 25 nm formed by electron-beam drawing and reactive ion etching for 1 Tbit/in.{sup 2} storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hosaka, Sumio; Sano, Hirotaka; Shirai, Masumi

2006-11-27

The formation of very fine Si dots with a bit pitch and a track pitch of less than 25 nm using electron-beam (EB) lithography on ZEP520 and calixarene EB resists and CF{sub 4} reactive ion etching has been demonstrated. The experimental results indicate that the calixarene resist is very suitable for forming an ultrahigh-packed bit array pattern of Si dots. This result promises to open the way toward 1 Tbit/in.{sup 2} storage using patterned media with a dot size of <15 nm.

Photonic jet etching: Justifying the shape of optical fiber tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdurrochman, Andri; Zelgowski, Julien; Lecler, Sylvain; Mermet, Frédéric; Tumbelaka, Bernard; Fontaine, Joël

2016-02-01

Photonic jet (PJ) is a low diverging and highly concentrated beam in the shadow side of dielectric particle (cylinder or sphere). The concentration can be more than 200 times higher than the incidence wave. It is a non-resonance phenomenon in the near-field can propagate in a few wavelengths. Many potential applications have been proposed, including PJ etching. Hence, a guided-beam is considered increasing the PJ mobility control. While the others used a combination of classical optical fibers and spheres, we are concerned on a classical optical fiber with spherical tip to generate the PJ. This PJ driven waveguide has been realized using Gaussian mode beam inside the core. It has different variable parameters compared to classical PJ, which will be discussed in correlation with the etching demonstrations. The parameters dependency between the tip and PJ properties are complex; and theoretical aspect of this interaction will be exposed to justify the shape of our tip and optical fiber used in our demonstrations. Methods to achieve such a needed optical fiber tip will also be described. Finally the ability to generate PJ out of the shaped optical fiber will be experimentally demonstrated and the potential applications for material processing will be exposed.

Silicon nitride and silicon etching by CH{sub 3}F/O{sub 2} and CH{sub 3}F/CO{sub 2} plasma beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaler, Sanbir S.; Lou, Qiaowei; Donnelly, Vincent M., E-mail: vmdonnelly@uh.edu

2016-07-15

Silicon nitride (SiN, where Si:N ≠ 1:1) films low pressure-chemical vapor deposited on Si substrates, Si films on Ge on Si substrates, and p-Si samples were exposed to plasma beams emanating from CH{sub 3}F/O{sub 2} or CH{sub 3}F/CO{sub 2} inductively coupled plasmas. Conditions within the plasma beam source were maintained at power of 300 W (1.9 W/cm{sup 3}), pressure of 10 mTorr, and total gas flow rate of 10 sccm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the thicknesses of Si/Ge in addition to hydrofluorocarbon polymer films formed at low %O{sub 2} or %CO{sub 2} addition on p-Si and SiN. Polymer film thickness decreasedmore » sharply as a function of increasing %O{sub 2} or %CO{sub 2} addition and dropped to monolayer thickness above the transition point (∼48% O{sub 2} or ∼75% CO{sub 2}) at which the polymer etchants (O and F) number densities in the plasma increased abruptly. The C(1s) spectra for the polymer films deposited on p-Si substrates appeared similar to those on SiN. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to measure the thickness of SiN films etched using the CH{sub 3}F/O{sub 2} and CH{sub 3}F/CO{sub 2} plasma beams. SiN etching rates peaked near 50% O{sub 2} addition and 73% CO{sub 2} addition. Faster etching rates were measured in CH{sub 3}F/CO{sub 2} than CH{sub 3}F/O{sub 2} plasmas above 70% O{sub 2} or CO{sub 2} addition. The etching of Si stopped after a loss of ∼3 nm, regardless of beam exposure time and %O{sub 2} or %CO{sub 2} addition, apparently due to plasma assisted oxidation of Si. An additional GeO{sub x}F{sub y} peak was observed at 32.5 eV in the Ge(3d) region, suggesting deep penetration of F into Si, under the conditions investigated.« less

Porous CrN thin films by selectively etching CrCuN for symmetric supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Binbin; Mei, Gui; Liang, Hanfeng; Qi, Zhengbing; Zhang, Dongfang; Shen, Hao; Wang, Zhoucheng

2018-05-01

Transition metal nitrides are regarded as a new class of excellent electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors due to their superior chemical stability and excellent electrical conductivity. We synthesize successfully the porous CrN thin films for binder-free supercapacitor electrodes by reactive magnetron co-sputtering and selective chemical etching. The porous CrN thin film electrodes exhibit high-capacitance performance (31.3 mF cm-2 at 1.0 mA cm-2) and reasonable cycling stability (94% retention after 20000 cycles). Moreover, the specific capacitance is more than two-fold higher than that of the CrN thin film electrodes in previous work. In addition, a symmetric supercapacitor device with a maximum energy density of 14.4 mWh cm-3 and a maximum power density of 6.6 W cm-3 is achieved. These findings demonstrate that the porous CrN thin films will have potential applications in supercapacitors.

Design of Hybrid Nanostructural Arrays to Manipulate SERS-Active Substrates by Nanosphere Lithography.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaoyu; Wen, Jiahong; Zhang, Mengning; Wang, Dunhui; Wang, Yaxin; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Yongjun; Yang, Jinghai; Du, Youwei

2017-03-01

An easy-handling and low-cost method is utilized to controllably fabricate nanopattern arrays as the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrates with high density of SERS-active areas (hot spots). A hybrid silver array of nanocaps and nanotriangles are prepared by combining magnetron sputtering and plasma etching. By adjusting the etching time of polystyrene (PS) colloid spheres array in silver nanobowls, the morphology of the arrays can be easily manipulated to control the formation and distribution of hot spots. The experimental results show that the hybrid nanostructural arrays have large enhancement factor, which is estimated to be seven times larger than that in the array of nanocaps and three times larger than that in the array of nanorings and nanoparticles. According to the results of finite-difference time-domain simulation, the excellent SERS performance of this array is ascribed to the high density of hot spots and enhanced electromagnetic field.

Industrial ion source technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H. R.; Robinson, R. S.

1979-01-01

In reactive ion etching of Si, varying amounts of O2 were added to the CF4 background. The experimental results indicated an etch rate less than that for Ar up to an O2 partial pressure of about .00006 Torr. Above this O2 pressure, the etch rate with CF4 exceeded that with Ar alone. For comparison the random arrival rate of O2 was approximately equal to the ion arrival rate at a partial pressure of about .00002 Torr. There were also ion source and ion pressure gauge maintenance problems as a result of the use of CF4. Large scale (4 sq cm) texturing of Si was accomplished using both Cu and stainless steel seed. The most effective seeding method for this texturing was to surround the sample with large inclined planes. Designing, fabricating, and testing a 200 sq cm rectangular beam ion source was emphasized. The design current density was 6 mA/sq cm with 500 eV argon ions, although power supply limitations permitted operation to only 2 mA/sq cm. The use of multiple rectangular beam ion sources for continuous processing of wider areas than would be possible with a single source was also studied. In all cases investigated, the most uniform coverage was obtained with 0 to 2 cm beam overlay. The maximum departure from uniform processing at optimum beam overlap was found to be +15%.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metzler, Dominik; Li, Chen; Engelmann, Sebastian

With the increasing interest in establishing directional etching methods capable of atomic scale resolution for fabricating highly scaled electronic devices, the need for development and characterization of atomic layer etching (ALE) processes, or generally etch processes with atomic layer precision, is growing. In this work, a flux-controlled cyclic plasma process is used for etching of SiO 2 and Si at the Angstrom-level. This is based on steady-state Ar plasma, with periodic, precise injection of a fluorocarbon (FC) precursor (C 4F 8 and CHF 3), and synchronized, plasma-based Ar+ ion bombardment [D. Metzler et al., J Vac Sci Technol A 32,more » 020603 (2014), and D. Metzler et al., J Vac Sci Technol A 34, 01B101 (2016)]. For low energy Ar+ ion bombardment conditions, physical sputter rates are minimized, whereas material can be etched when FC reactants are present at the surface. This cyclic approach offers a large parameter space for process optimization. Etch depth per cycle, removal rates, and self-limitation of removal, along with material dependence of these aspects, were examined as a function of FC surface coverage, ion energy, and etch step length using in situ real time ellipsometry. The deposited FC thickness per cycle is found to have a strong impact on etch depth per cycle of SiO 2 and Si, but is limited with regard to control over material etching selectivity. Ion energy over the 20 to 30 eV range strongly impacts material selectivity. The choice of precursor can have a significant impact on the surface chemistry and chemically enhanced etching. CHF 3 has a lower FC deposition yield for both SiO 2 and Si, and also exhibits a strong substrate dependence of FC deposition yield, in contrast to C4F 8. The thickness of deposited FC layers using CHF 3 is found to be greater for Si than for SiO 2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study surface chemistry. When thicker FC films of 11 Å are employed, strong changes of FC film chemistry during a cycle are seen whereas the chemical state of the substrate varies much less. On the other hand, for FC film deposition of 5 Å for each cycle, strong substrate surface chemical changes are seen during an etching cycle. The nature of this cyclic etching with periodic deposition of thin FC films differs significantly from conventional etching with steady-state FC layers since surface conditions change strongly throughout each cycle.« less

Improvement of silicon solar cell efficiency by ion beam sputtered deposition of AlOxNy thin films.

PubMed

Chen, Sheng-Hui; Hsu, Chun-Che; Wang, Hsuan-Wen; Yeh, Chi-Li; Tseng, Shao-Ze; Lin, Hung-Ju; Lee, Cheng-Chung; Peng, Cheng-Yu

2011-03-20

Negative charge material, AlOxNy, has been fabricated to passivate the surface of p-type silicon. The fabrication of AlOxNy was possible by using ion beam sputtering deposition to deposit AlN thin film on the surface of a p-type silicon wafer and following annealing in oxygen ambient. Capacitance-voltage analysis shows the fixed charge density has increased from 10(11) cm(-2) to 2.26×10(12) cm(-2) after annealing. The solar cell efficiency increased from 15.9% to 17.3%, which is also equivalent to the reduction of surface recombination velocity from 1×10(5)  to 32 cm/s.

Industrial ion source technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H. R.

1976-01-01

A 30 cm electron bombardment ion source was designed and fabricated for micromachining and sputtering applications. This source has a multipole magnetic field that employs permanent magnets between permeable pole pieces. An average ion current density of 1 ma/sq cm with 500 eV argon ions was selected as a design operating condition. The ion beam at this operating condition was uniform and well collimated, with an average variation of plus or minus 5 percent over the center 20 cm of the beam at distances up to 30 cm from the ion source. A variety of sputtering applications were undertaken with a small 10 cm ion source to better understand the ion source requirements in these applications. The results of these experimental studies are also included.

Comparative analysis of barium titanate thin films dry etching using inductively coupled plasmas by different fluorine-based mixture gas

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In this work, the inductively coupled plasma etching technique was applied to etch the barium titanate thin film. A comparative study of etch characteristics of the barium titanate thin film has been investigated in fluorine-based (CF4/O2, C4F8/O2 and SF6/O2) plasmas. The etch rates were measured using focused ion beam in order to ensure the accuracy of measurement. The surface morphology of etched barium titanate thin film was characterized by atomic force microscope. The chemical state of the etched surfaces was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. According to the experimental result, we monitored that a higher barium titanate thin film etch rate was achieved with SF6/O2 due to minimum amount of necessary ion energy and its higher volatility of etching byproducts as compared with CF4/O2 and C4F8/O2. Low-volatile C-F compound etching byproducts from C4F8/O2 were observed on the etched surface and resulted in the reduction of etch rate. As a result, the barium titanate films can be effectively etched by the plasma with the composition of SF6/O2, which has an etch rate of over than 46.7 nm/min at RF power/inductively coupled plasma (ICP) power of 150/1,000 W under gas pressure of 7.5 mTorr with a better surface morphology. PMID:25278821

Three-dimensional patterning in polymer optical waveguides using focused ion beam milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Kevin; Burrell, Derek; Middlebrook, Christopher

2016-07-01

Waveguide (WG) photonic-bridge taper modules are designed for symmetric planar coupling between silicon WGs and single-mode fibers (SMFs) to minimize photonic chip and packaging footprint requirements with improving broadband functionality. Micromachined fabrication and evaluation of polymer WG tapers utilizing high-resolution focused ion beam (FIB) milling is performed and presented. Polymer etch rates utilizing the FIB and optimal methods for milling polymer tapers are identified for three-dimensional patterning. Polymer WG tapers with low sidewall roughness are manufactured utilizing FIB milling and optically tested for fabrication loss. FIB platforms utilize a focused beam of ions (Ga+) to etch submicron patterns into substrates. Fabricating low-loss polymer WG taper prototypes with the FIB before moving on to mass-production techniques provides theoretical understanding of the polymer taper and its feasibility for connectorization devices between silicon WGs and SMFs.

Advanced capabilities and applications of a sputter-RBS system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brijs, B.; Deleu, J.; Beyer, G.

1999-06-10

In previous experiments, sputter-RBS{sup 1} has proven to be an ideal tool to study the interaction of low energy ions. This contribution employs the same methodology to identify surface contamination induced during sputtering and to the determine absolute sputter yields. In the first experiment ERDA analysis was used to study the evolution of Hydrogen contamination during sputter-RBS experiments. Since the determination of Hydrogen concentration in very thin near surface layers is frequently limited by the presence of a strong surface peak of Hydrogen originating from adsorbed contamination of the residual vacuum, removal of this contamination would increase the sensitivity formore » Hydrogen detection in the near sub surface drastically. Therefore low energy (12 keV) Argon sputtering was used to remove the Hydrogen surface peak. However enhanced Hydrogen adsorption was observed related to the Ar dose. This experiment shows that severe vacuum conditions and the use of high current densities/sputter yields are a prerequisite for an efficient detection of Hydrogen in the near surface layers. In the second experiment, an attempt was made to determine the sputter yield of Cu during low energy (12 keV) Oxygen bombardment. In order to determine the accumulated dose of the low energy ion beam, a separate Faraday cup in combination with a remote controlled current have been added to the existing sputter-RBS set-up. Alternating sputtering and RBS analysis seem to be an adequate tool for the determination of the absolute sputter yield of Cu and this as well in the as under steady state conditions.« less

Ion Beam Analysis of the Thermal Stability of Hydrogenated Diamond-Like Carbon Thin Films on Si Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nandasiri, M. I.; Moore, A.; Garratt, E.; Wickey, K. J.; AlFaify, S.; Gao, X.; Kayani, A.; Ingram, D.

2009-03-01

Unbalanced magnetron sputtering deposition of C-H films has been performed with various levels of negative substrate bias and with a fixed flow rate of hydrogen. Argon was used as a sputtering gas and formed the majority of the gas in the plasma. The effect of hydrogenation on the final concentration of trapped elements and their thermal stability with respect to hydrogen content is studied using ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques. The elemental concentrations of the films were measured in the films deposited on silicon substrates with a 2.5 MeV of H+ beam, which is used to perform Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Non-Rutherford Backscattering spectrometry (NRBS) and with 16 MeV of O5+ beam, used to perform Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA). Effect of bias on the thermal stability of trapped hydrogen in the films has been studied. As the films were heated in-situ in vacuum using a non-gassy button heater, hydrogen was found to be decreasing around 400° C.

Ion-beam mixed ultra-thin cobalt suicide (CoSi2) films by cobalt sputtering and rapid thermal annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kal, S.; Kasko, I.; Ryssel, H.

1995-10-01

The influence of ion-beam mixing on ultra-thin cobalt silicide (CoSi2) formation was investigated by characterizing the ion-beam mixed and unmixed CoSi2 films. A Ge+ ion-implantation through the Co film prior to silicidation causes an interface mixing of the cobalt film with the silicon substrate and results in improved silicide-to-silicon interface roughness. Rapid thermal annealing was used to form Ge+ ion mixed and unmixed thin CoSi2 layer from 10 nm sputter deposited Co film. The silicide films were characterized by secondary neutral mass spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), Rutherford backscattering, and sheet resistance measurements. The experi-mental results indicate that the final rapid thermal annealing temperature should not exceed 800°C for thin (<50 nm) CoSi2 preparation. A comparison of the plan-view and cross-section TEM micrographs of the ion-beam mixed and unmixed CoSi2 films reveals that Ge+ ion mixing (45 keV, 1 × 1015 cm-2) produces homogeneous silicide with smooth silicide-to-silicon interface.

Plasma formed ion beam projection lithography system

DOEpatents

Leung, Ka-Ngo; Lee, Yung-Hee Yvette; Ngo, Vinh; Zahir, Nastaran

2002-01-01

A plasma-formed ion-beam projection lithography (IPL) system eliminates the acceleration stage between the ion source and stencil mask of a conventional IPL system. Instead a much thicker mask is used as a beam forming or extraction electrode, positioned next to the plasma in the ion source. Thus the entire beam forming electrode or mask is illuminated uniformly with the source plasma. The extracted beam passes through an acceleration and reduction stage onto the resist coated wafer. Low energy ions, about 30 eV, pass through the mask, minimizing heating, scattering, and sputtering.

Angular dependence of etch rates in the etching of poly-Si and fluorocarbon polymer using SF6, C4F8, and O2 plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Jae-Ho; Lee, Gyeo-Re; Lee, Jin-Kwan; Moon, Sang Heup; Kim, Chang-Koo

2004-05-01

The dependences of etch rates on the angle of ions incident on the substrate surface in four plasma/substrate systems that constitute the advanced Bosch process were investigated using a Faraday cage designed for the accurate control of the ion-incident angle. The four systems, established by combining discharge gases and substrates, were a SF6/poly-Si, a SF6/fluorocarbon polymer, an O2/fluorocarbon polymer, and a C4F8/Si. In the case of SF6/poly-Si, the normalized etch rates (NERs), defined as the etch rates normalized by the rate on the horizontal surface, were higher at all angles than values predicted from the cosine of the ion-incident angle. This characteristic curve shape was independent of changes in process variables including the source power and bias voltage. Contrary to the earlier case, the NERs for the O2/polymer decreased and eventually reached much lower values than the cosine values at angles between 30° and 70° when the source power was increased and the bias voltage was decreased. On the other hand, the NERs for the SF6/polymer showed a weak dependence on the process variables. In the case of C4F8/Si, which is used in the Bosch process for depositing a fluorocarbon layer on the substrate surface, the deposition rate varied with the ion incident angle, showing an S-shaped curve. These characteristic deposition rate curves, which were highly dependent on the process conditions, could be divided into four distinct regions: a Si sputtering region, an ion-suppressed polymer deposition region, an ion-enhanced polymer deposition region, and an ion-free polymer deposition region. Based on the earlier characteristic angular dependences of the etch (or deposition) rates in the individual systems, ideal process conditions for obtaining an anisotropic etch profile in the advanced Bosch process are proposed. .

Sputtering of sodium and potassium from nepheline: Secondary ion yields and velocity spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, R.; Langlinay, Th.; Ponciano, C. R.; da Silveira, E. F.; Palumbo, M. E.; Strazzulla, G.; Brucato, J. R.; Hijazi, H.; Agnihotri, A. N.; Boduch, P.; Cassimi, A.; Domaracka, A.; Ropars, F.; Rothard, H.

2017-09-01

Silicates are the dominant surface material of many Solar System objects, which are exposed to ion bombardment by solar wind ions and cosmic rays. Induced physico-chemical processes include sputtering which can contribute to the formation of an exosphere. We have measured sputtering yields and velocity spectra of secondary ions ejected from nepheline, an aluminosilicate thought to be a good analogue for Mercury's surface, as a laboratory approach to understand the evolution of silicate surfaces and the presence of Na and K vapor in the exosphere. Experiments were performed with highly charged ion beams (keV/u-MeV/u) delivered by GANIL using an imaging XY-TOF-SIMS device under UHV conditions. The fluence dependence of sputtering yields gives information about the evolution of surface stoichiometry during irradiation. From the energy distributions N(E) of sputtered particles, the fraction of particles which could escape from the gravitational field of Mercury, and of those falling back and possibly contributing to populate the exosphere can be roughly estimated.

Design and Application of a High Sensitivity Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor for Low Pressure Conditions

PubMed Central

Yu, Huiyang; Huang, Jianqiu

2015-01-01

In this paper, a pressure sensor for low pressure detection (0.5 kPa–40 kPa) is proposed. In one structure (No. 1), the silicon membrane is partly etched to form a crossed beam on its top for stress concentration. An aluminum layer is also deposited as part of the beam. Four piezoresistors are fabricated. Two are located at the two ends of the beam. The other two are located at the membrane periphery. Four piezoresistors connect into a Wheatstone bridge. To demonstrate the stress concentrate effect of this structure, two other structures were designed and fabricated. One is a flat membrane structure (No. 2), the other is a structure with the aluminum beam, but without etched silicon (No. 3). The measurement results of these three structures show that the No.1 structure has the highest sensitivity, which is about 3.8 times that of the No. 2 structure and 2.7 times that of the No. 3 structure. They also show that the residual stress in the beam has some backside effect on the sensor performance. PMID:26371001

Surface microroughness of ion-beam etched optical surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savvides, N.

2005-03-01

Ion-beam etching (IBE) and ion-beam figuring techniques using low-energy ion-beam sources have been applied for more than ten years in the fabrication and finishing of extremely smooth high-performance optics. We used optical interferometric techniques and atomic force microscopy to study the evolution of the surface root-mean-square (rms) microroughness, Rq, as a function of depth of a material removed (0-3000 nm) by a broad ion-beam source (Ar{sup +} ions of energy 600 eV and ion current density of 1 mA cm{sup -2}). Highly polished samples of fused silica and Zerodur (Rq{approx}3.5 A) showed a small decrease in microroughness (to 2.5 A)more » after 3000-nm IBE removal while an ultrapolished single-crystal sapphire sample (Rq{approx}1 A rms) retained its very low microroughness during IBE. Power spectral density functions over the spatial frequency interval of measurement (f=5x10{sup -3}-25 {mu}m{sup -1}) indicate that the IBE surfaces have minimal subsurface damage and low optical scatter.« less

Impact of Plasma Electron Flux on Plasma Damage-Free Sputtering of Ultrathin Tin-Doped Indium Oxide Contact Layer on p-GaN for InGaN/GaN Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Son, Kwang Jeong; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Cha, Yu-Jung; Oh, Seung Kyu; You, Shin-Jae; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Kwak, Joon Seop

2018-02-01

The origin of plasma-induced damage on a p -type wide-bandgap layer during the sputtering of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) contact layers by using radiofrequency-superimposed direct current (DC) sputtering and its effects on the forward voltage and light output power (LOP) of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with sputtered ITO transparent conductive electrodes (TCE) is systematically studied. Changing the DC power voltage from negative to positive bias reduces the forward voltages and enhances the LOP of the LEDs. The positive DC power drastically decreases the electron flux in the plasma obtained by plasma diagnostics using a cutoff probe and a Langmuir probe, suggesting that the repulsion of plasma electrons from the p -GaN surface can reduce plasma-induced damage to the p -GaN. Furthermore, electron-beam irradiation on p -GaN prior to ITO deposition significantly increases the forward voltages, showing that the plasma electrons play an important role in plasma-induced damage to the p -GaN. The plasma electrons can increase the effective barrier height at the ITO/deep-level defect (DLD) band of p -GaN by compensating DLDs, resulting in the deterioration of the forward voltage and LOP. Finally, the plasma damage-free sputtered-ITO TCE enhances the LOP of the LEDs by 20% with a low forward voltage of 2.9 V at 20 mA compared to LEDs with conventional e-beam-evaporated ITO TCE.

Ion-enhanced oxidation of aluminum as a fundamental surface process during target poisoning in reactive magnetron sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuschel, Thomas; Keudell, Achim von

2010-05-15

Plasma deposition of aluminum oxide by reactive magnetron sputtering (RMS) using an aluminum target and argon and oxygen as working gases is an important technological process. The undesired oxidation of the target itself, however, causes the so-called target poisoning, which leads to strong hysteresis effects during RMS operation. The oxidation occurs by chemisorption of oxygen atoms and molecules with a simultaneous ion bombardment being present. This heterogenous surface reaction is studied in a quantified particle beam experiment employing beams of oxygen molecules and argon ions impinging onto an aluminum-coated quartz microbalance. The oxidation and/or sputtering rates are measured with thismore » microbalance and the resulting oxide layers are analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sticking coefficient of oxygen molecules is determined to 0.015 in the zero coverage limit. The sputtering yields of pure aluminum by argon ions are determined to 0.4, 0.62, and 0.8 at 200, 300, and 400 eV. The variation in the effective sticking coefficient and sputtering yield during the combined impact of argon ions and oxygen molecules is modeled with a set of rate equations. A good agreement is achieved if one postulates an ion-induced surface activation process, which facilitates oxygen chemisorption. This process may be identified with knock-on implantation of surface-bonded oxygen, with an electric-field-driven in-diffusion of oxygen or with an ion-enhanced surface activation process. Based on these fundamental processes, a robust set of balance equations is proposed to describe target poisoning effects in RMS.« less

Low resistivity of graphene nanoribbons with zigzag-dominated edge fabricated by hydrogen plasma etching combined with Zn/HCl pretreatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fengkui; Li, Qi; Wang, Rubing; Xu, Jianbao; Hu, Junxiong; Li, Weiwei; Guo, Yufen; Qian, Yuting; Deng, Wei; Ullah, Zaka; Zeng, Zhongming; Sun, Mengtao; Liu, Liwei

2017-11-01

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have attracted intensive research interest owing to their potential applications in high performance graphene-based electronics. However, the deterioration of electrical performance caused by edge disorder is still an important obstacle to the applications. Here, we report the fabrication of low resistivity GNRs with a zigzag-dominated edge through hydrogen plasma etching combined with the Zn/HCl pretreatment method. This method is based on the anisotropic etching properties of hydrogen plasma in the vicinity of defects created by sputtering zinc (Zn) onto planar graphene. The polarized Raman spectra measurement of GNRs exhibits highly polarization dependence, which reveals the appearance of the zigzag-dominated edge. The as-prepared GNRs exhibit high carrier mobility (˜1332.4 cm2 v-1 s-1) and low resistivity (˜0.7 kΩ) at room temperature. Particularly, the GNRs can carry large current density (5.02 × 108 A cm-2) at high voltage (20.0 V) in the air atmosphere. Our study develops a controllable method to fabricate zigzag edge dominated GNRs for promising applications in transistors, sensors, nanoelectronics, and interconnects.

Gas Sensors Based on One Dimensional Nanostructured Metal-Oxides: A Review

PubMed Central

Arafat, M. M.; Dinan, B.; Akbar, Sheikh A.; Haseeb, A. S. M. A.

2012-01-01

Recently one dimensional (1-D) nanostructured metal-oxides have attracted much attention because of their potential applications in gas sensors. 1-D nanostructured metal-oxides provide high surface to volume ratio, while maintaining good chemical and thermal stabilities with minimal power consumption and low weight. In recent years, various processing routes have been developed for the synthesis of 1-D nanostructured metal-oxides such as hydrothermal, ultrasonic irradiation, electrospinning, anodization, sol-gel, molten-salt, carbothermal reduction, solid-state chemical reaction, thermal evaporation, vapor-phase transport, aerosol, RF sputtering, molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition, gas-phase assisted nanocarving, UV lithography and dry plasma etching. A variety of sensor fabrication processing routes have also been developed. Depending on the materials, morphology and fabrication process the performance of the sensor towards a specific gas shows a varying degree of success. This article reviews and evaluates the performance of 1-D nanostructured metal-oxide gas sensors based on ZnO, SnO2, TiO2, In2O3, WOx, AgVO3, CdO, MoO3, CuO, TeO2 and Fe2O3. Advantages and disadvantages of each sensor are summarized, along with the associated sensing mechanism. Finally, the article concludes with some future directions of research. PMID:22969344

TaN resistor process development and integration.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Romero, Kathleen; Martinez, Marino John; Clevenger, Jascinda

This paper describes the development and implementation of an integrated resistor process based on reactively sputtered tantalum nitride. Image reversal lithography was shown to be a superior method for liftoff patterning of these films. The results of a response surface DOE for the sputter deposition of the films are discussed. Several approaches to stabilization baking were examined and the advantages of the hot plate method are shown. In support of a new capability to produce special-purpose HBT-based Small-Scale Integrated Circuits (SSICs), we developed our existing TaN resistor process, designed for research prototyping, into one with greater maturity and robustness. Includedmore » in this work was the migration of our TaN deposition process from a research-oriented tool to a tool more suitable for production. Also included was implementation and optimization of a liftoff process for the sputtered TaN to avoid the complicating effects of subtractive etching over potentially sensitive surfaces. Finally, the method and conditions for stabilization baking of the resistors was experimentally determined to complete the full implementation of the resistor module. Much of the work to be described involves the migration between sputter deposition tools - from a Kurt J. Lesker CMS-18 to a Denton Discovery 550. Though they use nominally the same deposition technique (reactive sputtering of Ta with N{sup +} in a RF-excited Ar plasma), they differ substantially in their design and produce clearly different results in terms of resistivity, conformity of the film and the difference between as-deposited and stabilized films. We will describe the design of and results from the design of experiments (DOE)-based method of process optimization on the new tool and compare this to what had been used on the old tool.« less

Laser micromachining of optical devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopitkovas, Giedrius; Lippert, Thomas; David, Christian; Sulcas, Rokas; Hobley, Jonathan; Wokaun, Alexander J.; Gobrecht, Jens

2004-10-01

The combination of a gray tone phase mask with a laser assisted wet etching process was applied to fabricate complex microstructures in UV transparent dielectric materials. This one-step method allows the generation of arrays of plano-convex and Fresnel micro-lenses using a conventional XeCl excimer laser and an absorbing liquid, which is in contact with the UV transparent material. An array of plano-convex micro-lenses was tested as beam homogenizer for a high power XeCl excimer and ps Nd:YAG laser. The roughness of the etched features varies from several μm to 10 nm, depending on the laser fluence and concentration of the dye in the organic liquid. The etching process can be divided into several etching mechanisms which vary with laser fluence.

Micro benchtop optics by bulk silicon micromachining

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Pocha, Michael D.; McConaghy, Charles F.; Deri, Robert J.

2000-01-01

Micromachining of bulk silicon utilizing the parallel etching characteristics of bulk silicon and integrating the parallel etch planes of silicon with silicon wafer bonding and impurity doping, enables the fabrication of on-chip optics with in situ aligned etched grooves for optical fibers, micro-lenses, photodiodes, and laser diodes. Other optical components that can be microfabricated and integrated include semi-transparent beam splitters, micro-optical scanners, pinholes, optical gratings, micro-optical filters, etc. Micromachining of bulk silicon utilizing the parallel etching characteristics thereof can be utilized to develop miniaturization of bio-instrumentation such as wavelength monitoring by fluorescence spectrometers, and other miniaturized optical systems such as Fabry-Perot interferometry for filtering of wavelengths, tunable cavity lasers, micro-holography modules, and wavelength splitters for optical communication systems.

Lead Pipe Scale Analysis Using Broad-Beam Argon Ion Milling to Elucidate Drinking Water Corrosion

EPA Science Inventory

Herein, we compared the characterization of lead pipe scale removed from a drinking water distribution system using two different cross section methods (conventional polishing and argon ion beam etching). The pipe scale solids were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM...

The Lamont--Doherty Geological Observatory Isolab 54 isotope ratio mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

England, J. G.; Zindler, A.; Reisberg, L. C.; Rubenstone, J. L.; Salters, V.; Marcantonio, F.; Bourdon, B.; Brueckner, H.; Turner, P. J.; Weaver, S.; Read, P.

1992-12-01

The Lamont--Doherty Geological Observatory (LDGO) Isolab 54 is a double focussing isotope ratio mass spectrometer that allows the measurement of thermal ions produced on a hot filament, (thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)), secondary ions produced by sputtering a sample using a primary ion beam, (secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)), and sputtered neutrals resonantly ionized using laser radiation, (sputter-induced resonance ionization mass spectrometry (SIRIMS)). Sputtering is carried out using an Ar primary beam generated in a duoplasmatron and focussed onto the sample using a two-lens column. Resonance ionization is accomplished using a frequency-doubled dye laser pumped by an excimer laser. The Isolab's forward geometry analyzer, consisting of an electrostatic followed by a magnetic sector, allows the simultaneous collection of different isotopes of the same element. This instrument is the first to have a multicollector that contains an ion-counting system based on a microchannel plate as well as traditional Faraday cups. A second electrostatic sector after the multicollector is equipped with an ion-counting Daly detector to allow high abundance sensitivity for measurements of large dynamics range. Selectable source, collector, [alpha] and energy slits on the instrument allow analyses to be made over a range of mass resolving powers and analyzer acceptances. Recent applications of the instrument have included the analyses of U by TIMS, Hf, Th and Re by SIMS and Re and Os by SIRIMS.

The influence of Atomic Oxygen on the Figure of Merit of Indium Tin Oxide thin Films grown by reactive Dual Ion Beam Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geerts, Wilhelmus; Simpson, Nelson; Woodall, Allen; Compton, Maclyn

2014-03-01

Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) is a transparent conducting oxide that is used in flat panel displays and optoelectronics. Highly conductive and transparent ITO films are normally produced by heating the substrate to 300 Celsius during deposition excluding plastics to be used as a substrate material. We investigated whether high quality ITO films can be sputtered at room temperature using atomic instead of molecular oxygen. The films were deposited by dual ion beam sputtering (DIBS). During deposition the substrate was exposed to a molecular or an atomic oxygen flux. Microscope glass slides and silicon wafers were used as substrates. A 29 nm thick SIO2 buffer layer was used. Optical properties were measured with a M2000 Woollam variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer. Electrical properties were measured by linear four point probe using a Jandel 4pp setup employing silicon carbide electrodes, high input resistance, and Keithley low bias current buffer amplifiers. The figure of merit (FOM), i.e. the ratio of the conductivity and the average optical absorption coefficient (400-800 nm), was calculated from the optical and electric properties and appeared to be 1.2 to 5 times higher for the samples sputtered with atomic oxygen. The largest value obtained for the FOM was 0.08 reciprocal Ohms. The authors would like to thank the Research Corporation for Financial Support.

Atomistic simulations of focused ion beam machining of strained silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guénolé, J.; Prakash, A.; Bitzek, E.

2017-09-01

The focused ion beam (FIB) technique has established itself as an indispensable tool in the material science community, both to analyze samples and to prepare specimens by FIB milling. In combination with digital image correlation (DIC), FIB milling can, furthermore, be used to evaluate intrinsic stresses by monitoring the strain release during milling. The irradiation damage introduced by such milling, however, results in a change in the stress/strain state and elastic properties of the material; changes in the strain state in turn affect the bonding strength, and are hence expected to implicitly influence irradiation damage formation and sputtering. To elucidate this complex interplay between strain, irradiation damage and sputtering, we perform TRIM calculations and molecular dynamics simulations on silicon irradiated by Ga+ ions, with slab and trench-like geometries, whilst simultaneously applying uniaxial tensile and compressive strains up to 4%. In addition we calculate the threshold displacement energy (TDE) and the surface binding energy (SBE) for various strain states. The sputter rate and amount of damage produced in the MD simulations show a clear influence of the strain state. The SBE shows no significant dependence on strain, but is strongly affected by surface reconstructions. The TDE shows a clear strain-dependence, which, however, cannot explain the influence of strain on the extent of the induced irradiation damage or the sputter rate.

Preliminary Results of 3D-DDTC Pixel Detectors for the ATLAS Upgrade

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

La Rosa, Alessandro; /CERN; Boscardin, M.

2012-04-04

3D Silicon sensors fabricated at FBK-irst with the Double-side Double Type Column (DDTC) approach and columnar electrodes only partially etched through p-type substrates were tested in laboratory and in a 1.35 Tesla magnetic field with a 180 GeV pion beam at CERN SPS. The substrate thickness of the sensors is about 200 {mu}m, and different column depths are available, with overlaps between junction columns (etched from the front side) and ohmic columns (etched from the back side) in the range from 110 {mu}m to 150 {mu}m. The devices under test were bump bonded to the ATLAS Pixel readout chip (FEI3)more » at SELEX SI (Rome, Italy). We report leakage current and noise measurements, results of functional tests with Am{sup 241} {gamma}-ray sources, charge collection tests with Sr90 {beta}-source and an overview of preliminary results from the CERN beam test.« less

Space processing applications of ion beam technology. [surface finishing, welding, milling and film deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grodzka, P. G.

1977-01-01

Ion thruster engines for spacecraft propulsion can serve as ion beam sources for potential space processing applications. The advantages of space vacuum environments and the possible gravity effects on thruster ion beam materials operations such as thin film growth, ion milling, and surface texturing were investigated. The direct gravity effect on sputter deposition and vapor deposition processes are discussed as well as techniques for cold and warm welding.

Low-loss slot waveguides with silicon (111) surfaces realized using anisotropic wet etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debnath, Kapil; Khokhar, Ali; Boden, Stuart; Arimoto, Hideo; Oo, Swe; Chong, Harold; Reed, Graham; Saito, Shinichi

2016-11-01

We demonstrate low-loss slot waveguides on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Waveguides oriented along the (11-2) direction on the Si (110) plane were first fabricated by a standard e-beam lithography and dry etching process. A TMAH based anisotropic wet etching technique was then used to remove any residual side wall roughness. Using this fabrication technique propagation loss as low as 3.7dB/cm was realized in silicon slot waveguide for wavelengths near 1550nm. We also realized low propagation loss of 1dB/cm for silicon strip waveguides.

Optical fiber magnetic field sensors with TbDyFe magnetostrictive thin films as sensing materials.

PubMed

Yang, Minghong; Dai, Jixiang; Zhou, Ciming; Jiang, Desheng

2009-11-09

Different from usually-used bulk magnetostrictive materials, magnetostrictive TbDyFe thin films were firstly proposed as sensing materials for fiber-optic magnetic field sensing characterization. By magnetron sputtering process, TbDyFe thin films were deposited on etched side circle of a fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) as sensing element. There exists more than 45pm change of FBG wavelength when magnet field increase up to 50 mT. The response to magnetic field is reversible, and could be applicable for magnetic and current sensing.

Characterizing Fluorocarbon Assisted Atomic Layer Etching of Si Using Cyclic Ar/C 4F 8 and Ar/CHF 3 Plasma

DOE PAGES

Metzler, Dominik; Li, Chen; Engelmann, Sebastian; ...

2016-09-08

With the increasing interest in establishing directional etching methods capable of atomic scale resolution for fabricating highly scaled electronic devices, the need for development and characterization of atomic layer etching (ALE) processes, or generally etch processes with atomic layer precision, is growing. In this work, a flux-controlled cyclic plasma process is used for etching of SiO 2 and Si at the Angstrom-level. This is based on steady-state Ar plasma, with periodic, precise injection of a fluorocarbon (FC) precursor (C 4F 8 and CHF 3), and synchronized, plasma-based Ar+ ion bombardment [D. Metzler et al., J Vac Sci Technol A 32,more » 020603 (2014), and D. Metzler et al., J Vac Sci Technol A 34, 01B101 (2016)]. For low energy Ar+ ion bombardment conditions, physical sputter rates are minimized, whereas material can be etched when FC reactants are present at the surface. This cyclic approach offers a large parameter space for process optimization. Etch depth per cycle, removal rates, and self-limitation of removal, along with material dependence of these aspects, were examined as a function of FC surface coverage, ion energy, and etch step length using in situ real time ellipsometry. The deposited FC thickness per cycle is found to have a strong impact on etch depth per cycle of SiO 2 and Si, but is limited with regard to control over material etching selectivity. Ion energy over the 20 to 30 eV range strongly impacts material selectivity. The choice of precursor can have a significant impact on the surface chemistry and chemically enhanced etching. CHF 3 has a lower FC deposition yield for both SiO 2 and Si, and also exhibits a strong substrate dependence of FC deposition yield, in contrast to C4F 8. The thickness of deposited FC layers using CHF 3 is found to be greater for Si than for SiO 2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study surface chemistry. When thicker FC films of 11 Å are employed, strong changes of FC film chemistry during a cycle are seen whereas the chemical state of the substrate varies much less. On the other hand, for FC film deposition of 5 Å for each cycle, strong substrate surface chemical changes are seen during an etching cycle. The nature of this cyclic etching with periodic deposition of thin FC films differs significantly from conventional etching with steady-state FC layers since surface conditions change strongly throughout each cycle.« less

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Induced Electrical Damage on HgCdTe Etched Surface at Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, L. F.; Chen, Y. Y.; Ye, Z. H.; Hu, X. N.; Ding, R. J.; He, L.

2018-03-01

Plasma etching is a powerful technique for transferring high-resolution lithographic patterns into HgCdTe material with low etch-induced damage, and it is important for fabricating small-pixel-size HgCdTe infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) detectors. P- to n-type conversion is known to occur during plasma etching of vacancy-doped HgCdTe; however, it is usually unwanted and its removal requires extra steps. Etching at cryogenic temperatures can reduce the etch-induced type conversion depth in HgCdTe via the electrical damage mechanism. Laser beam-induced current (LBIC) is a nondestructive photoelectric characterization technique which can provide information regarding the vertical and lateral electrical field distribution, such as defects and p-n junctions. In this work, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching of HgCdTe was implemented at cryogenic temperatures. For an Ar/CH4 (30:1 in SCCM) plasma with ICP input power of 1000 W and RF-coupled DC bias of ˜ 25 V, a HgCdTe sample was dry-etched at 123 K for 5 min using ICP. The sample was then processed to remove a thin layer of the plasma-etched region while maintaining a ladder-like damaged layer by continuously controlling the wet chemical etching time. Combining the ladder etching method and LBIC measurement, the ICP etching-induced electrical damage depth was measured and estimated to be about 20 nm. The results indicate that ICP etching at cryogenic temperatures can significantly suppress plasma etching-induced electrical damage, which is beneficial for defining HgCdTe mesa arrays.

Design study of a 120-keV, He-3 neutral beam injector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, A. S.; Barr, W. L.; Dexter, W. L.; Moir, R. W.; Wilcox, T. P.; Fink, J. H.

1981-01-01

A design for a 120-keV, 2.3-MW, He-3 neutral beam injector for use on a D-(He-3) fusion reactor is described. The constraint that limits operating life when injecting He is its high sputtering rate. The sputtering is partly controlled by using an extra grid to prevent ion flow from the neutralizer duct to the electron suppressor grid, but a tradeoff between beam current and operating life is still required. Hollow grid wires functioning as mercury heat pipes cool the grid and enable steady state operation. Voltage holding and radiation effects on the acceleration grid structure are discussed. The vacuum system is also briefly described, and the use of a direct energy converter to recapture energy from unneutralized ions exiting the neutralizer is also analyzed. Of crucial importance to the technical feasibility of the (He-3)-burning reactor are the injector efficiency and cost; these are 53% and $5.5 million, respectively, when power supplies are included.

Design study of a 120-keV,3He neutral beam injector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, A. S.; Barr, W. L.; Dexter, W. L.; Fink, J. H.; Moir, R. W.; Wilcox, T. P.

1981-01-01

We describe a design for a 120-keV, 2.3-MW,3He neutral beam injector for use on a D-3He fusion reactor. The constraint that limits operating life when injecting He is its high sputtering rate. The sputtering is partly controlled by using an extra grid to prevent ion flow from the neutralizer duct to the electron suppressor grid, but a tradeoff between beam current and operating life is still required. Hollow grid wires functioning as mercury heat pipes cool the grid and enable steady state operation. Voltage holding and radiation effects on the acceleration grid structure are discussed. We also briefly describe the vacuum system and analyze use of a direct energy converter to recapture energy from unneutralized ions exiting the neutralizer. Of crucial importance to the technical feasibility of the3He-burning reactor are the injector efficiency and cost; these are 53% and 5.5 million, respectively, when power supplies are included.

Thermal stability of trapped hydrogen in amorphous carbon thin films on Si substrate using ion beam scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, A.; Tecos, G.; Nandasiri, M. I.; Garratt, E.; Wickey, K. J.; Gao, X.; Kayani, A.

2009-11-01

Unbalanced magnetron sputtering deposition of C-H films has been performed with various levels of negative substrate bias and with a fixed flow rate of hydrogen. Argon was used as a sputtering gas and formed the majority of the gas in the plasma. The effect of hydrogenation on the final concentration of trapped elements and their thermal stability with respect to hydrogen content is studied using ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques. The elemental concentrations of the films were measured in samples deposited on silicon substrates with a 3.3 MeV of He++ beam used to perform Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), Non-Rutherford backscattering Spectroscopy (NRBS) and Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA). Thermal stability with respect to trapped hydrogen in the film has been studied. As the films were heated in-situ in the vacuum using a o non-gassy button heater, hydrogen was found to be decreasing around 400° C.

Fabrication and analysis of single-crystal KTiOPO₄ films with thicknesses in the micrometer range.

PubMed

Ma, Changdong; Lu, Fei; Xu, Bo; Fan, Ranran

2016-02-01

Single-crystal potassium titanyl phosphate (KTiOPO4, KTP) films with thicknesses less than 5 μm are obtained by using helium (He) implantation combined with ion-beam-enhanced etching. A heavily damaged layer created by a 4×10(16)  cm(-2) fluence of 2 MeV He implantation is removed by means of wet chemical etching in hydrofluoric acid (HF). Thus, free-standing films of KTP with thicknesses in the range of 3-5 μm are obtained. The etching rate can be adjusted over a wide range by choosing temperature and HF concentration, as well as annealing conditions. Sharp etching edges and the smooth surface of the film indicate that a high selective-etching rate is achieved in the damaged layer, and the remaining part of the crystal is undamaged. X-ray and Raman-scattering results prove that KTP films have good single-crystal properties.

The automated array assembly task of the low-cost silicon solar array project, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coleman, M. G.; Pryor, R. A.; Sparks, T. G.; Legge, R.; Saltzman, D. L.

1980-01-01

Several specific processing steps as part of a total process sequence for manufacturing silicon solar cells were studied. Ion implantation was identified as the preferred process step for impurity doping. Unanalyzed beam ion implantation was shown to have major cost advantages over analyzed beam implantation. Further, high quality cells were fabricated using a high current unanalyzed beam. Mechanically masked plasma patterning of silicon nitride was shown to be capable of forming fine lines on silicon surfaces with spacings between mask and substrate as great as 250 micrometers. Extensive work was performed on advances in plated metallization. The need for the thick electroless palladium layer was eliminated. Further, copper was successfully utilized as a conductor layer utilizing nickel as a barrier to copper diffusion into the silicon. Plasma etching of silicon for texturing and saw damage removal was shown technically feasible but not cost effective compared to wet chemical etching techniques.

Pseudomorphic In(y)Ga(1-y)As/GaAs/Al(x)Ga(1-x)As single quantum well surface-emitting lasers with integrated 45 deg beam deflectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Jae-Hoon; Larsson, Anders; Lee, Luke P.

1991-01-01

The paper reports on the first demonstration of pseudomorphic InGaAs single quantum well surface-emitting lasers (SELs), with etched vertical mirrors and integrated 45-deg beam deflectors fabricated by ion beam etching. 100-micron-wide broad-area SELs exhibited a threshold current of 320 mA, a total power of 126 mW, and a total external differential quantum efficiency of 0.09 W/A for a 500-micron-long cavity. The perpendicular far-field pattern of broad-area SELs showed a full width at half maximum of about 20 deg. Lasers with various types of cavities fabricated from the same wafer were compared. Broad-area edge-emitting lasers had a threshold current of 200 mA, a total power of 700 mW, and a total external differential quantum efficiency of 0.52 W/A.

Scanning-electron-microscopy observations and mechanical characteristics of ion-beam-sputtered surgical implant alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weigand, A. J.; Meyer, M. L.; Ling, J. S.

1977-01-01

An electron bombardment ion thruster was used as an ion source to sputter the surfaces of orthopedic prosthetic metals. Scanning electron microscopy photomicrographs were made of each ion beam textured surface. The effect of ion texturing an implant surface on its bond to bone cement was investigated. A Co-Cr-W alloy and surgical stainless steel were used as representative hard tissue implant materials to determine effects of ion texturing on bulk mechanical properties. Work was done to determine the effect of substrate temperature on the development of an ion textured surface microstructure. Results indicate that the ultimate strength of the bulk materials is unchanged by ion texturing and that the microstructure will develop more rapidly if the substrate is heated prior to ion texturing.

Formation of silicon nanodots via ion beam sputtering of ultrathin gold thin film coatings on Si

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Ion beam sputtering of ultrathin film Au coatings used as a physical catalyst for self-organization of Si nanostructures has been achieved by tuning the incident particle energy. This approach holds promise as a scalable nanomanufacturing parallel processing alternative to candidate nanolithography techniques. Structures of 11- to 14-nm Si nanodots are formed with normal incidence low-energy Ar ions of 200 eV and fluences above 2 × 1017 cm-2. In situ surface characterization during ion irradiation elucidates early stage ion mixing migration mechanism for nanodot self-organization. In particular, the evolution from gold film islands to the formation of ion-induced metastable gold silicide followed by pure Si nanodots formed with no need for impurity seeding. PMID:21711934

Characterization of ion beam sputtered deposited W/Si multilayers by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and x-ray reflectivity technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhawan, Rajnish, E-mail: rajnish@rrcat.gov.in; Rai, Sanjay

2016-05-23

W/Si multilayers four samples have been deposited on silicon substrate using ion beam sputtering system. Thickness of tungsten (W) varies from around 10 Å to 40 Å while the silicon (Si) thickness remains constant at around 30 Å in multilayers [W-Si]{sub x4}. The samples have been characterized by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and X-ray reflectivity technique (XRR). GIXRD study shows the crystalline behaviour of W/Si multilayer by varying W thickness and it is found that above 20 Å the W film transform from amorphous to crystalline phase and X-ray reflectivity data shows that the roughnesses of W increases onmore » increasing the W thicknesses in W/Si multilayers.« less

Realization of synaptic learning and memory functions in Y2O3 based memristive device fabricated by dual ion beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Mangal; Kumar, Amitesh; Singh, Rohit; Than Htay, Myo; Mukherjee, Shaibal

2018-02-01

Single synaptic device with inherent learning and memory functions is demonstrated based on a forming-free amorphous Y2O3 (yttria) memristor fabricated by dual ion beam sputtering system. Synaptic functions such as nonlinear transmission characteristics, long-term plasticity, short-term plasticity and ‘learning behavior (LB)’ are achieved using a single synaptic device based on cost-effective metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure. An ‘LB’ function is demonstrated, for the first time in the literature, for a yttria based memristor, which bears a resemblance to certain memory functions of biological systems. The realization of key synaptic functions in a cost-effective MIS structure would promote much cheaper synapse for artificial neural network.

Using Graphene Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy to Study in Situ Nanocrystal Etching.

PubMed

Hauwiller, Matthew R; Ondry, Justin C; Alivisatos, A Paul

2018-05-17

Graphene liquid cell electron microscopy provides the ability to observe nanoscale chemical transformations and dynamics as the reactions are occurring in liquid environments. This manuscript describes the process for making graphene liquid cells through the example of graphene liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments of gold nanocrystal etching. The protocol for making graphene liquid cells involves coating gold, holey-carbon TEM grids with chemical vapor deposition graphene and then using those graphene-coated grids to encapsulate liquid between two graphene surfaces. These pockets of liquid, with the nanomaterial of interest, are imaged in the electron microscope to see the dynamics of the nanoscale process, in this case the oxidative etching of gold nanorods. By controlling the electron beam dose rate, which modulates the etching species in the liquid cell, the underlying mechanisms of how atoms are removed from nanocrystals to form different facets and shapes can be better understood. Graphene liquid cell TEM has the advantages of high spatial resolution, compatibility with traditional TEM holders, and low start-up costs for research groups. Current limitations include delicate sample preparation, lack of flow capability, and reliance on electron beam-generated radiolysis products to induce reactions. With further development and control, graphene liquid cell may become a ubiquitous technique in nanomaterials and biology, and is already being used to study mechanisms governing growth, etching, and self-assembly processes of nanomaterials in liquid on the single particle level.

Diagnostic evaluations of a beam-shielded 8-cm mercury ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakanishi, S.

1978-01-01

An engineering model thruster fitted with a remotely actuated graphite fiber polyimide composite beam shield was tested in a 3- by 6.5-meter vacuum facility for in-situ assessment of beam shield effects on thruster performance. Accelerator drain current neutralizer floating potential and ion beam floating potential increased slightly when the shield was moved into position. A target exposed to the low density regions of the ion beam was used to map the boundaries of energetic fringe ions capable of sputtering. The particle efflux was evaluated by measurement of film deposits on cold, heated, bare, and enclosed glass slides.

Atomic force microscopy study on topography of films produced by ion-based techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Liu, X. H.; Zou, S. C.; Martin, P. J.; Bendavid, A.

1996-09-01

The evolution of surface morphologies of films prepared by ion-based deposition techniques has been investigated by atomic force microscopy. Two deposition processes, filtered arc deposition (FAD) and ion-beam-assisted deposition, where low-energy (<100 eV) ion irradiation and high-energy (several tens of keV) ion-beam bombardment concurrent with film growth were involved, respectively, have been employed to prepare TiN and Al films. Comparative studies on the effect of energetic ions on the development of topography have been performed between the low-ion-energy regime and high-ion-energy regime. In addition, the relationship between topography and mechanical properties of thin films has been revealed, by involving thin films prepared by thermal evaporation deposition (TED), where almost all depositing particles are neutral. In the images of the TED TiN and Al films, a large number of porous and deep boundaries between columnar grains was observed, suggesting a very rough and loose surface. In contrast, the FAD films exhibited much denser surface morphologies, although still columnar. The root-mean-square roughness of the FAD films was less than 1 Å. Hardness test and optical parameter measurement indicated that the FAD films were much harder and, in the case of optical films, much more transparent than the TED films, which was considered to arise from the denser surface morphologies rather than crystallization of the films. The high density and super smoothness of the FAD films, and the resultant mechanical and optical properties superior to those of the TED films, were attributed to the enhancement of surface migration of the deposited adatoms in the FAD process, which could provide intensive low-energy ion irradiation during film growth. As for topography modification by high-energy ion-beam bombardment concurrent with film growth, in addition to the increase of surface diffusion due to elastic collision and thermal spikes, physical sputtering must be considered while explaining the development of the film topography. Both surface migration enhancement and sputtering played important roles in the case of high-energy heavy-ion-beam bombardment, under which condition surface morphology characterized by dense columns with larger dimension and deep clean boundaries was formed. However, under high-energy light-ion-beam bombardment, the sputtering was dominant, and the variation of sputtering coefficient with position on the surface of growing film led to the formation of cones.

Penning discharge ion source with self-cleaning aperture

DOEpatents

Gavin, Basil F.; MacGill, Robert A.; Thatcher, Raymond K.

1982-01-01

An ion source of the Penning discharge type having a self-cleaning aperture is provided by a second dynode (24) with an exit aperture (12) in a position opposite a first dynode 10a, from which the ions are sputtered, two opposing cathodes (14, 16), each with an anode (18, 20) for accelerating electrons emitted from the cathodes into a cylindrical space defined by the first and second dynode. A support gas maintained in this space is ionized by the electrons. While the cathodes are supplied with a negative pulse to emit electrons, the first dynode is supplied with a negative pulse (e.g., -300 V) to attract atoms of the ionized gas (plasma). At the same time, the second dynode may also be supplied with a small voltage that is negative with respect to the plasma (e.g., -5 V) for tuning the position of the plasma miniscus for optimum extraction geometry. When the negative pulse to the first dynode is terminated, the second dynode is driven strongly negative (e.g., -600 V) thereby allowing heavy sputtering to take place for a short period to remove virtually all of the atoms deposited on the second dynode from material sputtered off the first dynode. An extractor (22) immediately outside the exit aperture of the second dynode is maintained at ground potential during this entire period of sputtering while the anode, dynode and cathode reference voltage is driven strongly positive (about +20 kV to +30 kV) so that ions accelerated through the aperture will be at ground potential. In that manner, material from the first dynode deposited on the second dynode will be sputtered, in time, to add to the ion beam. Atoms sputtered from the second dynode which do not become ionized and exit through the slit will be redeposited on the first dynode, and hence recycled for further ion beam generation during subsequent operating cycles.

Electrosprayed Heavy Ion and Nanodrop Beams for Surface Engineering and Electrical Propulsion

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-10

arsenide, gallium antimonide, gallium nitride and silicon carbide ; studied the role of the liquid’s composition on the sputtering of silicon ; study...being a material closely related to silicon . The maximum roughness for GaN, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, Ge and SiC are 12.7, 11.7, 19.5, 8.1, 7.9, 17.5...poly crystalline silicon carbide and boron car- bide, respectively. The associated sputtering rates of 448, 172, and 170 nm/min far exceed the

Proceeding of the 18th Intl. Workshop on Inelastic Ion-Surface Collisions (IISC-18)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reinhold, Carlos O; Krstic, Predrag S; Meyer, Fred W

2011-01-01

The main topics of this proceedings were: (1) Energy loss of particles at surfaces; (2) Scattering of atoms, ions, molecules and clusters; (3) Charge exchange between particles and surfaces; (4) Ion induced desorption, electronic and kinetic sputtering; (5) Defect formation, surface modification and nanostructuring; (6) Electron, photon and secondary ion emission due to particle impact on surfaces; (7) Sputtering, fragmentation, cluster and ion formation in SIMS and SNMS; (8) Cluster/molecular and highly charged ion beams; and (9) Laser induced desorption.

A 5000-hour test of a grid-translation beam-deflection system for a 5-cm diameter Kaufman thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathem, W. C.

1973-01-01

A grid-translation type beam deflection system was tested on a 5-cm diameter mercury ion thruster for 5000 hours at a thrust level of about 0.36 mlb. During the first 2000 hours the beam was vectored 10 degrees in one direction. No erosion damage attributable to beam deflection was detected. Results indicate a possible lifetime of 15,000 to 20,000 hours. An optimized neutralizer position was used which eliminated the sputter erosion groove observed on the SERT 2 thrusters.

Paradigm shifts in plasma processing and application of fundamental kinetics to problems targeting 5 nm technology device technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lee

2016-09-01

It is often said that semiconductor technology is approaching the end of scaling. While fundamental device limits do approach, plasma etching has been doing the heavy lifting to supplement the basic limits in lithography. RF plasmas, pulsing in many forms, diffusion plasmas are but a few of the important developments over the last 20 years that have succeeded in the seemingly impossible tasks. The commonality of these plasmas is being self-consistent: their near-Boltzmann EEDf maintains ionization with its tail while providing charge-balance with its Te . To control the plasma chemistry is to control its EEDf; the entanglement of ionization with charge-balance in self-consistent plasmas places a constraint on the decoupling of plasma chemistry from ionization. Example like DC/RF parallel-plate hybridizes stochastic heating with DC-cathode injected e- -beam. While such arrangement offers some level of decoupling, it raised more questions than what it helped answered along the lines of beam-plasma instabilities, bounce-resonance ionization, etc. Pure e- -beam plasmas could be a drastic departure from the self-consistent plasmas. Examples like the NRL e- -beam system and the more recent TEL NEP (Nonambipolar e- Plasma) show strong decoupling of Te from ionization but it is almost certain, many more questions lurk: the functions connecting collisional relaxation with instabilities, the channels causing the dissociation of large fluorocarbons (controlling the ion-to- radical ratio), the production of the damaging deep UV in e- -beam plasmas, etc., and the list goes on. IADf is one factor on feature-profile and IEDf determines the surgical surface-excitation governing the selectivity, and both functions have Ti as the origin; what controls the e- -beam plasmas' Ti ? RF-bias has served well in applications requiring energetic excitation but, are there ways to improve the IEDf tightness? What are the adverse side-effects of ``improved IEDf''? Decades ago an infant RF-plasma was thrown into the dry-etch arena and it hit the ground running with much of the understandings as after the facts. While the etching industry enjoys the heavy lifting by the successful self-consistent plasmas, perhaps time can be used on front-loaded soul searching of the ``maybe needed'' plasmas, for the future etching needs.

Conformal growth of Mo/Si multilayers on grating substrates using collimated ion beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronov, D. L.; Gawlitza, P.; Cambie, R.; Dhuey, S.; Gullikson, E. M.; Warwick, T.; Braun, S.; Yashchuk, V. V.; Padmore, H. A.

2012-05-01

Deposition of multilayers on saw-tooth substrates is a key step in the fabrication of multilayer blazed gratings (MBG) for extreme ultraviolet and soft x-rays. Growth of the multilayers can be perturbed by shadowing effects caused by the highly corrugated surface of the substrates, which results in distortion of the multilayer stack structure and degradation of performance of MBGs. To minimize the shadowing effects, we used an ion-beam sputtering machine with a highly collimated atomic flux to deposit Mo/Si multilayers on saw-tooth substrates. The sputtering conditions were optimized by finding a balance between smoothening and roughening processes in order to minimize degradation of the groove profile in the course of deposition and at the same time to keep the interfaces of a multilayer stack smooth enough for high efficiency. An optimal value of energy of 200 eV for sputtering Kr+ ions was found by deposition of test multilayers on flat substrates at a range of ion energies. Two saw-tooth substrates were deposited at energies of 200 eV and 700 eV for the sputtering ions. It was found that reduction of the ion energy improved the blazing performance of the MBG and resulted in a 40% gain in the diffraction efficiency due to better replication of the groove profile by the multilayer. As a result of the optimization performed, an absolute diffraction efficiency of 28.8% was achieved for the 2nd blaze order of the MBG with a groove density of 7350 lines/mm at a wavelength of 13.5 nm. Details of the growth behavior of the multilayers on flat and saw-tooth substrates are discussed in terms of the linear continuous model of film growth.

Conformal growth of Mo/Si multilayers on grating substrates using collimated ion beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voronov, D. L.; Cambie, R.; Dhuey, S.

2012-05-01

Deposition of multilayers on saw-tooth substrates is a key step in the fabrication of multilayer blazed gratings (MBG) for extreme ultraviolet and soft x-rays. Growth of the multilayers can be perturbed by shadowing effects caused by the highly corrugated surface of the substrates, which results in distortion of the multilayer stack structure and degradation of performance of MBGs. To minimize the shadowing effects, we used an ion-beam sputtering machine with a highly collimated atomic flux to deposit Mo/Si multilayers on saw-tooth substrates. The sputtering conditions were optimized by finding a balance between smoothening and roughening processes in order to minimizemore » degradation of the groove profile in the course of deposition and at the same time to keep the interfaces of a multilayer stack smooth enough for high efficiency. An optimal value of energy of 200 eV for sputtering Kr{sup +} ions was found by deposition of test multilayers on flat substrates at a range of ion energies. Two saw-tooth substrates were deposited at energies of 200 eV and 700 eV for the sputtering ions. It was found that reduction of the ion energy improved the blazing performance of the MBG and resulted in a 40% gain in the diffraction efficiency due to better replication of the groove profile by the multilayer. As a result of the optimization performed, an absolute diffraction efficiency of 28.8% was achieved for the 2nd blaze order of the MBG with a groove density of 7350 lines/mm at a wavelength of 13.5 nm. Details of the growth behavior of the multilayers on flat and saw-tooth substrates are discussed in terms of the linear continuous model of film growth.« less

Study of nickel silicide formation by physical vapor deposition techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pancharatnam, Shanti

Metal silicides are used as contacts to the highly n-doped emitter in photovoltaic devices. Thin films of nickel silicide (NiSi) are of particular interest for Si-based solar cells, as they form at lower temperature and consume less silicon. However, interfacial oxide limits the reduction in sheet resistance. Hence, different diffusion barriers were investigated with regard to optimizing the conductivity and thermal stability. The formation of NiSi, and if it can be doped to have good contact with the n-side of a p-n junction were studied. Reduction of the interfacial oxide by the interfacial Ti layer to allow the formation of NiSi was observed. Silicon was treated in dilute hydrofluoric acid for removing the surface oxide layer. Ni and a Ti diffusion barrier were deposited on Si by physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods - electron beam evaporation and sputtering. The annealing temperature and time were varied to observe the stability of the deposited film. The films were then etched to observe the retention of the silicide. Characterization was done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and Rutherford back scattering (RBS). Sheet resistance was measured using the four-point probe technique. Annealing temperatures from 300°C showed films began to agglomerate indicating some diffusion between Ni and Si in the Ti layer, also supported by the compositional analysis in the Auger spectra. Films obtained by evaporation and sputtering were of high quality in terms of coverage over substrate area and uniformity. Thicknesses of Ni and Ti were optimized to 20 nm and 10 nm respectively. Resistivity was low at these thicknesses, and reduced by about half post annealing at 300°C for 8 hours. Thus a low resistivity contact was obtained at optimized thicknesses of the metal layers. It was also shown that some silicide formation occurs at temperatures starting from 300°C and can thus be used to make good silicide contacts.

Conformal Thin Film Packaging for SiC Sensor Circuits in Harsh Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Karnick, David A.; Ponchak, George E.; Zorman, Christian A.

2011-01-01

In this investigation sputtered silicon carbide annealed at 300 C for one hour is used as a conformal thin film package. A RF magnetron sputterer was used to deposit 500 nm silicon carbide films on gold metal structures on alumina wafers. To determine the reliability and resistance to immersion in harsh environments, samples were submerged in gold etchant for 24 hours, in BOE for 24 hours, and in an O2 plasma etch for one hour. The adhesion strength of the thin film was measured by a pull test before and after the chemical immersion, which indicated that the film has an adhesion strength better than 10(exp 8) N/m2; this is similar to the adhesion of the gold layer to the alumina wafer. MIM capacitors are used to determine the dielectric constant, which is dependent on the SiC anneal temperature. Finally, to demonstrate that the SiC, conformal, thin film may be used to package RF circuits and sensors, an LC resonator circuit was fabricated and tested with and without the conformal SiC thin film packaging. The results indicate that the SiC coating adds no appreciable degradation to the circuits RF performance. Index Terms Sputter, silicon carbide, MIM capacitors, LC resonators, gold etchants, BOE, O2 plasma

RF magnetron sputtering of a hydroxyapatite target: A comparison study on polytetrafluorethylene and titanium substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surmenev, Roman A.; Surmeneva, Maria A.; Grubova, Irina Yu.; Chernozem, Roman V.; Krause, Bärbel; Baumbach, Tilo; Loza, Kateryna; Epple, Matthias

2017-08-01

A pure hydroxyapatite (HA) target was used to prepare the biocompatible coating of HA on the surface of a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) substrate, which was placed on the same substrate holder with technically pure titanium (Ti) in the single deposition runs by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The XPS, XRD and FTIR analyses of the obtained surfaces showed that for all substrates, instead of the HA coating deposition, the coating of a mixture of calcium carbonate and calcium fluoride was grown. According to SEM investigations, the surface of PTFE was etched, and the surface topography of uncoated Ti was preserved after the depositions. The FTIR results reveal no phosphate bonds; only calcium tracks were observed in the EDX-spectra on the surface of the coated PTFE substrates. Phosphate oxide (V), which originated from the target, could be removed using a vacuum pump system, or no phosphate-containing bonds could be formed on the substrate surface because of the severe substrate bombardment process, which prevented the HA coating deposition. The observed results may be connected with the surface re-sputtering effect of the growing film by high-energy negatively charged ions (most probably oxygen or fluorine), which are accelerated in the cathode dark sheath.

Patterned Growth of Carbon Nanotubes or Nanofibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delzeit, Lance D.

2004-01-01

A method and apparatus for the growth of carbon nanotubes or nanofibers in a desired pattern has been invented. The essence of the method is to grow the nanotubes or nanofibers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) onto a patterned catalyst supported by a substrate. The figure schematically depicts salient aspects of the method and apparatus in a typical application. A substrate is placed in a chamber that contains both ion-beam sputtering and CVD equipment. The substrate can be made of any of a variety of materials that include several forms of silicon or carbon, and selected polymers, metals, ceramics, and even some natural minerals and similar materials. Optionally, the substrate is first coated with a noncatalytic metal layer (which could be a single layer or could comprise multiple different sublayers) by ion-beam sputtering. The choice of metal(s) and thickness(es) of the first layer (if any) and its sublayers (if any) depends on the chemical and electrical properties required for subsequent deposition of the catalyst and the subsequent CVD of the carbon nanotubes. A typical first-sublayer metal is Pt, Pd, Cr, Mo, Ti, W, or an alloy of two or more of these elements. A typical metal for the second sublayer or for an undivided first layer is Al at a thickness .1 nm or Ir at a thickness .5 nm. Proper choice of the metal for a second sublayer of a first layer makes it possible to use a catalyst that is chemically incompatible with the substrate. In the next step, a mask having holes in the desired pattern is placed over the coated substrate. The catalyst is then deposited on the coated substrate by ion-beam sputtering through the mask. Optionally, the catalyst could be deposited by a technique other than sputtering and/or patterned by use of photolithography, electron- beam lithography, or another suitable technique. The catalytic metal can be Fe, Co, Ni, or an alloy of two or more of these elements, deposited to a typical thickness in the range from 0.1 to 20 nm.

Method for measuring and controlling beam current in ion beam processing

DOEpatents

Kearney, Patrick A.; Burkhart, Scott C.

2003-04-29

A method for producing film thickness control of ion beam sputter deposition films. Great improvements in film thickness control is accomplished by keeping the total current supplied to both the beam and suppressor grids of a radio frequency (RF) in beam source constant, rather than just the current supplied to the beam grid. By controlling both currents, using this method, deposition rates are more stable, and this allows the deposition of layers with extremely well controlled thicknesses to about 0.1%. The method is carried out by calculating deposition rates based on the total of the suppressor and beam currents and maintaining the total current constant by adjusting RF power which gives more consistent values.

Application of advanced structure to multi-tone mask for FPD process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jin-Han; Jeong, Jin-Woong; Kim, Kyu-Sik; Jeong, Woo-Gun; Yun, Sang-Pil; Lee, Dong-Heok; Choi, Sang-Soo

2017-07-01

In accordance with improvement of FPD technology, masks such as phase shift mask (PSM) and multi-tone mask (MTM) for a particular purpose also have been developed. Above all, the MTM consisted of more than tri-tone transmittance has a substantial advantage which enables to reduce the number of mask demand in FPD fabrication process contrast to normal mask of two-tone transmittance.[1,2] A chromium (Cr)-based MTM (Typically top type) is being widely employed because of convenience of etch process caused by its only Cr-based structure consisted of Cr absorber layer and Cr half-tone layer. However, the top type of Cr-based MTM demands two Cr sputtering processes after each layer etching process and writing process. For this reason, a different material from the Cr-based MTM is required for reduction of mask fabrication time and cost. In this study, we evaluate a MTM which has a structure combined Cr with molybdenum silicide (MoSi) to resolve the issues mentioned above. The MoSi which is demonstrated by integrated circuit (IC) process is a suitable material for MTM evaluation. This structure could realize multi-transmittance in common with the Cr-based MTM. Moreover, it enables to reduce the number of sputtering process. We investigate a optimized structure upon consideration of productivity along with performance such as critical dimension (CD) variation and transmittance range of each structure. The transmittance is targeted at h-line wavelength (405 nm) in the evaluation. Compared with Cr-based MTM, the performances of all Cr-/MoSi-based MTMs are considered.

A Reactive-Ion Etch for Patterning Piezoelectric Thin Film

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Eui-Hyeok; Wild, Larry

2003-01-01

Reactive-ion etching (RIE) under conditions described below has been found to be a suitable means for patterning piezoelectric thin films made from such materials as PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 or Ba(x)Sr(1.x)TiO3. In the original application for which this particular RIE process was developed, PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 films 0.5 microns thick are to be sandwiched between Pt electrode layers 0.1 microns thick and Ir electrode layers 0.1 microns thick to form piezoelectric capacitor structures. Such structures are typical of piezoelectric actuators in advanced microelectromechanical systems now under development or planned to be developed in the near future. RIE of PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 is usually considered to involve two major subprocesses: an ion-assisted- etching reaction, and a sputtering subprocess that removes reactive byproducts. RIE is favored over other etching techniques because it offers a potential for a high degree of anisotropy, high-resolution pattern definition, and good process control. However, conventional RIE is not ideal for patterning PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 films at a thickness as great as that in the original intended application. In order to realize the potential benefits mentioned above, it is necessary to optimize process conditions . in particular, the composition of the etching gas and the values of such other process parameters as radio-frequency power, gas pressure, gas-flow rate, and duration of the process. Guidelines for determining optimum conditions can be obtained from experimental determination of etch rates as functions of these parameters. Etch-gas mixtures of BCl3 and Cl2, some also including Ar, have been found to offer a high degree of selectivity as needed for patterning of PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 films on top of Ir electrode layers in thin-film capacitor structures. The selectivity is characterized by a ratio of approx.10:1 (rate of etching PbZr(1-x)Ti(x)O3 divided by rate of etching Ir and IrO(x)). At the time of reporting the information for this article, several experiments on RIE in BCl3 and Cl2 (and sometimes Ar) had demonstrated the 10:1 selectivity ratio, and further experiments to enhance understanding and obtain further guidance for optimizing process conditions were planned.

Study of electronic sputtering of CaF2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Ratnesh K.; Kumar, Manvendra; Khan, Saif A.; Kumar, Tanuj; Tripathi, Ambuj; Avasthi, D. K.; Pandey, Avinash C.

2014-01-01

In the present work thin films of CaF2 deposited on Si substrate by electron beam evaporation have been investigated for swift heavy ions induced sputtering and surface modifications. Glancing angle X-ray Diffraction (GAXRD) measurements show that the pristine films are polycrystalline in nature and the grain size increases with increase in film thickness. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) of pristine as well as irradiated films was performed to determine the sputter yield of CaF2 and a decrease in sputter yield has been observed with increase in film thickness. Thermal spike model has been applied to explain this. The confinement of energy in the grains having size smaller than the electron mean free path (λ) results in a higher sputtering yield. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies of irradiated CaF2 thin films show formation of cracks on film surface at a fluence of 5 × 1012 ions/cm2. Also RBS results confirm the removal of film from the surface and more exposure of substrate with increasing dose of ions.

Physical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahan, John E.

2000-01-01

A unified treatment of the theories, data, and technologies underlying physical vapor deposition methods With electronic, optical, and magnetic coating technologies increasingly dominating manufacturing in the high-tech industries, there is a growing need for expertise in physical vapor deposition of thin films. This important new work provides researchers and engineers in this field with the information they need to tackle thin film processes in the real world. Presenting a cohesive, thoroughly developed treatment of both fundamental and applied topics, Physical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films incorporates many critical results from across the literature as it imparts a working knowledge of a variety of present-day techniques. Numerous worked examples, extensive references, and more than 100 illustrations and photographs accompany coverage of: * Thermal evaporation, sputtering, and pulsed laser deposition techniques * Key theories and phenomena, including the kinetic theory of gases, adsorption and condensation, high-vacuum pumping dynamics, and sputtering discharges * Trends in sputter yield data and a new simplified collisional model of sputter yield for pure element targets * Quantitative models for film deposition rate, thickness profiles, and thermalization of the sputtered beam

Hybrid Physical Vapor Deposition Instrument for Advanced Functional Multilayers and Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-27

Hybrid Physical Vapor Deposition Instrument for Advanced Functional Multilayers and Materials PI Maria received support to construct a physical...vapor deposition (PVD) system that combines electron beam (e- beam) evaporation, magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser ablation, and ion-assisted deposition ...The instrumentation enables clean, uniform, and rapid deposition of a wide variety of metallic, semiconducting, and ceramic thin films with

Hybrid Physical Vapor Deposition Instrument for Advanced Functional Multilayers and Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-27

Hybrid Physical Vapor Deposition Instrument for Advanced Functional Multilayers and Materials PI Maria received support to construct a physical... vapor deposition (PVD) system that combines electron beam (e- beam) evaporation, magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser ablation, and ion-assisted deposition ...peer-reviewed journals: Number of Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: Hybrid Physical Vapor Deposition Instrument for Advanced

Er3+ phosphate glass optical waveguide amplifiers at 1.5 μm on silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yingchao; Faber, Anne J.; de Waal, Henk

1996-01-01

RF-sputtering techniques were employed to produce Er-doped phosphate glass films on thermally oxidized silicon wafers. Film compositions were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As-deposited films showed very low Er luminescence lifetimes. By postannealing of deposited films in pure oxygen, Er photoluminescence emission lifetime of the 4I13/2 - 4I15/2 transition could be increased from 1 - 2 ms to 8 - 9 ms. The long Er lifetime of the deposited films is very promising for achieving an optical gain. A dependence of measured lifetimes on pump power was observed which are related to a up-conversion quenching process. After postannealing, the sputtered waveguides showed relatively low attenuation loss at the potential pumping and signaling wavelengths. The loss spectrum from 700 nm to 1600 nm was measured by two-prism coupling. The films were easy to be patterned by lithography and ridge channel waveguides were developed by argon plasma etching.

Tandem-Mirror Ion Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biddle, A.; Stone, N.; Reasoner, D.; Chisholm, W.; Reynolds, J.

1986-01-01

Improved ion source produces beam of ions at any kinetic energy from 1 to 1,000 eV, with little spread in energy or angle. Such ion beams useful in studies of surface properties of materials, surface etching, deposition, and development of plasma-diagnostic instrumentation. Tandemmirror ion source uses electrostatic and magnetic fields to keep electrons in ionization chamber and assure uniform output ion beam having low divergence in energy and angle.

Electron-beam Induced Processes and their Applicability to Mask Repair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boegli, Volker A.; Koops, Hans W. P.; Budach, Michael; Edinger, Klaus; Hoinkis, Ottmar; Weyrauch, Bernd; Becker, Rainer; Schmidt, Rudolf; Kaya, Alexander; Reinhardt, Andreas; Braeuer, Stephan; Honold, Heinz; Bihr, Johannes; Greiser, Jens; Eisenmann, Michael

2002-12-01

The applicability of electron-beam induced chemical reactions to mask repair is investigated. To achieve deposition and chemical etching with a focused electron-beam system, it is required to disperse chemicals in a molecular beam to the area of interest with a well-defined amount of molecules and monolayers per second. For repair of opaque defects the precursor gas reacts with the absorber material of the mask and forms a volatile reaction product, which leaves the surface. In this way the surface atoms are removed layer by layer. For clear defect repair, additional material, which is light absorbing in the UV, is deposited onto the defect area. This material is rendered as a nanocrystalline deposit from metal containing precursors. An experimental electron-beam mask repair system is developed and used to perform exploratory work applicable to photo mask, EUV mask, EPL and LEEPL stencil mask repair. The tool is described and specific repair actions are demonstrated. Platinum deposited features with lateral dimensions down to 20 nm demonstrate the high resolution obtainable with electron beam induced processes, while AFM and AIMS measurements indicate, that specifications for mask repair at the 70 nm device node can be met. In addition, examples of etching quartz and TaN are given.

Enhanced electrical and noise properties of nanocomposite vanadium oxide thin films by reactive pulsed-dc magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basantani, H. A.; Kozlowski, S.; Lee, Myung-Yoon; Li, J.; Dickey, E. C.; Jackson, T. N.; Bharadwaja, S. S. N.; Horn, M.

2012-06-01

Thin films of VOx (1.3 ≤ x ≤ 2) were deposited by reactive pulsed-dc magnetron sputtering of a vanadium metal target while RF-biasing the substrate. Rutherford back scattering, glancing angle x-ray, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy measurements revealed the formation of nanocolumns with nanotwins within VOx samples. The resistivity of nanotwinned VOx films ranged from 4 mΩ.cm to 0.6 Ω.cm and corresponding temperature coefficient of resistance between -0.1% and -2.6% per K, respectively. The 1/f electrical noise was analyzed in these VOx samples using the Hooge-Vandamme relation. These VOx films are comparable or surpass commercial VOx films deposited by ion beam sputtering.

Generation of spirally polarized propagation-invariant beam using fiber microaxicon.

PubMed

Philip, Geo M; Viswanathan, Nirmal K

2011-10-01

We present here a fiber microaxicon (MA)based method to generate spirally polarized propagation-invariant optical beam. MA chemically etched in the tip of a two-mode fiber efficiently converts the generic cylindrically polarized vortex fiber mode into a spirally polarized propagation-invariant (Bessel-type) beam via radial dependence of polarization rotation angle. The combined roles of helico-conical phase and nonparaxial propagation in the generation and characteristics of the output beam from the fiber MA are discussed. © 2011 Optical Society of America

41. THE BEAR PIT (OLD SIDE DINING ROOM). THE ETCHINGS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

41. THE BEAR PIT (OLD SIDE DINING ROOM). THE ETCHINGS ON THE CEILING BEAMS AND COLUMNS OF PARK WILDLIFE ARE ORIGINAL TO THE OLD SIDE DINING ROOM. THE SIDE DINING ROOM WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY ROBERT REAMER IN 1927. IN 1962 WHEN IT WAS CONVERTED INTO THE BEAR PIT A WALL WAS ADDED BETWEEN THE THREE COLUMNS THAT SEPARATE THIS ROOM FROM THE MAIN DINING ROOM. THE ORIGINAL BEAR PIT ETCHINGS DEPICTING BEARS TENDING BAR AND PLAYING THE PIANO WERE MOUNTED ON THE WALL BETWEEN THE COLUMNS. - Old Faithful Inn, 900' northeast of Snowlodge & 1050' west of Old Faithful Lodge, Lake, Teton County, WY

Sequential infiltration synthesis for advanced lithography

DOEpatents

Darling, Seth B.; Elam, Jeffrey W.; Tseng, Yu-Chih; Peng, Qing

2015-03-17

A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.

Nanofabrication on unconventional substrates using transferred hard masks

DOE PAGES

Li, Luozhou; Bayn, Igal; Lu, Ming; ...

2015-01-15

Here, a major challenge in nanofabrication is to pattern unconventional substrates that cannot be processed for a variety of reasons, such as incompatibility with spin coating, electron beam lithography, optical lithography, or wet chemical steps. Here, we present a versatile nanofabrication method based on re-usable silicon membrane hard masks, patterned using standard lithography and mature silicon processing technology. These masks, transferred precisely onto targeted regions, can be in the millimetre scale. They allow for fabrication on a wide range of substrates, including rough, soft, and non-conductive materials, enabling feature linewidths down to 10 nm. Plasma etching, lift-off, and ion implantationmore » are realized without the need for scanning electron/ion beam processing, UV exposure, or wet etching on target substrates.« less

Silicon-based photonic crystals fabricated using proton beam writing combined with electrochemical etching method

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

A method for fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) silicon nanostructures based on selective formation of porous silicon using ion beam irradiation of bulk p-type silicon followed by electrochemical etching is shown. It opens a route towards the fabrication of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D silicon-based photonic crystals with high flexibility and industrial compatibility. In this work, we present the fabrication of 2D photonic lattice and photonic slab structures and propose a process for the fabrication of 3D woodpile photonic crystals based on this approach. Simulated results of photonic band structures for the fabricated 2D photonic crystals show the presence of TE or TM gap in mid-infrared range. PMID:22824206

Advances in low-defect multilayers for EUVL mask blanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folta, James A.; Davidson, J. Courtney; Larson, Cindy C.; Walton, Christopher C.; Kearney, Patrick A.

2002-07-01

Low-defect multilayer coatings are required to fabricate mask blanks for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL). The mask blanks consist of high reflectance EUV multilayers on low thermal expansion substrates. A defect density of 0.0025 printable defects/cm2 for both the mask substrate and the multilayer is required to provide a mask blank yield of 60 percent. Current low defect multilayer coating technology allows repeated coating-added defect levels of 0.05/cm2 for defects greater than 90 nm polystyrene latex sphere (PSL) equivalent size for lots of 20 substrates. Extended clean operation of the coating system at levels below 0.08/cm2 for 3 months of operation has also been achieved. Two substrates with zero added defects in the quality area have been fabricated, providing an existence proof that ultra low defect coatings are possible. Increasing the ion source-to-target distance from 410 to 560 mm to reduce undesired coating of the ion source caused the defect density to increase to 0.2/cm2. Deposition and etching diagnostic witness substrates and deposition pinhole cameras showed a much higher level of ion beam spillover (ions missing the sputter target) than expected. Future work will quantify beam spillover, and test designs to reduce spillover, if it is confirmed to be the cause of the increased defect level. The LDD system will also be upgraded to allow clean coating of standard format mask substrates. The upgrade will confirm that the low defect process developed on Si wafers is compatible with the standard mask format 152 mm square substrates, and will provide a clean supply of EUVL mask blanks needed to support development of EUVL mask patterning processes and clean mask handling technologies.

SHI induced nano track polymer filters and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijay, Y. K.

2009-07-01

Swift heavy ion irradiation produces damage in polymers in the form of latent tracks. Latent tracks can be enlarged by etching it in a suitable etchant and thus nuclear track etch membrane can be formed for gas permeation / purification in particular for hydrogen where the molecular size is very small. By applying suitable and controlled etching conditions well defined tracks can be formed for specific applications of the membranes. After etching gas permeation method is used for characterizing the tracks. In the present work polycarbonate (PC) of various thickness were irradiated with energetic ion beam at Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi. Nuclear tracks were modified by etching the PC in 6N NaOH at 60 (±1) °C from both sides for different times to produce track etch membranes. At critical etch time the etched pits from both the sides meet a rapid increase in gas permeation was observed. Permeability of hydrogen and carbon dioxide has been measured in samples etched for different times. The latent tracks produced by SHI irradiation in the track etch membranes show enhancement of free volume of the polymer. Nano filters are separation devices for the mixture of gases, different ions in the solution and isotopes and isobars separations. The polymer thin films with controlled porosity finding it self as best choice. However, the permeability and selectivity of these polymer based membrane filters are very important at the nano scale separation. The Swift Heavy Ion (SHI) induced nuclear track etched polymeric films with controlled etching have been attempted and characterized as nano scale filters.

Verification of E-Beam direct write integration into 28nm BEOL SRAM technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohle, Christoph; Choi, Kang-Hoon; Gutsch, Manuela; Hanisch, Norbert; Seidel, Robert; Steidel, Katja; Thrun, Xaver; Werner, Thomas

2015-03-01

Electron beam direct write lithography (EBDW) potentially offers advantages for low-volume semiconductor manufacturing, rapid prototyping or design verification due to its high flexibility without the need of costly masks. However, the integration of this advanced patterning technology into complex CMOS manufacturing processes remains challenging. The low throughput of today's single e-Beam tools limits high volume manufacturing applications and maturity of parallel (multi) beam systems is still insufficient [1,2]. Additional concerns like transistor or material damage of underlying layers during exposure at high electron density or acceleration voltage have to be addressed for advanced technology nodes. In the past we successfully proved that potential degradation effects of high-k materials or ULK shrink can be neglected and were excluded by demonstrating integrated electrical results of 28nm node transistor and BEOL performance following 50kV electron beam dry exposure [3]. Here we will give an update on the integration of EBDW in the 300mm CMOS manufacturing processes of advanced integrated circuits at the 28nm SRAM node of GLOBALFOUNDRIES Dresden. The work is an update to what has been previously published [4]. E-beam patterning results of BEOL full chip metal and via layers with a dual damascene integration scheme using a 50kV VISTEC SB3050DW variable shaped electron beam direct writer at Fraunhofer IPMSCNT are demonstrated. For the patterning of the Metal layer a Mix & Match concept based on the sequence litho - etch -litho -etch (LELE) was developed and evaluated wherein several exposure fields were blanked out during the optical exposure. Etch results are shown and compared to the POR. Results are also shown on overlay performance and optimized e-Beam exposure time using most advanced data prep solutions and resist processes. The patterning results have been verified using fully integrated electrical measurement of metal lines and vias on wafer level. In summary we demonstrate the integration capability of EBDW into a productive CMOS process flow at the example of the 28nm SRAM technology node.

Distribution of Fe atom density in a dc magnetron sputtering plasma source measured by laser-induced fluorescence imaging spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibagaki, K.; Nafarizal, N.; Sasaki, K.; Toyoda, H.; Iwata, S.; Kato, T.; Tsunashima, S.; Sugai, H.

2003-10-01

Magnetron sputtering discharge is widely used as an efficient method for thin film fabrication. In order to achieve the optimized fabrication, understanding of the kinetics in plasmas is essential. In the present work, we measured the density distribution of sputtered Fe atoms using laser-induced fluorescence imaging spectroscopy. A dc magnetron plasma source with a Fe target was used. An area of 20 × 2 mm in front of the target was irradiated by a tunable laser beam having a planar shape. The picture of laser-induced fluorescence on the laser beam was taken using an ICCD camera. In this way, we obtained the two-dimensional image of the Fe atom density. As a result, it has been found that the Fe atom density observed at a distance of several centimeters from the target is higher than that adjacent to the target, when the Ar gas pressure was relatively high. It is suggested from this result that some gas-phase production processes of Fe atoms are available in the plasma. This work has been performed under the 21st Century COE Program by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan.

A sputtering derived atomic oxygen source for studying fast atom reactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrieri, Richard A.; Yung, Y. Chu; Wolf, Alfred P.

1987-01-01

A technique for the generation of fast atomic oxygen was developed. These atoms are created by ion beam sputtering from metal oxide surfaces. Mass resolved ion beams at energies up to 60 KeV are produced for this purpose using a 150 cm isotope separator. Studies have shown that particles sputtered with 40 KeV Ar(+) on Ta2O5 were dominantly neutral and exclusively atomic. The atomic oxygen also resided exclusively in its 3P ground state. The translational energy distribution for these atoms peaked at ca 7 eV (the metal-oxygen bond energy). Additional measurements on V2O5 yielded a bimodal distribution with the lower energy peak at ca 5 eV coinciding reasonably well with the metal-oxygen bond energy. The 7 eV source was used to investigate fast oxygen atom reactions with the 2-butene stereoisomers. Relative excitation functions for H-abstraction and pi-bond reaction were measured with trans-2-butene. The abstraction channel, although of minor relative importance at thermal energy, becomes comparable to the addition channel at 0.9 eV and dominates the high-energy regime. Structural effects on the specific channels were also found to be important at high energy.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murzin, I.H.; Tompa, G.S.; Wei, J.

The authors report the results of using sputtering and negative carbon ion sources to prepare thin films of carbon nitride. In this work, they compare the structural, tribological, and optical properties of the carbon nitride films that were prepared by two different ion assisted techniques. In the first approach they used a magnetron gun to sputter deposit carbon in a nitrogen atmosphere. The second method utilized a beam of negatively charged carbon ions of 1 to 5 {micro}A/cm{sup 2} current density impinging the substrate simultaneously with a positive nitrogen ion beam produced by a Kaufman source. They were able tomore » synthesize microscopically smooth coatings with the carbon to nitrogen ratio of 1:0.47. These films possess wear rates lower than 5 {times} 10{sup {minus}7} mm{sup 3}/Nm and friction coefficients in the range of 0.16 to 0.6. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the magnetron sputtered films are more structurally disordered than those formed with the negative carbon ion gun. FTIR showed the presence of the C{triple_bond}N stretching mode in both types of films. Finally, spectroscopic ellipsometry produced films with dielectric constants as low as 2.3 in the photon energy range from 1.2 to 5 eV.« less

Effect of Annealing Temperature and Oxygen Flow in the Properties of Ion Beam Sputtered SnO-₂x Thin Films.

PubMed

Wang, Chun-Min; Huang, Chun-Chieh; Kuo, Jui-Chao; Sahu, Dipti Ranjan; Huang, Jow-Lay

2015-08-14

Tin oxide (SnO 2-x ) thin films were prepared under various flow ratios of O₂/(O₂ + Ar) on unheated glass substrate using the ion beam sputtering (IBS) deposition technique. This work studied the effects of the flow ratio of O₂/(O₂ + Ar), chamber pressures and post-annealing treatment on the physical properties of SnO₂ thin films. It was found that annealing affects the crystal quality of the films as seen from both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. In addition, the surface RMS roughness was measured with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) analysis was used to obtain the changes of elemental distribution between tin and oxygen atomic concentration. The electrical property is discussed with attention to the structure factor.

Ion beam sputter-deposited thin film coatings for protection of spacecraft polymers in low Earth orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A.; Mirtich, M. J.; Rutledge, S. K.; Swec, D. M.; Nahra, H. K.

1985-01-01

Ion beam sputter-deposited thin films of Al2O3, SiO2, and a codeposited mixture of predominantly SiO2 with small amounts of a fluoropolymer were evaluated both in laboratory plasma ashing tests and in space on board shuttle flight STS-8 for effectiveness in preventing oxidation of polyimide Kapton. Measurements of mass loss and optical performance of coated and uncoated polyimide samples exposed to the low Earth orbital environment are presented. Optical techniques were used to measure loss rates of protective films exposed to atomic oxygen. Results of the analysis of the space flight exposed samples indicate that thin film metal oxide coatings are very effective in protecting the polyimide. Metal oxide coatings with a small amount of fluoropolymer codeposited have the additional benefit of great flexibility.

Ion beam sputter-deposited thin film coatings for protection of spacecraft polymers in low earth orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, B. A.; Mirtich, M. J.; Rutledge, S. K.; Swec, D. M.; Nahra, H. K.

1985-01-01

Ion beam sputter-deposited thin films at Al2O3, SiO2, and a codeposited mixture of predominantly SiO2 with small amounts of fluoropolymer were evaluated both in laboratory plasma ashing tests and in space on board Shuttle flight STS-8 for effectiveness in preventing oxidation of polyimide Kapton. Measurements of mass loss and optical performance of coated and uncoated polyimide samples exposed to the low earth orbital environment are presented. Optical techniques were used to measure loss rates of protective films exposed to atomic oxygen. Results of the analysis of the space flight exposed samples indicate that thin film metal oxide coatings are very effective in protecting the polyimide. Metal oxide coatings with a small amount of fluoropolymer codeposited have the additional benefit of great flexibility.

Electronic properties of single Ge/Si quantum dot grown by ion beam sputtering deposition.

PubMed

Wang, C; Ke, S Y; Yang, J; Hu, W D; Qiu, F; Wang, R F; Yang, Y

2015-03-13

The dependence of the electronic properties of a single Ge/Si quantum dot (QD) grown by the ion-beam sputtering deposition technique on growth temperature and QD diameter is investigated by conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). The Si-Ge intermixing effect is demonstrated to be important for the current distribution of single QDs. The current staircase induced by the Coulomb blockade effect is observed at higher growth temperatures (>700 °C) due to the formation of an additional barrier between dislocated QDs and Si substrate for the resonant tunneling of holes. According to the proposed single-hole-tunneling model, the fact that the intermixing effect is observed to increase as the incoherent QD size decreases may explain the increase in the starting voltage of the current staircase and the decrease in the current step width.

Growth of Co2FeAl Heusler alloy thin films on Si(100) having very small Gilbert damping by Ion beam sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Sajid; Akansel, Serkan; Kumar, Ankit; Svedlindh, Peter; Chaudhary, Sujeet

2016-06-01

The influence of growth temperature Ts (300-773 K) on the structural phase ordering, static and dynamic magnetization behaviour has been investigated in ion beam sputtered full Heusler alloy Co2FeAl (CFA) thin films on industrially important Si(100) substrate. The B2 type magnetic ordering is established in these films based on the clear observation of the (200) diffraction peak. These ion beam sputtered CFA films possess very small surface roughness of the order of subatomic dimensions (<3 Å) as determined from the fitting of XRR spectra and also by AFM imaging. This is supported by the occurrence of distinct Kiessig fringes spanning over the whole scanning range (~4°) in the x-ray reflectivity (XRR) spectra. The Gilbert damping constant α and effective magnetization 4πMeff are found to vary from 0.0053 ± 0.0002 to 0.0015 ± 0.0001 and 13.45 ± 00.03 kG to 14.03 ± 0.04 kG, respectively. These Co2FeAl films possess saturation magnetization ranging from 4.82 ± 0.09 to 5.22 ± 0.10 μB/f.u. consistent with the bulk L21-type ordering. A record low α-value of 0.0015 is obtained for Co2FeAl films deposited on Si substrate at Ts ~ 573 K.

Growth of Co2FeAl Heusler alloy thin films on Si(100) having very small Gilbert damping by Ion beam sputtering.

PubMed

Husain, Sajid; Akansel, Serkan; Kumar, Ankit; Svedlindh, Peter; Chaudhary, Sujeet

2016-06-30

The influence of growth temperature Ts (300-773 K) on the structural phase ordering, static and dynamic magnetization behaviour has been investigated in ion beam sputtered full Heusler alloy Co2FeAl (CFA) thin films on industrially important Si(100) substrate. The B2 type magnetic ordering is established in these films based on the clear observation of the (200) diffraction peak. These ion beam sputtered CFA films possess very small surface roughness of the order of subatomic dimensions (<3 Å) as determined from the fitting of XRR spectra and also by AFM imaging. This is supported by the occurrence of distinct Kiessig fringes spanning over the whole scanning range (~4°) in the x-ray reflectivity (XRR) spectra. The Gilbert damping constant α and effective magnetization 4πMeff are found to vary from 0.0053 ± 0.0002 to 0.0015 ± 0.0001 and 13.45 ± 00.03 kG to 14.03 ± 0.04 kG, respectively. These Co2FeAl films possess saturation magnetization ranging from 4.82 ± 0.09 to 5.22 ± 0.10 μB/f.u. consistent with the bulk L21-type ordering. A record low α-value of 0.0015 is obtained for Co2FeAl films deposited on Si substrate at Ts ~ 573 K.

Swift heavy-ions induced sputtering in BaF2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Ratnesh K.; Kumar, Manvendra; Singh, Udai B.; Khan, Saif A.; Avasthi, D. K.; Pandey, Avinash C.

2013-11-01

In our present experiment a series of barium fluoride thin films of different thicknesses have been deposited by electron beam evaporation technique at room temperature on silicon substrates. The effect of film thickness on the electronic sputter yield of polycrystalline BaF2 thin films has been reported in the present work. Power law for sputtered species collected on catcher grids has also been reported for film of lowest thickness. Sputtering has been performed by 100 MeV Au+28 ions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been done to check the surface morphology of pristine samples. Glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) measurements show that the pristine films are polycrystalline in nature and the grain size increases with increase in film thickness. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) of pristine as well as irradiated films was done to determine the areal concentration of Ba and F atoms in the films. A reduction in the sputter yield of BaF2 films with the increase in film thickness has been observed from RBS results. The thickness dependence sputtering is explained on the basis of thermal spike and the energy confinement of the ions in the smaller grains. Also transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the catchers shows a size distribution of sputtered species with values of power law exponent 1/2 and 3/2 for two fluences 5 × 1011 and 1 × 1012 ions/cm2, respectively.

Selective Dry Etch for Defining Ohmic Contacts for High Performance ZnO TFTs

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

scale, high-frequency ZnO thin - film transistors (TFTs) could be fabricated. Molybdenum, tantalum, titanium tungsten 10-90, and tungsten metallic contact... thin - film transistor layout utilized in the thesis research . . . . . 42 3.4 Process Flow Diagram for Optical and e-Beam Devices...TFT thin - film transistor TLM transmission line model UV ultra-violet xvii SELECTIVE DRY ETCH FOR DEFINING OHMIC CONTACTS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE ZnO TFTs

Interface microstructure engineering by high power impulse magnetron sputtering for the enhancement of adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehiasarian, A. P.; Wen, J. G.; Petrov, I.

2007-03-01

An excellent adhesion of hard coatings to steel substrates is paramount in practically all application areas. Conventional methods utilize Ar glow etching or cathodic arc discharge pretreatments that have the disadvantage of producing weak interfaces or adding droplets, respectively. One tool for interface engineering is high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS). HIPIMS is based on conventional sputtering with extremely high peak power densities reaching 3kWcm-2 at current densities of >2Acm-2. HIPIMS of Cr and Nb was used to prepare interfaces on 304 stainless steel and M2 high speed steel (HSS). During the pretreatment, the substrates were biased to Ubias=-600V and Ubias=-1000V in the environment of a HIPIMS of Cr and Nb plasma. The bombarding flux density reached peak values of 300mAcm-2 and consisted of highly ionized metal plasma containing a high proportion of Cr1+ and Nb1+. Pretreatments were also carried out with Ar glow discharge and filtered cathodic arc as comparison. The adhesion was evaluated for coatings consisting of a 0.3μm thick CrN base layer and a 4μm thick nanolayer stack of CrN /NbN with a period of 3.4nm, hardness of HK0.025=3100, and residual stress of -1.8GPa. For HIPIMS of Cr pretreatment, the adhesion values on M2 HSS reached scratch test critical load values of LC=70N, thus comparing well to LC=51N for interfaces pretreated by arc discharge plasmas and to LC=25N for Ar etching. Cross sectional transmission electron microscopy studies revealed a clean interface and large areas of epitaxial growth in the case of HIPIMS pretreatment. The HIPIMS pretreatment promoted strong registry between the orientation of the coating and polycrystalline substrate grains due to the incorporation of metal ions and the preservation of crystallinity of the substrate. Evidence and conditions for the formation of cube-on-cube epitaxy and axiotaxy on steel and γ-TiAl substrates are presented.

Probing Atomic, Electronic, and Optical Structures of Nanoparticle Photocatalysts Using Fast Electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qianlang

Graphene has attracted great interest in many fields due to its outstanding electronic and chemical properties. Among them, its surface inertness and high thermal stability makes graphene a promising candidate as a protective material for transition metal surfaces. Recent studies show, however, that small molecules, such as O2, CO and H2O, intercalate between a graphene film and a metal substrate at particular temperatures. The intercalation of O2 between graphene and Ru(0001) is studied with 3 keV helium ion scattering and low energy electron diffraction. It is shown that O2 intercalates between the graphene and the Ru(0001) substrate at a temperature of 650 K and does not adsorb onto the graphene surface. Nevertheless, the graphene layer efficiently avoids both intercalation and adsorption of oxygen at room temperature. It is also found that the intercalated oxygen thermally desorbs from the surface after it is heated to 800 K. Such a desorption is not, however, observed for oxygen dissociatively adsorbed on a bare Ru(0001) surface until 1200 K. It is thus inferred that the oxygen intercalated between graphene and Ru(0001) is in a molecular form. In addition, part of the graphene overlayer is etched by a chemical reaction during the thermal desorption of oxygen. The role of the defects on the graphene layer is also studied. Defects are introduced by 50 eV Ar+ sputtering, which creates single vacancies with a quick sputtering or larger open areas of substrate following a prolonged sputtering. It is found that oxygen molecularly adsorbs at single carbon vacancies even at room temperature, which does not occur on a complete graphene layer. Following post-annealing to 600 K, it is observed that such adsorbed oxygen diffuses to become intercalated between graphene and Ru(0001). Oxygen dissociatively adsorbs in the large open areas of exposed substrate by forming strong oxygen-metal bonds. It is also found that the presence of defects facilitates the intercalation of oxygen and improves the etching efficiency of the graphene during the desorption of oxygen.

Fabrication of large dual-polarized multichroic TES bolometer arrays for CMB measurements with the SPT-3G camera

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Posada, C. M.; Ade, P. A. R.; Ahmed, Z.

2015-08-11

This work presents the procedures used by Argonne National Laboratory to fabricate large arrays of multichroic transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers for cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements. These detectors will be assembled into the focal plane for the SPT-3G camera, the third generation CMB camera to be installed in the South Pole Telescope. The complete SPT-3G camera will have approximately 2690 pixels, for a total of 16,140 TES bolometric detectors. Each pixel is comprised of a broad-band sinuous antenna coupled to a Nb microstrip line. In-line filters are used to define the different band-passes before the millimeter-wavelength signal is fed tomore » the respective Ti/Au TES bolometers. There are six TES bolometer detectors per pixel, which allow for measurements of three band-passes (95 GHz, 150 GHz and 220 GHz) and two polarizations. The steps involved in the monolithic fabrication of these detector arrays are presented here in detail. Patterns are defined using a combination of stepper and contact lithography. The misalignment between layers is kept below 200 nm. The overall fabrication involves a total of 16 processes, including reactive and magnetron sputtering, reactive ion etching, inductively coupled plasma etching and chemical etching.« less

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) combined with SEM (FIB/SEM) and TEM: Advanced tools for nano-analysis in Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirth, R.; Morales, L. G.

2011-12-01

Focused ion beam (FIB) techniques have been successfully applied to the preparation of site-specific electron transparent membranes for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations in Geosciences since several years. For example, systematic TEM studies of nano-inclusions in diamond foils prepared with FIB have improved our knowledge on diamond formation. However, FIB is not exclusively used for sample preparation for TEM application because it has been proved that one and the same TEM foil can also be used for Synchrotron IR, Synchrotron X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning transmission X-Ray microscopy (STXM) and NanoSIMS analysis. In addition, FIB milling turned out to be very useful for sample preparation of Brillouin scattering experiments and has a strong potential for preparation of highly-polished, micrometer-scale samples. However, a real break through in FIB application was achieved combining a Ga-ion source of the FIB with an electron source of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in one single instrument. The combination of FIB/SEM renders access to the third dimension of the sample possible. A cavity normal to the sample surface is sputtered with Ga-ions and this newly created inner surface is imaged with the electron beam. Alternating slicing and viewing along these cavities allow the acquisition of a sequence of images that allows the observation in 3 dimensions. Recently, this technique has been successfully applied to image the structure of grain or phase boundaries in metamorphic rocks as well as micro- and nanoporosity in shales, but its applicability goes far beyond these few examples. Combining slicing and viewing with X-Ray and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis can provide 3D elemental mapping and 3D crystallographic orientation mapping of crystalline materials. Combined FIB/SEM devices also facilitate the preparation of substantially thinner and cleaner TEM foils (approximately 30 nm) because electron beam imaging controls the progress of the sputtering process without sputtering the sample during imaging. Electron induce sputtering is substantially smaller than ion induced sputtering. Finally, the amorphous layers created by Ga-ion sputtering and Ga-ion implantation can be removed from the foil surfaces by subsequent argon ion bombardment under a low angle of incidence and low acceleration voltage thus permitting TEM high-resolution imaging and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Additionally, ultra-thin foils have the advantage that they are electron transparent even at 30 keV, the common operational voltage of a SEM. Therefore the electron column of the FIB/SEM system can be used as a TEM at low voltage and images can be made either in bright-field, dark field and through a high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) detector. The HAADF detector provides information about the chemical composition of the specimen with high spatial resolution because it is Z-contrast sensitive.

Deep-etched sinusoidal polarizing beam splitter grating.

PubMed

Feng, Jijun; Zhou, Changhe; Cao, Hongchao; Lv, Peng

2010-04-01

A sinusoidal-shaped fused-silica grating as a highly efficient polarizing beam splitter (PBS) is investigated based on the simplified modal method. The grating structure depends mainly on the ratio of groove depth to grating period and the ratio of incident wavelength to grating period. These ratios can be used as a guideline for the grating design at different wavelengths. A sinusoidal-groove PBS grating is designed at a wavelength of 1310 nm under Littrow mounting, and the transmitted TM and TE polarized waves are mainly diffracted into the zeroth order and the -1st order, respectively. The grating profile is optimized by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The designed PBS grating is highly efficient (>95.98%) over the O-band wavelength range (1260-1360 nm) for both TE and TM polarizations. The sinusoidal grating can exhibit higher diffraction efficiency, larger extinction ratio, and less reflection loss than the rectangular-groove PBS grating. By applying wet etching technology on the rectangular grating, which was manufactured by holographic recording and inductively coupled plasma etching technology, the sinusoidal grating can be approximately fabricated. Experimental results are in agreement with theoretical values.

Electrolytic etching of fine stainless-steel pipes patterned by laser-scan lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Hiroshi; Sagara, Tomoya; Horiuchi, Toshiyuki

2017-07-01

Recently, it is required to develop a method for fabricating cylindrical micro-components in the field of measurement and medical engineering. Here, electrolytic etching of fine stainless-steel pipes patterned by laser-scan lithography was researched. The pipe diameter was 100 μm. At first, a pipe coated with 3-7 μm thick positive resist (tok, PMER P LA-900) was exposed to a violet laser beam with a wavelength of 408 nm (Neoark,TC20-4030-45). The laser beam was reshaped in a circle by placing a pinhole, and irradiated on the pipe by reducing the size in 1/20 using a reduction projection optics. Linearly arrayed 22 slit patterns with a width of 25 μm and a length of 175 μm were delineated in every 90-degree circumferential direction. That is, 88 slits in total were delineated at an exposure speed of 110 μm/s. In the axial direction, patterns were delineated at intervals of 90 μm. Following the pattern delineation, the pipe masked by the resist patterns was electrolytically etched. The pipe was used as an anode and an aluminum cylinder was set as a cathode around the pipe. As the electrolyte, aqueous solution of NaCl and NH4Cl was used. After etching the pipe, the resist was removed by ultrasonic cleaning in acetone. Although feasibility for fabricating multi-slit pipes was demonstrated, sizes of the etched slits were enlarged being caused by the undercut, and the shapes were partially deformed, and all the pipes were snapped at the chuck side.

Integrated 220 GHz Source Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-27

placement of the anode far enough from the emitter to prevent the deposi- tion of sputtered anode particles. Fully-Integrated High Power Amplifier The...waveguide circuit dimensions and tolerances. We demonstrated high power and good transmission with a five-beam configuration during 2012. Peak output...circuit dimensions and tolerances. We demonstrated high power and good transmission with a five-beam configuration during 2012. Peak output powers up

Fabrication and RF characterization of zinc oxide based Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Raju; Bansal, Deepak; Agrawal, Vimal Kumar; Rangra, Kamaljit; Boolchandani, Dharmendar

2018-06-01

This work reports fabrication and characterization of Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR) to improve the performance characteristics for RF filter and sensing application. Zinc oxide as a piezoelectric (PZE) material was deposited on an aluminum bottom electrode using an RF magnetron sputtering, at room temperature, and gold as top electrode for the resonator. Tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) setup was used for bulk silicon etching to make back side cavity to confine the acoustic signals. The transmission characteristics show that the FBARs have a central frequency at 1.77 GHz with a return loss of -10.7 dB.

Plasma variables and tribological properties of coatings in low pressure (0.1 - 10.0 torr) plasma systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avni, R.; Spalvins, T.

1984-01-01

A detailed treatment is presented of the dialog known as plasma surface interactions (PSI) with respect to the coating process and its tribological behavior. Adsorption, morphological changes, defect formation, sputtering, chemical etching, and secondary electron emission are all discussed as promoting and enhancing the surface chemistry, thus influencing the tribological properties of the deposited flux. Phenomenological correlations of rate of deposition, flux composition, microhardness, and wear with the plasma layer variables give an insight to the formation of chemical bonding between the deposited flux and the substrate surface.

REAP (raster e-beam advanced process) using 50-kV raster e-beam system for sub-100-nm node mask technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baik, Ki-Ho; Dean, Robert L.; Mueller, Mark; Lu, Maiying; Lem, Homer Y.; Osborne, Stephen; Abboud, Frank E.

2002-07-01

A chemically amplified resist (CAR) process has been recognized as an approach to meet the demanding critical dimension (CD) specifications of 100nm node technology and beyond. Recently, significant effort has been devoted to optimizing CAR materials, which offer the characteristics required for next generation photomask fabrication. In this paper, a process established with a positive-tone CAR from TOK and 50kV MEBES eXara system is discussed. This resist is developed for raster scan 50 kV e-beam systems. It has high contrast, good coating characteristics, good dry etch selectivity, and high environmental stability. The coating process is conducted in an environment with amine concentration less than 2 ppb. A nitrogen environment is provided during plate transfer steps. Resolution using a 60nm writing grid is 90nm line and space patterns. CD linearity is maintained down to 240nm for isolated lines or spaces by applying embedded proximity effect correction (emPEC). Optimizations of post-apply bake (PAB) and post-expose bake (PEB) time, temperature, and uniformity are completed to improve adhesion, coating uniformity, and resolution. A puddle develop process is optimized to improve line edge roughness, edge slope, and resolution. Dry etch process is optimized on a TetraT system to transfer the resist image into the chrome layer with minimum etch bias.

NSTAR Ion Thruster Plume Impact Assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, Roger M.; Pencil, Eric J.; Rawlin, Vincent K.; Kussmaul, Michael; Oden, Katessha

1995-01-01

Tests were performed to establish 30-cm ion thruster plume impacts, including plume characterizations via near and farfield ion current measurements, contamination, and sputtering assessments. Current density measurements show that 95% of the beam was enclosed within a 22 deg half-angle and that the thrust vector shifted by less than 0.3 deg during throttling from 2.3 to 0.5 kW. The beam flatness parameter was found to be 0.47, and the ratio of doubly charged to singly charged ion current density decreased from 15% at 2.3 kW to 5% at 0.5 kW. Quartz sample erosion measurements showed that the samples eroded at a rate of between 11 and 13 pm/khr at 25 deg from the thruster axis, and that the rate dropped by a factor of four at 40 deg. Good agreement was obtained between extrapolated current densities and those calculated from tantalum target erosion measurements. Quartz crystal microbalance and witness plate measurements showed that ion beam sputtering of the tank resulted in a facility material backflux rate of -10 A/hr in a large space simulation chamber.

3D ToF-SIMS Analysis of Peptide Incorporation into MALDI Matrix Crystals with Sub-micrometer Resolution.

PubMed

Körsgen, Martin; Pelster, Andreas; Dreisewerd, Klaus; Arlinghaus, Heinrich F

2016-02-01

The analytical sensitivity in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is largely affected by the specific analyte-matrix interaction, in particular by the possible incorporation of the analytes into crystalline MALDI matrices. Here we used time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to visualize the incorporation of three peptides with different hydrophobicities, bradykinin, Substance P, and vasopressin, into two classic MALDI matrices, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (HCCA). For depth profiling, an Ar cluster ion beam was used to gradually sputter through the matrix crystals without causing significant degradation of matrix or biomolecules. A pulsed Bi3 ion cluster beam was used to image the lateral analyte distribution in the center of the sputter crater. Using this dual beam technique, the 3D distribution of the analytes and spatial segregation effects within the matrix crystals were imaged with sub-μm resolution. The technique could in the future enable matrix-enhanced (ME)-ToF-SIMS imaging of peptides in tissue slices at ultra-high resolution. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

3D ToF-SIMS Analysis of Peptide Incorporation into MALDI Matrix Crystals with Sub-micrometer Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Körsgen, Martin; Pelster, Andreas; Dreisewerd, Klaus; Arlinghaus, Heinrich F.

2016-02-01

The analytical sensitivity in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is largely affected by the specific analyte-matrix interaction, in particular by the possible incorporation of the analytes into crystalline MALDI matrices. Here we used time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to visualize the incorporation of three peptides with different hydrophobicities, bradykinin, Substance P, and vasopressin, into two classic MALDI matrices, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (HCCA). For depth profiling, an Ar cluster ion beam was used to gradually sputter through the matrix crystals without causing significant degradation of matrix or biomolecules. A pulsed Bi3 ion cluster beam was used to image the lateral analyte distribution in the center of the sputter crater. Using this dual beam technique, the 3D distribution of the analytes and spatial segregation effects within the matrix crystals were imaged with sub-μm resolution. The technique could in the future enable matrix-enhanced (ME)-ToF-SIMS imaging of peptides in tissue slices at ultra-high resolution.

Advanced metal lift-off process using electron-beam flood exposure of single-layer photoresist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minter, Jason P.; Ross, Matthew F.; Livesay, William R.; Wong, Selmer S.; Narcy, Mark E.; Marlowe, Trey

1999-06-01

In the manufacture of many types of integrated circuit and thin film devices, it is desirable to use a lift-of process for the metallization step to avoid manufacturing problems encountered when creating metal interconnect structures using plasma etch. These problems include both metal adhesion and plasma etch difficulties. Key to the success of the lift-off process is the creation of a retrograde or undercut profile in the photoresists before the metal deposition step. Until now, lift-off processing has relied on costly multi-layer photoresists schemes, image reversal, and non-repeatable photoresist processes to obtain the desired lift-off profiles in patterned photoresist. This paper present a simple, repeatable process for creating robust, user-defined lift-off profiles in single layer photoresist using a non-thermal electron beam flood exposure. For this investigation, lift-off profiles created using electron beam flood exposure of many popular photoresists were evaluated. Results of lift-off profiles created in positive tone AZ7209 and ip3250 are presented here.

Secondary ion formation during electronic and nuclear sputtering of germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breuer, L.; Ernst, P.; Herder, M.; Meinerzhagen, F.; Bender, M.; Severin, D.; Wucher, A.

2018-06-01

Using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer attached to the UNILAC beamline located at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, we investigate the formation of secondary ions sputtered from a germanium surface under irradiation by swift heavy ions (SHI) such as 5 MeV/u Au by simultaneously recording the mass spectra of the ejected secondary ions and their neutral counterparts. In these experiments, the sputtered neutral material is post-ionized via single photon absorption from a pulsed, intensive VUV laser. After post-ionization, the instrument cannot distinguish between secondary ions and post-ionized neutrals, so that both signals can be directly compared in order to investigate the ionization probability of different sputtered species. In order to facilitate an in-situ comparison with typical nuclear sputtering conditions, the system is also equipped with a conventional rare gas ion source delivering a 5 keV argon ion beam. For a dynamically sputter cleaned surface, it is found that the ionization probability of Ge atoms and Gen clusters ejected under electronic sputtering conditions is by more than an order of magnitude higher than that measured for keV sputtered particles. In addition, the mass spectra obtained under SHI irradiation show prominent signals of GenOm clusters, which are predominantly detected as positive or negative secondary ions. From the m-distribution for a given Ge nuclearity n, one can deduce that the sputtered material must originate from a germanium oxide matrix with approximate GeO stoichiometry, probably due to residual native oxide patches even at the dynamically cleaned surface. The results clearly demonstrate a fundamental difference between the ejection and ionization mechanisms in both cases, which is interpreted in terms of corresponding model calculations.

RHEED oscillations in spinel ferrite epitaxial films grown by conventional planar magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojima, T.; Tainosho, T.; Sharmin, S.; Yanagihara, H.

2018-04-01

Real-time in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) observations of Fe3O4, γ-Fe2O3, and (Co,Fe)3O4 films on MgO(001) substrates grown by a conventional planar magnetron sputtering was studied. The change in periodical intensity of the specular reflection spot in the RHEED images of three different spinel ferrite compounds grown by two different sputtering systems was examined. The oscillation period was found to correspond to the 1/4 unit cell of each spinel ferrite, similar to that observed in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) experiments. This suggests that the layer-by-layer growth of spinel ferrite (001) films is general in most physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. The surfaces of the films were as flat as the surface of the substrate, consistent with the observed layer-by-layer growth process. The observed RHEED oscillation indicates that even a conventional sputtering method can be used to control film thickness during atomic layer depositions.

Magnetostrictive Micro Mirrors for an Optical Switch Matrix

PubMed Central

Lee, Heung-Shik; Cho, Chongdu; Cho, Myeong-Woo

2007-01-01

We have developed a wireless-controlled compact optical switch by silicon micromachining techniques with DC magnetron sputtering. For the optical switching operation, micro mirror is designed as cantilever shape size of 5mm×800μm×50μm. TbDyFe film is sputter-deposited on the upper side of the mirror with the condition as: Ar gas pressure below 1.2×10-9 torr, DC input power of 180W and heating temperature of up to 250°C for the wireless control of each component. Mirrors are actuated by externally applied magnetic fields for the micro application. Applied beam path can be changed according to the direction and the magnitude of applied magnetic field. Reflectivity changes, M-H curves and X-ray diffractions of sputtered mirrors are measured to determine magneto-optical, magneto-elastic properties with variation in sputtered film thickness. The deflected angle-magnetic field characteristics of the fabricated mirror are measured. PMID:28903221

Plasma particle simulation of electrostatic ion thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peng, Xiaohang; Keefer, Dennis; Ruyten, Wilhelmus

1990-01-01

Charge exchange collisons between beam ions and neutral propellant gas can result in erosion of the accelerator grid surfaces of an ion engine. A particle in cell (PIC) is developed along with a Monte Carlo method to simulate the ion dynamics and charge exchange processes in the grid region of an ion thruster. The simulation is two-dimensional axisymmetric and uses three velocity components (2d3v) to investigate the influence of charge exchange collisions on the ion sputtering of the accelerator grid surfaces. An example calculation has been performed for an ion thruster operated on xenon propellant. The simulation shows that the greatest sputtering occurs on the downstream surface of the grid, but some sputtering can also occur on the upstream surface as well as on the interior of the grid aperture.

Measurement Of Hydrogen Capacities And Stability In Thin Films Of AlH Deposited By Magnetron Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dissanayake, A.; AlFaify, S.; Garratt, E.; Nandasiri, M. I.; Taibu, R.; Tecos, G.; Hamdan, N. M.; Kayani, A.

2011-06-01

Thin, hydrogenated aluminum hydride films were deposited on silicon substrates using unbalanced magnetron (UBM) sputtering of a high purity aluminum target under electrically grounded conditions. Argon was used as sputtering gas and hydrogenation was carried out by diluting the growth plasma with hydrogen. The effect of hydrogen partial pressure on the final concentration of trapped elements including hydrogen has been studied using ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques. Moreover, in-situ thermal stability of trapped hydrogen in the film was carried out using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), Non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (NRBS) and Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA). Microstructure of the film was investigated by SEM analysis. Hydrogen content in the thin films was found decreasing as the films were heated above 110 °C in vacuum.

Focal-Plane Arrays of Quantum-Dot Infrared Photodetectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunapala, Sarath; Wilson, Daniel; Hill, Cory; Liu, John; Bandara, Sumith; Ting, David

2007-01-01

Focal-plane arrays of semiconductor quantum-dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) are being developed as superior alternatives to prior infrared imagers, including imagers based on HgCdTe devices and, especially, those based on quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs). HgCdTe devices and arrays thereof are difficult to fabricate and operate, and they exhibit large nonunformities and high 1/f (where f signifies frequency) noise. QWIPs are easier to fabricate and operate, can be made nearly uniform, and exhibit lower 1/f noise, but they exhibit larger dark currents, and their quantization only along the growth direction prevents them from absorbing photons at normal incidence, thereby limiting their quantum efficiencies. Like QWIPs, QDIPs offer the advantages of greater ease of operation, greater uniformity, and lower 1/f noise, but without the disadvantages: QDIPs exhibit lower dark currents, and quantum efficiencies of QDIPs are greater because the three-dimensional quantization of QDIPs is favorable to the absorption of photons at normal or oblique incidence. Moreover, QDIPs can be operated at higher temperatures (around 200 K) than are required for operation of QWIPs. The main problem in the development of QDIP imagers is to fabricate quantum dots with the requisite uniformity of size and spacing. A promising approach to be tested soon involves the use of electron-beam lithography to define the locations and sizes of quantum dots. A photoresist-covered GaAs substrate would be exposed to the beam generated by an advanced, high-precision electron beam apparatus. The exposure pattern would consist of spots typically having a diameter of 4 nm and typically spaced 20 nm apart. The exposed photoresist would be developed by either a high-contrast or a low-contrast method. In the high-contrast method, the spots would be etched in such a way as to form steep-wall holes all the way down to the substrate. The holes would be wider than the electron beam spots perhaps as wide as 15 to 20 nm, but may be sufficient to control the growth of the quantum dots. In the low-contrast method, the resist would be etched in such a way as to form dimples, the shapes of which would mimic the electron-beam density profile. Then by use of a transfer etching process that etches the substrate faster than it etches the resist, either the pattern of holes or a pattern comprising the narrow, lowest portions of the dimples would be imparted to the substrate. Having been thus patterned, the substrate would be cleaned. The resulting holes or dimples in the substrate would serve as nucleation sites for the growth of quantum dots of controlled size in the following steps. The substrate would be cleaned, then placed in a molecular-beam-epitaxy (MBE) chamber, where native oxide would be thermally desorbed and the quantum dots would be grown.

Aggressiveness of contemporary self-etching adhesives. Part II: etching effects on unground enamel.

PubMed

Pashley, D H; Tay, F R

2001-09-01

The aggressiveness of three self-etching adhesives on unground enamel was investigated. Ultrastructural features and microtensile bond strength were examined, first using these adhesives as both the etching and resin-infiltration components, and then examining their etching efficacy alone through substitution of the proprietary resins with the same control resins. For SEM examination, buccal, mid-coronal, unground enamel from human extracted bicuspids were etched with either Clearfil Mega Bond (Kuraray), Non-Rinse Conditioner (NRC; Dentsply DeTrey) or Prompt L-Pop (ESPE). Those in the control group were etched with 32% phosphoric acid (Bisco) for 15s. They were all rinsed off prior to examination of the etching efficacy. For TEM examination, the self-etching adhesives were used as recommended. Unground enamel treated with NRC were further bonded using Prime&Bond NT (Dentsply), while those in the etched, control group were bonded using All-Bond 2 (Bisco). Completely demineralized, resin replicas were embedded in epoxy resin for examination of the extent of resin infiltration. For microtensile bond strength evaluation, specimens were first etched and bonded using the self-etching adhesives. A second group of specimens were etched with the self-etching adhesives, rinsed but bonded using a control adhesive. Following restoration with Z100 (3M Dental Products), they were sectioned into beams of uniform cross-sectional areas and stressed to failure. Etching patterns of aprismatic enamel, as revealed by SEM, and the subsurface hybrid layer morphology, as revealed by TEM, varied according to the aggressiveness of the self-etching adhesives. Clearfil Mega Bond exhibited the mildest etching patterns, while Prompt L-Pop produced an etching effect that approached that of the total-etch control group. Microtensile bond strength of the three experimental groups were all significantly lower than the control group, but not different from one another. When the self-etching adhesives were replaced with the control adhesive after etching, bond strengths of NRC/Prime&Bond NT and Prompt L-Pop were not significantly different from that of the control group, but were significantly higher than that of Clearfil Mega Bond. Both etching efficacy and strength of the resins are important contributing factors in bonding of self-etching adhesives to unground enamel.

Design and fabrication of a polarization-independent two-port beam splitter.

PubMed

Feng, Jijun; Zhou, Changhe; Zheng, Jiangjun; Cao, Hongchao; Lv, Peng

2009-10-10

We design and manufacture a fused-silica polarization-independent two-port beam splitter grating. The physical mechanism of this deeply etched grating can be shown clearly by using the simplified modal method with consideration of corresponding accumulated phase difference of two excited propagating grating modes, which illustrates that the binary-phase fused-silica grating structure depends little on the incident wavelength, but mainly on the ratio of groove depth to grating period and the ratio of incident wavelength to grating period. These analytic results would also be very helpful for wavelength bandwidth analysis. The exact grating profile is optimized by using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis. Holographic recording technology and inductively coupled plasma etching are used to manufacture the fused-silica grating. Experimental results agree well with the theoretical values.

Sequential infiltration synthesis for advanced lithography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Darling, Seth B.; Elam, Jeffrey W.; Tseng, Yu-Chih

A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned usingmore » photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.« less

Ion Beam Sputtered Coatings of Bioglass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hench, Larry L.; Wilson, J.; Ruzakowski, Patricia Henrietta Anne

1982-01-01

The ion beam sputtering technique available at the NASA-Lewis was used to apply coatings of bioglass to ceramic, metallic, and polymeric substrates. Experiments in vivo and in vitro described investigate these coatings. Some degree of substrate masking was obtained in all samples although stability and reactivity equivalent to bulk bioglass was not observed in all coated samples. Some degree of stability was seen in all coated samples that were reacted in vitro. Both metallic and ceramic substrates coated in this manner failed to show significantly improved coatings over those obtained with existing techniques. Implantation of the coated ceramic substrate samples in bone gave no definite bonding as seen with bulk glass; however, partial and patchy bonding was seen. Polymeric substrates in these studies showed promise of success. The coatings applied were sufficient to mask the underlying reactive test surface and tissue adhesion of collagen to bioglass was seen. Hydrophilic, hydrophobic, charged, and uncharged polymeric surfaces were successfully coated.

Electrostatic particle trap for ion beam sputter deposition

DOEpatents

Vernon, Stephen P.; Burkhart, Scott C.

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus for the interception and trapping of or reflection of charged particulate matter generated in ion beam sputter deposition. The apparatus involves an electrostatic particle trap which generates electrostatic fields in the vicinity of the substrate on which target material is being deposited. The electrostatic particle trap consists of an array of electrode surfaces, each maintained at an electrostatic potential, and with their surfaces parallel or perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. The method involves interception and trapping of or reflection of charged particles achieved by generating electrostatic fields in the vicinity of the substrate, and configuring the fields to force the charged particulate material away from the substrate. The electrostatic charged particle trap enables prevention of charged particles from being deposited on the substrate thereby enabling the deposition of extremely low defect density films, such as required for reflective masks of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) system.

High T(sub c) superconductor/ferroelectric heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryder, Daniel F., Jr.

1994-12-01

Thin films of the ferroelectric perovskite, Ba(x) Sr(1-x) TiO3 (BST), were deposited on superconducting (100)YBa2Cu3O(x)(YBCO)/ (100)Yttria-stabilized zirconia(YSZ) substrates and (100)Si by ion-beam sputtering. Microstructural and compositional features of the ceramic bilayer were assessed by a combination of x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. The films were smooth and featureless, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) data indicated that film composition closely matched target composition. XRD analysis showed that films deposited on YBCO substrates were highly c-axis textured, while the films deposited on (100)Si did not exhibit any preferred growth morphology. The superconducting properties of the YBCO substrate layer were maintained throughout the processing stages and, as such, it was demonstrated that ion beam sputtering is a viable method for the deposition of Ferroelectric/YBCO heterostructures.

Development of W/C soft x-ray multilayer mirror by ion beam sputtering (IBS) system for below 50A wavelength

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biswas, A.; Bhattacharyya, D.

A home-made Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) system has been developed in our laboratory. Using the IBS system single layer W and single layer C film has been deposited at 1000eV Ar ion energy and 10mA ion current. The W-film has been characterized by grazing Incidence X-ray reflectrometry (GIXR) technique and Atomic Force Microscope technique. The single layer C-film has been characterized by Spectroscopic Ellipsometric technique. At the same deposition condition 25-layer W/C multilayer film has been deposited which has been designed for using as mirror at 30 Degree-Sign grazing incidence angle around 50A wavelength. The multilayer sample has been characterizedmore » by measuring reflectivity of CuK{alpha} radiation and soft x-ray radiation around 50A wavelength.« less

Overcoming Etch Challenges on a 6″ Hg1- x Cd x Te MBE on Si Wafer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apte, Palash; Norton, Elyse; Robinson, Solomon

2017-10-01

The effect of increasing photoresist (PR) thickness on the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) dry etched characteristics of a 6″ (c.15 cm) molecular beam epitaxy Hg1- x Cd x Te/Si wafer is investigated. It is determined that the Hg1- x Cd x Te etch rate (ER) does not vary significantly with a change in the PR thickness. Also, the vertical ER of the PR is seen to be independent of the PR thickness, but the lateral ER is seen to reduce significantly with increased PR thickness. Indeed, very little reduction in the pixel mesa area post-dry etch is seen for the thicker PR. Consequently, the trench sidewall angle is also seen to vary as a function of the PR thickness. Since ICP is the more attractive choice for dry etching Hg1- x Cd x Te, this simple, cost-effective way to extend the capabilities of dry etching (larger mesa top area post-dry etch, ability to create tailor-made trench sidewall angles for optimal conformal passivation deposition, and potential for reduced dry etch damage) described here would allow for the fabrication of next generation infrared detectors with increased yield and reduced cost. Although similar results have been presented using the electron cyclotron resonance system to dry etch Hg1- x Cd x Te, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such results have been presented using an ICP system.

Uniquely identifiable tamper-evident device using coupling between subwavelength gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fievre, Ange Marie Patricia

Reliability and sensitive information protection are critical aspects of integrated circuits. A novel technique using near-field evanescent wave coupling from two subwavelength gratings (SWGs), with the input laser source delivered through an optical fiber is presented for tamper evidence of electronic components. The first grating of the pair of coupled subwavelength gratings (CSWGs) was milled directly on the output facet of the silica fiber using focused ion beam (FIB) etching. The second grating was patterned using e-beam lithography and etched into a glass substrate using reactive ion etching (RIE). The slightest intrusion attempt would separate the CSWGs and eliminate near-field coupling between the gratings. Tampering, therefore, would become evident. Computer simulations guided the design for optimal operation of the security solution. The physical dimensions of the SWGs, i.e. period and thickness, were optimized, for a 650 nm illuminating wavelength. The optimal dimensions resulted in a 560 nm grating period for the first grating etched in the silica optical fiber and 420 nm for the second grating etched in borosilicate glass. The incident light beam had a half-width at half-maximum (HWHM) of at least 7 microm to allow discernible higher transmission orders, and a HWHM of 28 microm for minimum noise. The minimum number of individual grating lines present on the optical fiber facet was identified as 15 lines. Grating rotation due to the cylindrical geometry of the fiber resulted in a rotation of the far-field pattern, corresponding to the rotation angle of moire fringes. With the goal of later adding authentication to tamper evidence, the concept of CSWGs signature was also modeled by introducing random and planned variations in the glass grating. The fiber was placed on a stage supported by a nanomanipulator, which permitted three-dimensional displacement while maintaining the fiber tip normal to the surface of the glass substrate. A 650 nm diode laser was fixed to a translation mount that transmitted the light source through the optical fiber, and the output intensity was measured using a silicon photodiode. The evanescent wave coupling output results for the CSWGs were measured and compared to the simulation results.

Electrostatic energy analyzer measurements of low energy zirconium beam parameters in a plasma sputter-type negative ion source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malapit, Giovanni M.; Department of Physical Sciences, University of the Philippines Baguio, Baguio City 2600; Mahinay, Christian Lorenz S.

2012-02-15

A plasma sputter-type negative ion source is utilized to produce and detect negative Zr ions with energies between 150 and 450 eV via a retarding potential-type electrostatic energy analyzer. Traditional and modified semi-cylindrical Faraday cups (FC) inside the analyzer are employed to sample negative Zr ions and measure corresponding ion currents. The traditional FC registered indistinct ion current readings which are attributed to backscattering of ions and secondary electron emissions. The modified Faraday cup with biased repeller guard ring, cut out these signal distortions leaving only ringings as issues which are theoretically compensated by fitting a sigmoidal function into themore » data. The mean energy and energy spread are calculated using the ion current versus retarding potential data while the beam width values are determined from the data of the transverse measurement of ion current. The most energetic negative Zr ions yield tighter energy spread at 4.11 eV compared to the least energetic negative Zr ions at 4.79 eV. The smallest calculated beam width is 1.04 cm for the negative Zr ions with the highest mean energy indicating a more focused beam in contrast to the less energetic negative Zr ions due to space charge forces.« less

Femtosecond laser etching of dental enamel for bracket bonding.

PubMed

Kabas, Ayse Sena; Ersoy, Tansu; Gülsoy, Murat; Akturk, Selcuk

2013-09-01

The aim is to investigate femtosecond laser ablation as an alternative method for enamel etching used before bonding orthodontic brackets. A focused laser beam is scanned over enamel within the area of bonding in a saw tooth pattern with a varying number of lines. After patterning, ceramic brackets are bonded and bonding quality of the proposed technique is measured by a universal testing machine. The results are compared to the conventional acid etching method. Results show that bonding strength is a function of laser average power and the density of the ablated lines. Intrapulpal temperature changes are also recorded and observed minimal effects are observed. Enamel surface of the samples is investigated microscopically and no signs of damage or cracking are observed. In conclusion, femtosecond laser exposure on enamel surface yields controllable patterns that provide efficient bonding strength with less removal of dental tissue than conventional acid-etching technique.

Deterministic Placement of Quantum-Size Controlled Quantum Dots for Seamless Top-Down Integration

DOE PAGES

Fischer, Arthur J.; Anderson, P. Duke; Koleske, Daniel D.; ...

2017-08-18

We demonstrate a new route toward the integration and deterministic placement of quantum dots (QDs) within prepatterned nanostructures. Using standard electron-beam lithography (EBL) and inductively coupled plasma reactive-ion etching (ICP-RIE), we fabricate arrays of nanowires on a III-nitride platform. Next, we integrate QDs of controlled size within the prepatterned nanowires using a bandgap-selective, wet-etching technique: quantum-size-controlled photoelectrochemical (QSC-PEC) etching. Low-temperature microphotoluminescence (μ-PL) measurements of individual nanowires reveal sharp spectral signatures, indicative of QD formation. Further, internal quantum efficiency (IQE) measurements reveal a near order of magnitude improvement in emitter efficiency following QSC-PEC etching. Finally, second-order cross-correlation (g(2)(0)) measurements of individualmore » QDs directly confirm nonclassical, antibunching behavior. Lastly, our results illustrate an exciting approach toward the top-down integration of nonclassical light sources within nanophotonic platforms.« less

Deterministic Placement of Quantum-Size Controlled Quantum Dots for Seamless Top-Down Integration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fischer, Arthur J.; Anderson, P. Duke; Koleske, Daniel D.

We demonstrate a new route toward the integration and deterministic placement of quantum dots (QDs) within prepatterned nanostructures. Using standard electron-beam lithography (EBL) and inductively coupled plasma reactive-ion etching (ICP-RIE), we fabricate arrays of nanowires on a III-nitride platform. Next, we integrate QDs of controlled size within the prepatterned nanowires using a bandgap-selective, wet-etching technique: quantum-size-controlled photoelectrochemical (QSC-PEC) etching. Low-temperature microphotoluminescence (μ-PL) measurements of individual nanowires reveal sharp spectral signatures, indicative of QD formation. Further, internal quantum efficiency (IQE) measurements reveal a near order of magnitude improvement in emitter efficiency following QSC-PEC etching. Finally, second-order cross-correlation (g(2)(0)) measurements of individualmore » QDs directly confirm nonclassical, antibunching behavior. Lastly, our results illustrate an exciting approach toward the top-down integration of nonclassical light sources within nanophotonic platforms.« less

Impact of recess etching and surface treatments on ohmic contacts regrown by molecular-beam epitaxy for AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joglekar, S.; Azize, M.; Palacios, T.

Ohmic contacts fabricated by regrowth of n{sup +} GaN are favorable alternatives to metal-stack-based alloyed contacts in GaN-based high electron mobility transistors. In this paper, the influence of reactive ion dry etching prior to regrowth on the contact resistance in AlGaN/GaN devices is discussed. We demonstrate that the dry etch conditions modify the surface band bending, dangling bond density, and the sidewall depletion width, which influences the contact resistance of regrown contacts. The impact of chemical surface treatments performed prior to regrowth is also investigated. The sensitivity of the contact resistance to the surface treatments is found to depend uponmore » the dangling bond density of the sidewall facets exposed after dry etching. A theoretical model has been developed in order to explain the observed trends.« less

Effects of post-deposition annealing on sputtered SiO2/4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Suhyeong; Kim, Young Seok; Kang, Hong Jeon; Kim, Hyunwoo; Ha, Min-Woo; Kim, Hyeong Joon

2018-01-01

Reactive sputtering followed by N2, NH3, O2, and NO post-deposition annealing (PDA) of SiO2 on 4H-SiC was investigated in this study. The results of ellipsometry, an etching test, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy showed that N2 and NH3 PDA nitrified the SiO2. Devices using N2 and NH3 PDA exhibited a high gate leakage current and low breakdown field due to oxygen vacancies and incomplete oxynitride. SiO2/4H-SiC MOS capacitors were also fabricated and their electrical characteristics measured. The average breakdown fields of the devices using N2, NH3, O2, and NO PDA were 0.12, 0.17, 4.71 and 2.63 MV/cm, respectively. The shifts in the flat-band voltage after O2 and NO PDA were 0.95 and -2.56 V, respectively, compared with the theoretical value. The extracted effective oxide charge was -4.11 × 1011 cm-2 for O2 PDA and 1.11 × 1012 cm-2 for NO PDA. NO PDA for 2 h at 1200 °C shifted the capacitance-voltage curve in the negative direction. The oxygen containing PDA showed better electrical properties than non-oxygen PDA. The sputtering method described can be applied to 4H-SiC MOS fabrication.

Ion-beam technology and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, W. R.; Robson, R. R.; Sovey, J. S.

1977-01-01

Ion propulsion research and development yields a mature technology that is transferable to a wide range of nonpropulsive applications, including terrestrial and space manufacturing. A xenon ion source was used for an investigation into potential ion-beam applications. The results of cathode tests and discharge-chamber experiments are presented. A series of experiments encompassing a wide range of potential applications is discussed. Two types of processes, sputter deposition, and erosion were studied. Some of the potential applications are thin-film Teflon capacitor fabrication, lubrication applications, ion-beam cleaning and polishing, and surface texturing.

Evaluation of the optical axis tilt of zinc oxide films via noncollinear second harmonic generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bovino, F. A.; Larciprete, M. C.; Belardini, A.

2009-06-22

We investigated noncollinear second harmonic generation form zinc oxide films, grown on glass substrates by dual ion beam sputtering technique. At a fixed incidence angle, the generated signal is investigated by scanning the polarization state of both fundamental beams. We show that the map of the generated signal as a function of polarization states of both pump beams, together with the analytical curves, allows to retrieve the orientation of the optical axis and eventually, its angular tilt, with respect to the surface normal.

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers - Design, growth, fabrication, characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewell, Jack L.; Lee, Y. H.; Harbison, J. P.; Scherer, A.; Florez, L. T.

1991-06-01

The authors have designed, fabricated, and tested vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) with diameters ranging from 0.5 microns to above 50 microns. Design issues, molecular beam epitaxial growth, fabrication, and lasing characteristics are discussed. The topics considered in fabrication of VCSELs are microlaser geometries; ion implementation and masks; ion beam etching; packaging and arrays; and ultrasmall devices.

Resin–dentin bonds to EDTA-treated vs. acid-etched dentin using ethanol wet-bonding

PubMed Central

Sauro, Salvatore; Toledano, Manuel; Aguilera, Fatima Sánchez; Mannocci, Francesco; Pashley, David H.; Tay, Franklin R.; Watson, Timothy F.; Osorio, Raquel

2013-01-01

Objective To compare resin–dentin bond strengths and the micropermeability of hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic resins bonded to acid-etched or EDTA-treated dentin, using the ethanol wet-bonding technique. Methods Flat dentin surfaces from extracted human third molars were conditioned before bonding with: 37% H3PO4 (15 s) or 0.1 M EDTA (60 s). Five experimental resin blends of different hydrophilicities and one commercial adhesive (SBMP: Scotchbond Multi-Purpose) were applied to ethanol wet-dentin (1 min) and light-cured (20 s). The solvated resins were used as primers (50% ethanol/50% comonomers) and their respective neat resins were used as the adhesive. The resin-bonded teeth were stored in distilled water (24 h) and sectioned in beams for microtensile bond strength testing. Modes of failure were examined by stereoscopic light microscopy and SEM. Confocal tandem scanning microscopy (TSM) interfacial characterization and micropermeability were also performed after filling the pulp chamber with 1 wt% aqueous rhodamine-B. Results The most hydrophobic resin 1 gave the lowest bond strength values to acid-etched dentin and all beams failed prematurely when the resin was applied to EDTA-treated dentin. Resins 2 and 3 gave intermediate bond strengths to both conditioned substrates. Resin 4, an acidic hydrophilic resin, gave the highest bond strengths to both EDTA-treated and acid-etched dentin. Resin 5 was the only hydrophilic resin showing poor resin infiltration when applied on acid-etched dentin. Significance The ethanol wet-bonding technique may improve the infiltration of most of the adhesives used in this study into dentin, especially when applied to EDTA-treated dentin. The chemical composition of the resin blends was a determining factor influencing the ability of adhesives to bond to EDTA-treated or 37% H3PO4 acid-etched dentin, when using the ethanol wet-bonding technique in a clinically relevant time period. PMID:20074787

Influence of Er:YAG and Ti:sapphire laser irradiation on the microtensile bond strength of several adhesives to dentin.

PubMed

Portillo, M; Lorenzo, M C; Moreno, P; García, A; Montero, J; Ceballos, L; Fuentes, M V; Albaladejo, A

2015-02-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) and Ti:sapphire laser irradiation on the microtensile bond strength (MTBS) of three different adhesive systems to dentin. Flat dentin surfaces from 27 molars were divided into three groups according to laser irradiation: control, Er:YAG (2,940 nm, 100 μs, 2.7 W, 9 Hz) and Ti:sapphire laser (795 nm, 120 fs, 1 W, 1 kHz). Each group was divided into three subgroups according to the adhesive system used: two-step total-etching adhesive (Adper Scotchbond 1 XT, from now on XT), two-step self-etching adhesive (Clearfil SE Bond, from now on CSE), and all-in-one self-etching adhesive (Optibond All-in-One, from now on OAO). After 24 h of water storage, beams of section at 1 mm(2) were longitudinally cut from the samples. Each beam underwent traction test in an Instron machine. Fifteen polished dentin specimens were used for the surface morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Failure modes of representative debonded microbars were SEM-assessed. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, chi-square test, and multiple linear regression (p < 0.05). In the control group, XT obtained higher MTBS than that of laser groups that performed equally. CSE showed higher MTBS without laser than that with laser groups, where Er:YAG attained higher MTBS than ultrashort laser. When OAO was used, MTBS values were equal in the three treatments. CSE obtained the highest MTBS regardless of the surface treatment applied. The Er:YAG and ultrashort laser irradiation reduce the bonding effectiveness when a two-step total-etching adhesive or a two-step self-etching adhesive are used and do not affect their effectiveness when an all-in-one self-etching adhesive is applied.

Grafted Polystyrene Monolayer Brush as Both Negative and Positive Tone Electron Beam Resist.

PubMed

Aydinoglu, Ferhat; Yamada, Hirotaka; Dey, Ripon K; Cui, Bo

2017-05-23

Although spin coating is the most widely used electron-beam resist coating technique in nanolithography, it cannot typically be applied for nonflat or irregular surfaces. Here, we demonstrate that monolayer polystyrene brush can be grafted on substrates and used as both positive and negative electron-beam resist, which can be applied for such unconventional surfaces. Polystyrene is a popular negative resist when using solvent developer but solvent cannot be used for grafted polystyrene brush that is firmly bonded to the substrate. Instead, we employed two unconventional development methods to lead polystyrene brush to positive or negative tone behavior. Negative tone was achieved by thermal development at 300 °C because exposed thus cross-linked polystyrene brush is more thermally stable against vaporization than unexposed linear one. Surprisingly, positive tone behavior occurred when the brush was grafted onto an aluminum (Al) layer and the film stack was developed using diluted hydrofluoric acid (HF) that etched the underlying Al layer. By transferring the patterns into the silicon (Si) substrates using the thin Al layer as a sacrificial hard mask for dry etch, well-defined structures in Si were obtained in two different electron-beam resist tones as well as in nonflat surfaces.

Optical Manipulation of Symbiotic Chlorella in Paramecium Bursaria Using a Fiber Axicon Microlens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguchi, K.; Hirota, S.; Nakayama, H.; Kunugihara, D.; Mihara, Y.

2012-03-01

In this paper, chemically etched axicon fiber was proposed for laser trapping of symbiotic chlorella from paramecium bursaria. We fabricated axicon micro lenses on a single-mode bare optical fiber by selective chemical etching technique. The laser beam from fiber axicon microlens was strongly focused and optical forces were sufficient to move a symbiotic chlorella. From experimental results, it was found that our proposed fiber axicon microlens was a promising tool for cell trapping without physical contact.

A high yield neutron target

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alger, D. L.; Steinberg, R.; Weisenbach, P.

1974-01-01

Target, in cylinder form, rotates rapidly in front of beam. Titanium tritide film is much thicker than range of accelerated deutron. Sputtering electrode permits full use of thick film. Stream of high-velocity coolant provides efficient transfer of heat from target.

Multi-jump magnetic switching in ion-beam sputtered amorphous Co{sub 20}Fe{sub 60}B{sub 20} thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raju, M.; Chaudhary, Sujeet; Pandya, D. K.

2013-08-07

Unconventional multi-jump magnetization reversal and significant in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) in the ion-beam sputtered amorphous Co{sub 20}Fe{sub 60}B{sub 20}(5–75 nm) thin films grown on Si/amorphous SiO{sub 2} are reported. While such multi-jump behavior is observed in CoFeB(10 nm) film when the magnetic field is applied at 10°–20° away from the easy-axis, the same is observed in CoFeB(12.5 nm) film when the magnetic field is 45°–55° away from easy-axis. Unlike the previous reports of multi-jump switching in epitaxial films, their observance in the present case of amorphous CoFeB is remarkable. This multi-jump switching is found to disappear when the filmsmore » are crystallized by annealing at 420 °C. The deposition geometry and the energy of the sputtered species appear to intrinsically induce a kind of bond orientation anisotropy in the films, which leads to the UMA in the as-grown amorphous CoFeB films. Exploitation of such multi-jump switching in amorphous CoFeB thin films could be of technological significance because of their applications in spintronic devices.« less

Crater function moments: Role of implanted noble gas atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobler, Gerhard; Maciążek, Dawid; Postawa, Zbigniew

2018-04-01

Spontaneous pattern formation by energetic ion beams is usually explained in terms of surface-curvature dependent sputtering and atom redistribution in the target. Recently, the effect of ion implantation on surface stability has been studied for nonvolatile ion species, but for the case of noble gas ion beams it has always been assumed that the implanted atoms can be neglected. In this work, we show by molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations that this assumption is not valid in a wide range of implant conditions. Sequential-impact MD simulations are performed for 1-keV Ar, 2-keV Kr, and 2-keV Xe bombardments of Si, starting with a pure single-crystalline Si target and running impacts until sputtering equilibrium has been reached. The simulations demonstrate the importance of the implanted ions for crater-function estimates. The atomic volumes of Ar, Kr, and Xe in Si are found to be a factor of two larger than in the solid state. To extend the study to a wider range of energies, MC simulations are performed. We find that the role of the implanted ions increases with the ion energy although the increase is attenuated for the heavier ions. The analysis uses the crater function formalism specialized to the case of sputtering equilibrium.

Low-Energy Sputtering Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, P. K.; Shutthanandan, V.

1999-01-01

An experimental study is described to measure low-energy (less than 600 eV) sputtering yields of molybdenum with xenon ions using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and secondary neutral mass spectroscopy (SNMS). An ion gun was used to generate the ion beam. The ion current density at the target surface was approximately 30 (micro)A/sq cm. For RBS measurements, the sputtered material was collected on a thin aluminum strip which was mounted on a semi-circular collector plate. The target was bombarded with 200 and 500 eV xenon ions at normal incidence. The differential sputtering yields were measured using the RBS method with 1 MeV helium ions. The differential yields were fitted with a cosine fitting function and integrated with respect to the solid angle to provide the total sputtering yields. The sputtering yields obtained using the RBS method are in reasonable agreement with those measured by other researchers using different techniques. For the SNMS measurements, 150 to 600 eV xenon ions were used at 50deg angle of incidence. The SNMS spectra were converted to sputtering yields for perpendicular incidence by normalizing SNMS spectral data at 500 eV with the yield measured by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Sputtering yields as well as the shape of the yield-energy curve obtained in this manner are in reasonable agreement with those measured by other researchers using different techniques. Sputtering yields calculated by using two semi-spherical formulations agree reasonably well with measured data. The isotopic composition of secondary ions were measured by bombarding copper with xenon ions at energies ranging from 100 eV to 1.5 keV. The secondary ion flux was found to be enriched in heavy isotopes at low incident ion energies. The heavy isotope enrichment was observed to decrease with increasing impact energy. Beyond 700 eV, light isotopes were sputtered preferentially with the enrichment remaining nearly constant.

Infrared Photodiodes Made by Low Energy Ion Etching of Molecular Beam Epitaxy Grown Mercury-Cadmium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Sung-Shik

Ion etching was used to form junctions on the p-type (111)B Hg_{1-x}Cd_ {x}Te grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy(MBE). When Hg_{1-x}Cd_{x}Te layers are etched by Ar ions at energies ranging between 300 and 450eV, the top Hg_{1 -x}Cd_{x}Te layer is converted to n-type. The converted region is electrically characterized as a defective n^+-region near the surface, and a low doped n^--region exist below the damaged region. The total thickness of the converted n-type layer was found to be considerable. These results suggest that the creation of the n-type layer is due to the filling of mercury vacancies by mercury atoms displaced by the Ar ion irradiation on the surface. For the performance of the resulting photodiodes on MBE grown (111)B Hg_{1-x}Cd _{x}Te using this technique, the dynamic resistances at 80K are one order of magnitude less than those of junctions made on Liquid Phase Epitaxially and Bulk grown Hg_{1 -x}Cd_{x}Te. The ion etching technique was compared with ion implantation technique by fabricating diodes on the same MBE grown (111)B Hg _{1-x}Cd_{x}Te layers. The result of the comparison illustrates that ion etching technique is as good as ion implantation technique for the fabrication of Hg_{1-x}Cd _{x}Te photodiodes. Also it is believed that the performance of the diodes is limited by a relatively large density of twin defects usually found in MBE grown (111)B Hg_{1-x}Cd _{x}Te.

Processing of sputter targets using current activated pressure assisted densification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaney, Neil Russell

Thin Film deposition is a process that has been around since the beginning of the twentieth century and has become an integral part of the microfabrication and nanofabrication industries. Sputter deposition is a method of physical vapor deposition (PVD) in which a target is bombarded with ions and atoms are ejected and deposited as a thin film on a substrate. Despite extensive research on the direct process of sputtering thin films from targets to substrates, not much work has been done on studying the effect of processing on the microstructure of a target. In the first part of this work, the development of a PVD chamber is explored along with a few modifications and improvements developed along the way. A multiple process PVD chamber was equipped with three different types of PVD processes: sputtering, evaporation, and electron-beam deposition. In the second part of this work, the effect of processing of sputter targets on deposited films is explored. Multiple targets of Copper and yttria stabilized zirconia were produced using CAPAD. The effect of the processing on the microstructure of the targets was determined. The targets were then sputtered into films to study the effects of the target grain size on their properties. The effect of power and pressure were also measured. Increased power led to increased deposition rates while higher vacuum caused deposition rates to decrease.

Deuterium sputtering of Li and Li-O films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Andrew; Buzi, Luxherta; Kaita, Robert; Koel, Bruce

2017-10-01

Lithium wall coatings have been shown to enhance the operational plasma performance of many fusion devices, including NSTX and other tokamaks, by reducing the global wall recycling coefficient. However, pure lithium surfaces are extremely difficult to maintain in experimental fusion devices due to both inevitable oxidation and codeposition from sputtering of hot plasma facing components. Sputtering of thin lithium and lithium oxide films on a molybdenum target by energetic deuterium ion bombardment was studied in laboratory experiments conducted in a surface science apparatus. A Colutron ion source was used to produce a monoenergetic, mass-selected ion beam. Measurements were made under ultrahigh vacuum conditions as a function of surface temperature (90-520 K) using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). Results are compared with computer simulations conducted on a temperature-dependent data-calibrated (TRIM) model.

Electronic sputtering of LiF, CaF2, LaF3 and UF4 with 197 MeV Au ions. Is the stoichiometry of atom emission preserved?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toulemonde, M.; Assmann, W.; Muller, D.; Trautmann, C.

2017-09-01

Sputtering experiments with swift heavy ions in the electronic energy loss regime were performed by using the catcher technique in combination with elastic recoil detection analysis. Four different fluoride targets, LiF, CaF2, LaF3 and UF4 were irradiated in the electronic energy loss regime using 197 MeV Au ions. The angular distribution of particles sputtered from the surface of freshly cleaved LiF and CaF2 single crystals is composed of a broad cosine distribution superimposed by a jet-like peak that appears perpendicular to the surface independent of the angle of beam incidence. For LiF, the particle emission in the entire angular distribution (jet plus broad cosine component) is stoichiometric, whereas for CaF2 the ratio of the sputtered F to Ca particles is at large angles by a factor of two smaller than the stoichiometry of the crystal. For single crystalline LaF3 no jet component is observed and the angular distribution is non-stoichiometric with the number of sputtered F particles being slightly larger than the number of sputtered La particles. In the case of UF4, the target was polycrystalline and had a much rougher surface compared to cleaved crystals. This destroys the appearance of a possible jet component leading to a broad angular distribution. The ratio of sputtered U atoms compared to F atoms is in the order of 1-2, i.e. the number of collected particles on the catcher is also non-stoichiometric. Such unlike behavior of particles sputtered from different fluoride crystals creates new questions.

Correlation between surface properties and wettability of multi-scale structured biocompatible surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorodzha, S. N.; Surmeneva, M. A.; Prymak, O.; Wittmar, A.; Ulbricht, M.; Epple, M.; Teresov, A.; Koval, N.; Surmenev, R. A.

2015-11-01

The influence of surface properties of radio-frequency (RF) magnetron deposited hydroxyapatite (HA) and Si-containing HA coatings on wettability was studied. The composition and morphology of the coatings fabricated on titanium (Ti) were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface wettability was studied using contact angle analysis. Different geometric parameters of acid-etched (AE) and pulse electron beam (PEB)-treated Ti substrates and silicate content in the HA films resulted in the different morphology of the coatings at micro- and nano- length scales. Water contact angles for the HA coated Ti samples were evaluated as a combined effect of micro roughness of the substrate and nano-roughness of the HA films resulting in higher water contact angles compared with acid-etched (AE) or pulse electron beam (PEB) treated Ti substrates.

Progress in Electron Beam Mastering of 100 Gbit/inch2 Density Disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Minoru; Furuki, Motohiro; Yamamoto, Masanobu; Shinoda, Masataka; Saito, Kimihiro; Aki, Yuichi; Kawase, Hiroshi; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Miyokawa, Toshiaki; Mutou, Masao; Handa, Nobuo

2004-07-01

We developed an electron beam recorder (EBR) capable of recording master discs under atmospheric conditions using a novel differential pumping head. Using the EBR and optimized fabrication process for Si-etched discs with reactive ion etching (RIE), a bottom signal jitter of 9.6% was obtained from a 36 Gbit/inch2 density disc, readout using a near-field optical pickup with an effective numerical aperture (NA) of 1.85 and a wavelength of 405 nm. We also obtained the eye patterns from a 70 Gbit/inch2 density disc readout using an optical pickup with a 2.05 NA and the same wavelength, and showed almost the same modulation ratio as the simulation value. Moreover, the capability of producing pit patterns corresponding to a 104 Gbit/inch2 density is demonstrated.

Tapered optical fiber tip probes based on focused ion beam-milled Fabry-Perot microcavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

André, Ricardo M.; Warren-Smith, Stephen C.; Becker, Martin; Dellith, Jan; Rothhardt, Manfred; Zibaii, M. I.; Latifi, H.; Marques, Manuel B.; Bartelt, Hartmut; Frazão, Orlando

2016-09-01

Focused ion beam technology is combined with dynamic chemical etching to create microcavities in tapered optical fiber tips, resulting in fiber probes for temperature and refractive index sensing. Dynamic chemical etching uses hydrofluoric acid and a syringe pump to etch standard optical fibers into cone structures called tapered fiber tips where the length, shape, and cone angle can be precisely controlled. On these tips, focused ion beam is used to mill several different types of Fabry-Perot microcavities. Two main cavity types are initially compared and then combined to form a third, complex cavity structure. In the first case, a gap is milled on the tapered fiber tip which allows the external medium to penetrate the light guiding region and thus presents sensitivity to external refractive index changes. In the second, two slots that function as mirrors are milled on the tip creating a silica cavity that is only sensitive to temperature changes. Finally, both cavities are combined on a single tapered fiber tip, resulting in a multi-cavity structure capable of discriminating between temperature and refractive index variations. This dual characterization is performed with the aid of a fast Fourier transform method to separate the contributions of each cavity and thus of temperature and refractive index. Ultimately, a tapered optical fiber tip probe with sub-standard dimensions containing a multi-cavity structure is projected, fabricated, characterized and applied as a sensing element for simultaneous temperature and refractive index discrimination.

Improving the Fabrication of Semiconductor Bragg Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Eric Ping Chun

Fabrication process developments for Bragg reflection lasers have been optimized in this thesis using resources available to the group. New e-beam lithography and oxide etch recipes have been developed to minimize sidewall roughness and residues. E-beam evaporated metal contacts for semiconductor diode laser utilizing oblique angle deposition have also been developed in-house for the first time. Furthermore, improvement in micro-loading effect of DFB laser etching has been demonstrated where the ratio of tapered portion of the sidewall to total etch depth is reduced by half, from 33% to 15%. Electrical, optical and thermal performance of the fabricated lasers are characterized. Comparing the results to previous generation lasers, average dynamic resistance is decreased drastically from 14 Ohms to 7 Ohms and threshold current density also reduced from 1705A/cm2 to 1383A/ cm2. Improvement in laser performance is result of reduced loss from optimized fabrication processes. BRL bow-tie tapered lasers is then fabricated for the first time and output power of 18mW at 200mA input is measured. Benefiting from the increased effective area and better carrier utilization, reduction in threshold current density from 1383A/cm 2 to 712A/cm2 is observed.

New Cs sputter ion source with polyatomic ion beams for secondary ion mass spectrometry applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belykh, S. F.; Palitsin, V. V.; Veryovkin, I. V.; Kovarsky, A. P.; Chang, R. J. H.; Adriaens, A.; Dowsett, M. G.; Adams, F.

2007-08-01

A simple design for a cesium sputter ion source compatible with vacuum and ion-optical systems as well as with electronics of the commercially available Cameca IMS-4f instrument is reported. This ion source has been tested with the cluster primary ions of Sin- and Cun-. Our experiments with surface characterization and depth profiling conducted to date demonstrate improvements of the analytical capabilities of the secondary ion mass spectrometry instrument due to the nonadditive enhancement of secondary ion emission and shorter ion ranges of polyatomic projectiles compared to atomic ones with the same impact energy.