The microstructure of the surface layer of magnesium laser alloyed with aluminum and silicon

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

Dziadoń, Andrzej

2016-08-15

The surface layer under analysis was formed as a result of diffusion bonding of a thin AlSi20 plate to a magnesium substrate followed by laser melting. Depending on the process parameters, the laser beam melted the AlSi20 plate only or the AlSi20 plate and a layer of the magnesium surface adjacent to it. Two types of microstructure of the remelted layer were thus analyzed. If the melting zone was limited to the AlSi20 plate, the microstructure of the surface layer was typical of a rapidly solidified hypereutectic Al–Si alloy. Since, however, the liquid AlSi20 reacted with the magnesium substrate, themore » following intermetallic phases formed: Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2}, Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12} and Mg{sub 2}Si. The microstructure of the modified surface layer of magnesium was examined using optical, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. The analysis of the surface properties of the laser modified magnesium revealed that the thin layer has a microstructure of a rapidly solidified Al–Si alloy offering good protection against corrosion. By contrast, the surface layer containing particles of intermetallic phases was more resistant to abrasion but had lower corrosion resistance than the silumin type layer. - Highlights: •A CO{sub 2} laser was used for surface alloying of Mg with AlSi20. •Before alloying, an AlSi20 plate was diffusion bonded with the Mg substrate. •The process parameters affected the alloyed layer microstructure and properties. •With melting limited to AlSi20, the layer had a structure of rapidly solidified AlSi20. •Mg–Al and Mg–Si phases were present when both the substrate and the plate were melted.« less

Wet-chemical passivation of atomically flat and structured silicon substrates for solar cell application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angermann, H.; Rappich, J.; Korte, L.; Sieber, I.; Conrad, E.; Schmidt, M.; Hübener, K.; Polte, J.; Hauschild, J.

2008-04-01

Special sequences of wet-chemical oxidation and etching steps were optimised with respect to the etching behaviour of differently oriented silicon to prepare very smooth silicon interfaces with excellent electronic properties on mono- and poly-crystalline substrates. Surface photovoltage (SPV) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations were utilised to develop wet-chemical smoothing procedures for atomically flat and structured surfaces, respectively. Hydrogen-termination as well as passivation by wet-chemical oxides were used to inhibit surface contamination and native oxidation during the technological processing. Compared to conventional pre-treatments, significantly lower micro-roughness and densities of surface states were achieved on mono-crystalline Si(100), on evenly distributed atomic steps, such as on vicinal Si(111), on silicon wafers with randomly distributed upside pyramids, and on poly-crystalline EFG ( Edge-defined Film-fed- Growth) silicon substrates. The recombination loss at a-Si:H/c-Si interfaces prepared on c-Si substrates with randomly distributed upside pyramids was markedly reduced by an optimised wet-chemical smoothing procedure, as determined by PL measurements. For amorphous-crystalline hetero-junction solar cells (ZnO/a-Si:H(n)/c-Si(p)/Al) with textured c-Si substrates the smoothening procedure results in a significant increase of short circuit current Isc, fill factor and efficiency η. The scatter in the cell parameters for measurements on different cells is much narrower, as compared to conventional pre-treatments, indicating more well-defined and reproducible surface conditions prior to a-Si:H emitter deposition and/or a higher stability of the c-Si surface against variations in the a-Si:H deposition conditions.

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.

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

Drozdov, Yu. N., E-mail: drozdyu@ipmras.ru; Drozdov, M. N.; Yunin, P. A.

It is demonstrated using X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy that elastic stresses in GeSi layers on Si (115) substrates relax more effectively than in the same layers on Si (001) substrates. This fact is attributed to the predominant contribution of one of the (111) slip planes on the (115) cut. The atomicforce-microscopy image of the GeSi/Si(115) surface reveals unidirectional slip planes, while the GeSi/Si(001) image contains a grid of orthogonal lines and defects at the points of their intersection. As a result, thick GeSi layers on Si (115) have a reduced surface roughness. A technique for calculating the parametersmore » of relaxation of the layer on the Si (115) substrate using X-ray diffraction data is discussed.« less

Surface roughness analysis of SiO2 for PECVD, PVD and IBD on different substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirzada, Muhammad Rizwan; Tatzel, Andreas; Viereck, Volker; Hillmer, Hartmut

2016-02-01

This study compares surface roughness of SiO2 thin layers which are deposited by three different processes (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition and ion beam deposition) on three different substrates (glass, Si and polyethylene naphthalate). Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes using a wide range of deposition temperatures from 80 to 300 °C have been applied and compared. It was observed that the nature of the substrate does not influence the surface roughness of the grown layers very much. It is also perceived that the value of the surface roughness keeps on increasing as the deposition temperature of the PECVD process increases. This is due to the increase in the surface diffusion length with the rise in substrate temperature. The layers which have been deposited on Si wafer by ion beam deposition (IBD) process are found to be smoother as compared to the other two techniques. The layers which have been deposited on the glass substrates using PECVD reveal the highest surface roughness values in comparison with the other substrate materials and techniques. Different existing models describing the dynamics of clusters on surfaces are compared and discussed.

Interface Engineering for Atomic Layer Deposited Alumina Gate Dielectric on SiGe Substrates.

PubMed

Zhang, Liangliang; Guo, Yuzheng; Hassan, Vinayak Vishwanath; Tang, Kechao; Foad, Majeed A; Woicik, Joseph C; Pianetta, Piero; Robertson, John; McIntyre, Paul C

2016-07-27

Optimization of the interface between high-k dielectrics and SiGe substrates is a challenging topic due to the complexity arising from the coexistence of Si and Ge interfacial oxides. Defective high-k/SiGe interfaces limit future applications of SiGe as a channel material for electronic devices. In this paper, we identify the surface layer structure of as-received SiGe and Al2O3/SiGe structures based on soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As-received SiGe substrates have native SiOx/GeOx surface layers, where the GeOx-rich layer is beneath a SiOx-rich surface. Silicon oxide regrows on the SiGe surface during Al2O3 atomic layer deposition, and both SiOx and GeOx regrow during forming gas anneal in the presence of a Pt gate metal. The resulting mixed SiOx-GeOx interface layer causes large interface trap densities (Dit) due to distorted Ge-O bonds across the interface. In contrast, we observe that oxygen-scavenging Al top gates decompose the underlying SiOx/GeOx, in a selective fashion, leaving an ultrathin SiOx interfacial layer that exhibits dramatically reduced Dit.

Recovery of Mo/Si multilayer coated optical substrates

DOEpatents

Baker, Sherry L.; Vernon, Stephen P.; Stearns, Daniel G.

1997-12-16

Mo/Si multilayers are removed from superpolished ZERODUR and fused silica substrates with a dry etching process that, under suitable processing conditions, produces negligible change in either the substrate surface figure or surface roughness. The two step dry etching process removes SiO.sub.2 overlayer with a fluroine-containing gas and then moves molybdenum and silicon multilayers with a chlorine-containing gas. Full recovery of the initial normal incidence extreme ultra-violet (EUV) reflectance response has been demonstrated on reprocessed substrates.

Recovery of Mo/Si multilayer coated optical substrates

DOEpatents

Baker, S.L.; Vernon, S.P.; Stearns, D.G.

1997-12-16

Mo/Si multilayers are removed from superpolished ZERODUR and fused silica substrates with a dry etching process that, under suitable processing conditions, produces negligible change in either the substrate surface figure or surface roughness. The two step dry etching process removes SiO{sub 2} overlayer with a fluroine-containing gas and then moves molybdenum and silicon multilayers with a chlorine-containing gas. Full recovery of the initial normal incidence extreme ultra-violet (EUV) reflectance response has been demonstrated on reprocessed substrates. 5 figs.

Intrinsic Charge Trapping Observed as Surface Potential Variations in diF-TES-ADT Films.

PubMed

Hoffman, Benjamin C; McAfee, Terry; Conrad, Brad R; Loth, Marsha A; Anthony, John E; Ade, Harald W; Dougherty, Daniel B

2016-08-24

Spatial variations in surface potential are measured with Kelvin probe force microscopy for thin films of 2,8-difluoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophenes (diF-TES-ADT) grown on SiO2 and silane-treated SiO2 substrates by organic molecular beam deposition. The variations are observed both between and within grains of the polycrystalline organic film and are quantitatively different than electrostatic variations on the substrate surfaces. The skewness of surface potential distributions is larger on SiO2 than on HMDS-treated substrates. This observation is attributed to the impact of substrate functionalization on minimizing intrinsic crystallographic defects in the organic film that can trap charge.

The kinetic friction of ZnO nanowires on amorphous SiO2 and SiN substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Aditi; Xie, Hongtao; Wang, Shiliang; Huang, Han

2016-12-01

ZnO nanowires were bent on amorphous SiO2 and SiN substrates in an ambient atmosphere using optical nanomanipulation. The kinetic friction between the nanowires and substrate was determined from the bent shape of the nanowires. The kinetic friction force per unit area, i.e. frictional shear stress, for the ZnO/SiO2 and ZnO/SiN nanowire/substrate systems being measured were 1.05 ± 0.28 and 2.08 ± 0.33 MPa, respectively. The surface roughness and the Hamaker constant of SiO2 and SiN substrates had significant effect on the frictional stresses.

Near zero reflection by nanostructured anti-reflection coating design for Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Fandi, Mohamed; Makableh, Yahia F.; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Rabady, Rabi

2018-05-01

The nanostructure design of near zero reflection coating for Si substrates by using ZnO Nanoneedles (ZnONN) is performed and optimized for the visible spectral range. The design investigates the ZnONN tip to body ratio effect on the anti-reflection coating properties. Different tip to body ratios are used on Si substrates. Around zero reflection is achieved by the Nanoneedles structure design presented in this work, leading to minimal reflection losses from the Si surface. The current design evolves a solution to optical losses and surface contamination effects associated with Si solar cells.

A tunable sub-100 nm silicon nanopore array with an AAO membrane mask: reducing unwanted surface etching by introducing a PMMA interlayer.

PubMed

Lim, Namsoo; Pak, Yusin; Kim, Jin Tae; Hwang, Youngkyu; Lee, Ryeri; Kumaresan, Yogeenth; Myoung, NoSoung; Ko, Heung Cho; Jung, Gun Young

2015-08-28

Highly ordered silicon (Si) nanopores with a tunable sub-100 nm diameter were fabricated by a CF4 plasma etching process using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane as an etching mask. To enhance the conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the underlying Si substrate, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was spin-coated on top of the Si substrate prior to the transfer of the AAO membrane. The AAO membrane mask was fabricated by two-step anodization and subsequent removal of the aluminum support and the barrier layer, which was then transferred to the PMMA-coated Si substrate. Contact printing was performed on the sample with a pressure of 50 psi and a temperature of 120 °C to make a conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the Si substrate. The CF4 plasma etching was conducted to transfer nanopores onto the Si substrate through the PMMA interlayer. The introduced PMMA interlayer prevented unwanted surface etching of the Si substrate by eliminating the etching ions and radicals bouncing at the gap between the mask and the substrate, resulting in a smooth Si nanopore array.

A tunable sub-100 nm silicon nanopore array with an AAO membrane mask: reducing unwanted surface etching by introducing a PMMA interlayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Namsoo; Pak, Yusin; Kim, Jin Tae; Hwang, Youngkyu; Lee, Ryeri; Kumaresan, Yogeenth; Myoung, Nosoung; Ko, Heung Cho; Jung, Gun Young

2015-08-01

Highly ordered silicon (Si) nanopores with a tunable sub-100 nm diameter were fabricated by a CF4 plasma etching process using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane as an etching mask. To enhance the conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the underlying Si substrate, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was spin-coated on top of the Si substrate prior to the transfer of the AAO membrane. The AAO membrane mask was fabricated by two-step anodization and subsequent removal of the aluminum support and the barrier layer, which was then transferred to the PMMA-coated Si substrate. Contact printing was performed on the sample with a pressure of 50 psi and a temperature of 120 °C to make a conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the Si substrate. The CF4 plasma etching was conducted to transfer nanopores onto the Si substrate through the PMMA interlayer. The introduced PMMA interlayer prevented unwanted surface etching of the Si substrate by eliminating the etching ions and radicals bouncing at the gap between the mask and the substrate, resulting in a smooth Si nanopore array.Highly ordered silicon (Si) nanopores with a tunable sub-100 nm diameter were fabricated by a CF4 plasma etching process using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane as an etching mask. To enhance the conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the underlying Si substrate, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was spin-coated on top of the Si substrate prior to the transfer of the AAO membrane. The AAO membrane mask was fabricated by two-step anodization and subsequent removal of the aluminum support and the barrier layer, which was then transferred to the PMMA-coated Si substrate. Contact printing was performed on the sample with a pressure of 50 psi and a temperature of 120 °C to make a conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the Si substrate. The CF4 plasma etching was conducted to transfer nanopores onto the Si substrate through the PMMA interlayer. The introduced PMMA interlayer prevented unwanted surface etching of the Si substrate by eliminating the etching ions and radicals bouncing at the gap between the mask and the substrate, resulting in a smooth Si nanopore array. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02786a

Photochemical grafting of methyl groups on a Si(111) surface using a Grignard reagent.

PubMed

Herrera, Marvin Ustaris; Ichii, Takashi; Murase, Kuniaki; Sugimura, Hiroyuki

2013-12-01

The photochemical grafting of methyl groups onto an n-type Si(111) substrate was successfully achieved using a Grignard reagent. The preparation involved illuminating a hydrogen-terminated Si(111) that was immersed in a CH3MgBr-THF solution. The success was attributed to the ability of the n-type hydrogenated substrate to produce holes on its surface when illuminated. The rate of grafting methyl groups onto the silicon surface was higher when a larger illumination intensity or when a substrate with lower dopant concentration was used. In addition, the methylated layer has an atomically flat structure, has a hydrophobic surface, and has electron affinity that was lower than the bulk Si. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advances in silicon carbide Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) for semiconductor device fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, J. Anthony; Petit, Jeremy B.; Matus, Lawrence G.

1991-01-01

Improved SiC chemical vapor deposition films of both 3C and 6H polytypes were grown on vicinal (0001) 6H-SiC wafers cut from single-crystal boules. These films were produced from silane and propane in hydrogen at one atmosphere at a temperature of 1725 K. Among the more important factors which affected the structure and morphology of the grown films were the tilt angle of the substrate, the polarity of the growth surface, and the pregrowth surface treatment of the substrate. With proper pregrowth surface treatment, 6H films were grown on 6H substrates with tilt angles as small as 0.1 degrees. In addition, 3C could be induced to grow within selected regions on a 6H substrate. The polarity of the substrate was a large factor in the incorporation of dopants during epitaxial growth. A new growth model is discussed which explains the control of SiC polytype in epitaxial growth on vicinal (0001) SiC substrates.

Single-step fabrication of homoepitaxial silicon nanocones by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colniţă, Alia; Marconi, Daniel; Brătfălean, Radu Tiberiu; Turcu, Ioan

2018-04-01

The purpose of this work was to optimize a single-step fabrication process of silicon (Si) cones-like nanostructures on Si(111) reconstructed substrates. The substrate temperature is the most important parameter in the Si/Si growth, due to its high influence over the surface nanostructuring and the occurrence of well defined nanocones. We investigate the effect of different substrate temperatures on the density and size distributions of Si nanocones formed during the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) deposition of Si/Si(111) 7 × 7 reconstructed surfaces. The nanocones were characterized using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and the height and the bottom area distributions of the Si nanocones were assessed. It was found that the obtained distributions are interrelated suggesting the self-similarity of the nanostructures grown during the deposition protocol.

Silicon carbide ceramic membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwanmethanond, Varaporn

This dissertation focuses on the preparation of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic membranes on SiC substrates. An original technique of SiC porous substrate preparation using sintering methods was developed during the work for the completion of the dissertation. The resulting SiC substrates have demonstrated high porosity, high internal surface area, well interconnected surface pore network and, at the same time, good thermal, chemical and mechanical stability. In a further development, sol-gel techniques were used to deposit micro-porous SiC membranes on these SiC porous substrates. The SiC membranes were characterized by a variety of techniques: ideal gas selectivity (He and N2), XRD, BET, SEM, XPS, and AFM. The characterization results confirmed that the asymmetric sol-gel SiC membranes were of high quality, with no cracks or pinholes, and exhibiting high resistance to corrosion and high hydro-thermal stability. In conclusion, the SiC ceramic membrane work was successfully completed. Two publications in international peer reviewed journals resulted out of this work.

Surface roughening and scaling behavior of vacuum-deposited SnCl{sub 2}Pc organic thin films on different substrates

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

Obaidulla, Sk. Md.; Giri, P. K., E-mail: giri@iitg.ernet.in; Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039

2015-11-30

The evolution of surface morphology and scaling behavior of tin (IV) phthalocyanine dichloride (SnCl{sub 2}Pc) thin films grown on Si(100) and glass substrates have been studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and height-height correlation function analysis. X-ray diffraction measurement confirms the crystalline nature of the SnCl{sub 2}Pc thin film on glass substrate, while no crystallographic ordering is present for the film grown on Si substrate. The growth exponent β is found to be much larger for the film on glass substrate (0.48 ± 0.07) as compared to that on Si substrate (0.21 ± 0.08), which may be due to the high step-edge barrier, so-calledmore » Ehrlich-Schwöbel barrier, resulting in the upward dominant growth on glass substrate. From the 2D fast Fourier transform of AFM images and derived scaling exponents, we conclude that the surface evolution follows a mound like growth. These results imply the superiority of glass substrate over the Si substrate for the growth of device quality SnCl{sub 2}Pc thin film.« less

Effect of substrates on the molecular orientation of silicon phthalocyanine dichloride thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Juzhi; Baba, Yuji; Sekiguchi, Tetsuhiro; Hirao, Norie; Honda, Mitsunori

2007-05-01

Molecular orientations of silicon phthalocyanine dichloride (SiPcCl2) thin films deposited on three different substrates have been measured by near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy using linearly polarized synchrotron radiation. The substrates investigated were highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG), polycrystalline gold and indium tin oxide (ITO). For thin films of about five monolayers, the polarization dependences of the Si K-edge NEXAFS spectra showed that the molecular planes of SiPcCl2 on three substrates were nearly parallel to the surface. Quantitative analyses of the polarization dependences revealed that the tilted angle on HOPG was only 2°, which is interpreted by the perfect flatness of the HOPG surface. On the other hand, the tilted angle on ITO was 26°. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation of the ITO surface showed that the periodicity of the horizontal roughness is of the order of a few nanometres, which is larger than the molecular size of SiPcCl2. It is concluded that the morphology of the top surface layer of the substrate affects the molecular orientation of SiPcCl2 molecules not only for mono-layered adsorbates but also for multi-layered thin films.

Growth of strained Si/relaxed SiGe heterostructures on Si(110) substrates using solid-source molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arimoto, Keisuke; Nakazawa, Hiroki; Mitsui, Shohei; Utsuyama, Naoto; Yamanaka, Junji; Hara, Kosuke O.; Usami, Noritaka; Nakagawa, Kiyokazu

2017-11-01

A strained Si/relaxed SiGe heterostructure grown on Si(110) substrate is attractive as a platform for high-hole-mobility Si-based electronic devices. To improve the electrical property, a smoother surface is desirable. In this study, we investigated surface morphology and microstructural aspects of strained Si/relaxed SiGe/Si(110) heterostructures grown by solid-source (SS) molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). It was revealed that SSMBE provides a way to grow strained Si/relaxed SiGe heterostructures with smooth surfaces. In addition, it was found that the strain in the SiGe layer of the SSMBE-grown sample is highly anisotropic whereas that of the GSMBE-grown sample is almost biaxially relaxed. Along with the surface morphology, the symmetry in degree of strain relaxation has implications for the electrical property. Results of a calculation shows that anisotropic strain is preferable for device application since it confines holes solely in the strained Si layer where hole mobility is enhanced.

Atomic insight into tribochemical wear mechanism of silicon at the Si/SiO2 interface in aqueous environment: Molecular dynamics simulations using ReaxFF reactive force field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Jialin; Ma, Tianbao; Zhang, Weiwei; Psofogiannakis, George; van Duin, Adri C. T.; Chen, Lei; Qian, Linmao; Hu, Yuanzhong; Lu, Xinchun

2016-12-01

In this work, the atomic mechanism of tribochemical wear of silicon at the Si/SiO2 interface in aqueous environment was investigated using ReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Two types of Si atom removal pathways were detected in the wear process. The first is caused by the destruction of stretched Si-O-Si bonds on the Si substrate surface and is assisted by the attachment of H atoms on the bridging oxygen atoms of the bonds. The other is caused by the rupture of Si-Si bonds in the stretched Si-Si-O-Si bond chains at the interface. Both pathways effectively remove Si atoms from the silicon surface via interfacial Si-O-Si bridge bonds. Our simulations also demonstrate that higher pressures applied to the silica phase can cause more Si atoms to be removed due to the formation of increased numbers of interfacial Si-O-Si bridge bonds. Besides, water plays a dual role in the wear mechanism, by oxidizing the Si substrate surface as well as by preventing the close contact of the surfaces. This work shows that the removal of Si atoms from the substrate is a result of both chemical reaction and mechanical effects and contributes to the understanding of tribochemical wear behavior in the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Si chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process.

A new approach to epitaxially grow high-quality GaN films on Si substrates: the combination of MBE and PLD.

PubMed

Wang, Wenliang; Wang, Haiyan; Yang, Weijia; Zhu, Yunnong; Li, Guoqiang

2016-04-22

High-quality GaN epitaxial films have been grown on Si substrates with Al buffer layer by the combination of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technologies. MBE is used to grow Al buffer layer at first, and then PLD is deployed to grow GaN epitaxial films on the Al buffer layer. The surface morphology, crystalline quality, and interfacial property of as-grown GaN epitaxial films on Si substrates are studied systematically. The as-grown ~300 nm-thick GaN epitaxial films grown at 850 °C with ~30 nm-thick Al buffer layer on Si substrates show high crystalline quality with the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) for GaN(0002) and GaN(102) X-ray rocking curves of 0.45° and 0.61°, respectively; very flat GaN surface with the root-mean-square surface roughness of 2.5 nm; as well as the sharp and abrupt GaN/AlGaN/Al/Si hetero-interfaces. Furthermore, the corresponding growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial films grown on Si substrates with Al buffer layer by the combination of MBE and PLD is hence studied in depth. This work provides a novel and simple approach for the epitaxial growth of high-quality GaN epitaxial films on Si substrates.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of amorphous silica gel adsorbed on gold substrates for optical fiber sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degioanni, S.; Jurdyc, A. M.; Cheap, A.; Champagnon, B.; Bessueille, F.; Coulm, J.; Bois, L.; Vouagner, D.

2015-10-01

Two kinds of gold substrates are used to produce surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of amorphous silica obtained via the sol-gel route using tetraethoxysilane Si(OC2H5)4 (TEOS) solution. The first substrate consists of a gold nanometric film elaborated on a glass slide by sputter deposition, controlling the desired gold thickness and sputtering current intensity. The second substrate consists of an array of micrometer-sized gold inverted pyramidal pits able to confine surface plasmon (SP) enhancing electric field, which results in a distribution of electromagnetic energy inside the cavities. These substrates are optically characterized to observe SPR with, respectively, extinction and reflectance spectrometries. Once coated with thin layers of amorphous silica (SiO2) gel, these samples show Raman amplification of amorphous SiO2 bands. This enhancement can occur in SERS sensors using amorphous SiO2 gel as shells, spacers, protective coatings, or waveguides, and represents particularly a potential interest in the field of Raman distributed sensors, which use the amorphous SiO2 core of optical fibers as a transducer to make temperature measurements.

Gold@silver bimetal nanoparticles/pyramidal silicon 3D substrate with high reproducibility for high-performance SERS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Yang, Cheng; Li, Chong Hui; Huo, Yan Yan; Liu, Xiao Yun; Liu, Ai Hua; Wei, Qin; Gao, Sai Sai; Gao, Xing Guo; Man, Bao Yuan

2016-05-01

A novel and efficient surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate has been presented based on Gold@silver/pyramidal silicon 3D substrate (Au@Ag/3D-Si). By combining the SERS activity of Ag, the chemical stability of Au and the large field enhancement of 3D-Si, the Au@Ag/3D-Si substrate possesses perfect sensitivity, homogeneity, reproducibility and chemical stability. Using R6G as probe molecule, the SERS results imply that the Au@Ag/3D-Si substrate is superior to the 3D-Si, Ag/3D-Si and Au/3D-Si substrate. We also confirmed these excellent behaviors in theory via a commercial COMSOL software. The corresponding experimental and theoretical results indicate that our proposed Au@Ag/3D-Si substrate is expected to develop new opportunities for label-free SERS detections in biological sensors, biomedical diagnostics and food safety.

SiGe derivatization by spontaneous reduction of aryl diazonium salts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girard, A.; Geneste, F.; Coulon, N.; Cardinaud, C.; Mohammed-Brahim, T.

2013-10-01

Germanium semiconductors have interesting properties for FET-based biosensor applications since they possess high surface roughness allowing the immobilization of a high amount of receptors on a small surface area. Since SiGe combined low cost of Si and intrinsic properties of Ge with high mobility carriers, we focused the study on this particularly interesting material. The comparison of the efficiency of a functionalization process involving the spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts is studied on Si(1 0 0), SiGe and Ge semiconductors. XPS analysis of the functionalized surfaces reveals the presence of a covalent grafted layer on all the substrates that was confirmed by AFM. Interestingly, the modified Ge derivatives have still higher surface roughness after derivatization. To support the estimated thickness by XPS, a step measurement of the organic layers is done by AFM or by profilometer technique after a O2 plasma etching of the functionalized layer. This original method is well-adapted to measure the thickness of thin organic films on rough substrates such as germanium. The analyses show a higher chemical grafting on SiGe substrates compared with Si and Ge semiconductors.

Silver nanoparticle deposition on inverse opal SiO2 films embedded in protective polypropylene micropits for SERS applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammosova, Lena; Ankudze, Bright; Philip, Anish; Jiang, Yu; Pakkanen, Tuula T.; Pakkanen, Tapani A.

2018-01-01

Common methods to fabricate surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with controlled micro-nanohierarchy are often complex and expensive. In this study, we demonstrate a simple and cost effective method to fabricate SERS substrates with complex geometries. Microworking robot structuration is used to pattern a polypropylene (PP) substrate with micropits, facilitating protective microenvironment for brittle SiO2 inverse opal (IO) structure. Hierarchical SiO2 IO patterns were obtained using polystyrene (PS) spheres as a sacrificial template, and were selectively embedded into the hydrophilized PP micropits. The same microworking robot technique was subsequently used to deposit silver nanoparticle ink into the SiO2 IO cavities. The fabricated multi-level micro-nanohierarchy surface was studied to enhance Raman scattering of the 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) analyte molecule. The results show that the SERS performance of the micro-nanohierarchical substrate increases significantly the Raman scattering intensity compared to substrates with structured 2D surface geometries.

Gold nanoparticles deposited on linker-free silicon substrate and embedded in aluminum Schottky contact.

PubMed

Gorji, Mohammad Saleh; Razak, Khairunisak Abdul; Cheong, Kuan Yew

2013-10-15

Given the enormous importance of Au nanoparticles (NPs) deposition on Si substrates as the precursor for various applications, we present an alternative approach to deposit Au NPs on linker-free n- and p-type Si substrates. It is demonstrated that, all conditions being similar, there is a significant difference between densities of the deposited NPs on both substrates. The Zeta-potential and polarity of charges surrounding the hydroxylamine reduced seeded growth Au NPs, are determined by a Zetasizer. To investigate the surface properties of Si substrates, contact angle measurement is performed. Field-emission scanning electron microscope is then utilized to distinguish the NPs density on the substrates. Finally, Al/Si Schottky barrier diodes with embedded Au NPs are fabricated, and their structural and electrical characteristics are further evaluated using an energy-filtered transmission electron microscope and current-voltage measurements, respectively. The results reveal that the density of NPs is significantly higher on n-type Si substrate and consequently has more pronounced effects on the electrical characteristics of the diode. It is concluded that protonation of Si-OH group on Si surface in low pH is responsible for the immobilization of Au NPs, which eventually contributes to the lowering of barrier height and enhances the electrical characteristics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wettability of Molten Aluminum-Silicon Alloys on Graphite and Surface Tension of Those Alloys at 1273 K (1000 °C)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Weiji; Noji, Takayasu; Teshima, Kenichiro; Shinozaki, Nobuya

2016-06-01

The wettability of molten aluminum-silicon alloys with silicon contents of 0, 6, 10, and 20 mass pct on graphite substrates by changing the placing sequence of aluminum and silicon and the surface tension of those alloys were investigated at 1273 K (1000 °C) using the sessile drop method under vacuum. The results showed that the wetting was not affected by changing the placing sequence of the Al-Si alloys on the graphite substrates. The wettability was not improved significantly upon increasing the Si content from 0 to 10 mass pct, whereas a notable decrease of 22 deg in the contact angle was observed when increasing the Si content from 10 to 20 mass pct. This was attributed to the transformation of the interfacial reaction product from Al4C3 into SiC, provided the addition of Si to Al was sufficient. It was verified that the liquid Al can wet the SiC substrate very well in nature, which might explain why the occurrence of SiC would improve the wettability of the Al-20 mass pct Si alloy on the graphite substrate. The results also showed that the surface tension values of the molten Al-Si alloys decreased monotonously with an increase in Si content, being 875, 801, 770, and 744 mN/m for molten Al, Al-6 mass pct Si, Al-10 mass pct Si, and Al-20 mass pct Si alloys, respectively.

The localization and crystallographic dependence of Si suboxide species at the SiO2/Si interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grunthaner, P. J.; Hecht, M. H.; Grunthaner, F. J.; Johnson, N. M.

1987-01-01

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy has been used to examine the localization and crystallographic dependence of Si(+), Si(2+), and Si(3+) suboxide states at the SiO2/Si interface for (100)and (111)-oriented substrates with gate oxide quality thermal oxides. The Si(+) and Si(2+) states are localized within 6-10 A of the interface while the Si(3+) state extends about 30 A into the bulk SiO2. The distribution of Si(+) and Si(2+) states shows a strong crystallographic dependence with Si(2+) dominating on (100) substrates and Si(+) dominating on (111) substrates. This crystallographic dependence is anticipated from consideration of ideal unreconstructed (100) and (111) Si surfaces, suggesting that (1) the Si(+) and Si(2+) states are localized immediately within the first monolayer at the interface and (2) the first few monolayers of substrate Si atoms are not significantly displaced from the bulk. The total number of suboxide states observed at the SiO2/Si interface corresponds to 94 and 83 percent of a monolayer for these (100) and (111) substrates, respectively.

Rapid Biochemical Mixture Screening by Three-Dimensional Patterned Multifunctional Substrate with Ultra-Thin Layer Chromatography (UTLC) and Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS).

PubMed

Lee, Bi-Shen; Lin, Pi-Chen; Lin, Ding-Zheng; Yen, Ta-Jen

2018-01-11

We present a three-dimensional patterned (3DP) multifunctional substrate with the functions of ultra-thin layer chromatography (UTLC) and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which simultaneously enables mixture separation, target localization and label-free detection. This multifunctional substrate is comprised of a 3DP silicon nanowires array (3DP-SiNWA), decorated with silver nano-dendrites (AgNDs) atop. The 3DP-SiNWA is fabricated by a facile photolithographic process and low-cost metal assisted chemical etching (MaCE) process. Then, the AgNDs are decorated onto 3DP-SiNWA by a wet chemical reduction process, obtaining 3DP-AgNDs@SiNWA multifunctional substrates. With various patterns designed on the substrates, the signal intensity could be maximized by the excellent confinement and concentrated effects of patterns. By using this 3DP-AgNDs@SiNWA substrate to scrutinize the mixture of two visible dyes, the individual target could be recognized and further boosted the Raman signal of target 15.42 times comparing to the un-patterned AgNDs@SiNWA substrate. Therefore, such a three-dimensional patterned multifunctional substrate empowers rapid mixture screening, and can be readily employed in practical applications for biochemical assays, food safety and other fields.

Mechanism of bonding and debonding using surface activated bonding method with Si intermediate layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Kai; Fujino, Masahisa; Matsumoto, Yoshiie; Suga, Tadatomo

2018-04-01

Techniques of handling thin and fragile substrates in a high-temperature process are highly required for the fabrication of semiconductor devices including thin film transistors (TFTs). In our previous study, we proposed applying the surface activated bonding (SAB) method using Si intermediate layers to the bonding and debonding of glass substrates. The SAB method has successfully bonded glass substrates at room temperature, and the substrates have been debonded after heating at 450 °C, in which TFTs are fabricated on thin glass substrates for LC display devices. In this study, we conducted the bonding and debonding of Si and glass in order to understand the mechanism in the proposed process. Si substrates are also successfully bonded to glass substrates at room temperature and debonded after heating at 450 °C using the proposed bonding process. By the composition analysis of bonding interfaces, it is clarified that the absorbed water on the glass forms interfacial voids and cause the decrease in bond strength.

Increased size selectivity of Si quantum dots on SiC at low substrate temperatures: An ion-assisted self-organization approach

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

Seo, D. H.; Das Arulsamy, A.; Rider, A. E.

A simple, effective, and innovative approach based on ion-assisted self-organization is proposed to synthesize size-selected Si quantum dots (QDs) on SiC substrates at low substrate temperatures. Using hybrid numerical simulations, the formation of Si QDs through a self-organization approach is investigated by taking into account two distinct cases of Si QD formation using the ionization energy approximation theory, which considers ionized in-fluxes containing Si{sup 3+} and Si{sup 1+} ions in the presence of a microscopic nonuniform electric field induced by a variable surface bias. The results show that the highest percentage of the surface coverage by 1 and 2 nmmore » size-selected QDs was achieved using a bias of -20 V and ions in the lowest charge state, namely, Si{sup 1+} ions in a low substrate temperature range (227-327 deg. C). As low substrate temperatures ({<=}500 deg. C) are desirable from a technological point of view, because (i) low-temperature deposition techniques are compatible with current thin-film Si-based solar cell fabrication and (ii) high processing temperatures can frequently cause damage to other components in electronic devices and destroy the tandem structure of Si QD-based third-generation solar cells, our results are highly relevant to the development of the third-generation all-Si tandem photovoltaic solar cells.« less

Increased size selectivity of Si quantum dots on SiC at low substrate temperatures: An ion-assisted self-organization approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, D. H.; Rider, A. E.; Das Arulsamy, A.; Levchenko, I.; Ostrikov, K.

2010-01-01

A simple, effective, and innovative approach based on ion-assisted self-organization is proposed to synthesize size-selected Si quantum dots (QDs) on SiC substrates at low substrate temperatures. Using hybrid numerical simulations, the formation of Si QDs through a self-organization approach is investigated by taking into account two distinct cases of Si QD formation using the ionization energy approximation theory, which considers ionized in-fluxes containing Si3+ and Si1+ ions in the presence of a microscopic nonuniform electric field induced by a variable surface bias. The results show that the highest percentage of the surface coverage by 1 and 2 nm size-selected QDs was achieved using a bias of -20 V and ions in the lowest charge state, namely, Si1+ ions in a low substrate temperature range (227-327 °C). As low substrate temperatures (≤500 °C) are desirable from a technological point of view, because (i) low-temperature deposition techniques are compatible with current thin-film Si-based solar cell fabrication and (ii) high processing temperatures can frequently cause damage to other components in electronic devices and destroy the tandem structure of Si QD-based third-generation solar cells, our results are highly relevant to the development of the third-generation all-Si tandem photovoltaic solar cells.

Theoretical Studies about Adsorption on Silicon Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yan; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Zhu, Xiao Yan; Duan, He; Zhou, Xiao Hao; Lu, Wei

In this review paper, we address the important research topic of adsorption on the silicon surface. The deposition of single Si ad-species (adatom and ad-dimer) on the p(2×2) reconstructed Si(100) surface has been simulated by the empirical tight-binding method. Using the clean and defective Si surfaces as the deposition substrates, the deposition energies are mapped out around the clean surface, dimer vacancies, steps and kink structures. The binding sites, saddle points and several possible diffusion paths are obtained from the calculated energy. With further analysis of the deposition and diffusion behaviors, the influences of the surface defects can be found. Then, by adopting the first-principle calculations, the adsorptions of the II-VI group elements on the clean and As-passivated Si(211) substrates have been calculated as the example of adsorption on the high-miller-index Si surface.

Interface effects in the dissolution of silicon into thin gold films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sankur, H.; Mccaldin, J. O.

1975-01-01

The dissolution of crystalline Si and amorphous Si substrates into thin films of evaporated Au was studied with an electron microprobe and scanning electron microscopy. The dissolution pattern was found to be nonuniform along the plane of the surface and dependent on the crystalline orientation of the Si substrate. The dissolution is greatly facilitated when a very thin layer of Pd is evaporated between the Si substrate and the Au film.

Auger electron diffraction study of the initial stage of Ge heteroepitaxy on Si(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, M.; Abukawa, T.; Yeom, H. W.; Yamada, M.; Suzuki, S.; Sato, S.; Kono, S.

1994-12-01

The initial stage of pure and surfactant (Sb)-assisted Ge growth on a Si(001) surface has been studied by Auger electron diffraction (AED) and X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD). A single-domain Si(001)2 × 1 substrate was used to avoid the ambiguity arising from the usual double-domain substrate. For the pure Ge growth, 1 monolayer of Ge was deposited onto the room temperature substrate followed by annealing at 350°C-600°C, which appeared to have (1 × 2) periodicity by LEED. Ge LMM AED patterns were measured to find that a substantial amount of Ge atoms diffuse to the bulk Si positions up to the fourth layer at least. For the Sb-assisted Ge growth, a Sb(1 × 2)/Si(001) surface was first prepared and Sb 3d XPD patterns were measured to find that Sb forms dimers on the substrate. 1 ML of Ge was deposited onto the Sb(1 × 2)/Si(001) surface and then the surface was annealed at 600°C. Ge LMM AED and Sb 3d XPD patterns measured for this surface showed that surfactant Sb atoms are indeed present on the first layer forming dimers and that Ge atoms are present mainly on the second layer with a substantial amount of Ge diffused into the third and fourth layers.

Effects of Additives on Electrochemical Growth of Cu Film on Co/SiO2/Si Substrate by Alternating Underpotential Deposition of Pb and Surface-Limited Redox Replacement by Cu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, J. S.; Lin, L. Y.; Wu, C. L.; Cheng, Y. L.; Chen, G. S.

2017-11-01

The effects of additives to an acidic electrolyte for electrochemical deposition of copper film to prevent corrosion of the Co/SiO2/Si substrate have been investigated. A sacrificial Pb layer was formed by underpotential deposition (UPD), then a Cu layer was prepared using surface-limited redox replacement (SLRR) to exchange the UPD-Pb layer in an acidic copper electrolyte with trisodium citrate, sodium perchlorate, and ethylenediamine as additives. The additives significantly affected the replacement of UPD-Pb by Cu and prevented galvanic corrosion of the Co/SiO2/Si substrate in the acidic Cu electrolyte. The results showed that both sodium perchlorate and ethylenediamine reduced the corrosion of the Co substrate and resulted in Cu film with low electrical resistivity. However, residual Pb was present in the Cu film when using trisodium citrate, as the citrate ions slowed copper displacement. The proposed sequential UPD-Pb and SLRR-Cu growth method may enable electrochemical deposition for fabrication of Cu interconnects on Co substrate from acidic Cu electrolyte.

Selective Binding, Self-Assembly and Nanopatterning of the Creutz-Taube Ion on Surfaces

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuliang; Lieberman, Marya; Hang, Qingling; Bernstein, Gary

2009-01-01

The surface attachment properties of the Creutz-Taube ion, i.e., [(NH3)5Ru(pyrazine)Ru(NH3)5]5+, on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic types of surfaces were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that the Creutz-Taube ions only bound to hydrophilic surfaces, such as SiO2 and –OH terminated organic SAMs on gold substrates. No attachment of the ions on hydrophobic surfaces such as –CH3 terminated organic SAMs and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) thin films covered gold or SiO2 substrates was observed. Further ellipsometric, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and time-dependent XPS studies suggested that the attached cations could form an inorganic analog of the self-assembled monolayer on SiO2 substrate with a “lying-down” orientation. The strong electrostatic interaction between the highly charged cations and the anionic SiO2 surface was believed to account for these observations. Based on its selective binding property, patterning of wide (∼200 nm) and narrow (∼35 nm) lines of the Creutz-Taube ions on SiO2 surface were demonstrated through PMMA electron resist masks written by electron beam lithography (EBL). PMID:19333420

Two-dimensional Si nanosheets with local hexagonal structure on a MoS(2) surface.

PubMed

Chiappe, Daniele; Scalise, Emilio; Cinquanta, Eugenio; Grazianetti, Carlo; van den Broek, Bas; Fanciulli, Marco; Houssa, Michel; Molle, Alessandro

2014-04-02

The structural and electronic properties of a Si nanosheet (NS) grown onto a MoS2 substrate by means of molecular beam epitaxy are assessed. Epitaxially grown Si is shown to adapt to the trigonal prismatic surface lattice of MoS2 by forming two-dimensional nanodomains. The Si layer structure is distinguished from the underlying MoS2 surface structure. The local electronic properties of the Si nanosheet are dictated by the atomistic arrangement of the layer and unlike the MoS2 hosting substrate they are qualified by a gap-less density of states. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrical properties and surface morphology of electron beam evaporated p-type silicon thin films on polyethylene terephthalate for solar cells applications

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

Ang, P. C.; Ibrahim, K.; Pakhuruddin, M. Z.

2015-04-24

One way to realize low-cost thin film silicon (Si) solar cells fabrication is by depositing the films with high-deposition rate and manufacturing-compatible electron beam (e-beam) evaporation onto inexpensive foreign substrates such as glass or plastic. Most of the ongoing research is reported on e-beam evaporation of Si films on glass substrates to make polycrystalline solar cells but works combining both e-beam evaporation and plastic substrates are still scarce in the literature. This paper studies electrical properties and surface morphology of 1 µm electron beam evaporated Al-doped p-type silicon thin films on textured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate for application as anmore » absorber layer in solar cells. In this work, Si thin films with different doping concentrations (including an undoped reference) are prepared by e-beam evaporation. Energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) showed that the Si films are uniformly doped by Al dopant atoms. With increased Al/Si ratio, doping concentration increased while both resistivity and carrier mobility of the films showed opposite relationships. Root mean square (RMS) surface roughness increased. Overall, the Al-doped Si film with Al/Si ratio of 2% (doping concentration = 1.57×10{sup 16} atoms/cm{sup 3}) has been found to provide the optimum properties of a p-type absorber layer for fabrication of thin film Si solar cells on PET substrate.« less

Growth kinetics of indium metal atoms on Si(1 1 2) surface

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

Raj, Vidur; Chauhan, Amit Kumar Singh; Gupta, Govind, E-mail: govind@nplindia.org

Graphical abstract: Controlled growth of indium atoms on Si(1 1 2) surface has been carried out systematically and the influence of substrate temperature on the kinetics is analysed under various growth conditions. Temperature induced anomalous layer-to-clusters transformation during thermal desorption has also been reported. - Highlights: • Controlled growth of indium atoms on Si(1 1 2) surface & their thermal stability. • Influence of substrate temperature on the kinetics under various growth conditions. • Temperature induced layer-to-clusters transformation during thermal desorption. - Abstract: The growth kinetics and desorption behavior of indium (In) atoms grown on high index Si(1 1 2)more » surface at different substrate temperatures has been studied. Auger electron spectroscopy analysis revealed that In growth at room temperature (RT) and high substrate temperature (HT) ∼250 °C follows Frank–van der Merve growth mode whereas at temperatures ≥450 °C, In growth evolves through Volmer–Weber growth mode. Thermal desorption studies of RT and 250 °C grown In/Si(1 1 2) systems show temperature induced rearrangement of In atoms over Si(1 1 2) surface leading to clusters to layer transformation. The monolayer and bilayer desorption energies for RT grown In/Si(1 1 2) system are calculated to be 2.5 eV and 1.52 eV, while for HT-250 °C the values are found to be 1.6 eV and 1.3 eV, respectively. This study demonstrates the effect of temperature on growth kinetics as well as on the multilayer/monolayer desorption pathway of In on Si(1 1 2) surface.« less

Dependence of Morphology of SiOx Nanowires on the Supersaturation of Au-Si Alloy Liquid Droplets Formed on the Au-Coated Si Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Han; Li, Ji-Xue; Jin, Ai-Zi; Zhang, Ze

2001-11-01

A thermodynamic theory about the dependence of morphology of SiOx nanowires on the super-saturation of alloy liquid droplets has been proposed on the basis of the vapour-liquid-solid growth mechanism and has been supported experimentally. By changing the Si concentration in the Au-Si liquid droplets formed on the Au-coated Si substrate, firework-, tulip- and bud-shaped SiOx nanowires were synthesized by a thermal evaporation method and distributed concentrically around some void defects in the Si substrate. Voids were formed underneath the surface of the Si substrate during the thermal evaporation at 850°C and resulted in the Si-concentration deficient thus different saturation of Au-Si droplets. Electron microscopy analysis showed that the nanowires had an amorphous structure and were terminated by Au-Si particles.

Surface morphology of erbium silicide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, S. S.; Pai, C. S.; Wu, C. S.; Kuech, T. F.; Liu, B. X.

1982-01-01

The surface of rare-earth silicides (Er, Tb, etc.), formed by the reaction of thin-film metal layers with a silicon substrate, is typically dominated by deep penetrating, regularly shaped pits. These pits may have a detrimental effect on the electronic performance of low Schottky barrier height diodes utilizing such silicides on n-type Si. This study suggests that contamination at the metal-Si or silicide-Si interface is the primary cause of surface pitting. Surface pits may be reduced in density or eliminated entirely through either the use of Si substrate surfaces prepared under ultrahigh vacuum conditions prior to metal deposition and silicide formation or by means of ion irradiation techniques. Silicide layers formed by these techniques possess an almost planar morphology.

Role of surface energy on the morphology and optical properties of GaP micro & nano structures grown on polar and non-polar substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roychowdhury, R.; Kumar, Shailendra; Wadikar, A.; Mukherjee, C.; Rajiv, K.; Sharma, T. K.; Dixit, V. K.

2017-10-01

Role of surface energy on the morphology, crystalline quality, electronic structure and optical properties of GaP layer grown on Si (001), Si (111), Ge (111) and GaAs (001) is investigated. GaP layers are grown on four different substrates under identical growth kinetics by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy. The atomic force microscopy images show that GaP layer completely covers the surface of GaAs substrate. On the other hand, the surfaces of Si (001), Si (111), Ge (111) substrates are partially covered with crystallographically morphed GaP island type micro and nano-structures. Origin of these crystallographically morphed GaP island is explained by the theoretical calculation of surface energy of the layer and corresponding substrates respectively. The nature of GaP island type micro and nano-structures and layers are single crystalline with existence of rotational twins on Si and Ge (111) substrates which is confirmed by the phi, omega and omega/2theta scans of high resolution x-ray diffraction. The electronic valence band offsets between the GaP and substrates have been determined from the valence band spectra of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. The valence electron plasmon of GaP are investigated by studying the energy values of Ga (3d) core level along with loss peaks in the energy dependent photoelectron spectra. The peak observed within the range of 3-6 eV from the Ga (3d) core level in the photoelectron spectra are associated to inter band transitions as their energy values are estimated from the pseudo dielectric function by the spectroscopic ellipsometry.

Very thin, high Ge content Si 0.3Ge 0.7 relaxed buffer grown by MBE on SOI(0 0 1) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myronov, M.; Shiraki, Y.

2007-04-01

Growth procedure and excellent properties of very thin 240 nm thick, 95% relaxed, high Ge content Si 0.3Ge 0.7 buffer grown on SOI(0 0 1) substrate are demonstrated. All epilayers of the newly developed Si 0.3Ge 0.7/SOI(0 0 1) variable-temperature virtual substrate were grown in a single process by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. Surface analysis of grown samples revealed smooth, cross-hatch free surface with low root mean square surface roughness of 0.9 nm and low threading dislocations density of 5×10 4 cm -2.

Growth evolution of AlN films on silicon (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition

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

Wang, Haiyan; Wang, Wenliang; Yang, Weijia

2015-05-14

AlN films with various thicknesses have been grown on Si(111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The surface morphology and structural property of the as-grown AlN films have been investigated carefully to comprehensively explore the epitaxial behavior. The ∼2 nm-thick AlN film initially grown on Si substrate exhibits an atomically flat surface with a root-mean-square surface roughness of 0.23 nm. As the thickness increases, AlN grains gradually grow larger, causing a relatively rough surface. The surface morphology of ∼120 nm-thick AlN film indicates that AlN islands coalesce together and eventually form AlN layers. The decreasing growth rate from 240 to 180 nm/h is amore » direct evidence that the growth mode of AlN films grown on Si substrates by PLD changes from the islands growth to the layer growth. The evolution of AlN films throughout the growth is studied deeply, and its corresponding growth mechanism is hence proposed. These results are instructional for the growth of high-quality nitride films on Si substrates by PLD, and of great interest for the fabrication of AlN-based devices.« less

Development of a process for producing ribbon shaped filaments. [production of silicon carbide filaments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Debolt, H. E.; Krukonis, V. J.

1973-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) ribbon filaments were produced on a carbon ribbon substrate, about 1500 microns (60 mils) wide and 100 microns (4 mils) thick in lengths up to 2 meters (6 ft), and with tensile strengths up to 142 KN/cm sq (206 Ksi). During the course of the study, ribbon filaments of boron were also produced on the carbon ribbon substrate; the boron ribbon produced was extremely fragile. The tensile strength of the SiC ribbon was limited by large growths or flaws caused by anomalies at the substrate surface; these anomalies were either foreign dirt or substrate imperfections or both. Related work carried out on round 100 micron (4 mils) diameter SiC filaments on a 33 micron (1.3 mil) diameter, very smooth carbon monofilament substrate has shown that tensile strengths as high as 551 KN/cm sq (800 Ksi) are obtainable with the SiC-carbon round substrate combination, and indicates that if the ribbon substrate surface and ribbon deposition process can be improved similar strengths can be realizable. Cost analysis shows that 100 micron x 5-10 micron SiC ribbon can be very low cost reinforcement material.

Influences of ultra-thin Ti seed layers on the dewetting phenomenon of Au films deposited on Si oxide substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamiko, Masao; Kim, So-Mang; Jeong, Young-Seok; Ha, Jae-Ho; Koo, Sang-Mo; Ha, Jae-Geun

2018-05-01

The influences of a Ti seed layer (1 nm) on the dewetting phenomenon of Au films (5 nm) grown onto amorphous SiO2 substrates have been studied and compared. Atomic force microscopy results indicated that the introduction of Ti between the substrate and Au promoted the dewetting phenomenon. X-ray diffraction measurements suggested that the initial deposition of Ti promoted crystallinity of Au. A series of Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed that Ti transformed to a Ti oxide layer by reduction of the amorphous SiO2 substrate surface, and that the Ti seed layer remained on the substrate, without going through the dewetting process during annealing. We concluded that the enhancement of Au dewetting and the improvement in crystallinity of Au by the insertion of Ti could be attributed to the fact that Au location was changed from the surface of the amorphous SiO2 substrate to that of the Ti oxide layer.

The effect of Ga pre-deposition on Si (111) surface for InAs nanowire selective area hetero-epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ziyang; Merckling, Clement; Rooyackers, Rita; Franquet, Alexis; Richard, Olivier; Bender, Hugo; Vila, María; Rubio-Zuazo, Juan; Castro, Germán R.; Collaert, Nadine; Thean, Aaron; Vandervorst, Wilfried; Heyns, Marc

2018-04-01

Vertical InAs nanowires (NWs) grown on a Si substrate are promising building-blocks for next generation vertical gate-all-around transistor fabrication. We investigate the initial stage of InAs NW selective area epitaxy (SAE) on a patterned Si (111) substrate with a focus on the interfacial structures. The direct epitaxy of InAs NWs on a clean Si (111) surface is found to be challenging. The yield of vertical InAs NWs is low, as the SAE is accompanied by high proportions of empty holes, inclined NWs, and irregular blocks. In contrast, it is improved when the NW contains gallium, and the yield of vertical InxGa1-xAs NWs increased with higher Ga content. Meanwhile, unintentional Ga surface contamination on a patterned Si substrate induces high yield vertical InAs NW SAE, which is attributed to a GaAs-like seeding layer formed at the InAs/Si interface. The role of Ga played in the III-V NW nucleation on Si is further discussed. It stabilizes the B-polarity on a non-polar Si (111) surface and enhances the nucleation. Therefore, gallium incorporation on a Si surface is identified as an important enabler for vertical InAs NW growth. A new method for high yield (>99%) vertical InAs NW SAE on Si using an InGaAs nucleation layer is proposed based on this study.

A reliable method to grow vertically-aligned silicon nanowires by a novel ramp-cooling process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Tzuen-Wei; Hong, Franklin Chau-Nan

2012-08-01

We have grown silicon nanowires (SiNWs) on Si (1 1 1) substrates by gold-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process using tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4) in a hot-wall chemical vapor deposition reactor. Even under the optimized conditions including H2 annealing to reduce the surface native oxide, epitaxial SiNWs of 150-200 nm in diameter often grew along all four <1 1 1> family directions with one direction vertical and three others inclined to the surface. Therefore, the growth of high degree ordered SiNW arrays along [1 1 1] only was attempted on Au-coated Si (1 1 1) by a ramp-cooling process utilizing the liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) mechanism. The Au-coated Si substrate was first annealed in H2 at 650 °C to form Au-Si alloy nanoparticles, and then ramp-cooled at a controlled rate to precipitate epitaxial Si seeds on the substrate based on LPE mechanism. The substrate was further heated in SiCl4/H2 to 850 °C for the VLS growths of SiNWs on the Si seeds. Thus, almost 100% vertically-aligned SiNWs along [1 1 1] only could be reproducibly grown on Si (1 1 1), without using a template or patterning the metal catalyst. The high-density vertically-aligned SiNWs have good potentials for solar cells and nano-devices.

Tunable Nanoantennas for Surface Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy by Colloidal Lithography and Post-Fabrication Etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kai; Duy Dao, Thang; Nagao, Tadaaki

2017-03-01

We fabricated large-area metallic (Al and Au) nanoantenna arrays on Si substrates using cost-effective colloidal lithography with different micrometer-sized polystyrene spheres. Variation of the sphere size leads to tunable plasmon resonances in the middle infrared (MIR) range. The enhanced near-fields allow us to detect the surface phonon polaritons in the natural SiO2 thin layers. We demonstrated further tuning capability of the resonances by employing dry etching of the Si substrates with the nanoantennas acting as the etching masks. The effective refractive index of the nanoantenna surroundings is efficiently decreased giving rise to blueshifts of the resonances. In addition, partial removal of the Si substrates elevates the nanoantennas from the high-refractive-index substrates making more enhanced near-fields accessible for molecular sensing applications as demonstrated here with surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy for a thin polymer film. We also directly compared the plasmonic enhancement from the Al and Au nanoantenna arrays.

Propagation of misfit dislocations from buffer/Si interface into Si

DOEpatents

Liliental-Weber, Zuzanna [El Sobrante, CA; Maltez, Rogerio Luis [Porto Alegre, BR; Morkoc, Hadis [Richmond, VA; Xie, Jinqiao [Raleigh, VA

2011-08-30

Misfit dislocations are redirected from the buffer/Si interface and propagated to the Si substrate due to the formation of bubbles in the substrate. The buffer layer growth process is generally a thermal process that also accomplishes annealing of the Si substrate so that bubbles of the implanted ion species are formed in the Si at an appropriate distance from the buffer/Si interface so that the bubbles will not migrate to the Si surface during annealing, but are close enough to the interface so that a strain field around the bubbles will be sensed by dislocations at the buffer/Si interface and dislocations are attracted by the strain field caused by the bubbles and move into the Si substrate instead of into the buffer epi-layer. Fabrication of improved integrated devices based on GaN and Si, such as continuous wave (CW) lasers and light emitting diodes, at reduced cost is thereby enabled.

Growth of Defect-Free 3C-SiC on 4H- and 6H-SiC Mesas Using Step-Free Surface Heteroepitaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.; Powell, J. Anthony; Trunek, Andrew J.; Huang, Xianrong R.; Dudley, Michael

2001-01-01

A new growth process, herein named step-free surface heteroepitaxy, has achieved 3CSiC films completely free of double positioning boundaries and stacking faults on 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC substrate mesas. The process is based upon the initial 2-dimensional nucleation and lateral expansion of a single island of 3C-SiC on a 4H- or 6H-SiC mesa surface that is completely free of bilayer surface steps. Our experimental results indicate that substrate-epilayer in-plane lattice mismatch (delta a/a = 0.0854% for 3C/4H) is at least partially relieved parallel to the interface in the initial bilayers of the heterofilm, producing an at least partially relaxed 3C-SiC film without dislocations that undesirably thread through the thickness of the epilayer. This result should enable realization of improved 3C-SiC devices.

Contact Angles and Surface Tension of Germanium-Silicon Melts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Croell, A.; Kaiser, N.; Cobb, S.; Szofran, F. R.; Volz, M.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Precise knowledge of material parameters is more and more important for improving crystal growth processes. Two important parameters are the contact (wetting) angle and the surface tension, determining meniscus shapes and surface-tension driven flows in a variety of methods (Czochralski, EFG, floating-zone, detached Bridgman growth). The sessile drop technique allows the measurement of both parameters simultaneously and has been used to measure the contact angles and the surface tension of Ge(1-x)Si(x) (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1.3) alloys on various substrate materials. Fused quartz, Sapphire, glassy carbon, graphite, SiC, carbon-based aerogel, pyrolytic boron nitride (pBN), AIN, Si3N4, and polycrystalline CVD diamond were used as substrate materials. In addition, the effect of different cleaning procedures and surface treatments on the wetting behavior were investigated. Measurements were performed both under dynamic vacuum and gas atmospheres (argon or forming gas), with temperatures up to 1100 C. In some experiments, the sample was processed for longer times, up to a week, to investigate any changes of the contact angle and/or surface tension due to slow reactions with the substrate. For pure Ge, stable contact angles were found for carbon-based substrates and for pBN, for Ge(1-x)Si(x) only for pBN. The highest wetting angles were found for pBN substrates with angles around 170deg. For the surface tension of Ge, the most reliable values resulted in gamma(T) = (591- 0.077 (T-T(sub m)) 10(exp -3)N/m. The temperature dependence of the surface tension showed similar values for Ge(1-x)Si(x), around -0.08 x 10(exp -3)N/m K, and a compositional dependence of 2.2 x 10(exp -3)N/m at%Si.

Growth of antiphase-domain-free GaP on Si substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using an in situ AsH{sub 3} surface preparation

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

Warren, Emily L., E-mail: emily.warren@nrel.gov; Kibbler, Alan E.; France, Ryan M.

2015-08-24

Antiphase-domain (APD) free GaP films were grown on Si(100) substrates prepared by annealing under dilute AsH{sub 3} in situ in an MOCVD reactor. LEED and AES surface analysis of Si(100) surfaces prepared by this treatment show that AsH{sub 3} etching quickly removes O and C contaminants at a relatively low temperature (690–740 °C), and creates a single-domain “A-type” As/Si surface reconstruction. The resulting GaP epilayers grown at the same temperature are APD-free, and could thereby serve as templates for direct growth of III-V semiconductors on Si. This single chamber process has a low thermal budget, and can enable heteroepitaxial integration ofmore » III-Vs and Si at an industrial scale.« less

Split of surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles on silicon substrate: a study of dielectric functions.

PubMed

Zhu, S; Chen, T P; Cen, Z H; Goh, E S M; Yu, S F; Liu, Y C; Liu, Y

2010-10-11

The split of surface plasmon resonance of self-assembled gold nanoparticles on Si substrate is observed from the dielectric functions of the nanoparticles. The split plasmon resonances are modeled with two Lorentz oscillators: one oscillator at ~1 eV models the polarization parallel to the substrate while the other at ~2 eV represents the polarization perpendicular to the substrate. Both parallel and perpendicular resonances are red-shifted when the nanoparticle size increases. The red shifts in both resonances are explained by the image charge effect of the Si substrate.

Selective PEGylation of Parylene-C/SiO2 Substrates for Improved Astrocyte Cell Patterning.

PubMed

Raos, B J; Doyle, C S; Simpson, M C; Graham, E S; Unsworth, C P

2018-02-09

Controlling the spatial distribution of glia and neurons in in vitro culture offers the opportunity to study how cellular interactions contribute to large scale network behaviour. A recently developed approach to cell-patterning uses differential adsorption of animal-serum protein on parylene-C and SiO 2 surfaces to enable patterning of neurons and glia. Serum, however, is typically poorly defined and generates reproducibility challenges. Alternative activation methods are highly desirable to enable patterning without relying on animal serum. We take advantage of the innate contrasting surface chemistries of parylene-C and SiO 2 to enable selective bonding of polyethylene glycol SiO 2 surfaces, i.e. PEGylation, rendering them almost completely repulsive to cell adhesion. As the reagents used in the PEGylation protocol are chemically defined, the reproducibility and batch-to-batch variability complications associated with the used of animal serum are avoided. We report that PEGylated parylene-C/SiO 2 substrates achieve a contrast in astrocyte density of 65:1 whereas the standard serum-immersion protocol results in a contrast of 5.6:1. Furthermore, single-cell isolation was significantly improved on PEGylated substrates when astrocytes were grown on close-proximity parylene-C nodes, whereas isolation was limited on serum-activated substrates due tolerance for cell adhesion on serum-adsorbed SiO 2 surfaces.

Controlled formation of GeSi nanostructures on pillar-patterned Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Tong; Zeng, Ceng; Fan, Yongliang; Jiang, Zuimin; Xia, Jinsong; Zhong, Zhenyang; Fudan University Team; Huazhong University of Science; Technology Collaboration

2015-03-01

GeSi quantum nanostructures (QNs) have potential applications in optoelectronic devices due to their unique properties and compatibility with the sophisticated Si technology. However, the disadvantages of poor quantum efficiency of the GeSi QNs on flat Si (001) substrates hinder their optoelectronic applications. Today, numerous growth strategies have been proposed to control the formation of GeSi QNs in hope of improving the optoelectronic performances. One of the ways is to fabricate GeSi QNs on patterned substrates, where the GeSi QNs can be greatly manipulated in aspects of size, shape, composition, orientation and arrangement. Here, self-assembled GeSi QNs on periodic Si (001) sub-micro pillars (SPMs) are systematically studied. By controlling the growth conditions and the diameters of the SPMs, different GeSi QNs, including circularly arranged quantum dots (QDs), quantum rings (QRs), and quantum dot molecules (QDMs), are realized at the top edge of SMPs. Meanwhile, fourfold symmetric GeSi QDMs can be also obtained at the base edges of the SPMs. The promising features of self-assembled GeSi QNs are explained in terms of the surface chemical potential, which disclose the critical effect of surface morphology on the diffusion and the aggregation of Ge adatoms.

Scanning electron microscopy of the surfaces of ion implanted SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malherbe, Johan B.; van der Berg, N. G.; Kuhudzai, R. J.; Hlatshwayo, T. T.; Thabethe, T. T.; Odutemowo, O. S.; Theron, C. C.; Friedland, E.; Botha, A. J.; Wendler, E.

2015-07-01

This paper gives a brief review of radiation damage caused by particle (ions and neutrons) bombardment in SiC at different temperatures, and its annealing, with an expanded discussion on the effects occurring on the surface. The surface effects were observed using SEM (scanning electron microscopy) with an in-lens detector and EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction). Two substrates were used, viz. single crystalline 6H-SiC wafers and polycrystalline SiC, where the majority of the crystallites were 3C-SiC. The surface modification of the SiC samples by 360 keV ion bombardment was studied at temperatures below (i.e. room temperature), just at (i.e. 350 °C), or above (i.e. 600 °C) the critical temperature for amorphization of SiC. For bombardment at a temperature at about the critical temperature an extra step, viz. post-bombardment annealing, was needed to ascertain the microstructure of bombarded layer. Another aspect investigated was the effect of annealing of samples with an ion bombardment-induced amorphous layer on a 6H-SiC substrate. SEM could detect that this layer started to crystalize at 900 °C. The resulting topography exhibited a dependence on the ion species. EBSD showed that the crystallites forming in the amorphized layer were 3C-SiC and not 6H-SiC as the substrate. The investigations also pointed out the behaviour of the epitaxial regrowth of the amorphous layer from the 6H-SiC interface.

Surface Control of Actuated Hybrid Space Mirrors

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

precision Nanolaminate foil facesheet and Silicon Carbide ( SiC ) substrate embedded with electroactive ceramic actuators. Wavefront sensors are used to...integrate precision Nanolaminate foil facesheet with Silicon Carbide ( SiC ) substrate equipped with embedded electroactive ceramic actuators...IAC-10.C2.5.8 SURFACE CONTROL OF ACTUATED HYBRID SPACE MIRRORS Brij. N. Agrawal Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, 93943, agrawal

Surface modification of silicon wafer by grafting zwitterionic polymers to improve its antifouling property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yunlong; Chen, Changlin; Xu, Heng; Lei, Kun; Xu, Guanzhe; Zhao, Li; Lang, Meidong

2017-10-01

Silicon (111) wafer was modified by triethoxyvinylsilane containing double bond as an intermedium, and then P4VP (polymer 4-vinyl pyridine) brush was "grafted" onto the surface of silicon wafer containing reactive double bonds by adopting the "grafting from" way and Si-P4VP substrate (silicon wafer grafted by P4VP) was obtained. Finally, P4VP brush of Si-P4VP substrate was modified by 1,3-propanesulfonate fully to obtain P4VP-psl brush (zwitterionic polypyridinium salt) and the functional Si-P4VP-psl substrate (silicon wafer grafted by zwitterionic polypyridinium salt based on polymer 4-vinyl pyridine) was obtained successfully. The antifouling property of the silicon wafer, the Si-P4VP substrate and the Si-P4VP-psl substrate was investigated by using bovine serum albumin, mononuclear macrophages (RAW 264.7) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) ATTC25922 as model bacterium. The results showed that compared with the blank sample-silicon wafer, the Si-P4VP-psl substrate had excellent anti-adhesion ability against bovine serum albumin, cells and bacterium, due to zwitterionic P4VP-psl brush (polymer 4-vinyl pyridine salt) having special functionality like antifouling ability on biomaterial field.

Chemical modifications of Au/SiO2 template substrates for patterned biofunctional surfaces.

PubMed

Briand, Elisabeth; Humblot, Vincent; Landoulsi, Jessem; Petronis, Sarunas; Pradier, Claire-Marie; Kasemo, Bengt; Svedhem, Sofia

2011-01-18

The aim of this work was to create patterned surfaces for localized and specific biochemical recognition. For this purpose, we have developed a protocol for orthogonal and material-selective surface modifications of microfabricated patterned surfaces composed of SiO(2) areas (100 μm diameter) surrounded by Au. The SiO(2) spots were chemically modified by a sequence of reactions (silanization using an amine-terminated silane (APTES), followed by amine coupling of a biotin analogue and biospecific recognition) to achieve efficient immobilization of streptavidin in a functional form. The surrounding Au was rendered inert to protein adsorption by modification by HS(CH(2))(10)CONH(CH(2))(2)(OCH(2)CH(2))(7)OH (thiol-OEG). The surface modification protocol was developed by testing separately homogeneous SiO(2) and Au surfaces, to obtain the two following results: (i) SiO(2) surfaces which allowed the grafting of streptavidin, and subsequent immobilization of biotinylated antibodies, and (ii) Au surfaces showing almost no affinity for the same streptavidin and antibody solutions. The surface interactions were monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), and chemical analyses were performed by polarization modulation-reflexion absorption infrared spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to assess the validity of the initial orthogonal assembly of APTES and thiol-OEG. Eventually, microscopy imaging of the modified Au/SiO(2) patterned substrates validated the specific binding of streptavidin on the SiO(2)/APTES areas, as well as the subsequent binding of biotinylated anti-rIgG and further detection of fluorescent rIgG on the functionalized SiO(2) areas. These results demonstrate a successful protocol for the preparation of patterned biofunctional surfaces, based on microfabricated Au/SiO(2) templates and supported by careful surface analysis. The strong immobilization of the biomolecules resulting from the described protocol is advantageous in particular for micropatterned substrates for cell-surface interactions.

Fabrication and properties of ZnO/GaN heterostructure nanocolumnar thin film on Si (111) substrate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Zinc oxide thin films have been obtained on bare and GaN buffer layer decorated Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. GaN buffer layer was achieved by a two-step method. The structure, surface morphology, composition, and optical properties of these thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectra, and photoluminiscence (PL) spectra, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the flower-like grains were presented on the surface of ZnO thin films grown on GaN/Si (111) substrate, while the ZnO thin films grown on Si (111) substrate show the morphology of inclination column. PL spectrum reveals that the ultraviolet emission efficiency of ZnO thin film on GaN buffer layer is high, and the defect emission of ZnO thin film derived from Zni and Vo is low. The results demonstrate that the existence of GaN buffer layer can greatly improve the ZnO thin film on the Si (111) substrate by PLD techniques. PMID:23448090

Fabrication and properties of ZnO/GaN heterostructure nanocolumnar thin film on Si (111) substrate.

PubMed

Wei, Xianqi; Zhao, Ranran; Shao, Minghui; Xu, Xijin; Huang, Jinzhao

2013-02-28

Zinc oxide thin films have been obtained on bare and GaN buffer layer decorated Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. GaN buffer layer was achieved by a two-step method. The structure, surface morphology, composition, and optical properties of these thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectra, and photoluminiscence (PL) spectra, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the flower-like grains were presented on the surface of ZnO thin films grown on GaN/Si (111) substrate, while the ZnO thin films grown on Si (111) substrate show the morphology of inclination column. PL spectrum reveals that the ultraviolet emission efficiency of ZnO thin film on GaN buffer layer is high, and the defect emission of ZnO thin film derived from Zni and Vo is low. The results demonstrate that the existence of GaN buffer layer can greatly improve the ZnO thin film on the Si (111) substrate by PLD techniques.

Model for interface formation and the resulting electrical properties for barium-strontium-titanate films on silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, A. H.; Suvorova, N. A.; Irene, E. A.; Auciello, O.; Schultz, J. A.

2003-04-01

The interface formation between sputtered barium strontium titanate (BST) films and both Si and SiO2 substrate surfaces has been followed using real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry and the mass spectrometry of recoiled ions. In both substrates an intermixed interface layer was observed and subcutaneous Si oxidation occurred. A model for the interface formation is proposed in which the interface includes an SiO2 film on Si, and an intermixed film on which is pure BST. During the deposition of BST the interfaces films were observed to change in time. Electrical characterization of the resulting metal-BST interface capacitors indicates that those samples with SiO2 on the Si surface had the best electrical characteristics.

Dramatically enhanced self-assembly of GeSi quantum dots with superior photoluminescence induced by the substrate misorientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Tong; Zhong, Zhenyang

2014-02-01

A dramatically enhanced self-assembly of GeSi quantum dots (QDs) is disclosed on slightly miscut Si (001) substrates, leading to extremely dense QDs and even a growth mode transition. The inherent mechanism is addressed in combination of the thermodynamics and the growth kinetics both affected by steps on the vicinal surface. Moreover, temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra from dense GeSi QDs on the miscut substrate demonstrate a rather strong peak persistent up to 300 K, which is attributed to the well confinement of excitons in the dense GeSi QDs due to the absence of the wetting layer on the miscut substrate.

Preparation and characterization of TiO2 and Si-doped octacalcium phosphate composite coatings on zirconia ceramics (Y-TZP) for dental implant applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Lei; Liu, Jingxiao; Shi, Fei; Jiang, Yanyan; Liu, Guishan

2014-01-01

In order to prevent the low temperature degradation and improve the bioactivity of zirconia ceramic implants, TiO2 and Si-doped octacalcium phosphate composite coating was prepared on zirconia substrate. The preventive effect on low temperature degradation and surface morphology of the TiO2 layer were studied. Meanwhile, the structure and property changes of the bioactive coating after doping Si were discussed. The results indicate that the dense TiO2 layer, in spite of some microcracks, inhibited the direct contact of the water vapor with the sample's surface and thus prevented the low temperature degradation of zirconia substrates. The acceleration aging test shows that the ratio of the monoclinic phase transition decreased from 10% for the original zirconia substrate to 4% for the TiO2-coated substrate. As to the Si-doped octacalcium phosphate coating prepared by biomimetic method, the main phase composition of the coating was octacalcium phosphate. The morphology of the coating was lamellar-like, and the surface was uniform and continuous with no cracks being observed. It is suggested that Si was added into the coating both through substituting for PO43- and doping as NaSiO3.

Passivation of InGaAs(001)-(2 × 4) by Self-Limiting Chemical Vapor Deposition of a Silicon Hydride Control Layer.

PubMed

Edmonds, Mary; Kent, Tyler; Chagarov, Evgueni; Sardashti, Kasra; Droopad, Ravi; Chang, Mei; Kachian, Jessica; Park, Jun Hong; Kummel, Andrew

2015-07-08

A saturated Si-Hx seed layer for gate oxide or contact conductor ALD has been deposited via two separate self-limiting and saturating CVD processes on InGaAs(001)-(2 × 4) at substrate temperatures of 250 and 350 °C. For the first self-limiting process, a single silicon precursor, Si3H8, was dosed at a substrate temperature of 250 °C, and XPS results show the deposited silicon hydride layer saturated at about 4 monolayers of silicon coverage with hydrogen termination. STS results show the surface Fermi level remains unpinned following the deposition of the saturated silicon hydride layer, indicating the InGaAs surface dangling bonds are electrically passivated by Si-Hx. For the second self-limiting process, Si2Cl6 was dosed at a substrate temperature of 350 °C, and XPS results show the deposited silicon chloride layer saturated at about 2.5 monolayers of silicon coverage with chlorine termination. Atomic hydrogen produced by a thermal gas cracker was subsequently dosed at 350 °C to remove the Si-Cl termination by replacing with Si-H termination as confirmed by XPS, and STS results confirm the saturated Si-Hx bilayer leaves the InGaAs(001)-(2 × 4) surface Fermi level unpinned. Density function theory modeling of silicon hydride surface passivation shows an Si-Hx monolayer can remove all the dangling bonds and leave a charge balanced surface on InGaAs.

SiN sub x passivation of silicon surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, L. C.

1986-01-01

The objectives were to perform surface characterization of high efficiency n+/p and p+/n silicon cells, to relate surface density to substrate dopant concentration, and to identify dominant current loss mechanisms in high efficiency cells. The approach was to measure density of states on homogeneously doped substrates with high frequency C-V and Al/SiN sub x/Si structures; to investigate density of states and photoresponse of high efficiency N+/P and P+/N cells; and to conduct I-V-T studies to identify current loss nechanisms in high efficiency cells. Results are given in tables and graphs.

Formation of Me-O-Si covalent bonds at the interface between polysilazane and stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amouzou, Dodji; Fourdrinier, Lionel; Maseri, Fabrizio; Sporken, Robert

2014-11-01

In earlier works, we demonstrated the potential of polysilazane (PSZ) coatings for a use as insulating layers in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells prepared on steels substrates and showed a good adhesion between PSZ coatings and both AISI316 and AISI430 steels. In the present paper, spectroscopic techniques are used to elucidate the reason of such adhesion. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate surfaces for the two steel substrates and showed the presence of metal oxides and metal hydroxides at the top surface. XPS has been also used to probe interfaces between substrates and PSZ, and metallosiloxane (Me-O-Si) covalent bonds have been detected. These results were confirmed by Infra-Red Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS) analyses since vibrations related to Cr-O-Si and Fe-O-Si compounds were detected. Thus, the good adhesion between steel substrates and PSZ coatings was explained by covalent bonding through chemical reactions between PSZ precursors and hydroxide functional groups present on top surface of the two types of steel. Based on these results, an adhesion mechanism between steel substrates and PSZ coatings is proposed.

Low temperature thermal ALD of a SiNx interfacial diffusion barrier and interface passivation layer on SixGe1- x(001) and SixGe1- x(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmonds, Mary; Sardashti, Kasra; Wolf, Steven; Chagarov, Evgueni; Clemons, Max; Kent, Tyler; Park, Jun Hong; Tang, Kechao; McIntyre, Paul C.; Yoshida, Naomi; Dong, Lin; Holmes, Russell; Alvarez, Daniel; Kummel, Andrew C.

2017-02-01

Atomic layer deposition of a silicon rich SiNx layer on Si0.7Ge0.3(001), Si0.5Ge0.5(001), and Si0.5Ge0.5(110) surfaces has been achieved by sequential pulsing of Si2Cl6 and N2H4 precursors at a substrate temperature of 285 °C. XPS spectra show a higher binding energy shoulder peak on Si 2p indicative of SiOxNyClz bonding while Ge 2p and Ge 3d peaks show only a small amount of higher binding energy components consistent with only interfacial bonds, indicating the growth of SiOxNy on the SiGe surface with negligible subsurface reactions. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements confirm that the SiNx interfacial layer forms an electrically passive surface on p-type Si0.70Ge0.30(001), Si0.50Ge0.50(110), and Si0.50Ge0.50(001) substrates as the surface Fermi level is unpinned and the electronic structure is free of states in the band gap. DFT calculations show that a Si rich a-SiO0.4N0,4 interlayer can produce lower interfacial defect density than stoichiometric a-SiO0.8N0.8, substoichiometric a-Si3N2, or stoichiometric a-Si3N4 interlayers by minimizing strain and bond breaking in the SiGe by the interlayer. Metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors devices were fabricated on p-type Si0.7Ge0.3(001) and Si0.5Ge0.5(001) substrates with and without the insertion of an ALD SiOxNy interfacial layer, and the SiOxNy layer resulted in a decrease in interface state density near midgap with a comparable Cmax value.

Control of Alq3 wetting layer thickness via substrate surface functionalization.

PubMed

Tsoi, Shufen; Szeto, Bryan; Fleischauer, Michael D; Veinot, Jonathan G C; Brett, Michael J

2007-06-05

The effects of substrate surface energy and vapor deposition rate on the initial growth of porous columnar tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) nanostructures were investigated. Alq3 nanostructures thermally evaporated onto as-supplied Si substrates bearing an oxide were observed to form a solid wetting layer, likely caused by an interfacial energy mismatch between the substrate and Alq3. Wetting layer thickness control is important for potential optoelectronic applications. A dramatic decrease in wetting layer thickness was achieved by depositing Alq3 onto alkyltrichlorosilane-derivatized Si/oxide substrates. Similar effects were noted with increasing deposition rates. These two effects enable tailoring of the wetting layer thickness.

Optical properties of silicene, Si/Ag(111), and Si/Ag(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogan, C.; Pulci, O.; Gori, P.; Bechstedt, F.; Martin, D. S.; Barritt, E. E.; Curcella, A.; Prevot, G.; Borensztein, Y.

2018-05-01

We present a state-of-the-art study of the optical properties of free-standing silicene and of single-layer Si one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) nanostructures supported on Ag(110) and Ag(111) substrates. Ab initio simulations of reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) and surface differential reflectivity spectroscopy (SDRS) applied to the clean Ag surface and Si/Ag interfaces are compared with new measurements. For Si/Ag(110), we confirm a pentagonal nanoribbon geometry, strongly bonded to the substrate, and rule out competing zigzag chain and silicenelike models. For Si/Ag(111), we reproduce the main experimental features and isolate the optical signal of the epitaxial silicene overlayer. The absorption spectrum of a silicene sheet computed including excitonic and local field effects is found to be quite similar to that calculated within an independent particle approximation and shows strong modifications when adsorbed on a Ag substrate. Important details of the computational approach are examined and the origins of the RAS and SDRS signals are explained in terms of the interface and substrate response functions. Our study does not find any evidence for Si adlayers that retain the properties of freestanding silicene.

Surface-potential undulation of Alq3 thin films prepared on ITO, Au, and n-Si.

PubMed

Ozasa, Kazunari; Ito, Hiromi; Maeda, Mizuo; Hara, Masahiko

2012-01-01

The surface potential (SP) morphology on thin films of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (Alq3) was investigated with Kelvin probe force microscopy. Thin Alq3 films of 100 nm were prepared on ITO/glass substrates, Au/mica substrates, and n-Si substrates. Cloud-like morphologies of the SP undulation with 200-400 nm in lateral size were observed for all three types of the substrates. New larger peaks were observed in the cloud-like morphologies when the surfaces were exposed shortly to a light, while the SP average was reduced monotonically. The nonuniform distribution of charged traps and mobility was deduced from the SP undulation morphology and its photoexposure dependences.

An investigation of enhanced secondary ion emission under Au(n)+ (n = 1-7) bombardment.

PubMed

Nagy, G; Gelb, L D; Walker, A V

2005-05-01

We investigate the mechanism of the nonlinear secondary ion yield enhancement using Au(n)+ (n = 1, 2, 3, 5, 7) primary ions bombarding thin films of Irganox 1010, DL-phenylalanine and polystyrene on Si, Al, and Ag substrates. The largest differences in secondary ion yields are found using Au+, Au2+, and Au3+ primary ion beams. A smaller increase in secondary ion yield is observed using Au5+ and Au7+ primary ions. The yield enhancement is found to be larger on Si than on Al, while the ion yield is smaller using an Au+ beam on Si than on Al. Using Au(n)+ ion structures obtained from Density Functional Theory, we demonstrate that the secondary yield enhancement is not simply due to an increase in energy per area deposited into the surface (energy deposition density). Instead, based on simple mechanical arguments and molecular dynamics results from Medvedeva et al, we suggest a mechanism for nonlinear secondary ion yield enhancement wherein the action of multiple concerted Au impacts leads to efficient energy transfer to substrate atoms in the near surface region and an increase in the number of secondary ions ejected from the surface. Such concerted impacts involve one, two, or three Au atoms, which explains well the large nonlinear yield enhancements observed going from Au+ to Au2+ to Au3+ primary ions. This model is also able to explain the observed substrate effect. For an Au+ ion passing through the more open Si surface, it contacts fewer substrate atoms than in the more dense Al surface. Less energy is deposited in the Si surface region by the Au+ primary ion and the secondary ion yield will be lower for adsorbates on Si than on Al. In the case of Au(n)+ the greater density of Al leads to earlier break-up of the primary ion and a consequent reduction in energy transfer to the near-surface region when compared with Si. This results in higher secondary ion yields and yield enhancements on silicon than aluminum substrates.

Growth and stability of Langmuir-Blodgett films on OH-, H-, or Br-terminated Si(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bal, J. K.; Kundu, S.; Hazra, S.

2010-01-01

Growth of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of nickel arachidate (NiA) on differently terminated (OH-, H-, or Br-terminated) Si(001) substrates and their structural evolution with time have been investigated by x-ray reflectivity technique and complemented by atomic force microscopy. Stable and strongly attached asymmetric monolayer (AML) of NiA is found to grow on freshly prepared oxide-covered Si substrate while unstable and weakly attached symmetric monolayer (SML) of NiA grows on H-terminated Si substrate, corresponding to stable hydrophilic and unstable hydrophobic natures of the substrates, respectively. The structure of LB film on Br-terminated Si substrate, however, shows intermediate behavior, namely, both AML and SML are present on the substrate, indicative of coexisting (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) nature of this terminated surface. Such coexisting nature of the substrate shows unusual growth behavior of LB films: (i) hydrophilic and hydrophobic attachments of NiA molecules in single up stroke of deposition and (ii) growth of few ring-shaped large-heights islands in subsequent deposition. These probably occur due to the presence of substrate-induced perturbation in the Langmuir monolayer and release of initially accumulated strain in the film structures near hydrophilic/hydrophobic interface, respectively, and provide the possibility to grow desired structures (AML or SML) of LB films by passivation-selective surface engineering.

Effect of Atomic Hydrogen on Preparation of Highly Moisture-Resistive SiNx Films at Low Substrate Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heya, Akira; Niki, Toshikazu; Takano, Masahiro; Yonezawa, Yasuto; Minamikawa, Toshiharu; Muroi, Susumu; Minami, Shigehira; Izumi, Akira; Masuda, Atsushi; Umemoto, Hironobu; Matsumura, Hideki

2004-12-01

Highly moisture-resistive SiNx films on a Si substrate are obtained at substrate temperatures of 80°C by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) using a source gas with H2. Atomic hydrogen effected the selective etching of a weak-bond regions and an increase in atomic density induced by the energy of the surface reaction. It is concluded that Cat-CVD using H2 is a promising candidate for the fabrication of highly moisture-resistive SiNx films at low temperatures.

Interaction of a single acetophenone molecule with group III-IV elements mediated by Si(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racis, A.; Jurczyszyn, L.; Radny, M. W.

2018-03-01

A theoretical study of an influence of the acetophenone molecule adsorbed on the Si(001) on the local chemical reactivity of silicon surface is presented. The obtained results indicate that the interaction of the molecule with silicon substrate breaks the intra-dimer π bonds in four surface silicon dimers interacting directly with adsorbed molecule. This leads to the formation of two pairs of unpaired dangling bonds at two opposite sides of the molecule. It is demonstrated that these dangling bonds increase considerably the local chemical reactivity of the silicon substrate in the vicinity of the adsorbed molecule. Consequently, it is shown that such molecule bonded with Si(001) can stabilize the position of In and Pb adatoms diffusing on silicon substrate at two sides and initiate the one-dimensional aggregation of the metallic adatoms on the Si(001) substrate anchored at both sides of the adsorbed molecule. This type of aggregation leads to the growth of chain-like atomic structures in opposite directions, pinned to adsorbed molecule and oriented perpendicular to the rows of surface silicon dimers.

Defect structures and growth mechanisms of boron arsenide epilayers grown on 6H-silicon carbide and 15R-silicon carbide substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hui

B12As2 possesses the extraordinary properties, such as wide bandgap of 3.47eV and unique 'self heal' ability from electron irradiation damage, which make it attractive for the applications in space electronics, high temperature semiconductors and in particular, beta cells, devices capable of producing electrical energy by coupling a radioactive beta emitter to a semiconductor junction. Due to the absence of native substrates, B12As2 has been grown on substrates with compatible structural parameters via chemical vapor deposition. To date, growth on Si with (100), (110) and (111) orientation and (0001) 6H-SiC has been attempted. However, structural variants, including rotational and translational variants, have been observed in the epilayers and are expected to have a detrimental effect on device performance which has severely hindered progress of this material to date. In addition, none of the earlier reports provide a detailed atomic level study of defect structures in the films and growth mechanisms remain obscure. The focus of this thesis is to study defect structures in B12As2 films grown on different SiC substrates using synchrotron x-ray topography, high resolution transmission microscopy as well as other characterization techniques. The goals of the studies are to understand the generations of the defects present in B12As 2 films and their growth mechanisms so as to develop strategies to reduce defect densities and obtain better film quality for future device fabrication. The following detailed studies have been carried out: (1) The microstructures in B12As2 epitaxial layers grown on on-axis c-plane (0001) 6H-SiC substrates were analyzed in detail. Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography (SWBXT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a mosaic structure consisting of a solid solution of twin and matrix epilayer domains. The epitaxial relationship was determined to be (0001)B12As2<112¯0> B12As2||(0001)6H-SiC<112¯0>6H-SiC. B 12As2 twinned domains were found in the epilayer and the twin relationship consisted of a 180° rotation about [0001]B12As2 . High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observation revealed an evolution of the film microstructure from an ˜200nm thick disordered mosaic transition layer to a more ordered structure. Observing the structural projections of the film lower surface and the substrate upper surface, generated by CaRine 4.0 crystal visualization software, eight possible nucleation sites were found to be available on the substrate surface by considering the stable bonding configurations between the boron triangles at the bottom of the boron icosahedra, and the Si dangling bonds on the Si oriented (0001) 6H-SiC substrate surface. The transition layer was suggested to arise from the coalescence of translationally and rotationally variant domains nucleated at the various nucleation sites on the (0001) 6H-SiC surface. Boundaries between translationally variant domains were shown to have unfavorable high-energy bonding configurations while the formation of a 1/3[0001]B12As2 Frank partial dislocation enabled elimination of these high energy boundaries during mutual overgrowth. In consequence, the film quality beyond thicknesses of ˜200nm can be improved as the translational variants grow out leaving only the twin variants. (0003) twin boundaries in the regions beyond 200nm are shown to possess fault vectors such as 1/6[11¯00]B12As2 which originates from the mutual shift between the nucleation sites of the respective domains. (2) The effect off-cut angle on substrate surface on the growth of B12As2 epitaxial layer was studied using a 3.5° off-cut (0001) 6H-SiC substrate. A combined characterized technique composed of SWBXT, SEM, conventional and HRTEM was employed. Similar to the growth on on-axis c-plane 6H-SiC, the epitaxial relationship is identified to be (0001)B12As2<112¯0>B12As2||(0001) 6H-SiC<1120>6H-SiC. It is also revealed that the epilayer consists of a solid solution of B12As2 twinned domains. The 3.5° off-cut angle breaks the surface symmetry of c-plane 6H-SiC, however, the width of each single terrace is large enough to provide eight possible nonequivalent nucleation sites for the growth of B12As 2. In consequence, there could be eight possible structural variants in the film which indicates that the 3.5° offcut angle has little effect in the reduction of possible structural variants in the epilayer and thus may not be an excellent substrate to grow high quality B12As 2 film. (3) Investigation of the microstructures of B12As 2 epitaxial layers grown on m-plane 6H-SiC substrates has been studied. A mosaic structure formed by six types of domains, including (1-21) B 12As2, (2-12) B12As2, (353) B 12As2 and their respective {111} twins, was found in the epilayer. The choice of the various growth orientations in the B12As 2 film were proposed to arise from the following factors: (1) the tendency for B12As2 to grow with {1-21} low energy surface facets; (2) the tendency to minimize the in-plane lattice mismatch between B 12As2 planes oriented approximately parallel to the SiC (0001) planes so as to alleviate local strain in the film/substrate interface; (3) the tendency to nucleate on 3-3 symmetric closed-packed atomic steps exposed on the substrate surface after hydrogen etching. (4) Epitaxial growth of single crystalline B12As2 was discovered and investigated on m-plane 15R-SiC inclusions in a 6H-SiC substrate wafer. SEM showed only one type of triangular feature on the smooth surface of the film which indicated single growth orientation of B12As2. This is confirmed by SWBXT and cross-sectional HRTEM which revealed untwinned (353) orientated B12As2, with significantly improved macroscopic properties as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The corresponding growth model involving the bonding configuration between the film and the substrate was developed. It was found that the choice of the unique film orientation substantially resulted from the tendency to nucleate in (111)B12As2 orientation on (474)15R-SiC close-packed facets that are exposed on the m-plane 15R-SiC surface. This indicates that m-plane 15R-SiC could be a potentially excellent substrate to grow high quality B12As2 for future device fabrication.

Role of SiNx Barrier Layer on the Performances of Polyimide Ga2O3-doped ZnO p-i-n Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Wang, Fang-Hsing; Kuo, Hsin-Hui; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Liu, Min-Chu

2014-01-01

In this study, silicon nitride (SiNx) thin films were deposited on polyimide (PI) substrates as barrier layers by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. The gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) thin films were deposited on PI and SiNx/PI substrates at room temperature (RT), 100 and 200 °C by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The thicknesses of the GZO and SiNx thin films were controlled at around 160 ± 12 nm and 150 ± 10 nm, respectively. The optimal deposition parameters for the SiNx thin films were a working pressure of 800 × 10−3 Torr, a deposition power of 20 W, a deposition temperature of 200 °C, and gas flowing rates of SiH4 = 20 sccm and NH3 = 210 sccm, respectively. For the GZO/PI and GZO-SiNx/PI structures we had found that the GZO thin films deposited at 100 and 200 °C had higher crystallinity, higher electron mobility, larger carrier concentration, smaller resistivity, and higher optical transmittance ratio. For that, the GZO thin films deposited at 100 and 200 °C on PI and SiNx/PI substrates with thickness of ~000 nm were used to fabricate p-i-n hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si) thin film solar cells. 0.5% HCl solution was used to etch the surfaces of the GZO/PI and GZO-SiNx/PI substrates. Finally, PECVD system was used to deposit α-Si thin film onto the etched surfaces of the GZO/PI and GZO-SiNx/PI substrates to fabricate α-Si thin film solar cells, and the solar cells’ properties were also investigated. We had found that substrates to get the optimally solar cells’ efficiency were 200 °C-deposited GZO-SiNx/PI. PMID:28788494

Recovery of EUVL substrates

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

Vernon, S.P.; Baker, S.L.

1995-01-19

Mo/Si multilayers, were removed from superpolished zerodur and fused silica substrates with a dry etching process that, under suitable processing conditions, produces negligible change in either the substrate surface figure or surface roughness. Full recovery of the initial normal incidence extreme ultra-violet (EUV) reflectance response has been demonstrated on reprocessed substrates.

Epitaxial growth of Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} thin films with basal planes parallel or orthogonal to the surface on {alpha}-SiC

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

Drevin-Bazin, A.; Barbot, J. F.; Alkazaz, M.

2012-07-09

The growth of Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} thin films were studied onto {alpha}-SiC substrates differently oriented by thermal annealing of TiAl layers deposited by magnetron sputtering. For any substrate's orientation, transmission electron microscopy coupled with x-ray diffraction showed the coherent epitaxial growth of Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} films along basal planes of SiC. Specifically for the (1120) 4H-SiC, Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} basal planes are found to be orthogonal to the surface. The continuous or textured nature of Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} films does not depend of the SiC stacking sequence and is explained by a step-flow mechanism of growth mode. The ohmic charactermore » of the contact was confirmed by current-voltage measurements.« less

Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition of silica onto Ti: Analysis of surface chemistry, morphology and functional hydroxyl groups

PubMed Central

Szili, Endre J.; Kumar, Sunil; Smart, Roger St. C.; Lowe, Rachel; Saiz, Eduardo; Voelcker, Nicolas H.

2009-01-01

Previously, we have developed and characterised a procedure for the deposition of thin silica films by a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) procedure using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as the main precursor. We have used the silica coatings for improving the corrosion resistance of metals and for enhancing the bioactivity of biomedical metallic implants. Recently, we have been fine-tuning the PECVD method for producing high quality and reproducible PECVD-silica (PECVD-Si) coatings on metals, primarily for biomaterial applications. In order to understand the interaction of the PECVD-Si coatings with biological species (such as proteins and cells), it is important to first analyse the properties of the silica films deposited using the optimised parameters. Therefore, this current investigation was carried out to analyse the characteristic features of PECVD-Si deposited on Ti substrates (PECVD-Si-Ti). We determined that the PECVD-Si coatings on Ti were conformal to the substrate surface, strongly adhered to the underlying substrate and were resistant to delamination. The PECVD-Si surface was composed of stoichiometric SiO2, showed a low carbon content (below 10 at.%) and was very hydrophilic (contact angle <10°). Finally, we also showed that the PECVD-Si coatings contain functional hydroxyl groups. PMID:19809536

Real-time photoelectron spectroscopy study of the oxidation reaction kinetics on p-type and n-type Si (001) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhou

Silicon oxides thermally grown on Si surface are the core gate materials of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). This thin oxide layer insulates the gate terminals and the transistors substrate which make MOSFET has certain advantages over those conventional junctions, such as field-effect transistor (FET) and junction field effect transistor (JFET). With an oxide insulating layer, MOSFET is able to sustain higher input impedance and the corresponding gate leakage current can be minimized. Today, though the oxidation process on Si substrate is popular in industry, there are still some uncertainties about its oxidation kinetics. On a path to clarify and modeling the oxidation kinetics, a study of initial oxidation kinetics on Si (001) surface has attracted attentions due to having a relatively low surface electron density and few adsorption channels compared with other Si surface direction. Based on previous studies, there are two oxidation models of Si (001) that extensively accepted, which are dual oxide species mode and autocatalytic reaction model. These models suggest the oxidation kinetics on Si (001) mainly relies on the metastable oxygen atom on the surface and the kinetic is temperature dependent. Professor Yuji Takakuwa's group, Surface Physics laboratory, Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, observed surface strain existed during the oxidation kinetics on Si (001) and this is the first time that strain was discovered during Si oxidation. Therefore, it is necessary to explain where the strain comes from since none of previous model research included the surface strain (defects generation) into considerations. Moreover, recent developing of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) requires a simultaneous oxidation process on p- and n-type Si substrate. However, none of those previous models included the dopant factor into the oxidation kinetic modeling. All of these points that further work is necessary to update and modify the traditional Si (001) oxidation models that had been accepted for several decades. To update and complement the Si (001) oxidation kinetics, an understanding of the temperature and dopant factor during initial oxidation kinetics on Si (001) is our first step. In this study, real-time photoelectron spectroscopy is applied to characterize the oxidized (001) surface and surface information was collected by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy technique. By analyzing parameters such as O 2p spectra uptake, change of work function and the surface state in respect of p- and n- type Si (001) substrate under different temperature, the oxygen adsorption structure and the dopant factor can be determined. In this study, experiments with temperature gradients on p-type Si (001) were conducted and this aims to clarify the temperature dependent characteristic of Si (001) surface oxidation. A comparison of the O 2p uptake, change of work function and surface state between p-and n-type Si (001) is made under a normal temperature and these provides with the data to explain how the dopant factor impacts the oxygen adsorption structure on the surface. In the future, the study of the oxygen adsorption structure will lead to an explanation of the surface strain that discovered; therefore, fundamental of the initial oxidation on Si (001) would be updated and complemented, which would contribute to the future gate technology in MOSFET and CMOS.

RF plasma cleaning of silicon substrates with high-density polyethylene contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cagomoc, Charisse Marie D.; De Leon, Mark Jeffry D.; Ebuen, Anna Sophia M.; Gilos, Marlo Nicole R.; Vasquez, Magdaleno R., Jr.

2018-01-01

Upon contact with a polymeric material, microparticles from the polymer may adhere to a silicon (Si) substrate during device processing. The adhesion contaminates the surface and, in turn, leads to defects in the fabricated Si-based microelectronic devices. In this study, Si substrates with artificially induced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) contamination was exposed to 13.56 MHz radio frequency (RF) plasma utilizing argon and oxygen gas admixtures at a power density of 5.6 W/cm2 and a working pressure of 110 Pa for up to 6 min of treatment. Optical microscopy studies revealed the removal of up to 74% of the polymer contamination upon plasma exposure. Surface free energy (SFE) increased owing to the removal of contaminants as well as the formation of polar groups on the Si surface after plasma treatment. Atomic force microscopy scans showed a decrease in surface roughness from 12.25 nm for contaminated samples to 0.77 nm after plasma cleaning. The smoothening effect can be attributed to the removal of HDPE particles from the surface. In addition, scanning electron microscope images showed that there was a decrease in the amount of HDPE contaminants adhering onto the surface after plasma exposure.

The influence of coadsorbed sodium atoms on the chemisorption of benzoic acid on Si(100)-2×1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitzer, T.; Richardson, N. V.

1999-06-01

The adsorption of benzoic acid on Na-Si(100)-2×1 ( ΘNa=0.5) at room temperature leads to benzoate in a bidentate coordination. High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy spectra show an intense ν s(OCO) stretching vibration, which is characteristic for benzoate aligned perpendicular to the substrate surface. In contrast, we observe monodentate benzoate species following the exposure of Si(100)-2×1 to benzoic acid at room temperature. On both surfaces, the dissociated hydrogen atom bonds to one of the silicon surface atoms. Removal of benzoate from Na-Si(100)-2×1 is observed after heating the silicon substrate to 300°C for 1 min.

Highly sensitive surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on Ag decorated Si nanocone arrays and their application in trace dimethyl phthalate detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Ning, Lixin; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun; Cheng, Ying; Wang, Junzhuan; Shi, Yi; Xu, Dongsheng; Xin, Yu

2015-01-01

Wafer-scale three-dimensional (3D) surface enhancement Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were prepared using the plasma etching and ion sputtering methods that are completely compatible with well-established silicon device technologies. The substrates are highly sensitive with excellent uniformity and reproducibility, exhibiting an enhancement factor up to 1012 with a very low relative standard deviation (RSD) around 5%. These are attributed mainly to the uniform-distributed, multiple-type high-density hot spots originating from the structural characteristics of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) decorated Si nanocone (NC) arrays. We demonstrate that the trace dimethyl phthalate (DMP) at a concentration of 10-7 M can be well detected using this SERS substrate, showing that the AgNPs-decorated SiNC arrays can serve as efficient SERS substrates for phthalate acid esters (PAEs) detection with high sensitivity.

Structural and optical characteristics of in-situ sputtered highly oriented 15R-SiC thin films on different substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourya, Satyendra; Jaiswal, Jyoti; Malik, Gaurav; Kumar, Brijesh; Chandra, Ramesh

2018-01-01

In this work, we have reported the in-situ fabrication of nanocrystalline rhombohedral silicon carbide (15R-SiC) thin films by RF-magnetron sputtering at 800 °C substrate temperature. The structural and optical properties were investigated for the films grown on four different substrates (ZrO2, MgO, SiC, and Si). The contact angle measurement was performed on all the substrates to investigate the role of interfacial surface energy in nucleation and growth of the films. The XRD measurement revealed the growth of (1 0 10) orientation for all the samples and demonstrated better crystallinity on Si substrate, which was further corroborated by the TEM results. The Raman spectroscopy confirmed the growth of rhombohedral phase with 15R polytype. Surface characteristics of the films have been investigated by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, FTIR, and atomic force microscope (AFM) to account for chemical composition, bonding, and root mean square surface roughness (δrms). The optical dispersion behavior of 15R-SiC thin films was examined by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry in the wide spectral range (246-1688 nm), including the surface characteristics in the optical model. The non-linear optical parameters (χ3 and n2) of the samples have been calculated by the Tichy and Ticha relation using a single effective oscillator model of Wemple and Didomenico. Additionally, our optical results provided an alternative way to measure the ratio of carrier concentration to the effective mass (N/m*). These investigated optical parameters allow one to design and fabricate optoelectronic, photonic, and telecommunication devices for deployment in extreme environment.

Comparison of silicon, nickel, and nickel silicide (Ni 3Si) as substrates for epitaxial diamond growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, D. A.; Seo, D.-K.; Whangbo, M.-H.; Sivazlian, F. R.; Stoner, B. R.; Bozeman, S. P.; Sowers, A. T.; Nemanich, R. J.; Glass, J. T.

1995-07-01

We carried out experimental and theoretical studies aimed at probing interface interactions of diamond with Si, Ni, and Ni 3Si substrates. Oriented diamond films deposited on (100) silicon were characterized by polar Raman, polar XRD, and cross-sectional HRTEM. These studies show that the diamond-(100)/Si(100) interface does not adopt the 45°-rotation but the 3 : 2-match arrangement. Our extended Hückel tight-binding (EHTB) electronic structure calculations for a model system show that the interface interaction favors the 3 : 2-match arrangement. Growth on polycrystalline Ni 3Si resulted in oriented diamond particles while, under the same growth conditions, largely graphite was formed on the nickel substrate. Our EHTB electronic structure calculations for model systems show that the (111) and (100) surfaces of Ni 3Si have a strong preference for diamond-nucleation over graphite-nucleation, but this is not the case for the (111) and (100) surfaces of Ni.

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY PHYSICS AND RELATED AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Surface diffusion of Si, Ge and C adatoms on Si (001) substrate studied by the molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhi-Hui; Yu, Zhong-Yuan; Lu, Peng-Fei; Liu, Yu-Min

2009-10-01

Depositions of Si, Ge and C atoms onto a preliminary Si (001) substrate at different temperatures are investigated by using the molecular dynamics method. The mechanism of atomic self-assembling occurring locally on the flat terraces between steps is suggested. Diffusion and arrangement patterns of adatoms at different temperatures are observed. At 900 K, the deposited atoms are more likely to form dimers in the perpendicular [110] direction due to the more favourable movement along the perpendicular [110] direction. C adatoms are more likely to break or reconstruct the dimers on the substrate surface and have larger diffusion distances than Ge and Si adatoms. Exchange between C adatoms and substrate atoms are obvious and the epitaxial thickness is small. Total potential energies of adatoms and substrate atoms involved in the simulation cell are computed. When a newly arrived adatom reaches the stable position, the potential energy of the system will decrease and the curves turns into a ladder-like shape. It is found that C adatoms can lead to more reduction of the system energy and the potential energy of the system will increase as temperature increases.

Effect of surface morphology on friction of graphene on various substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Dae-Hyun; Wang, Lei; Kim, Jin-Seon; Lee, Gwan-Hyoung; Kim, Eok Su; Lee, Sunhee; Lee, Sang Yoon; Hone, James; Lee, Changgu

2013-03-01

The friction of graphene on various substrates, such as SiO2, h-BN, bulk-like graphene, and mica, was investigated to characterize the adhesion level between graphene and the underlying surface. The friction of graphene on SiO2 decreased with increasing thickness and converged around the penta-layers due to incomplete contact between the two surfaces. However, the friction of graphene on an atomically flat substrate, such as h-BN or bulk-like graphene, was low and comparable to that of bulk-like graphene. In contrast, the friction of graphene folded onto bulk-like graphene was indistinguishable from that of mono-layer graphene on SiO2 despite the ultra-smoothness of bulk-like graphene. The characterization of the graphene's roughness before and after folding showed that the corrugation of graphene induced by SiO2 morphology was preserved even after it was folded onto an atomically flat substrate. In addition, graphene deposited on mica, when folded, preserved the same corrugation level as before the folding event. Our friction measurements revealed that graphene, once exfoliated from the bulk crystal, tends to maintain its corrugation level even after it is folded onto an atomically flat substrate and that ultra-flatness in both graphene and the substrate is required to achieve the intimate contact necessary for strong adhesion.The friction of graphene on various substrates, such as SiO2, h-BN, bulk-like graphene, and mica, was investigated to characterize the adhesion level between graphene and the underlying surface. The friction of graphene on SiO2 decreased with increasing thickness and converged around the penta-layers due to incomplete contact between the two surfaces. However, the friction of graphene on an atomically flat substrate, such as h-BN or bulk-like graphene, was low and comparable to that of bulk-like graphene. In contrast, the friction of graphene folded onto bulk-like graphene was indistinguishable from that of mono-layer graphene on SiO2 despite the ultra-smoothness of bulk-like graphene. The characterization of the graphene's roughness before and after folding showed that the corrugation of graphene induced by SiO2 morphology was preserved even after it was folded onto an atomically flat substrate. In addition, graphene deposited on mica, when folded, preserved the same corrugation level as before the folding event. Our friction measurements revealed that graphene, once exfoliated from the bulk crystal, tends to maintain its corrugation level even after it is folded onto an atomically flat substrate and that ultra-flatness in both graphene and the substrate is required to achieve the intimate contact necessary for strong adhesion. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Sample preparation method, identification of graphene thickness, AFM and FFM measurements. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr34181j

Ultra-high sensitive substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering, made of 3 nm gold nanoparticles embedded on SiO2 nanospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phatangare, A. B.; Dhole, S. D.; Dahiwale, S. S.; Bhoraskar, V. N.

2018-05-01

The surface properties of substrates made of 3 nm gold nanoparticles embedded on SiO2 nanospheres enabled fingerprint detection of thiabendazole (TBZ), crystal violet (CV) and 4-Aminothiophenol (4-ATP) at an ultralow concentration of ∼10-18 M by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Gold nanoparticles of an average size of ∼3 nm were synthesized and simultaneously embedded on SiO2 nanospheres by the electron irradiation method. The substrates made from the 3 nm gold nanoparticles embedded on SiO2 nanospheres were successfully used for recording fingerprint SERS spectra of TBZ, CV and 4-ATP over a wide range of concentrations from 10-6 M to 10-18 M using 785 nm laser. The unique features of these substrates are roughness near the surface due to the inherent structural defects of 3 nm gold nanoparticles, nanogaps of ≤ 1 nm between the embedded nanoparticles and their high number. These produced an abundance of nanocavities which act as active centers of hot-spots and provided a high electric field at the reporter molecules and thus an enhancement factor required to record the SERS spectra at ultra low concentration of 10-18 M. The SERS spectra recorded by the substrates of 4 nm and 6 nm gold nanoparticles are discussed.

Development of silicon nitride of improved toughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brennan, J. J.

1979-01-01

The application of reaction sintered Si2N4 energy absorbing surface layers to hot-pressed Si3N4 was investigated. The surface layer was formed by in-place nitridation of silicon powder. It was found that reaction sintered Si3N4 layers of 1 mm thickness, fabricated from either -100, +200, -200, or -325 mesh Si powder and nitrided in 96% N2/4% H2 so that approximately 20-25 vol % unnitrided Si remained in the layer, resulted in a sevenfold increase in ballistic impact resistance of a 0.64 cm thick hot-pressed SI3N4 substrate from RT 1370 C. Both NC-132 SI3N4, with MgO additive, and NCX-34 Si3N4, with Y2O3 additive, were evaluated as substrate material. The finer grain size -200 and -325 mesh nitrided Si layers were for their smoothness and relatively high density. It was found that nitriding in N2/H2 mixtures, rather than pure N2, resulted in a microstructure that did not substantially degrade the strength of the hot-pressed Si3N4 substrate. Thermal cycling tests on the RSSN/HPSN combinations from 200 C to 1370 C for 75 cycles in air did not degrade the impact resistance nor the interfacial bonding, although a large amount of internal silica formation occurred within the RSSN layer. Mach 0.8, 5 hr, hot gas erosion tests showed no surface recession of RSSN layers at 1200 C and slight surface recession at 1370 C.

An ab initio investigation of Bi2Se3 topological insulator deposited on amorphous SiO2.

PubMed

de Oliveira, I S S; Scopel, W L; Miwa, R H

2017-02-01

We use first-principles simulations to investigate the topological properties of Bi 2 Se 3 thin films deposited on amorphous SiO 2 , Bi 2 Se 3 /a-SiO 2 , which is a promising substrate for topological insulator (TI) based device applications. The Bi 2 Se 3 films are bonded to a-SiO 2 mediated by van der Waals interactions. Upon interaction with the substrate, the Bi 2 Se 3 topological surface and interface states remain present, however the degeneracy between the Dirac-like cones is broken. The energy separation between the two Dirac-like cones increases with the number of Bi 2 Se 3 quintuple layers (QLs) deposited on the substrate. Such a degeneracy breaking is caused by (i) charge transfer from the TI to the substrate and charge redistribution along the Bi 2 Se 3 QLs, and (ii) by deformation of the QL in contact with the a-SiO 2 substrate. We also investigate the role played by oxygen vacancies ([Formula: see text]) on the a-SiO 2 , which increases the energy splitting between the two Dirac-like cones. Finally, by mapping the electronic structure of Bi 2 Se 3 /a-SiO 2 , we found that the a-SiO 2 surface states, even upon the presence of [Formula: see text], play a minor role on gating the electronic transport properties of Bi 2 Se 3 .

Interface doping of conjugated organic films by means of diffusion of atomic components from the surfaces of semiconductors and of metal oxides.

PubMed

Komolov, A S; Akhremtchik, S N; Lazneva, E F

2011-08-15

The paper reports the results on the interface formation of 5-10 nm thick conjugated layers of Cu-phthalocyanine (CuPc) with a number of solid surfaces: polycrystalline Au, (SiO(2))n-Si, ZnO(0 0 0 1), Si(1 0 0), Ge(1 1 1), CdS(0 0 0 1) and GaAs(1 0 0). The results were obtained using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and low-energy target current electron spectroscopy (TCS). The organic overlayers were thermally deposited in situ in UHV onto substrate surfaces. The island-like organic deposits were excluded from the analysis so that only uniform organic deposits were considered. In the cases of polycrystalline Au, Si(1 0 0) and Ge(1 1 1) substrates the AES peaks of the substrate material attenuated down to the zero noise level upon the increase of the CuPc film thickness of 8-10 nm. The peaks corresponding to oxygen atoms in the case of SiO(2) substrate, and to atoms from the ZnO, GaAs and CdS substrates were clearly registered in the AES spectra of the 8-10 nm thick CuPc deposits. The relative concentration of the substrate atomic components diffused into the film was different from their relative concentration at the pure substrate surface. The concentration of the substrate dopant atoms in the CuPc film was estimated as one atom per one CuPc molecule. Using the target current electron spectroscopy, it was shown that the substrate atoms admixed in the CuPc film account for the appearance of a new peak in the density of unoccupied electronic states. Formation of intermediate TCS spectra until the CuPc deposit reaches 2-3 nm was observed in the cases of GaAs(1 0 0), ZnO(0 0 0 1), Ge(1 1 1) surfaces. The intermediate spectra show a less pronounced peak structure different from the one typical for the CuPc films. It was suggested that the intermediate layer was formed by the CuPc molecules fully or partially decomposed due to the interaction with the relatively reactive semiconductor surfaces. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Folded Coplanar Waveguide Slot Antenna on Silicon Substrates With a Polyimide Interface Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bacon, Andrew; Ponchak, George E.; Papapolymerou, John; Bushyager, Nathan; Tentzeris, Manos; Williams, W. D. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A novel mm-wave Coplanar Waveguide (CPW) folded slot antenna is characterized on low-resistivity Si substrate (1 omega-cm) and a high resistivity Si substrate with a polyimide interface layer for the first time. The antenna resonates around 30 GHz with a return loss greater than 14.6 dB. Measured radiation patterns indicate the existence of a main lobe, but the radiation pattern is affected by a strong surface wave mode, which is greater in the high resistivity Si wafer.

Improved out-coupling efficiency of organic light emitting diodes fabricated on a TiO2 planarization layer with embedded Si oxide nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Young Hoon; Jung, Pil-Hoon; Han, Kyung-Hoon; Kim, Yang Doo; Kim, Jang-Joo; Lee, Heon

2017-10-01

In order to increase the out-coupling efficiency of organic light emitting diodes, conical Si oxide nanostructures were formed on a glass substrate using nanoimprint lithography with hydrogen silsesquioxane. Then, the substrate was planarized with TiO2 nanoparticles. Since TiO2 nanoparticles have a higher refractive index than Si oxide, the surface of substrate is physically flat, but optically undulated in a manner that enables optical scattering and suppression of total internal reflection. Subsequently, OLEDs formed on a substrate with nanostructured Si oxide and a TiO2 planarization layer exhibit a 25% increase in out-coupling efficiency by suppressing total internal reflection.

High performance and reusable SERS substrates using Ag/ZnO heterostructure on periodic silicon nanotube substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Yi-Chen; Ho, Hsin-Chia; Shih, Bo-Wei; Tsai, Feng-Yu; Hsueh, Chun-Hway

2018-05-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with a higher surface area, enhanced light harvesting, multiple hot spots and strong electromagnetic field enhancements would exhibit enhanced Raman signals. Herein, the Ag nanoparticle/ZnO nanowire heterostructure decorated periodic silicon nanotube (Ag@ZnO@SiNT) substrate was proposed and fabricated. The proposed structure employed as SERS-active substrate was examined, and the results showed both the high performance in terms of high sensitivity and good reproducibility. Furthermore, the Ag@ZnO@SiNT substrate demonstrated the self-cleaning performance through the photocatalytic degradation of probed molecules upon UV-irradiation. The results showed that the proposed nanostructure had high performance, good reproducibility and reusability, and it is a promising SERS-active substrate for molecular sensing and cleaning.

Influence of residual stress on the adhesion and surface morphology of PECVD-coated polypropylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaritz, Montgomery; Hopmann, Christian; Behm, Henrik; Kirchheim, Dennis; Wilski, Stefan; Grochla, Dario; Banko, Lars; Ludwig, Alfred; Böke, Marc; Winter, Jörg; Bahre, Hendrik; Dahlmann, Rainer

2017-11-01

The properties of plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) coatings on polymer materials depend to some extent on the surface and material properties of the substrate. Here, isotactic polypropylene (PP) substrates are coated with silicon oxide (SiO x ) films. Plasmas for the deposition of SiO x are energetic and oxidative due to the high amount of oxygen in the gas mixture. Residual stress measurements using single Si cantilever stress sensors showed that these coatings contain high compressive stress. To investigate the influence of the plasma and the coatings, residual stress, silicon organic (SiOCH) coatings with different thicknesses between the PP and the SiO x coating are used as a means to protect the substrate from the oxidative SiO x coating process. Pull-off tests are performed to analyse differences in the adhesion of these coating systems. It could be shown that the adhesion of the PECVD coatings on PP depends on the coatings’ residual stress. In a PP/SiOCH/SiO x -multilayer system the residual stress can be significantly reduced by increasing the thickness of the SiOCH coating, resulting in enhanced adhesion.

Solid-State Synthesized Nanostructured Au Dendritic Aggregates Towards Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentile, A.; Ruffino, F.; D'Andrea, C.; Gucciardi, P. G.; Reitano, R.; Grimaldi, M. G.

2016-06-01

Micrometric Au structures, presenting a dendritic nano-structure, have been fabricated on a Si-based substrate. The fabrication method involves the deposition of a thin Au film on the substrate and a high-temperature annealing (1100°C) using fast heating and cooling ramps. The thermal process produces the growth, from the substrate, of Si micro-pillars whose top surfaces, covered by a crystalline Au layer, present a nanodendritic morphology. In addition to the micro-pillars, the sample surface presents a complex structural and chemical composition including Si3N4 regions due to the silicon-nitrogen intermixing during the heating stage. By studying the kinetic processes at the Au-Si interface during the thermal treatment, we describe the stages involved in the micro-pillars growth, in the dendritic morphology development, and in the Au atoms entrapment at the top of the dendritic surfaces. Finally, we present the analyses of the optical and surface enhanced Raman scattering properties of the Au dendritic aggregates. We show, in particular, that: (1) the Au dendrites aggregates act as effective scattering elements for the electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectral region; and (2) the higher surface area due to the branched dendritic structure is responsible for the improvement in the sensitivity of the surface enhanced Raman scattering activity.

Tailoring topological states in silicene using different halogen-passivated Si(111) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derakhshan, Vahid; Moghaddam, Ali G.; Ceresoli, Davide

2018-03-01

We investigate the band structure and topological phases of silicene embedded on halogenated Si(111) surface using density functional theory calculations. Our results show that the Dirac character of low-energy excitations in silicene is almost preserved in the presence of a silicon substrate passivated by various halogens. Nevertheless, the combined effects of symmetry breaking due to both direct and van der Waals interactions between silicene and the substrate, charge transfer from suspended silicene into the substrate, and, finally, the hybridization which leads to the charge redistribution result in a gap in the spectrum of the embedded silicene. We further take the spin-orbit interaction into account and obtain the resulting modification in the gap. The energy gaps with and without spin-orbit coupling vary significantly when different halogen atoms are used for the passivation of the Si surface, and for the case of iodine, they become on the order of 100 meV. To examine the topological properties, we calculate the projected band structure of silicene from which the Berry curvature and Z2 invariant based on the evolution of Wannier charge centers are obtained. As a key finding, it is shown that silicene on halogenated Si substrates has a topological insulating state which can survive even at room temperature for the substrates with iodine and bromine at the surface. Therefore, these results suggest that we can have a reliable, stable, and robust silicene-based two-dimensional topological insulator using the considered substrates.

Lift-off process with bi-layer photoresist patterns for conformal-coated superhydrophilic pulsed plasma chemical vapor deposition-SiOx on SiCx for lab-on-a-chip applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konishi, Satoshi; Nakagami, Chise; Kobayashi, Taizo; Tonomura, Wataru; Kaizuma, Yoshihiro

2015-04-01

In this work, a lift-off process with bi-layer photoresist patterns was applied to the formation of hydrophobic/hydrophilic micropatterns on practical polymer substrates used in healthcare diagnostic commercial products. The bi-layer photoresist patterns with undercut structures made it possible to peel the conformal-coated silicon oxide (SiOx) films from substrates. SiOx and silicon carbide (SiCx) layers were deposited by pulsed plasma chemical vapor deposition (PPCVD) method which can form roughened surfaces to enhance hydrophilicity of SiOx and hydrophobicity of SiCx. Microfluidic applications using hydrophobic/hydrophilic patterns were also demonstrated on low-cost substrates such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and paper films.

Method of using a germanium layer transfer to Si for photovoltaic applications and heterostructure made thereby

DOEpatents

Atwater, Jr., Harry A.; Zahler, James M.

2006-11-28

Ge/Si and other nonsilicon film heterostructures are formed by hydrogen-induced exfoliation of the Ge film which is wafer bonded to a cheaper substrate, such as Si. A thin, single-crystal layer of Ge is transferred to Si substrate. The bond at the interface of the Ge/Si heterostructures is covalent to ensure good thermal contact, mechanical strength, and to enable the formation of an ohmic contact between the Si substrate and Ge layers. To accomplish this type of bond, hydrophobic wafer bonding is used, because as the invention demonstrates the hydrogen-surface-terminating species that facilitate van der Waals bonding evolves at temperatures above 600.degree. C. into covalent bonding in hydrophobically bound Ge/Si layer transferred systems.

Fabrication of a superhydrophobic coating with high adhesive effect to substrates and tunable wettability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuan; Zhang, Zhaozhu; Zhu, Xiaotao; Men, Xuehu; Ge, Bo; Zhou, Xiaoyan

2015-02-01

In this paper, a new superhydrophobic coating was successfully prefabricated by a facile sol-gel process which was made up of first the surface chemical reaction of (3-Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (A-187) and SiO2 particles and subsequent spray-coating onto the substrate. Further hardening treatment and surface fluorination allowed the SiO2 coating with the optimum mass ratio of 2.0:1 to exhibit nice superhydrophobic property and high adhesive effect to substrates. Our researches indicated that the mass ratio of A-187 and SiO2 particles could significantly control the surface morphology (or the wettability) and affect adhesion force of the superhydrophobic coating to substrates. In the process, hardening temperature was quite important for rapid evaporation of the solvent and then fast hardening of the coating despite the absence of the similar effect to the mass ratio of A-187 and SiO2 particles on the superhydrophobic coating, and moreover, a higher hardening temperature could also highly improve transparency of the superhydrophobic coating. These findings suggest that the superhydrophobic coating should have promising commercial applications as a self-cleaning product.

Periodically structured Si pillars for high-performing heterojunction photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melvin David Kumar, M.; Yun, Ju-Hyung; Kim, Joondong

2015-03-01

A periodical array of silicon (Si) micro pillar structures was fabricated on Si substrates using PR etching process. Indium tin oxide (ITO) layer of 80 nm thickness was deposited over patterned Si substrates so as to make ITO/n-Si heterojunction devices. The influences of width and period of pillars on the optical and electrical properties of prepared devices were investigated. The surface morphology of the Si substrates revealed the uniform array of pillar structures. The 5/10 (width/period) Si pillar pattern reduced the optical reflectance to 6.5% from 17% which is of 5/7 pillar pattern. The current rectifying ratio was found higher for the device in which the pillars are situated in optimum periods. At both visible (600 nm) and near infrared (900 nm) range of wavelengths, the 5/7 and 5/10 pillar patterned device exhibited the better photoresponses which are suitable for making advanced photodetectors. This highly transmittance and photoresponsive pillar patterned Si substrates with an ITO layer would be a promising device for various photoelectric applications.

Determination of Etch Rate Behavior of 4H-SiC Using Chlorine Trifluoride Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, Yutaka; Habuka, Hitoshi; Katsumi, Yusuke; Oda, Satoko; Fukai, Yasushi; Fukae, Katsuya; Kato, Tomohisa; Okumura, Hajime; Arai, Kazuo

2007-12-01

The etch rate of single-crystalline 4H-SiC is studied using chlorine trifluoride gas at 673-973 K and atmospheric pressure in a cold wall horizontal reactor. The 4H-SiC etch rate can be higher than 10 μm/min at substrate temperatures higher than 723 K. The etch rate increases with the chlorine trifluoride gas flow rate. The etch rate is calculated by taking into account the transport phenomena in the reactor including the chemical reaction at the substrate surface. The flat etch rate at the higher substrate temperatures is caused mainly by the relationship between the transport rate and the surface chemical reaction rate of chlorine trifluoride gas.

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.

Large-scale uniform bilayer graphene prepared by vacuum graphitization of 6H-SiC(0001) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qingyan; Zhang, Wenhao; Wang, Lili; He, Ke; Ma, Xucun; Xue, Qikun

2013-03-01

We report on the preparation of large-scale uniform bilayer graphenes on nominally flat Si-polar 6H-SiC(0001) substrates by flash annealing in ultrahigh vacuum. The resulting graphenes have a single thickness of one bilayer and consist of regular terraces separated by the triple SiC bilayer steps on the 6H-SiC(0001) substrates. In situ scanning tunneling microscopy reveals that suppression of pit formation on terraces and uniformity of SiC decomposition at step edges are the key factors to the uniform thickness. By studying the surface morphologies prepared under different annealing rates, it is found that the annealing rate is directly related to SiC decomposition, diffusion of the released Si/C atoms and strain relaxation, which together determine the final step structure and density of defects.

Large-scale uniform bilayer graphene prepared by vacuum graphitization of 6H-SiC(0001) substrates.

PubMed

Wang, Qingyan; Zhang, Wenhao; Wang, Lili; He, Ke; Ma, Xucun; Xue, Qikun

2013-03-06

We report on the preparation of large-scale uniform bilayer graphenes on nominally flat Si-polar 6H-SiC(0001) substrates by flash annealing in ultrahigh vacuum. The resulting graphenes have a single thickness of one bilayer and consist of regular terraces separated by the triple SiC bilayer steps on the 6H-SiC(0001) substrates. In situ scanning tunneling microscopy reveals that suppression of pit formation on terraces and uniformity of SiC decomposition at step edges are the key factors to the uniform thickness. By studying the surface morphologies prepared under different annealing rates, it is found that the annealing rate is directly related to SiC decomposition, diffusion of the released Si/C atoms and strain relaxation, which together determine the final step structure and density of defects.

Electrodeposition of r-GO/SiC nano-composites on Magnesium and its Corrosion Behavior in Aqueous Electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavimani, V.; K, Soorya Prakash; R, Rajesh; Rammasamy, Devaraj; Selvaraj, Nivas Babu; Yang, Tao; Prabakaran, Balasubramanian; Jothi, Sathiskumar

2017-12-01

In this paper a detailed investigation for corrosion behavior of magnesium substrate electrodeposited differently by nanoparticles like Reduced Graphene Oxide (r-GO synthesized through Modified Hummer's Method), Silicon Carbide (SiCsbnd mechanically alloyed) and also r-GO/SiC nanocomposites (dispersed through ultrasonication process) as coating materials for varying time period was done. Synthesized nanocomposite was characterized through various physio-chemical techniques and confirmation of the same was carried out. Surface morphology of the developed set of specimens was scrutinized through SEM and EDAX which establishes a clean surface coating with minimal defects attainment through electro deposition technique. Electrochemical corrosion behavior for the magnesium substrates coated with r-GO, SiC, r-GO/SiC for 5 and 10 min coating time period was conceded over in 0.1 M of NaCl and Na2SO4 aqueous solution using Tafel polarization and then compared with a pure magnesium substrate. r-GO/SiC nanocomposite coated magnesium substrate showcased a drastic breakthrough in corrosion resistance when compared with other set of specimens in aqueous medium. Delamination behavior for the same set of specimens was carried and the r-GO/SiC nanocomposite coated magnesium exposed a minimum delamination area accounting to the hydrophobic property of graphene and the binding effect of SiC nano particles.

Nano-SiC region formation in (100) Si-on-insulator substrate: Optimization of hot-C+-ion implantation process to improve photoluminescence intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuno, Tomohisa; Omata, Yuhsuke; Kanazawa, Rikito; Iguchi, Yusuke; Nakada, Shinji; Aoki, Takashi; Sasaki, Tomokazu

2018-04-01

We experimentally studied the optimization of the hot-C+-ion implantation process for forming nano-SiC (silicon carbide) regions in a (100) Si-on-insulator substrate at various hot-C+-ion implantation temperatures and C+ ion doses to improve photoluminescence (PL) intensity for future Si-based photonic devices. We successfully optimized the process by hot-C+-ion implantation at a temperature of about 700 °C and a C+ ion dose of approximately 4 × 1016 cm-2 to realize a high intensity of PL emitted from an approximately 1.5-nm-thick C atom segregation layer near the surface-oxide/Si interface. Moreover, atom probe tomography showed that implanted C atoms cluster in the Si layer and near the oxide/Si interface; thus, the C content locally condenses even in the C atom segregation layer, which leads to SiC formation. Corrector-spherical aberration transmission electron microscopy also showed that both 4H-SiC and 3C-SiC nanoareas near both the surface-oxide/Si and buried-oxide/Si interfaces partially grow into the oxide layer, and the observed PL photons are mainly emitted from the surface SiC nano areas.

Chemical vapor deposition growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruth, R. P.; Manasevit, H. M.; Kenty, J. L.; Moudy, L. A.; Simpson, W. I.; Yang, J. J.

1976-01-01

A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor system with a vertical deposition chamber was used for the growth of Si films on glass, glass-ceramic, and polycrystalline ceramic substrates. Silicon vapor was produced by pyrolysis of SiH4 in a H2 or He carrier gas. Preliminary deposition experiments with two of the available glasses were not encouraging. Moderately encouraging results, however, were obtained with fired polycrystalline alumina substrates, which were used for Si deposition at temperatures above 1,000 C. The surfaces of both the substrates and the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, reflection electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy optical microscopy, and surface profilometric techniques. Several experiments were conducted to establish baseline performance data for the reactor system, including temperature distributions on the sample pedestal, effects of carrier gas flow rate on temperature and film thickness, and Si film growth rate as a function of temperature.

Porous silicon film formation from silicon-nanoparticle inks: The possibility of effects of van der Waals interactions on uniform film formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Kazuki; Nagoya, Wataru; Moriki, Kazuya; Sato, Seiichi

2018-02-01

Porous Si films were formed on electrically insulative, semiconductive, and conductive substrates by depositing aqueous and nonaqueous Si nanoparticle inks. In this study, we focused on whether the Si ink deposition resulted in the formation of uniform porous Si films on various substrates. As a result of the experiments, we found that the inks showing better substrate wettabilities did not necessarily result in more uniform film formation on the substrates. This implies that the ink-solvent wettability and the nanoparticle-substrate interactions play important roles in the uniform film formation. As one of the interactions, we discussed the influence of van der Waals interactions by calculating the Hamaker constants. The calculation results indicated that the uniform film formation was hampered when the nanoparticle surface had a repulsive van der Waals interaction with the substrate.

Transparent SiON/Ag/SiON multilayer passivation grown on a flexible polyethersulfone substrate using a continuous roll-to-roll sputtering system

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We have investigated the characteristics of a silicon oxynitride/silver/silicon oxynitride [SiON/Ag/SiON] multilayer passivation grown using a specially designed roll-to-roll [R2R] sputtering system on a flexible polyethersulfone substrate. Optical, structural, and surface properties of the R2R grown SiON/Ag/SiON multilayer were investigated as a function of the SiON thickness at a constant Ag thickness of 12 nm. The flexible SiON/Ag/SiON multilayer has a high optical transmittance of 87.7% at optimized conditions due to the antireflection and surface plasmon effects in the oxide-metal-oxide structure. The water vapor transmission rate of the SiON/Ag/SiON multilayer is 0.031 g/m2 day at an optimized SiON thickness of 110 nm. This indicates that R2R grown SiON/Ag/SiON is a promising thin-film passivation for flexible organic light-emitting diodes and flexible organic photovoltaics due to its simple and low-temperature process. PMID:22221400

A New Route to Nondestructive Top-Contacts for Molecular Electronics on Si: Pb Evaporated on Organic Monolayers.

PubMed

Lovrinčić, Robert; Kraynis, Olga; Har-Lavan, Rotem; Haj-Yahya, Abd-Elrazek; Li, Wenjie; Vilan, Ayelet; Cahen, David

2013-02-07

Thermally evaporated Pb preserves the electronic properties of an organic monolayer (ML) on Si and surface passivation of the Si surface itself. The obtained current-voltage characteristics of Pb/ML/Si junctions agree with results obtained with the well-established Hg contact and preserve both the molecule-induced dipole effect on, and length-attenuation of, the current. We rationalize our findings by the lack of interaction between the Pb and the Si substrate. This method is fast, scalable, and compatible with standard semiconductor processing, results in close to 100% yield, and can help the development of large-scale utilization of silicon-organic hybrid electronics. Our experimental data show a dependence of the transport across the molecules on the substrate orientation, expressed in the smaller distance decay parameter with Si(100) than that with Si(111).

Surface treatment effect on Si (111) substrate for carbon deposition using DC unbalanced magnetron sputtering

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

Aji, A. S., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com; Sahdan, M. F.; Hendra, I. B.

In this work, we studied the effect of HF treatment in silicon (111) substrate surface for depositing thin layer carbon. We performed the deposition of carbon by using DC Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering with carbon pallet (5% Fe) as target. From SEM characterization results it can be concluded that the carbon layer on HF treated substrate is more uniform than on substrate without treated. Carbon deposition rate is higher as confirmed by AFM results if the silicon substrate is treated by HF solution. EDAX characterization results tell that silicon (111) substrate with HF treatment have more carbon fraction than substrate withoutmore » treatment. These results confirmed that HF treatment on silicon Si (111) substrates could enhance the carbon deposition by using DC sputtering. Afterward, the carbon atomic arrangement on silicon (111) surface is studied by performing thermal annealing process to 900 °C. From Raman spectroscopy results, thin film carbon is not changing until 600 °C thermal budged. But, when temperature increase to 900 °C, thin film carbon is starting to diffuse to silicon (111) substrates.« less

Monte Carlo study of the hetero-polytypical growth of cubic on hexagonal silicon carbide polytypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camarda, Massimo

2012-08-01

In this article we use three dimensional kinetic Monte Carlo simulations on super-lattices to study the hetero-polytypical growth of cubic silicon carbide polytype (3C-SiC) on misoriented hexagonal (4H and 6H) substrates. We analyze the quality of the 3C-SiC film varying the polytype, the miscut angle and the initial surface morphology of the substrate. We find that the use of 6H misoriented (4°-10° off) substrates, with step bunched surfaces, can strongly improve the quality of the cubic epitaxial film whereas the 3C/4H growth is affected by the generation of dislocations, due to the incommensurable periodicity of the 3C (3) and the 4H (4) polytypes. For these reasons, a proper pre-growth treatment of 6H misoriented substrates can be the key for the growth of high quality, twin free, 3C-SiC films.

Homoepitaxial and Heteroepitaxial Growth on Step-Free SiC Mesas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.; Powell, J. Anthony

2004-01-01

This article describes the initial discovery and development of new approaches to SiC homoepitaxial and heteroepitaxial growth. These approaches are based upon the previously unanticipated ability to effectively supress two-dimensional nucleation of 3C-SiC on large basal plane terraces that form between growth steps when epitaxy is carried out on 4H- and 6H-SiC nearly on-axis substrates. After subdividing the growth surface into mesa regions, pure stepflow homoeptixay with no terrace nucleation was then used to grow all existing surface steps off the edges of screw-dislocation-free mesas, leaving behind perfectly on-axis (0001) basal plane mesa surfaces completely free of atomic-scale steps. Step-free mesa surfaces as large as 0.4 mm x 0.4 mm were experimentally realized, with the yield and size of step-free mesas being initally limited by substrate screw dislocations. Continued epitaxial growth following step-free surface formation leads to the formation of thin lateral cantilevers that extend the step-free surface area from the top edge of the mesa sidewalls. By selecting a proper pre-growth mesa shape and crystallographic orientation, the rate of cantilever growth can be greatly enhanced in a web growth process that has been used to (1) enlarge step-free surface areas and (2) overgrow and laterally relocate micropipes and screw dislocations. A new growth process, named step-free surface heteroepitaxy, has been developed to achieve 3C-SiC films on 4H- and 6H-SiC substrate mesas completely free of double positioning boundary and stacking fault defects. The process is based upon the controlled terrace nucleation and lateral expansion of a single island of 3C-SiC across a step-free mesa surface. Experimental results indicate that substrateepilayer lattice mismatch is at least partially relieved parallel to the interface without dislocations that undesirably thread through the thickness of the epilayer. These results should enable realization of improved SiC homojunction and heterojunction devices. In addition, these experiments offer important insights into the nature of polytypism during SiC crystal growth.

Topological states in a two-dimensional metal alloy in Si surface: BiAg/Si(111)-4 ×4 surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaoming; Cui, Bin; Zhao, Mingwen; Liu, Feng

2018-02-01

A bridging topological state with a conventional semiconductor platform offers an attractive route towards future spintronics and quantum device applications. Here, based on first-principles and tight-binding calculations, we demonstrate the existence of topological states hosted by a two-dimensional (2D) metal alloy in a Si surface, the BiAg/Si(111)-4 ×4 surface, which has already been synthesized experimentally. It exhibits a topological insulating state with an energy gap of 71 meV (˜819 K ) above the Fermi level and a topological metallic state with quasiquantized conductance below the Fermi level. The underlying mechanism leading to the formation of such nontrivial states is revealed by analysis of the "charge-transfer" and "orbital-filtering" effect of the Si substrate. A minimal effective tight-binding model is employed to reveal the formation mechanism of the topological states. Our finding opens opportunities to detect topological states and measure its quantized conductance in a large family of 2D surface metal alloys, which have been or are to be grown on semiconductor substrates.

Characteristics of Ge-Sb-Te films prepared by cyclic pulsed plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Suk, Kyung-Suk; Jung, Ha-Na; Woo, Hee-Gweon; Park, Don-Hee; Kim, Do-Heyoung

2010-05-01

Ge-Sb-Te (GST) thin films were deposited on TiN, SiO2, and Si substrates by cyclic-pulsed plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using Ge{N(CH3)(C2H5)}, Sb(C3H7)3, Te(C3H7)3 as precursors in a vertical flow reactor. Plasma activated H2 was used as the reducing agent. The growth behavior was strongly dependent on the type of substrate. GST grew as a continuous film on TiN regardless of the substrate temperature. However, GST formed only small crystalline aggregates on Si and SiO2 substrates, not a continuous film, at substrate temperatures > or = 200 degrees C. The effects of the deposition temperature on the surface morphology, roughness, resistivity, crystallinity, and composition of the GST films were examined.

Combining graphene with silicon carbide: synthesis and properties - a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shtepliuk, Ivan; Khranovskyy, Volodymyr; Yakimova, Rositsa

2016-11-01

Being a true two-dimensional crystal, graphene possesses a lot of exotic properties that would enable unique applications. Integration of graphene with inorganic semiconductors, e.g. silicon carbide (SiC) promotes the birth of a class of hybrid materials which are highly promising for development of novel operations, since they combine the best properties of two counterparts in the frame of one hybrid platform. As a specific heterostructure, graphene on SiC performs strongly, dependent on the synthesis method and the growth modes. In this article, a comprehensive review of the most relevant studies of graphene growth methods and mechanisms on SiC substrates has been carried out. The aim is to elucidate the basic physical processes that are responsible for the formation of graphene on SiC. First, an introduction is made covering some intriguing and not so often discussed properties of graphene. Then, we focus on integration of graphene with SiC, which is facilitated by the nature of SiC to assume graphitization. Concerning the synthesis methods, we discuss thermal decomposition of SiC, chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy, stressing that the first technique is the most common one when SiC substrates are used. In addition, we briefly appraise graphene synthesis via metal mediated carbon segregation. We address in detail the main aspects of the substrate effect, such as substrate face polarity, off-cut, kind of polytype and nonpolar surfaces on the growth of graphene layers. A comparison of graphene grown on the polar faces is made. In particular, growth of graphene on Si-face SiC is critically analyzed concerning growth kinetics and growth mechanisms taking into account the specific characteristics of SiC (0001) surfaces, such as the step-terrace structure and the unavoidable surface reconstruction upon heating. In all subtopics obstacles and solutions are featured. We complete the review with a short summary and concluding remarks.

Enabling direct silicene integration in electronics: First principles study of silicene on NiSi 2(111)

DOE PAGES

Cheng, Jian -Yih; Chan, Maria K. Y.; Lilley, Carmen M.

2016-09-26

Silicene on metal silicides poses promise for direct integration of silicene into electronic devices. The details of the metal silicide-silicene interface, however, may have significant effects on the electronic properties. In this work, the electronic properties of silicene on NiSi 2(111) and hydrogenated NiSi 2(111) (H:NiSi 2) substrates, as well as hydrogenated silicene (H:silicene) on a NiSi 2(111) substrate, were simulated using first principles methods. The preferred Si surface termination of NiSi 2 was determined through surface energy calculations, and the band structure and density of states (DOS) were calculated for the two-dimensional silicene and H:silicene layers. Hydrogenating NiSi 2more » lowered the binding energy between silicene and the substrate and resulting in partial decoupling of the electronic properties. Relaxed silicene on H:NiSi 2 showed a small band gap opening of 0.14 eV. Silicene on H:NiSi 2 also had a calculated electron effective mass of 0.08m 0 and Fermi velocity of 0.39×10 6 m/s, which are similar to the values for freestanding silicene. H:silicene on NiSi 2 retained its band structure and DOS compared to freestanding H:silicene. The band gap of H:silciene on NiSi 2 was 1.97 eV and is similar to freestanding H:silicene band gap of 2 eV. As a result, this research showed that hydrogenation may be a viable method for decoupling a silicene layer from a NiSi 2(111) substrate to tune its electronic properties.« less

Effect of substrate porosity on photoluminescence properties of ZnS films prepared on porous Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cai-Feng; Li, Qing-Shan; Zhang, Li-Chun; Lv, Lei; Qi, Hong-Xia

2007-05-01

ZnS films were deposited on porous Si (PS) substrates with different porosities by pulsed laser deposition. The photoluminescence spectra of the samples were measured to study the effect of substrate porosity on luminescence properties of ZnS/porous Si composites. After deposition of ZnS films, the red photoluminescence peak of porous Si shows a slight blueshift compared with as-prepared porous Si samples. With an increase of the porosity, a green emission at about 550 nm was observed which may be ascribed to the defect-center luminescence of ZnS films, and the photoluminescence of ZnS/porous Si composites is very close to white light. Good crystal structures of the samples were observed by x-ray diffraction, showing that ZnS films were grown in preferred orientation. Due to the roughness of porous Si surface, some cracks appear in ZnS films, which could be seen from scanning electron microscope images.

Dynamics of solid thin-film dewetting in the silicon-on-insulator system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussmann, E.; Cheynis, F.; Leroy, F.; Müller, P.; Pierre-Louis, O.

2011-04-01

Using low-energy electron microscopy movies, we have measured the dewetting dynamics of single-crystal Si(001) thin films on SiO2 substrates. During annealing (T>700 °C), voids open in the Si, exposing the oxide. The voids grow, evolving Si fingers that subsequently break apart into self-organized three-dimensional (3D) Si nanocrystals. A kinetic Monte Carlo model incorporating surface and interfacial free energies reproduces all the salient features of the morphological evolution. The dewetting dynamics is described using an analytic surface-diffusion-based model. We demonstrate quantitatively that Si dewetting from SiO2 is mediated by surface-diffusion driven by surface free-energy minimization.

Nanogrids and Beehive-Like Nanostructures Formed by Plasma Etching the Self-Organized SiGe Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yuan-Ming; Jian, Sheng-Rui; Juang, Jenh-Yih

2010-09-01

A lithography-free method for fabricating the nanogrids and quasi-beehive nanostructures on Si substrates is developed. It combines sequential treatments of thermal annealing with reactive ion etching (RIE) on SiGe thin films grown on (100)-Si substrates. The SiGe thin films deposited by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition form self-assembled nanoislands via the strain-induced surface roughening (Asaro-Tiller-Grinfeld instability) during thermal annealing, which, in turn, serve as patterned sacrifice regions for subsequent RIE process carried out for fabricating nanogrids and beehive-like nanostructures on Si substrates. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observations confirmed that the resultant pattern of the obtained structures can be manipulated by tuning the treatment conditions, suggesting an interesting alternative route of producing self-organized nanostructures.

Room temperature bonding and debonding of polyimide film and glass substrate based on surface activate bonding method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Kai; Fujino, Masahisa; Matsumoto, Yoshiie; Suga, Tadatomo

2018-02-01

The temporary bonding of polyimide (PI) films and glass substrates is a key technology for realizing flexible devices with thin-film transistors (TFTs). In this paper, we report the surface activated bonding (SAB) method using Si intermediate layers and its bonding and debonding mechanisms after heating. The bonding interface composed of Si and Fe shows a higher bond strength than the interface of only Si, while the bond strengths of both interfaces decrease with post bonding heating. It is also clarified by composition analysis on the debonded surfaces and cross-sectional observation of the bonding interface that the bond strength depends on the toughness of the intermediated layers and PI. The SAB method using Si intermediate layers is found to be applicable to the bonding and debonding of PI and glass.

Fabrication of Si/ZnS radial nanowire heterojunction arrays for white light emitting devices on Si substrates.

PubMed

Katiyar, Ajit K; Sinha, Arun Kumar; Manna, Santanu; Ray, Samit K

2014-09-10

Well-separated Si/ZnS radial nanowire heterojunction-based light-emitting devices have been fabricated on large-area substrates by depositing n-ZnS film on p-type nanoporous Si nanowire templates. Vertically oriented porous Si nanowires on p-Si substrates have been grown by metal-assisted chemical etching catalyzed using Au nanoparticles. Isolated Si nanowires with needle-shaped arrays have been made by KOH treatment before ZnS deposition. Electrically driven efficient white light emission from radial heterojunction arrays has been achieved under a low forward bias condition. The observed white light emission is attributed to blue and green emission from the defect-related radiative transition of ZnS and Si/ZnS interface, respectively, while the red arises from the porous surface of the Si nanowire core. The observed white light emission from the Si/ZnS nanowire heterojunction could open up the new possibility to integrate Si-based optical sources on a large scale.

Performance of colloidal silica and ceria based slurries on CMP of Si-face 6H-SiC substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Guomei; Ni, Zifeng; Xu, Laijun; Li, Qingzhong; Zhao, Yongwu

2015-12-01

Colloidal silica and ceria based slurries, both using KMnO4 as an oxidizer, for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of Si-face (0 0 0 1) 6H-SiC substrate, were investigated to obtain higher material removal rate (MRR) and ultra-smooth surface. The results indicate that there was a significant difference in the CMP performance of 6H-SiC between silica and ceria based slurries. For the ceria based slurries, a higher MRR was obtained, especially in strong acid KMnO4 environment, and the maximum MRR (1089 nm/h) and a smoother surface with an average roughness Ra of 0.11 nm was achieved using slurries containing 2 wt% colloidal ceria, 0.05 M KMnO4 at pH 2. In contrast, due to the attraction between negative charged silica particles and positive charged SiC surface below pH 5, the maximum MRR of silica based slurry was only 185 nm/h with surface roughness Ra of 0.254 nm using slurries containing 6 wt% colloidal silica, 0.05 M KMnO4 at pH 6. The polishing mechanism was discussed based on the zeta potential measurements of the abrasives and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the polished SiC surfaces.

Surface passivation of nano-textured fluorescent SiC by atomic layer deposited TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Weifang; Ou, Yiyu; Jokubavicius, Valdas; Fadil, Ahmed; Syväjärvi, Mikael; Petersen, Paul Michael; Ou, Haiyan

2016-07-01

Nano-textured surfaces have played a key role in optoelectronic materials to enhance the light extraction efficiency. In this work, morphology and optical properties of nano-textured SiC covered with atomic layer deposited (ALD) TiO2 were investigated. In order to obtain a high quality surface for TiO2 deposition, a three-step cleaning procedure was introduced after RIE etching. The morphology of anatase TiO2 indicates that the nano-textured substrate has a much higher surface nucleated grain density than a flat substrate at the beginning of the deposition process. The corresponding reflectance increases with TiO2 thickness due to increased surface diffuse reflection. The passivation effect of ALD TiO2 thin film on the nano-textured fluorescent 6H-SiC sample was also investigated and a PL intensity improvement of 8.05% was obtained due to the surface passivation.

Research Investigation Directed Toward Extending the Useful Range of the Electromagnetic Spectrum.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-31

Meyers, C. H. Liu, S. M. So, W. Hwang, and E. S. Yang, "Electrical Characterization of Electrodeposited CdTe Solar Cells," Proceedings 16th IEEE...ARO) D. J. Ehrlich and R. M. Osgood, Jr., "Laser Microchemistry, Local Nucleation Mechanisms for Photodeposition," Thin Solid Films, 90, 287 (1982...substrate Interface. Subsequently, the migrated Si atom nucleates epitaxially at the Si substrate surface through a surface reaction. It has been

X-Ray Performance of Multilayer Diffraction Diagnostics

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-13

wafers to fused quartz and superpolished Zerodur were used. Multilayers were deposited onto Si wafer substrates nd cleaved to rectangular sections 3.2...except it was noted that for depositions made on the supersmooth quartz and Zerodur substrates that the multilayer surfaces were slightly smoother than...values from the multilavers deposited on supersmooth quartz and Zerodur substrates were noticeabLe Lower than the U/Si multilav;ers on silicon

Quantification of Valleys of Randomly Textured Substrates as a Function of Opening Angle: Correlation to the Defect Density in Intrinsic nc-Si:H.

PubMed

Kim, Do Yun; Hänni, Simon; Schüttauf, Jan-Willem; van Swaaij, René A C M M; Zeman, Miro

2016-08-17

Optical and electrical properties of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) solar cells are strongly influenced by the morphology of underlying substrates. By texturing the substrates, the photogenerated current of nc-Si:H solar cells can increase due to enhanced light scattering. These textured substrates are, however, often incompatible with defect-less nc-Si:H growth resulting in lower Voc and FF. In this study we investigate the correlation between the substrate morphology, the nc-Si:H solar-cell performance, and the defect density in the intrinsic layer of the solar cells (i-nc-Si:H). Statistical surface parameters representing the substrate morphology do not show a strong correlation with the solar-cell parameters. Thus, we first quantify the line density of potentially defective valleys of randomly textured ZnO substrates where the opening angle is smaller than 130° (ρ<130). This ρ<130 is subsequently compared with the solar-cell performance and the defect density of i-nc-Si:H (ρdefect), which is obtained by fitting external photovoltaic parameters from experimental results and simulations. We confirm that when ρ<130 increases the Voc and FF significantly drops. It is also observed that ρdefect increases following a power law dependence of ρ<130. This result is attributed to more frequently formed defective regions for substrates having higher ρ<130.

Germanium growth on electron beam lithography patterned Si3N4/Si(001) substrate using molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Subhendu Sinha; Katiyar, Ajit K.; Sarkar, Arijit; Dhar, Achintya; Rudra, Arun; Khatri, Ravinder K.; Ray, Samit Kumar

2018-04-01

It is important to investigate the growth dynamics of Ge adatoms under different surface stress regimes of the patterned dielectric to control the selective growth of self-assembled Ge nanostructures on silicon. In the present work, we have studied the growth of Ge by molecular beam epitaxy on nanometer scale patterned Si3N4/Si(001) substrates generated using electron beam lithography. The pitch of the patterns has been varied to investigate its effect on the growth of Ge in comparison to un-patterned Si3N4. For the patterned Si3N4 film, Ge did not desorbed completely from the Si3N4 film and hence no site selective growth pattern is observed. Instead, depending upon the pitch, Ge growth has occurred in different growth modes around the openings in the Si3N4. For the un-patterned substrate, the morphology exhibits the occurrence of uniform 3D clustering of Ge adatoms on Si3N4 film. This variation in the growth modes of Ge is attributed to the variation of residual stress in the Si3N4 film for different pitch of holes, which has been confirmed theoretically through Comsol Multiphysics simulation. The variation in stress for different pitches resulted in modulation of surface energy of the Si3N4 film leading to the different growth modes of Ge.

Improved growth of GaN layers on ultra thin silicon nitride/Si (1 1 1) by RF-MBE

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

Kumar, Mahesh; Roul, Basanta; Central Research Laboratory, Bharat Electronics, Bangalore 560013

High-quality GaN epilayers were grown on Si (1 1 1) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy using a new growth process sequence which involved a substrate nitridation at low temperatures, annealing at high temperatures, followed by nitridation at high temperatures, deposition of a low-temperature buffer layer, and a high-temperature overgrowth. The material quality of the GaN films was also investigated as a function of nitridation time and temperature. Crystallinity and surface roughness of GaN was found to improve when the Si substrate was treated under the new growth process sequence. Micro-Raman and photoluminescence (PL) measurement results indicate that the GaN filmmore » grown by the new process sequence has less tensile stress and optically good. The surface and interface structures of an ultra thin silicon nitride film grown on the Si surface are investigated by core-level photoelectron spectroscopy and it clearly indicates that the quality of silicon nitride notably affects the properties of GaN growth.« less

Carbon buffer layers for smoothing superpolished glass surfaces as substrates for molybdenum /silicon multilayer soft-x-ray mirrors.

PubMed

Stock, H J; Hamelmann, F; Kleineberg, U; Menke, D; Schmiedeskamp, B; Osterried, K; Heidemann, K F; Heinzmann, U

1997-03-01

Zerodur and BK7 glass substrates (developed by Fa. Glaswerke Schott, D-55014 Mainz, Germany) from Carl Zeiss Oberkochen polished to a standard surface roughness of varsigma = 0.8 nm rms were coated with a C layer by electron-beam evaporation in the UHV. The roughness of the C-layer surfaces is reduced to 0.6 nm rms. A normal-incidence reflectance of 50% at a wavelength of 13 nm was measured for a Mo/Si multilayer soft-x-ray mirror with 30 double layers (N = 30) deposited onto the BK7/C substrate, whereas a similar Mo/Si multilayer (N = 30) evaporated directly onto the bare BK7 surface turned out to show a reflectance of only 42%.

A study to improve the mechanical properties of silicon carbide ribbon fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Debolt, H. E.; Robey, R. J.

1976-01-01

Preliminary deposition studies of SiC ribbon on a carbon ribbon substrate showed that the dominant strength limiting flaws were at the substrate surface. Procedures for making the carbon ribbon substrate from polyimide film were improved, providing lengths up to 450 meters (1,500 ft.) of flat carbon ribbon substrate 1,900 microns (75 mils) wide by 25 microns (1 mil) thick. The flaws on the carbon ribbon were smaller and less frequent than on carbon ribbon used earlier. SiC ribbon made using the improved substrate, including a layer of pyrolytic graphite to reduce further the severity of substrate surface flaws, showed strength levels up to the 2,068 MPa (300 Ksi) target of the program, with average strength levels over 1,700 MPa (250 Ksi) with coefficient of variation as low as 10% for some runs.

Thermoelectric properties of epitaxial β-FeSi2 thin films grown on Si(111) substrates with various film qualities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Kentaro; Taniguchi, Tatsuhiko; Sakane, Shunya; Aoki, Shunsuke; Suzuki, Takeyuki; Fujita, Takeshi; Nakamura, Yoshiaki

2017-05-01

Si-based epitaxial β-FeSi2 thin films are attractive as materials for on-chip thermoelectric power generators. We investigated the structure, crystallinity, and thermoelectric properties of β-FeSi2 thin films epitaxially grown on Si(111) substrates by using three different techniques: conventional reactive deposition epitaxy followed by molecular beam epitaxy (RDE+MBE), solid phase epitaxy (SPE) based on codeposition of Fe and Si presented previously, and SPE followed by MBE (SPE+MBE) presented newly by this work. Their epitaxial growth temperatures were fixed at 530 °C for comparison. RDE+MBE thin films exhibited high crystalline quality, but rough surfaces and rugged β-FeSi2/Si(111) interfaces. On the other hand, SPE thin films showed flat surfaces and abrupt β-FeSi2/Si(111) interfaces but low crystallinity. We found that SPE+MBE thin films realized crystallinity higher than SPE thin films, and also had flatter surfaces and sharper interfaces than RDE+MBE thin films. In SPE+MBE thin film growth, due to the initial SPE process with low temperature codeposition, thermal interdiffusion of Fe and Si was suppressed, resulting in the surface flatness and abrupt interface. Second high temperature MBE process improved the crystallinity. We also investigated thermoelectric properties of these β-FeSi2 thin films. Structural factors affecting the thermoelectric properties of RDE+MBE, SPE, and SPE+MBE thin films were investigated.

Laser surface treatment of porous ceramic substrate for application in solid oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmod, D. S. A.; Khan, A. A.; Munot, M. A.; Glandut, N.; Labbe, J. C.

2016-08-01

Laser has offered a large number of benefits for surface treatment of ceramics due to possibility of localized heating, very high heating/cooling rates and possibility of growth of structural configurations only produced under non-equilibrium high temperature conditions. The present work investigates oxidation of porous ZrB2-SiC sintered ceramic substrates through treatment by a 1072 ± 10 nm ytterbium fiber laser. A multi-layer structure is hence produced showing successively oxygen rich distinct layers. The porous bulk beneath these layers remained unaffected as this laser-formed oxide scale and protected the substrate from oxidation. A glassy SiO2 structure thus obtained on the surface of the substrate becomes subject of interest for further research, specifically for its utilization as solid protonic conductor in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs).

Parametrization of optical properties of indium-tin-oxide thin films by spectroscopic ellipsometry: Substrate interfacial reactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Losurdo, M.; Giangregorio, M.; Capezzuto, P.; Bruno, G.; de Rosa, R.; Roca, F.; Summonte, C.; Plá, J.; Rizzoli, R.

2002-01-01

Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) films deposited by sputtering and e-gun evaporation on both transparent (Corning glass) and opaque (c-Si, c-Si/SiO2) substrates and in c-Si/a-Si:H/ITO heterostructures have been analyzed by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) in the range 1.5-5.0 eV. Taking the SE advantage of being applicable to absorbent substrate, ellipsometry is used to determine the spectra of the refractive index and extinction coefficient of the ITO films. The effect of the substrate surface on the ITO optical properties is focused and discussed. To this aim, a parametrized equation combining the Drude model, which considers the free-carrier response at the infrared end, and a double Lorentzian oscillator, which takes into account the interband transition contribution at the UV end, is used to model the ITO optical properties in the useful UV-visible range, whatever the substrate and deposition technique. Ellipsometric analysis is corroborated by sheet resistance measurements.

The Role of the Substrate on Photophysical Properties of Highly Ordered 15R-SiC Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourya, Satyendra; Jaiswal, Jyoti; Malik, Gaurav; Kumar, Brijesh; Chandra, Ramesh

2018-06-01

We report on the structural optimization and photophysical properties of in situ RF-sputtered single crystalline 15R-SiC thin films deposited on various substrates (ZrO2, MgO, SiC, and Si). The role of the substrates on the structural, electronic, and photodynamic behavior of the grown films have been demonstrated using x-ray diffraction, photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. The appropriate bonding order and the presence of native oxide on the surface of the grown samples are confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement. A deep-blue PL emission has been observed corresponding to the Si-centered defects occurring in the native oxide. Deconvolution of the PL spectra manifested two decay mechanisms corresponding to the radiative recombination. The PL intensity and carrier lifetime were found to be substrate- dependent which may be ascribed to the variation in the trap-density of the films grown on different substrates.

Growth, characterization and device development in monocrystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, R. F.; Glass, J. T.; Nemanich, R. J.; Bozeman, S. P.; Sowers, A. T.

1995-06-01

Experimental and theoretical studies concerned with interface interactions of diamond with Si, Ni, and Ni3Si substrates have been conducted. Oriented diamond films deposited on (100) Si were characterized by polar Raman, polar x-ray diffraction (XRD), and cross-sectional high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). These sutides showed that the diamond(100)/Si(100) interface adopted the 3:2-match arrangement rather than a 45 deg rotation. Extended Hueckel tight-binding (EHTB) electronic structure calculations for a model system revealed that the interface interaction favors the 3:2-match arrangement. Growth on polycrystalline Ni3Si resulted in oriented diamond particles; under the same growth conditions, graphite was formed on the nickel substrate. Our EHTB electronic structure calculations showed that the (111) and (100) surfaces of Ni3Si have a strong preference for diamond nucleation over graphite nucleation, but this was not the case for the (111) and (100) surfaces of Ni.

Large-area ordered Ge-Si compound quantum dot molecules on dot-patterned Si (001) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Hui; Zhou, Tong; Wang, Shuguang; Fan, Yongliang; Zhong, Zhenyang

2014-08-01

We report on the formation of large-area ordered Ge-Si compound quantum dot molecules (CQDMs) in a combination of nanosphere lithography and self-assembly. Truncated-pyramid-like Si dots with {11n} facets are readily formed, which are spatially ordered in a large area with controlled period and size. Each Si dot induces four self-assembled Ge-rich dots at its base edges that can be fourfold symmetric along <110> directions. A model based on surface chemical potential accounts well for these phenomena. Our results disclose the critical effect of surface curvature on the diffusion and the aggregation of Ge adatoms and shed new light on the unique features and the inherent mechanism of self-assembled QDs on patterned substrates. Such a configuration of one Si QD surrounded by fourfold symmetric Ge-rich QDs can be seen as a CQDM with unique features, which will have potential applications in novel devices.

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Sample Preparation of Si(1-x)Gex in c-Plane Sapphire Substrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Hyun Jung; Choi, Sang H.; Bae, Hyung-Bin; Lee, Tae Woo

2012-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration-invented X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, including the total defect density measurement method and the spatial wafer mapping method, have confirmed super hetero epitaxy growth for rhombohedral single crystalline silicon germanium (Si1-xGex) on a c-plane sapphire substrate. However, the XRD method cannot observe the surface morphology or roughness because of the method s limited resolution. Therefore the authors used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with samples prepared in two ways, the focused ion beam (FIB) method and the tripod method to study the structure between Si1-xGex and sapphire substrate and Si1?xGex itself. The sample preparation for TEM should be as fast as possible so that the sample should contain few or no artifacts induced by the preparation. The standard sample preparation method of mechanical polishing often requires a relatively long ion milling time (several hours), which increases the probability of inducing defects into the sample. The TEM sampling of the Si1-xGex on sapphire is also difficult because of the sapphire s high hardness and mechanical instability. The FIB method and the tripod method eliminate both problems when performing a cross-section TEM sampling of Si1-xGex on c-plane sapphire, which shows the surface morphology, the interface between film and substrate, and the crystal structure of the film. This paper explains the FIB sampling method and the tripod sampling method, and why sampling Si1-xGex, on a sapphire substrate with TEM, is necessary.

Growth mechanism and microstructure of low defect density InN (0001) In-face thin films on Si (111) substrates

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

Kehagias, Th.; Dimitrakopulos, G. P.; Koukoula, T.

2013-10-28

Transmission electron microscopy has been employed to analyze the direct nucleation and growth, by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, of high quality InN (0001) In-face thin films on (111) Si substrates. Critical steps of the heteroepitaxial growth process are InN nucleation at low substrate temperature under excessively high N-flux conditions and subsequent growth of the main InN epilayer at the optimum conditions, namely, substrate temperature 400–450 °C and In/N flux ratio close to 1. InN nucleation occurs in the form of a very high density of three dimensional (3D) islands, which coalesce very fast into a low surface roughness InN film.more » The reduced reactivity of Si at low temperature and its fast coverage by InN limit the amount of unintentional Si nitridation by the excessively high nitrogen flux and good bonding/adhesion of the InN film directly on the Si substrate is achieved. The subsequent overgrowth of the main InN epilayer, in a layer-by-layer growth mode that enhances the lateral growth of InN, reduces significantly the crystal mosaicity and the density of threading dislocations is about an order of magnitude less compared to InN films grown using an AlN/GaN intermediate nucleation/buffer layer on Si. The InN films exhibit the In-face polarity and very smooth atomically stepped surfaces.« less

Role of SiC substrate surface on local tarnishing of deposited silver mirror stacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limam, Emna; Maurice, Vincent; Seyeux, Antoine; Zanna, Sandrine; Klein, Lorena H.; Chauveau, Grégory; Grèzes-Besset, Catherine; Savin De Larclause, Isabelle; Marcus, Philippe

2018-04-01

The role of the SiC substrate surface on the resistance to the local initiation of tarnishing of thin-layered silver stacks for demanding space mirror applications was studied by combined surface and interface analysis on model stack samples deposited by cathodic magnetron sputtering and submitted to accelerated aging in gaseous H2S. It is shown that suppressing the surface pores resulting from the bulk SiC material production process by surface pretreatment eliminates the high aspect ratio surface sites that are imperfectly protected by the SiO2 overcoat after the deposition of silver. The formation of channels connecting the silver layer to its environment through the failing protection layer at the surface pores and locally enabling H2S entry and Ag2S growth as columns until emergence at the stack surface is suppressed, which markedly delays tarnishing initiation and thereby preserves the optical performance. The results revealed that residual tarnishing initiation proceeds by a mechanism essentially identical in nature but involving different pathways short circuiting the protection layer and enabling H2S ingress until the silver layer. These permeation pathways are suggested to be of microstructural origin and could correspond to the incompletely coalesced intergranular boundaries of the SiO2 layer.

Characterization of 3C-SiC Films Grown on 4H- and 6H-SiC Substrate Mesas During Step-Free Surface Heteroepitaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.; Powel J. Anthony; Spry, David J.; Trunek, Andrew J.; Huang, Xianrong; Vetter, William M.; Dudley, Michael; Skowronski, Marek; Liu, Jinqiang

2002-01-01

This paper reports detailed structural characterization of 3C-SiC heteroepitaxial films grown on 4H- and 6H-SiC mesa surfaces. 3C-SiC heterofilms grown by the "step-free surface heteroepitaxy" process, free of double-positioning boundary (DPB) and stacking-fault (SF) defects, were compared to less-optimized 3C-SiC heterofilms using High Resolution X-ray Diffraction (HRXRD), High Resolution Cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRXTEM), molten potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching, and dry thermal oxidation. The results suggest that step free surface heteroepitaxy enables remarkably benign partial lattice mismatch strain relief during heterofilm growth.

Interaction of cesium adatoms with free-standing graphene and graphene-veiled SiO 2 surfaces

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

Weck, Philippe F.; Kim, Eunja; Biedermann, Grant W.

2015-04-21

In this study, the interaction of Cs adatoms with mono- or bi-layered graphene (MLG and BLG), either free-standing or on a SiO 2 substrate, was investigated using density functional theory. The most stable adsorption sites for Cs are found to be hollow sites on both graphene sheets and graphene-veiled SiO 2(0001). In addition, larger dipole moments are created when a MLG-veiled SiO 2(0001) substrate is used for adsorption of Cs atoms compared to the adsorption on free-standing MLG, due to charge transfer occurring between the MLG and the SiO 2 substrate. For the adsorption of Cs on BLG-veiled SiO 2(0001)more » substrate, these differences are smoothed out and the binding energies corresponding to different sites are nearly degenerate; smaller dipole moments created by the Cs adatoms on BLG compared to MLG are also predicted.« less

Silicon/Carbon Nanotube Photocathode for Splitting Water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amashukeli, Xenia; Manohara, Harish; Greer, Harold F.; Hall, Lee J.; Gray, Harry B.; Subbert, Bryan

2013-01-01

A proof-of-concept device is being developed for hydrogen gas production based on water-splitting redox reactions facilitated by cobalt tetra-aryl porphyrins (Co[TArP]) catalysts stacked on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are grown on n-doped silicon substrates. The operational principle of the proposed device is based on conversion of photoelectron energy from sunlight into chemical energy, which at a later point, can be turned into electrical and mechanical power. The proposed device will consist of a degenerately n-doped silicon substrate with Si posts covering the surface of a 4-in. (approximately equal to 10cm) wafer. The substrate will absorb radiation, and electrons will move radially out of Si to CNT. Si posts are designed such that the diameters are small enough to allow considerable numbers of electrons to transport across to the CNT layer. CNTs will be grown on top of Si using conformal catalyst (Fe/Ni) deposition over a thin alumina barrier layer. Both metallic and semiconducting CNT will be used in this investigation, thus allowing for additional charge generation from CNT in the IR region. Si post top surfaces will be masked from catalyst deposition so as to prevent CNT growth on the top surface. A typical unit cell will then consist of a Si post covered with CNT, providing enhanced surface area for the catalyst. The device will then be dipped into a solution of Co[TArP] to enable coating of CNT with Co(P). The Si/CNT/Co [TArP] assembly then will provide electrons for water splitting and hydrogen gas production. A potential of 1.23 V is needed to split water, and near ideal band gap is approximately 1.4 eV. The combination of doped Si/CNT/Co [TArP] will enable this redox reaction to be more efficient.

Study on Surface Roughness of Modified Silicon Carbide Mirrors polished by Magnetorheological Finishing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Hang; Song, Ci; Li, Shengyi

2018-01-01

In order to obtain high precision and high surface quality silicon carbide mirrors, the silicon carbide mirror substrate is subjected to surface modification treatment. In this paper, the problem of Silicon Carbide (SiC) mirror surface roughness deterioration by MRF is studied. The reasons of surface flaws of “Comet tail” are analyzed. Influence principle of MRF polishing depth and the surface roughness of modified SiC mirrors is obtained by experiments. On this basis, the united process of modified SiC mirrors is proposed which is combined MRF with the small grinding head CCOS. The united process makes improvement in the surface accuracy and surface roughness of modified SiC mirrors.

The Effect of Dielectric Constants on Noble Metal/Semiconductor SERS Enhancement: FDTD Simulation and Experiment Validation of Ag/Ge and Ag/Si Substrates

PubMed Central

Wang, Tao; Zhang, Zhaoshun; Liao, Fan; Cai, Qian; Li, Yanqing; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Shao, Mingwang

2014-01-01

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was employed to simulate the electric field distribution for noble metal (Au or Ag)/semiconductor (Ge or Si) substrates. The simulation showed that noble metal/Ge had stronger SERS enhancement than noble metal/Si, which was mainly attributed to the different dielectric constants of semiconductors. In order to verify the simulation, Ag nanoparticles with the diameter of ca. 40 nm were grown on Ge or Si wafer (Ag/Ge or Ag/Si) and employed as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates to detect analytes in solution. The experiment demonstrated that both the two substrates exhibited excellent performance in the low concentration detection of Rhodamine 6G. Besides, the enhancement factor (1.3 × 109) and relative standard deviation values (less than 11%) of Ag/Ge substrate were both better than those of Ag/Si (2.9 × 107 and less than 15%, respectively), which was consistent with the FDTD simulation. Moreover, Ag nanoparticles were grown in-situ on Ge substrate, which kept the nanoparticles from aggregation in the detection. To data, Ag/Ge substrates showed the best performance for their sensitivity and uniformity among the noble metal/semiconductor ones. PMID:24514430

The effect of dielectric constants on noble metal/semiconductor SERS enhancement: FDTD simulation and experiment validation of Ag/Ge and Ag/Si substrates.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Zhang, Zhaoshun; Liao, Fan; Cai, Qian; Li, Yanqing; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Shao, Mingwang

2014-02-11

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was employed to simulate the electric field distribution for noble metal (Au or Ag)/semiconductor (Ge or Si) substrates. The simulation showed that noble metal/Ge had stronger SERS enhancement than noble metal/Si, which was mainly attributed to the different dielectric constants of semiconductors. In order to verify the simulation, Ag nanoparticles with the diameter of ca. 40 nm were grown on Ge or Si wafer (Ag/Ge or Ag/Si) and employed as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates to detect analytes in solution. The experiment demonstrated that both the two substrates exhibited excellent performance in the low concentration detection of Rhodamine 6G. Besides, the enhancement factor (1.3 × 10(9)) and relative standard deviation values (less than 11%) of Ag/Ge substrate were both better than those of Ag/Si (2.9 × 10(7) and less than 15%, respectively), which was consistent with the FDTD simulation. Moreover, Ag nanoparticles were grown in-situ on Ge substrate, which kept the nanoparticles from aggregation in the detection. To data, Ag/Ge substrates showed the best performance for their sensitivity and uniformity among the noble metal/semiconductor ones.

Photonic metasurface made of array of lens-like SiGe Mie resonators formed on (100) Si substrate via dewetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poborchii, Vladimir; Shklyaev, Alexander; Bolotov, Leonid; Uchida, Noriyuki; Tada, Tetsuya; Utegulov, Zhandos N.

2017-12-01

Metasurfaces consisting of arrays of high-index Mie resonators concentrating/redirecting light are important for integrated optics, photodetectors, and solar cells. Herein, we report the optical properties of low-Ge-content SiGe lens-like Mie resonator island arrays fabricated via dewetting during Ge deposition on a Si(100) surface at approximately 900 °C. We observe enhancement of the Si interaction with light owing to the efficient island-induced light concentration in the submicron-depth Si layer, which is mediated by both near-field Mie resonance leaking into the substrate and far-field light focusing. Such metasurfaces can improve the Si photodetector and solar-cell performance.

Nanosecond laser switching of surface wettability and epitaxial integration of c-axis ZnO thin films with Si(111) substrates.

PubMed

Molaei, R; Bayati, M R; Alipour, H M; Estrich, N A; Narayan, J

2014-01-08

We have achieved integration of polar ZnO[0001] epitaxial thin films with Si(111) substrates where cubic yttria-stabilized zirconia (c-YSZ) was used as a template on a Si(111) substrate. Using XRD (θ-2θ and φ scans) and HRTEM techniques, the epitaxial relationship between the ZnO and the c-YSZ layers was shown to be [0001]ZnO || [111]YSZ and [21¯1¯0]ZnO || [1¯01](c-YSZ), where the [21¯1¯0] direction lies in the (0001) plane, and the [1¯01] direction lies in the (111) plane. Similar studies on the c-YSZ/Si interface revealed epitaxy as (111)YSZ || (111)Si and in-plane (110)YSZ || (110)Si. HRTEM micrographs revealed atomically sharp and crystallographically continuous interfaces. The ZnO epilayers were subsequently laser annealed by a single pulse of a nanosecond excimer KrF laser. It was shown that the hydrophobic behavior of the pristine sample became hydrophilic after laser treatment. XPS was employed to study the effect of laser treatment on surface stoichiometry of the ZnO epilayers. The results revealed the formation of oxygen vacancies, which are envisaged to control the observed hydrophilic behavior. Our AFM studies showed surface smoothing due to the coupling of the high energy laser beam with the surface. The importance of integration of c-axis ZnO with Si(111) substrates is emphasized using the paradigm of domain matching epitaxy on the c-YSZ[111] buffer platform along with their out-of-plane orientation, which leads to improvement of the performance of the solid-state devices. The observed ultrafast response and switching in photochemical characteristics provide new opportunities for application of ZnO in smart catalysts, sensors, membranes, DNA self-assembly and multifunctional devices.

Droplet heteroepitaxy of zinc-blende vs. wurtzite GaN quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, C.; Jeon, S.; Hill, T.; Jones, C.; Shusterman, S.; Yacoby, Y.; Clarke, R.; Deng, H.; Goldman, Rs

We have developed a GaN droplet heteroepitaxy process based upon plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Using various surface treatments and Ga deposition parameters, we have demonstrated polycrystalline, zinc-blende (ZB), and wurtzite (WZ) GaN quantum dots (QDs) on Si(001), r-Al2O3, Si(111), and c-GaN substrates. For the polar substrates (i.e. Si(111) and c-GaN), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and coherent Bragg rod analysis reveals the formation of coherent WZ GaN QDs with nitridation-temperature-dependent sizes and densities. For the non-polar substrates (i.e. Si(001) and r-Al2O3) , QDs with strong near-band photoluminescence emission are observed and ZB GaN QD growth on Si(001) is demonstrated for the first time.

Alloyed surfaces: New substrates for graphene growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tresca, C.; Verbitskiy, N. I.; Fedorov, A.; Grüneis, A.; Profeta, G.

2017-11-01

We report a systematic ab-initio density functional theory investigation of Ni(111) surface alloyed with elements of group IV (Si, Ge and Sn), demonstrating the possibility to use it to grow high quality graphene. Ni(111) surface represents an ideal substrate for graphene, due to its catalytic properties and perfect matching with the graphene lattice constant. However, Dirac bands of graphene growth on Ni(111) are completely destroyed due to the strong hybridization between carbon pz and Ni d orbitals. Group IV atoms, namely Si, Ge and Sn, once deposited on Ni(111) surface, form an ordered alloyed surface with √{ 3} ×√{ 3} -R30° reconstruction. We demonstrate that, at variance with the pure Ni(111) surface, alloyed surfaces effectively decouple graphene from the substrate, resulting unstrained due to the nearly perfect lattice matching and preserves linear Dirac bands without the strong hybridization with Ni d states. The proposed surfaces can be prepared before graphene growth without resorting on post-growth processes which necessarily alter the electronic and structural properties of graphene.

Methods of making monolayers

DOEpatents

Alford, Kentin L [Pasco, WA; Simmons, Kevin L [Kennewick, WA; Samuels, William D [Richland, WA; Zemanian, Thomas S [Richland, WA; Liu, Jun [Albuquerque, NM; Shin, Yongsoon [Richland, WA; Fryxell, Glen E [Kennewick, WA

2009-12-08

The invention pertains to methods of forming monolayers on various surfaces. The surfaces can be selected from a wide array of materials, including, for example, aluminum dioxide, silicon dioxide, carbon and SiC. The substrates can be planar or porous. The monolayer is formed under enhanced pressure conditions. The monolayer contains functionalized molecules, and accordingly functionalizes a surface of the substrate. The properties of the functionalized substrate can enhance the substrate's applicability for numerous purposes including, for example, utilization in extracting contaminants, or incorporation into a polymeric matrix.

Methods of making monolayers

DOEpatents

Alford, Kentin L [Pasco, WA; Simmons, Kevin L [Kennewick, WA; Samuels, William D [Richland, WA; Zemanian, Thomas S [Richland, WA; Liu, Jun [Albuquerque, NM; Shin, Yongsoon [Richland, WA; Fryxell, Glen E [Kennewick, WA

2009-09-15

The invention pertains to methods of forming monolayers on various surfaces. The surfaces can be selected from a wide array of materials, including, for example, aluminum dioxide, silicon dioxide, carbon and SiC. The substrates can be planar or porous. The monolayer is formed under enhanced pressure conditions. The monolayer contains functionalized molecules, and accordingly functionalizes a surface of the substrate. The properties of the functionalized substrate can enhance the substrate's applicability for numerous purposes including, for example, utilization in extracting contaminants, or incorporation into a polymeric matrix.

Atomic layer deposition and post-growth thermal annealing of ultrathin MoO3 layers on silicon substrates: Formation of surface nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongfei; Yang, Ren Bin; Yang, Weifeng; Jin, Yunjiang; Lee, Coryl J. J.

2018-05-01

Ultrathin MoO3 layers have been grown on Si substrates at 120 °C by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using molybdenum hexacarbonyl [Mo(CO)6] and ozone (O3) as the Mo- and O-source precursors, respectively. The ultrathin films were further annealed in air at Tann = 550-750 °C for 15 min. Scanning-electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed to evaluate the morphological and elemental properties as well as their evolutions upon annealing of the thin films. They revealed an interfacial SiOx layer in between the MoO3 layer and the Si substrate; this SiOx layer converted into SiO2 during the annealing; and the equivalent thickness of the MoO3 (SiO2) layer decreased (increased) with the increase in Tann. Particles with diameters smaller than 50 nm emerged at Tann = 550 °C and their sizes (density) were reduced (increased) by increasing Tann to 650 °C. A further increase of Tann to 750 °C resulted in telephone-cord-like MoO3 structures, initiated from isolated particles on the surface. These observations have been discussed and interpreted based on temperature-dependent atomic interdiffusions, surface evaporations, and/or melting of MoO3, which shed new light on ALD MoO3 towards its electronic applications.

Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar ordered arrays as ultrasensitive and uniform surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Meng, Guowen; Li, Zhongbo; Huang, Zhulin; Li, Xiangdong

2015-11-21

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is considered to be an excellent candidate for analytical detection schemes, because of its molecular specificity, rapid response and high sensitivity. Here, SERS-substrates of Ag-nanoparticle (Ag-NP) decorated Ge-nanotapers grafted on hexagonally ordered Si-micropillar (denoted as Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar) arrays are fabricated via a combinatorial process of two-step etching to achieve hexagonal Si-micropillar arrays, chemical vapor deposition of flocky Ge-nanotapers on each Si-micropillar and decoration of Ag-NPs onto the Ge-nanotapers through galvanic displacement. With high density three-dimensional (3D) "hot spots" created from the large quantities of the neighboring Ag-NPs and large-scale uniform morphology, the hierarchical Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar arrays exhibit strong and reproducible SERS activity. Using our hierarchical 3D SERS-substrates, both methyl parathion (a commonly used pesticide) and PCB-2 (one congener of highly toxic polychlorinated biphenyls) with concentrations down to 10(-7) M and 10(-5) M have been detected respectively, showing great potential in SERS-based rapid trace-level detection of toxic organic pollutants in the environment.

Thin sol-gel-derived silica coatings on dental pure titanium casting.

PubMed

Yoshida, K; Kamada, K; Sato, K; Hatada, R; Baba, K; Atsuta, M

1999-01-01

The sol-gel dipping process, in which liquid silicon alkoxide is transformed into a solid silicon-oxygen network, can produce a thin film coating of silica (SiO(2)). The features of this method are high homogeneity and purity of the thin SiO(2) film and a low sinter temperature, which are important in the preparation of coating films that can protect metallic ion release from the metal substrate and prevent attachment of dental plaque. We evaluated the surface properties of dental pure titanium casting coated with a thin SiO(2) or SiO(2)/F-hybrid film by the sol-gel dipping process. The metal specimens were pretreated by dipping in isopropylalcohol solution containing 10 wt% 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane and treated by dipping in the silica precursor solution for 5 min, withdrawal at a speed of 2 mm/min, air-drying for 20 min at room temperature, heating at 120 degrees C for 20 min, and then storing at room temperature. Both SiO(2) and SiO(2)/F films bonded strongly (above 55 MPa) to pure titanium substrate by a tensile test. SiO(2(-)) and SiO(2)/F-coated specimens immersed in 1 wt% of lactic acid solution for two weeks showed significantly less release of titanium ions (30. 5 ppb/cm(2) and 9.5 ppb/cm(2), respectively) from the substrate than noncoated specimens (235.2 ppb/cm(2)). Hydrophobilization of SiO(2(-)) and SiO(2)/F-coated surfaces resulted in significant increases of contact angle of water (81.6 degrees and 105.7 degrees, respectively) compared with noncoated metal specimens (62.1 degrees ). The formation of both thin SiO(2) and SiO(2)/F-hybrid films by the sol-gel dipping process on the surface of dental pure titanium casting may be useful clinically in enhancing the bond strength of dental resin cements to titanium, preventing titanium ions release from the substrate, and reducing the accumulation of dental plaque attaching to intraoral dental restorations. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Schottky barrier detection devices having a 4H-SiC n-type epitaxial layer

DOEpatents

Mandal, Krishna C.; Terry, J. Russell

2016-12-06

A detection device, along with methods of its manufacture and use, is provided. The detection device can include: a SiC substrate defining a substrate surface cut from planar to about 12.degree.; a buffer epitaxial layer on the substrate surface; a n-type epitaxial layer on the buffer epitaxial layer; and a top contact on the n-type epitaxial layer. The buffer epitaxial layer can include a n-type 4H--SiC epitaxial layer doped at a concentration of about 1.times.10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3 to about 5.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 with nitrogen, boron, aluminum, or a mixture thereof. The n-type epitaxial layer can include a n-type 4H--SiC epitaxial layer doped at a concentration of about 1.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-3 to about 5.times.10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3 with nitrogen. The top contact can have a thickness of about 8 nm to about 15 nm.

Interfacial Coupling and Electronic Structure of Two-Dimensional Silicon Grown on the Ag(111) Surface at High Temperature.

PubMed

Feng, Jiagui; Wagner, Sean R; Zhang, Pengpeng

2015-06-18

Freestanding silicene, a monolayer of Si arranged in a honeycomb structure, has been predicted to give rise to massless Dirac fermions, akin to graphene. However, Si structures grown on a supporting substrate can show properties that strongly deviate from the freestanding case. Here, combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and differential conductance mapping, we show that the electrical properties of the (√3 x √3) phase of few-layer Si grown on Ag(111) strongly depend on film thickness, where the electron phase coherence length decreases and the free-electron-like surface state gradually diminishes when approaching the interface. These features are presumably attributable to the inelastic inter-band electron-electron scattering originating from the overlap between the surface state, interface state and the bulk state of the substrate. We further demonstrate that the intrinsic electronic structure of the as grown (√3 x √3) phase is identical to that of the (√3 x √3)R30° reconstructed Ag on Si(111), both of which exhibit the parabolic energy-momentum dispersion relation with comparable electron effective masses. These findings highlight the essential role of interfacial coupling on the properties of two-dimensional Si structures grown on supporting substrates, which should be thoroughly scrutinized in pursuit of silicene.

Magic C60 islands forming due to moiré interference between islands and substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olyanich, D. A.; Mararov, V. V.; Utas, T. V.; Utas, O. A.; Gruznev, D. V.; Zotov, A. V.; Saranin, A. A.

2015-05-01

Recently proposed mechanism for self-organized formation of magic islands [Nat.Comm. 4(2013)1679] has received a new experimental confirmation. According to this mechanism, self-assembly is mediated by the moiré interference between an island and underlying substrate lattice. It was first detected at C60 island growth on In-adsorbed Si(111)√{ 3} ×√{ 3}-Au surface. Changing In adsorbate for Tl results in lowering the corrugations of the surface potential relief due to a greater surface metallization. This allows formation of the C60 arrays with novel moiré pattern. As a result, a new set of magic C60 islands is formed on Tl-adsorbed Au/Si(111) surface differing from that observed on In-adsorbed surface. For example, the 19-C60 magic island which has a non-compact boomerang shape on In-adsorbed Au/Si(111) surfaces adopts a shape of a regular hexagon on Tl-adsorbed surface.

The influence of photoelectron processes in a semiconductor substrate on the adsorption of polycationic and polyanionic molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stetsyura, S. V.; Kozlowski, A. V.

2017-03-01

White-light illumination during the adsorption of polyanionic molecules of glucose oxidase (GO x ) enzyme on the surface of p-Si/SiO2/polyethylenimine structure leads to a threefold decrease in the surface concentration of GO x molecules. Same illumination during the GO x adsorption on the n-Si/SiO2/PEI structure leads to a sevenfold increase in the surface concentration of enzyme molecules. Changes in the amount of adsorbed GO x molecules depending on the intensity of irradiation are explained by electron transfer processes and recharging of electronic states at the Si/SiO2 interface and within SiO2 layer.

Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar ordered arrays as ultrasensitive and uniform surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jing; Meng, Guowen; Li, Zhongbo; Huang, Zhulin; Li, Xiangdong

2015-10-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is considered to be an excellent candidate for analytical detection schemes, because of its molecular specificity, rapid response and high sensitivity. Here, SERS-substrates of Ag-nanoparticle (Ag-NP) decorated Ge-nanotapers grafted on hexagonally ordered Si-micropillar (denoted as Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar) arrays are fabricated via a combinatorial process of two-step etching to achieve hexagonal Si-micropillar arrays, chemical vapor deposition of flocky Ge-nanotapers on each Si-micropillar and decoration of Ag-NPs onto the Ge-nanotapers through galvanic displacement. With high density three-dimensional (3D) ``hot spots'' created from the large quantities of the neighboring Ag-NPs and large-scale uniform morphology, the hierarchical Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar arrays exhibit strong and reproducible SERS activity. Using our hierarchical 3D SERS-substrates, both methyl parathion (a commonly used pesticide) and PCB-2 (one congener of highly toxic polychlorinated biphenyls) with concentrations down to 10-7 M and 10-5 M have been detected respectively, showing great potential in SERS-based rapid trace-level detection of toxic organic pollutants in the environment.Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is considered to be an excellent candidate for analytical detection schemes, because of its molecular specificity, rapid response and high sensitivity. Here, SERS-substrates of Ag-nanoparticle (Ag-NP) decorated Ge-nanotapers grafted on hexagonally ordered Si-micropillar (denoted as Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar) arrays are fabricated via a combinatorial process of two-step etching to achieve hexagonal Si-micropillar arrays, chemical vapor deposition of flocky Ge-nanotapers on each Si-micropillar and decoration of Ag-NPs onto the Ge-nanotapers through galvanic displacement. With high density three-dimensional (3D) ``hot spots'' created from the large quantities of the neighboring Ag-NPs and large-scale uniform morphology, the hierarchical Ag-NP@Ge-nanotaper/Si-micropillar arrays exhibit strong and reproducible SERS activity. Using our hierarchical 3D SERS-substrates, both methyl parathion (a commonly used pesticide) and PCB-2 (one congener of highly toxic polychlorinated biphenyls) with concentrations down to 10-7 M and 10-5 M have been detected respectively, showing great potential in SERS-based rapid trace-level detection of toxic organic pollutants in the environment. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr06001j

Silica coatings formed on noble dental casting alloy by the sol-gel dipping process.

PubMed

Yoshida, K; Tanagawa, M; Kamada, K; Hatada, R; Baba, K; Inoi, T; Atsuta, M

1999-08-01

The sol-gel dipping process, in which liquid silicon alkoxide is transformed into the solid silicon-oxygen network, can produce a thin film coating of silica (SiO2). The features of this method are high homogeneity and purity of the thin SiO2 film and a low sinter temperature, which are important in preparation of coating films that can protect from metallic ion release from the metal substrate and prevent attachment of dental plaque. We evaluated the surface characteristics of the dental casting silver-palladium-copper-gold (Ag-Pd-Cu-Au) alloy coated with a thin SiO2 film by the sol-gel dipping process. The SiO2 film bonded strongly (over 40 MPa) to Ti-implanted Ag-Pd-Cu-Au alloy substrate as demonstrated by a pull test. Hydrophobilization of Ti-implanted/SiO2-coated surfaces resulted in a significant increase of the contact angle of water (80.5 degrees) compared with that of the noncoated alloy specimens (59.3 degrees). Ti-implanted/SiO2-coated specimens showed the release of many fewer metallic ions (192 ppb/cm2) from the substrate than did noncoated specimens (2,089 ppb/cm2). The formation of a thin SiO2 film by the sol-gel dipping process on the surface of Ti-implanted Ag-Pd-Cu-Au alloy after casting clinically may be useful for minimizing the possibilities of the accumulation of dental plaque and metal allergies caused by intraoral metal restorations.

Determination of the Wetting Angle of Germanium and Germanium-Silicon Melts on Different Substrate Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, Natalie; Croell, Arne; Szofran, F. R.; Cobb. S. D.; Dold, P.; Benz, K. W.

1999-01-01

During Bridgman growth of semiconductors detachment of the crystal and the melt meniscus has occasionally been observed, mainly under microgravity (microg) conditions. An important factor for detached growth is the wetting angle of the melt with the crucible material. High contact angles are more likely to result in detachment of the growing crystal from the ampoule wall. In order to achieve detached growth of germanium (Ge) and germanium-silicon (GeSi) crystals under 1g and microg conditions, sessile drop measurements were performed to determine the most suitable ampoule material as well as temperature dependence of the surface tension for GeSi. Sapphire, fused quartz, glassy carbon, graphite, SiC, pyrolytic Boron Nitride (pBN), AIN, and diamond were used as substrates. Furthermore, different cleaning procedures and surface treatments (etching, sandblasting, etc.) of the same substrate material and their effect on the wetting behavior were studied during these experiments. pBN and AIN substrates exhibited the highest contact angles with values around 170 deg.

XPS and EELS characterization of Mn2SiO4, MnSiO3 and MnAl2O4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grosvenor, A. P.; Bellhouse, E. M.; Korinek, A.; Bugnet, M.; McDermid, J. R.

2016-08-01

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) are strong candidate techniques for characterizing steel surfaces and substrate-coating interfaces when investigating the selective oxidation and reactive wetting of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) during the continuous galvanizing process. However, unambiguous identification of ternary oxides such as Mn2SiO4, MnSiO3, and MnAl2O4 by XPS or EELS, which can play a significant role in substrate reactive wetting, is difficult due to the lack of fully characterized standards in the literature. To resolve this issue, samples of Mn2SiO4, MnSiO3 and MnAl2O4 were synthesized and characterized by XPS and EELS. The unique features of the XPS and EELS spectra for the Mn2SiO4, MnSiO3 and MnAl2O4 standards were successfully derived, thereby allowing investigators to fully differentiate and identify these oxides at the surface and subsurface of Mn, Si and Al alloyed AHSS using these techniques.

Appropriate salt concentration of nanodiamond colloids for electrostatic self-assembly seeding of monosized individual diamond nanoparticles on silicon dioxide surfaces.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Taro; Zuerbig, Verena; Gao, Fang; Hoffmann, René; Nebel, Christoph E; Ambacher, Oliver; Lebedev, Vadim

2015-05-19

Monosized (∼4 nm) diamond nanoparticles arranged on substrate surfaces are exciting candidates for single-photon sources and nucleation sites for ultrathin nanocrystalline diamond film growth. The most commonly used technique to obtain substrate-supported diamond nanoparticles is electrostatic self-assembly seeding using nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Currently, monodisperse nanodiamond colloids, which have a narrow distribution of particle sizes centering on the core particle size (∼4 nm), are available for the seeding technique on different substrate materials such as Si, SiO2, Cu, and AlN. However, the self-assembled nanoparticles tend to form small (typically a few tens of nanometers or even larger) aggregates on all of those substrate materials. In this study, this major weakness of self-assembled diamond nanoparticles was solved by modifying the salt concentration of nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Several salt concentrations of colloidal suspensions were prepared using potassium chloride as an inserted electrolyte and were examined with respect to seeding on SiO2 surfaces. The colloidal suspensions and the seeded surfaces were characterized by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Also, the interaction energies between diamond nanoparticles in each of the examined colloidal suspensions were compared on the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. From these investigations, it became clear that the appropriate salt concentration suppresses the formation of small aggregates during the seeding process owing to the modified electrostatic repulsive interaction between nanoparticles. Finally, monosized (<10 nm) individual diamond nanoparticles arranged on SiO2 surfaces have been successfully obtained.

Fabrication of Buried Nanochannels From Nanowire Patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Daniel; Yang, Eui-Hyeok

2007-01-01

A method of fabricating channels having widths of tens of nanometers in silicon substrates and burying the channels under overlying layers of dielectric materials has been demonstrated. With further refinement, the method might be useful for fabricating nanochannels for manipulation and analysis of large biomolecules at single-molecule resolution. Unlike in prior methods, burying the channels does not involve bonding of flat wafers to the silicon substrates to cover exposed channels in the substrates. Instead, the formation and burying of the channels are accomplished in a more sophisticated process that is less vulnerable to defects in the substrates and less likely to result in clogging of, or leakage from, the channels. In this method, the first step is to establish the channel pattern by forming an array of sacrificial metal nanowires on an SiO2-on-Si substrate. In particular, the wire pattern is made by use of focused-ion-beam (FIB) lithography and a subsequent metallization/lift-off process. The pattern of metal nanowires is then transferred onto the SiO2 layer by reactive-ion etching, which yields sacrificial SiO2 nanowires covered by metal. After removal of the metal covering the SiO2 nanowires, what remains are SiO2 nanowires on an Si substrate. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is used to form a layer of a dielectric material over the Si substrate and over the SiO2 wires on the surface of the substrate. FIB milling is then performed to form trenches at both ends of each SiO2 wire. The trenches serve as openings for the entry of chemicals that etch SiO2 much faster than they etch Si. Provided that the nanowires are not so long that the diffusion of the etching chemicals is blocked, the sacrificial SiO2 nanowires become etched out from between the dielectric material and the Si substrate, leaving buried channels. At the time of reporting the information for this article, channels 3 m long, 20 nm deep, and 80 nm wide (see figure) had been fabricated by this method.

Chemical Interaction-Guided, Metal-Free Growth of Large-Area Hexagonal Boron Nitride on Silicon-Based Substrates.

PubMed

Behura, Sanjay; Nguyen, Phong; Debbarma, Rousan; Che, Songwei; Seacrist, Michael R; Berry, Vikas

2017-05-23

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an ideal platform for interfacing with two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials to reduce carrier scattering for high-quality 2D electronics. However, scalable, transfer-free growth of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) remains a challenge. Currently, h-BN-based 2D heterostructures require exfoliation or chemical transfer of h-BN grown on metals resulting in small areas or significant interfacial impurities. Here, we demonstrate a surface-chemistry-influenced transfer-free growth of large-area, uniform, and smooth h-BN directly on silicon (Si)-based substrates, including Si, silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), and silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The growth rates increase with substrate electronegativity, Si < Si 3 N 4 < SiO 2 , consistent with the adsorption rates calculated for the precursor molecules via atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Under graphene with high grain density, this h-BN film acts as a polymer-free, planar-dielectric interface increasing carrier mobility by 3.5-fold attributed to reduced surface roughness and charged impurities. This single-step, chemical interaction guided, metal-free growth mechanism of h-BN for graphene heterostructures establishes a potential pathway for the design of complex and integrated 2D-heterostructured circuitry.

Silicon etch with chromium ions generated by a filtered or non-filtered cathodic arc discharge

PubMed Central

Scopece, Daniele; Döbeli, Max; Passerone, Daniele; Maeder, Xavier; Neels, Antonia; Widrig, Beno; Dommann, Alex; Müller, Ulrich; Ramm, Jürgen

2016-01-01

Abstract The pre-treatment of substrate surfaces prior to deposition is important for the adhesion of physical vapour deposition coatings. This work investigates Si surfaces after the bombardment by energetic Cr ions which are created in cathodic arc discharges. The effect of the pre-treatment is analysed by X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and in-depth X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and compared for Cr vapour produced from a filtered and non-filtered cathodic arc discharge. Cr coverage as a function of ion energy was also predicted by TRIDYN Monte Carlo calculations. Discrepancies between measured and simulated values in the transition regime between layer growth and surface removal can be explained by the chemical reactions between Cr ions and the Si substrate or between the substrate surface and the residual gases. Simulations help to find optimum and more stable parameters for specific film and substrate combinations faster than trial-and-error procedure. PMID:27877854

Suppression of Rotational Twins in Epitaxial B 12P 2 on 4H-SiC

DOE PAGES

Frye, C. D.; Saw, C. K.; Padavala, Balabalaji; ...

2017-12-22

B 12P2 was grown epitaxially on (0001) 4H-SiC using two different substrate miscuts: a standard 4° miscut toward the [more » $$11\\bar{20}$$] and a custom miscut 4° toward the [$$1\\bar{10}0$$]. Epitaxy on substrates miscut to the [$$11\\bar{20}$$] resulted in highly twinned B 12P 2 films with a rotational twin density of approximately 70% twin orientation I and 30% twin orientation II. In contrast, epitaxy on substrates tilted toward the [$$1\\bar{10}0$$] produced films of >99% twin orientation I. A H 2 etch model is used to explain the 4H-SiC surface morphology for each miscut prior to epitaxy and demonstrate how the surface steps influence the nucleation of B 12P 2 twin orientations. Surface steps on substrates miscut to the [$$11\\bar{20}$$] tend to be zig-zagged with steps rotated 60° from one another producing B 12P 2 crystals that nucleate in orientations rotated by 60°, hence forming rotationally twinned films. In conclusion, steps on substrates tilted to the [$$1\\bar{10}0$$] tend to be parallel resulting in crystallographically aligned B 12P 2 nucleation.« less

Suppression of Rotational Twins in Epitaxial B 12P 2 on 4H-SiC

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

Frye, C. D.; Saw, C. K.; Padavala, Balabalaji

B 12P2 was grown epitaxially on (0001) 4H-SiC using two different substrate miscuts: a standard 4° miscut toward the [more » $$11\\bar{20}$$] and a custom miscut 4° toward the [$$1\\bar{10}0$$]. Epitaxy on substrates miscut to the [$$11\\bar{20}$$] resulted in highly twinned B 12P 2 films with a rotational twin density of approximately 70% twin orientation I and 30% twin orientation II. In contrast, epitaxy on substrates tilted toward the [$$1\\bar{10}0$$] produced films of >99% twin orientation I. A H 2 etch model is used to explain the 4H-SiC surface morphology for each miscut prior to epitaxy and demonstrate how the surface steps influence the nucleation of B 12P 2 twin orientations. Surface steps on substrates miscut to the [$$11\\bar{20}$$] tend to be zig-zagged with steps rotated 60° from one another producing B 12P 2 crystals that nucleate in orientations rotated by 60°, hence forming rotationally twinned films. In conclusion, steps on substrates tilted to the [$$1\\bar{10}0$$] tend to be parallel resulting in crystallographically aligned B 12P 2 nucleation.« less

Epitaxial Ge Solar Cells Directly Grown on Si (001) by MOCVD Using Isobutylgermane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Youngjo; Kim, Kangho; Lee, Jaejin; Kim, Chang Zoo; Kang, Ho Kwan; Park, Won-Kyu

2018-03-01

Epitaxial Ge layers have been grown on Si (001) substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using an isobutylgermane (IBuGe) metalorganic source. Low and high temperature two-step growth and post annealing techniques are employed to overcome the lattice mismatch problem between Ge and Si. It is demonstrated that high quality Ge epitaxial layers can be grown on Si (001) by using IBuGe with surface RMS roughness of 2 nm and an estimated threading dislocation density of 4.9 × 107 cm -2. Furthermore, single-junction Ge solar cells have been directly grown on Si substrates with an in situ MOCVD growth. The epitaxial Ge p- n junction structures are investigated with transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical C- V measurements. As a result, a power conversion efficiency of 1.69% was achieved for the Ge solar cell directly grown on Si substrate under AM1.5G condition.

Internal structure of copper(II)-phthalocyanine thin films on SiO2/Si substrates investigated by grazing incidence x-ray reflectometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brieva, A. C.; Jenkins, T. E.; Jones, D. G.; Strössner, F.; Evans, D. A.; Clark, G. F.

2006-04-01

The internal structure of copper(II)-phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films grown on SiO2/Si by organic molecular beam deposition has been studied by grazing incidence x-ray reflectometry (GIXR) and atomic force microscopy. The electronic density profile is consistent with a structure formed by successive monolayers of molecules in the α form with the b axis lying in the substrate surface plane. The authors present an electronic density profile model of CuPc films grown on SiO2/Si. The excellent agreement between the model and experimental data allows postdeposition monitoring of the internal structure of the CuPc films with the nondestructive GIXR technique, providing a tool for accurate control of CuPc growth on silicon-based substrates. In addition, since the experiments have been carried out ex situ, they show that these structures can endure ambient conditions.

Subsurface Growth Of Silicide Structures In Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fathauer, Robert W.; George, Thomas; Pike, William T.; Schowalter, Leo

1993-01-01

Technique shows promise for fabrication of novel electronic, optoelectronic, and electro-optical devices. Experiments demonstrated feasibility of growing microscopic single-crystal CoSi2 structures beneath surfaces of Si substrates.

Protein adsorption on tailored substrates: long-range forces and conformational changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellion, M.; Santen, L.; Mantz, H.; Hähl, H.; Quinn, A.; Nagel, A.; Gilow, C.; Weitenberg, C.; Schmitt, Y.; Jacobs, K.

2008-10-01

Adsorption of proteins onto solid surfaces is an everyday phenomenon that is not yet fully understood. To further the current understanding, we have performed in situ ellipsometry studies to reveal the adsorption kinetics of three different proteins, lysozyme, α-amylase and bovine serum albumin. As substrates we offer Si wafers with a controlled Si oxide layer thickness and a hydrophilic or hydrophobic surface functionalization, allowing the tailoring of the influence of short- and long-range interactions. Our studies show that not only the surface chemistry determines the properties of an adsorbed protein layer but also the van der Waals contributions of a composite substrate. We compare the experimental findings to results of a colloidal Monte Carlo approach that includes conformational changes of the adsorbed proteins induced by density fluctuations.

Nanocatalytic growth of Si nanowires from Ni silicate coated SiC nanoparticles on Si solar cell.

PubMed

Parida, Bhaskar; Choi, Jaeho; Ji, Hyung Yong; Park, Seungil; Lim, Gyoungho; Kim, Keunjoo

2013-09-01

We investigated the nanocatalytic growth of Si nanowires on the microtextured surface of crystalline Si solar cell. 3C-SiC nanoparticles have been used as the base for formation of Ni silicate layer in a catalytic reaction with the Si melt under H2 atmosphere at an annealing temperature of 1100 degrees C. The 10-nm thick Ni film was deposited after the SiC nanoparticles were coated on the microtextured surface of the Si solar cell by electron-beam evaporation. SiC nanoparticles form a eutectic alloy surface of Ni silicate and provide the base for Si supersaturation as well as the Ni-Si alloy layer on Si substrate surface. This bottom reaction mode for the solid-liquid-solid growth mechanism using a SiC nanoparticle base provides more stable growth of nanowires than the top reaction mode growth mechanism in the absence of SiC nanoparticles. Thermally excited Ni nanoparticle forms the eutectic alloy and provides collectively excited electrons at the alloy surface, which reduces the activation energy of the nanocatalytic reaction for formation of nanowires.

Improvement of mechanical robustness of the superhydrophobic wood surface by coating PVA/SiO2 composite polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Feng; Wang, Shuliang; Zhang, Ming; Ma, Miaolian; Wang, Chengyu; Li, Jian

2013-09-01

Improvement of the robustness of superhydrophobic surfaces is crucial for the purpose of achieving commercial applications of these surfaces in such various areas as self-cleaning, water repellency and corrosion resistance. We have investigated a fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/silica (SiO2) composite polymer coating on wooden substrates with super repellency toward water, low sliding angles, low contact angle hysteresis, and relatively better mechanical robustness. The composite polymer slurry, consisting of well-mixing SiO2 particles and PVA, is prepared simply and subsequently coated over wooden substrates with good adhesion. In this study, the mechanical robustness of superhydrophobic wood surfaces was evaluated. The effect of petaloid structures of the composite polymer on robustness was investigated using an abrasion test and the results were compared with those of superhydrophobic wood surfaces fabricated by other processes. The produced wood surfaces exhibited promising superhydrophobic properties with a contact angle of 159̊ and a sliding angle of 4̊, and the relatively better mechanical robustness.

Antireflective hydrophobic si subwavelength structures using thermally dewetted Ni/SiO2 nanomask patterns.

PubMed

Joo, Dong Hyuk; Leem, Jung Woo; Yu, Jae Su

2011-11-01

We report the disordered silicon (Si) subwavelength structures (SWSs), which are fabricated with the use of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching in SiCl4 gas using nickel/silicon dioxide (Ni/SiO2) nanopattens as the etch mask, on Si substrates by varying the etching parameters for broadband antireflective and self-cleaning surfaces. For the fabricated Si SWSs, the antireflection characteristics are experimentally investigated and a theoretical analysis is made based on the rigorous coupled-wave analysis method. The desirable dot-like Ni nanoparticles on SiO2/Si substrates are formed by the thermal dewetting process of Ni films at 900 degrees C. The truncated cone shaped Si SWS with a high average height of 790 +/- 23 nm, which is fabricated by ICP etching with 5 sccm SiCl4 at 50 W RF power with additional 200 W ICP power under 10 mTorr process pressure, exhibits a low average reflectance of approximately 5% over a wide wavelength range of 450-1050 nm. The water contact angle of 110 degrees is obtained, indicating a hydrophobic surface. The calculated reflectance results are also reasonably consistent with the experimental data.

Redistribution of phosphorus during Ni0.9Pt0.1-based silicide formation on phosphorus implanted Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemang, M.; Rodriguez, Ph.; Nemouchi, F.; Juhel, M.; Grégoire, M.; Mangelinck, D.

2018-02-01

Phosphorus diffusion and its distribution during the solid-state reactions between Ni0.9Pt0.1 and implanted Si substrates are studied. Silicidation is achieved through a first rapid thermal annealing followed by a selective etching and a direct surface annealing. The redistribution of phosphorus in silicide layers is investigated after the first annealing for different temperatures and after the second annealing. Phosphorus concentration profiles obtained thanks to time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and atom probe tomography characterizations for partial and total reactions of the deposited 7 nm thick Ni0.9Pt0.1 film are presented. Phosphorus segregation is observed at the Ni0.9Pt0.1 surface and at Ni2Si interfaces during Ni2Si formation and at the NiSi surface and the NiSi/Si interface after NiSi formation. The phosphorus is evidenced in low concentrations in the Ni2Si and NiSi layers. Once NiSi is formed, a bump in the phosphorus concentration is highlighted in the NiSi layer before the NiSi/Si interface. Based on these profiles, a model for the phosphorus redistribution is proposed to match this bump to the former Ni2Si/Si interface. It also aims to bind the phosphorus segregation and its low concentration in different silicides to a low solubility of phosphorus in Ni2Si and in NiSi and a fast diffusion of phosphorus at their grain boundaries. This model is also substantiated by a simulation using a finite difference method in one dimension.

Wettability of MnxSiyOz by Liquid Zn-Al Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yunkyum; Shin, Minsoo; Tang, Chengying; Lee, Joonho

2010-08-01

The wettability of MnxSiyOz by liquid Zn-Al alloys was investigated to obtain basic information on the coating properties of high-strength steels with surface oxides in the hot-dip galvanizing process. In this study, the contact angles of liquid Zn-Al alloys (Al concentrations were 0.12 and 0.23 wt pct) on four different MnxSiyOz oxides, namely MnO, MnSiO3, Mn2SiO4, and SiO2, were measured with the dispensed drop method. The contact angle did not change across time. With an increasing Al concentration, the contact angle was slightly decreased for MnO and Mn2SiO4, but there was no change for MnSiO3 and SiO2. With an increasing SiO2 content, the contact angle gradually increased by 54 wt pct to form MnSiO3, and for pure SiO2 substrate, the contact angle decreased again. Consequently, the MnSiO3 substrate showed the worst wettability among the four tested oxide substrates.

Bonding temperature dependence of GaInAsP/InP laser diode grown on hydrophilically directly bonded InP/Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aikawa, Masaki; Onuki, Yuya; Hayasaka, Natsuki; Nishiyama, Tetsuo; Kamada, Naoki; Han, Xu; Kallarasan Periyanayagam, Gandhi; Uchida, Kazuki; Sugiyama, Hirokazu; Shimomura, Kazuhiko

2018-02-01

The bonding-temperature-dependent lasing characteristics of 1.5 a µm GaInAsP laser diode (LD) grown on a directly bonded InP/Si substrate were successfully obtained. We have fabricated the InP/Si substrate using a direct hydrophilic wafer bonding technique at bonding temperatures of 350, 400, and 450 °C, and deposited GaInAsP/InP double heterostructure layers on this InP/Si substrate. The surface conditions, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and electrical characteristics after the growth were compared at these bonding temperatures. No significant differences were confirmed in X-ray diffraction analysis and PL spectra at these bonding temperatures. We realized the room-temperature lasing of the GaInAsP LD on the InP/Si substrate bonded at 350 and 400 °C. The threshold current densities were 4.65 kA/cm2 at 350 °C and 4.38 kA/cm2 at 400 °C. The electrical resistance was found to increase with annealing temperature.

Preparation of monolayers of [MnIII 6CrIII]3+ single-molecule magnets on HOPG, mica and silicon surfaces and characterization by means of non-contact AFM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gryzia, Aaron; Predatsch, Hans; Brechling, Armin; Hoeke, Veronika; Krickemeyer, Erich; Derks, Christine; Neumann, Manfred; Glaser, Thorsten; Heinzmann, Ulrich

2011-08-01

We report on the characterization of various salts of [ Mn III 6 Cr III ] 3+ complexes prepared on substrates such as highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), mica, SiO2, and Si3N4. [ Mn III 6 Cr III ] 3+ is a single-molecule magnet, i.e., a superparamagnetic molecule, with a blocking temperature around 2 K. The three positive charges of [ Mn III 6 Cr III ] 3+ were electrically neutralized by use of various anions such as tetraphenylborate (BPh4 -), lactate (C3H5O3 -), or perchlorate (ClO4 -). The molecule was prepared on the substrates out of solution using the droplet technique. The main subject of investigation was how the anions and substrates influence the emerging surface topology during and after the preparation. Regarding HOPG and SiO2, flat island-like and hemispheric-shaped structures were created. We observed a strong correlation between the electronic properties of the substrate and the analyzed structures, especially in the case of mica where we observed a gradient in the analyzed structures across the surface.

Synthesis of nano-structure tungsten nitride thin films on silicon using Mather-type plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussnain, A.; Rawat, R. S.; Ahmad, R.; Umar, Z. A.; Hussain, T.; Lee, P.; Chen, Z.

2015-07-01

Nano-structure thin film of tungsten nitride was deposited onto Si-substrate at room temperature using Mather-type plasma focus (3.3 kJ) machine. Substrate was exposed against 10, 20, 30, and 40 deposition shots and its corresponding effect on structure, morphology, conductivity and nano-hardness has been systematically studied. The X-ray diffractormeter spectra of the exposed samples show the presence of various phases of WN and WN2 that depends on number of deposition shots. Surface morphological study revealed the uniform distribution of nano-sized grains on deposited film surface. Hardness and conductivity of exposed substrate improved with higher deposition shots. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy survey scan of 40 deposition shots confirmed the elemental presence of W and N on Si-substrate.

Change in equilibrium position of misfit dislocations at the GaN/sapphire interface by Si-ion implantation into sapphire—I. Microstructural characterization

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

Lee, Sung Bo, E-mail: bolee@snu.ac.kr; Han, Heung Nam, E-mail: hnhan@snu.ac.kr; Lee, Dong Nyung

Much research has been done to reduce dislocation densities for the growth of GaN on sapphire, but has paid little attention to the elastic behavior at the GaN/sapphire interface. In this study, we have examined effects of the addition of Si to a sapphire substrate on its elastic property and on the growth of GaN deposit. Si atoms are added to a c-plane sapphire substrate by ion implantation. The ion implantation results in scratches on the surface, and concomitantly, inhomogeneous distribution of Si. The scratch regions contain a higher concentration of Si than other regions of the sapphire substrate surface,more » high-temperature GaN being poorly grown there. However, high-temperature GaN is normally grown in the other regions. The GaN overlayer in the normally-grown regions is observed to have a lower TD density than the deposit on the bare sapphire substrate (with no Si accommodated). As compared with the film on an untreated, bare sapphire, the cathodoluminescence defect density decreases by 60 % for the GaN layer normally deposited on the Si-ion implanted sapphire. As confirmed by a strain mapping technique by transmission electron microscopy (geometric phase analysis), the addition of Si in the normally deposited regions forms a surface layer in the sapphire elastically more compliant than the GaN overlayer. The results suggest that the layer can largely absorb the misfit strain at the interface, which produces the overlayer with a lower defect density. Our results highlight a direct correlation between threading-dislocation density in GaN deposits and the elastic behavior at the GaN/sapphire interface, opening up a new pathway to reduce threading-dislocation density in GaN deposits.« less

Effect of substrate type on the electrical and structural properties of TiO2 thin films deposited by reactive DC sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Xuemei; Gotoh, Kazuhiro; Nakagawa, Yoshihiko; Usami, Noritaka

2018-06-01

Electrical and structural properties of TiO2 thin films deposited at room temperature by reactive DC sputtering have been investigated on three different substrates: high resistivity (>1000 Ω cm) float zone Si(1 1 1), float zone Si(1 0 0) and alkali free glass. As-deposited TiO2 films on glass substrate showed extremely high resistivity of (∼5.5 × 103 Ω cm). In contrast, lower resistivities of ∼2 Ω cm and ∼5 Ω cm were obtained for films on Si(1 1 1) and Si(1 0 0), respectively. The as-deposited films were found to be oxygen-rich amorphous TiO2 for all the substrates as evidenced by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Subsequent annealing led to appearance of anatase TiO2 on Si but not on glass. The surface of as-deposited TiO2 on Si was found to be rougher than that on glass. These results suggest that the big difference of electrical resistivity of TiO2 would be related with existence of more anatase nuclei forming on crystalline substrates, which is consistent with the theory of charged clusters that smaller clusters tend to adopt the substrate structure.

Effect of graphene oxide ratio on the cell adhesion and growth behavior on a graphene oxide-coated silicon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Jin-Tak; Choi, Mun-Ki; Sim, Yumin; Lim, Jung-Taek; Kim, Gil-Sung; Seong, Maeng-Je; Hyung, Jung-Hwan; Kim, Keun Soo; Umar, Ahmad; Lee, Sang-Kwon

2016-09-01

Control of living cells on biocompatible materials or on modified substrates is important for the development of bio-applications, including biosensors and implant biomaterials. The topography and hydrophobicity of substrates highly affect cell adhesion, growth, and cell growth kinetics, which is of great importance in bio-applications. Herein, we investigate the adhesion, growth, and morphology of cultured breast cancer cells on a silicon substrate, on which graphene oxides (GO) was partially formed. By minimizing the size and amount of the GO-containing solution and the further annealing process, GO-coated Si samples were prepared which partially covered the Si substrates. The coverage of GO on Si samples decreases upon annealing. The behaviors of cells cultured on two samples have been observed, i.e. partially GO-coated Si (P-GO) and annealed partially GO-coated Si (Annealed p-GO), with a different coverage of GO. Indeed, the spreading area covered by the cells and the number of cells for a given culture period in the incubator were highly dependent on the hydrophobicity and the presence of oxygenated groups on GO and Si substrates, suggesting hydrophobicity-driven cell growth. Thus, the presented method can be used to control the cell growth via an appropriate surface modification.

Atomic Layer Deposition of HfO2 and Si Nitride on Ge Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Shiyang; Nakajima, Anri

2007-12-01

Hafnium oxide (HfO2) thin films were deposited on Ge substrates at 300 °C using atomic layer deposition (ALD) with tetrakis(diethylamino)hafnium (termed as TDEAH) as a precursor and water as an oxidant. The deposition rate was estimated to be 0.09 nm/cycle and the deposited HfO2 films have a smooth surface and an almost stoichiometric composition, indicating that the growth follows a layer-by-layer kinetics, similarly to that on Si substrates. Si nitride thin films were also deposited on Ge by ALD using SiCl4 as a precursor and NH3 as an oxidant. Si nitride has a smaller deposition rate of about 0.055 nm/cycle and a larger gate leakage current than HfO2 deposited on Ge by ALD.

Growth of magnesium diboride thin films on boron buffered Si and silicon-on-insulator substrates by hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Withanage, Wenura K.; Penmatsa, Sashank V.; Acharya, Narendra; Melbourne, Thomas; Cunnane, D.; Karasik, B. S.; Xi, X. X.

2018-07-01

We report on the growth of high quality MgB2 thin films on silicon and silicon-on-insulator substrates by hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition. A boron buffer layer was deposited on all sides of the Si substrate to prevent the reaction of Mg vapor and Si. Ar ion milling at a low angle of 1° was used to reduce the roughness of the boron buffer layer before the MgB2 growth. An Ar ion milling at low angle of 1° was also applied to the MgB2 surface to reduce its roughness. The resultant MgB2 films showed excellent superconducting properties and a smooth surface. The process produces thin MgB2 films suitable for waveguide-based superconducting hot electron bolometers and other MgB2-based electronic devices.

Towards rhombohedral SiGe epitaxy on 150mm c-plane sapphire substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duzik, Adam J.; Park, Yeonjoon; Choi, Sang H.

2015-04-01

Previous work demonstrated for the first time the ability to epitaxially grow uniform single crystal diamond cubic SiGe (111) films on trigonal sapphire (0001) substrates. While SiGe (111) forms two possible crystallographic twins on sapphire (0001), films consisting primarily of one twin were produced on up to 99.95% of the total wafer area. This permits new bandgap engineering possibilities and improved group IV based devices that can exploit the higher carrier mobility in Ge compared to Si. Models are proposed on the epitaxy of such dissimilar crystal structures based on the energetic favorability of crystallographic twins and surface reconstructions. This new method permits Ge (111) on sapphire (0001) epitaxy, rendering Ge an economically feasible replacement for Si in some applications, including higher efficiency Si/Ge/Si quantum well solar cells. Epitaxial SiGe films on sapphire showed a 280% increase in electron mobility and a 500% increase in hole mobility over single crystal Si. Moreover, Ge possesses a wider bandgap for solar spectrum conversion than Si, while the transparent sapphire substrate permits an inverted device structure, increasing the total efficiency to an estimated 30-40%, much higher than traditional Si solar cells. Hall Effect mobility measurements of the Ge layer in the Si/Ge/Si quantum well structure were performed to demonstrate the advantage in carrier mobility over a pure Si solar cell. Another application comes in the use of microelectromechanical devices technology, where high-resistivity Si is currently used as a substrate. Sapphire is a more resistive substrate and offers better performance via lower parasitic capacitance and higher film carrier mobility over the current Si-based technology.

Si Complies with GaN to Overcome Thermal Mismatches for the Heteroepitaxy of Thick GaN on Si.

PubMed

Tanaka, Atsunori; Choi, Woojin; Chen, Renjie; Dayeh, Shadi A

2017-10-01

Heteroepitaxial growth of lattice mismatched materials has advanced through the epitaxy of thin coherently strained layers, the strain sharing in virtual and nanoscale substrates, and the growth of thick films with intermediate strain-relaxed buffer layers. However, the thermal mismatch is not completely resolved in highly mismatched systems such as in GaN-on-Si. Here, geometrical effects and surface faceting to dilate thermal stresses at the surface of selectively grown epitaxial GaN layers on Si are exploited. The growth of thick (19 µm), crack-free, and pure GaN layers on Si with the lowest threading dislocation density of 1.1 × 10 7 cm -2 achieved to date in GaN-on-Si is demonstrated. With these advances, the first vertical GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors on Si substrates with low leakage currents and high on/off ratios paving the way for a cost-effective high power device paradigm on an Si CMOS platform are demonstrated. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Protecting the properties of monolayer MoS 2 on silicon based substrates with an atomically thin buffer

DOE PAGES

Man, Michael K. L.; Deckoff-Jones, Skylar; Winchester, Andrew; ...

2016-02-12

Semiconducting 2D materials, like transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), have gained much attention for their potential in opto-electronic devices, valleytronic schemes, and semi-conducting to metallic phase engineering. However, like graphene and other atomically thin materials, they lose key properties when placed on a substrate like silicon, including quenching of photoluminescence, distorted crystalline structure, and rough surface morphology. The ability to protect these properties of monolayer TMDs, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2), on standard Si-based substrates, will enable their use in opto-electronic devices and scientific investigations. Here we show that an atomically thin buffer layer of hexagonal-boron nitride (hBN) protects themore » range of key opto-electronic, structural, and morphological properties of monolayer MoS 2 on Si-based substrates. The hBN buffer restores sharp diffraction patterns, improves monolayer flatness by nearly two-orders of magnitude, and causes over an order of magnitude enhancement in photoluminescence, compared to bare Si and SiO 2 substrates. Lastly, our demonstration provides a way of integrating MoS 2 and other 2D monolayers onto standard Si-substrates, thus furthering their technological applications and scientific investigations.« less

MOCVD growth of gallium nitride with indium surfactant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won, Dong Jin

In this thesis research, the effect of indium surfactant on Ga-polar and N-polar GaN films grown at 950 °C by MOCVD on various substrates such as Si-face SiC, bulk GaN, Si(111), and C-face SiC was studied to investigate the stress relaxation mechanism, structural, and optical properties of GaN films which were modified by the indium surfactant. The effect of indium surfactant on GaN films grown on SiC was studied first. In the 1.8 microm thick Ga-polar GaN films grown on lattice-mismatched Si-face SiC substrates utilizing indium surfactant at 950 °C, inverted hexagonal pyramid surface defects, so-called V-defects which consist of six (1011) planes, formed at threading dislocations on the GaN surface, which gave rise to the relaxation of compressive misfit stress in an elastic way. Simultaneously, enhanced surface mobility of Ga and N adatoms with indium surfactant lead to improved 2D growth, which may be contradictory to the formation of surface defects like V-defects. In order to find the driving force for V-defect formation in the presence of indium, a nucleation and growth model was developed, taking into consideration the strain, surface, and dislocation energies modified by indium surfactant. This model found that the V-defect formation can be energetically preferred since indium reduces the surface energy of the (1011) plane, which gives rise to the V-defect formation and growth that can overcome the energy barrier at the critical radius of the V-defect. These Ga-polar GaN films were found to be unintentionally doped with Si. Thus, an investigation into the effect of intentional Si doping at a constant TMIn flow rate on GaN films was also performed. Si turned out to be another important factor in the generation of V-defects because Si may be captured at the threading dislocation cores by forming Si -- N bonds, acting as a mask to locally prevent GaN growth. This behavior appeared to assist the initiation of the V-defect which enables V-defects to easily grow beyond the critical radius. Thus, introduction of indium surfactant and Si doping was found to be the most favorable conditions for V-defect formation in Ga-polar GaN films grown on Si-face SiC substrates. The nucleation and growth model predicted that V-defects may not form in homoepitaxy because the energy barrier for V-defect formation approaches infinity due to zero misfit stress. When indium surfactant and Si dopant were introduced simultaneously during the homoepitaxial growth, V-defects did not form in 1.8 microm thick Ga-polar GaN films grown at 950 °C on bulk GaN that had very low threading dislocation density, as predicted by the nucleation and growth model. Ga-polar GaN films grown on Si(111) substrates using indium surfactant showed that additional tensile stress was induced by indium with respect to the reference GaN. Since cracking is known to be a stress relaxation mechanism for tension, the In-induced additional tensile stress is thus detrimental to the GaN films which experience the tensile thermal stress associated with the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between GaN and the substrate during cooling after growth. The generation of tensile stress by indium seemed correlated with a reduction of V-defects since a high density of V-defects formed under the initial compressive stress at the GaN nucleation stage and then V-defect density decreased as the film grew. Even though the initial misfit stress of the GaN film grown on Si(111) was lower than that of GaN grown on SiC, a high density of V-defects were created under the initial compressive stress. Therefore, the high density of threading dislocations was believed to strongly drive the V-defect formation under In-rich conditions. Consequently, without using high quality bulk GaN substrates, V-defects could not be avoided in Ga-polar GaN films grown on foreign substrates such as Si-face SiC and Si(111) in the presence of indium surfactant and Si dopants during growth. Thus, N-polar GaN films were investigated using vicinal C-face SiC substrates because a theoretical study utilizing first-principles calculations predicted that V-defects are not energetically favored on the N-face GaN. When indium surfactant and Si doping were used during N-polar GaN growth, V-defects did not form, as predicted by theory. This observation suggests that V-defect free N-polar InGaN alloys also can be achieved, which may enable stable green laser diodes with long lifetime to be fabricated using the high indium composition N-polar InGaN films. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Atom probe tomography of a Ti-Si-Al-C-N coating grown on a cemented carbide substrate.

PubMed

Thuvander, M; Östberg, G; Ahlgren, M; Falk, L K L

2015-12-01

The elemental distribution within a Ti-Si-Al-C-N coating grown by physical vapour deposition on a Cr-doped WC-Co cemented carbide substrate has been investigated by atom probe tomography. Special attention was paid to the coating/substrate interface region. The results indicated a diffusion of substrate binder phase elements into the Ti-N adhesion layer. The composition of this layer, and the Ti-Al-N interlayer present between the adhesion layer and the main Ti-Si-Al-C-N layer, appeared to be sub-stoichiometric. The analysis of the interlayer showed the presence of internal surfaces, possibly grain boundaries, depleted in Al. The composition of the main Ti-Al-Si-C-N layer varied periodically in the growth direction; layers enriched in Ti appeared with a periodicity of around 30 nm. Laser pulsing resulted in a good mass resolution that made it possible to distinguish between N(+) and Si(2+) at 14 Da. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Boron doped Si rich oxide/SiO{sub 2} and silicon rich nitride/SiN{sub x} bilayers on molybdenum-fused silica substrates for vertically structured Si quantum dot solar cells

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

Lin, Ziyun, E-mail: z.lin@unsw.edu.au; Wu, Lingfeng; Jia, Xuguang

2015-07-28

Vertically structured Si quantum dots (QDs) solar cells with molybdenum (Mo) interlayer on quartz substrates would overcome current crowding effects found in mesa-structured cells. This study investigates the compatibility between boron (B) doped Si QDs bilayers and Mo-fused silica substrate. Both Si/SiO{sub 2} and Si/SiN{sub x} based QDs bilayers were studied. The material compatibility under high temperature treatment was assessed by examining Si crystallinity, microstress, thin film adhesion, and Mo oxidation. It was observed that the presence of Mo interlayer enhanced the Si QDs size confinement, crystalline fraction, and QDs size uniformity. The use of B doping was preferred comparedmore » to phosphine (PH{sub 3}) doping studied previously in terms of better surface and interface properties by reducing oxidized spots on the film. Though crack formation due to thermal mismatch after annealing remained, methods to overcome this problem were proposed in this paper. Schematic diagram to fabricate full vertical structured Si QDs solar cells was also suggested.« less

The electrical, elemental, optical, and surface properties of Si-doped ZnO thin films prepared by thermionic vacuum arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadigharehbagh, Reza; Özen, Soner; Yudar, Hafizittin Hakan; Pat, Suat; Korkmaz, Şadan

2017-09-01

The purpose of this work is to study the properties of Si-doped ZnO (SZO) thin films, which were prepared using the non-reactive thermionic vacuum arc technique. The analysis of the elemental, optical, and surface properties of ZnO:Si thin films was carried out using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The current-voltage measurement was employed in order to study the electrical properties of the films. The effect of Si doping on the physical properties of ZnO films was investigated. The film thicknesses were measured as 55 and 35 nm for glass and PET substrates, respectively. It was clearly observed from the x-ray diffraction results that the Si and ZnO peaks were present in the coated SZO films for all samples. The morphological studies showed that the deposited surfaces are homogenous, dense, and have a uniform surface, with the existence of some cracks only on the glass substrate. The elemental composition has confirmed the existence of Zn, Si, and O elements within the prepared films. Using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer, the optical parameters such as transmittance, absorbance, refractive index, and reflectance were calculated. It should be noted that the transparency and refractive indices obtained from the measurements decrease with increasing Si concentration. The obtained optical bandgap values using transmittance spectra were determined to be 3.74 and 3.84 eV for the glass and PET substrates, respectively. An increase in the bandgap results demonstrates that the Si doping concentration is comparable to the pure ZnO thin films. The current versus voltage curves revealed the ohmic nature of the films. Subsequently, the development and fabrication of excellent transparent conducting electrodes enabled the appropriate use of Si-doped ZnO thin films.

Catalyst free growth of CNTs by CVD on nanoscale rough surfaces of silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damodar, D.; Sahoo, R. K.; Jacob, C.

2013-06-01

Catalyst free growth of carbon nanotubes (CNT) has been achieved using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) on surface modified Si(111) substrates. The effect of the substrate surface has been observed by partially etching with KOH (potassium hydroxide) solution which is an anisotropic etchant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of CNTs over most of the area of the substrate where substrates were anisotropically etched. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the internal structure of the CNTs. Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the formation of the carbon nanostructures and also their graphitic crystallinity.

Phosphorus Doping Using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma for Large-Area Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakinuma, Hiroaki; Mohri, Mikio; Tsuruoka, Taiji

1994-01-01

We have investigated phosphorus doping using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma, for application to the poly-Si driving circuits of liquid crystal displays or image sensors. The PH3/He was ionized and accelerated to poly-Si and c-Si substrates with a self bias of -220 V. The P concentration, as detected by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), is ˜5×1021 cm-3 at the surface, which decayed to ˜1017 cm-3 within 50 100 nm depth. The surface is found to be etched during doping. The etching is restored by adding a small amount of SiH4 and the sheet resistance R s decreases. The optimized as-irradiated R s is ˜ 1× 105 Ω/\\Box and 1.7× 102 Ω/\\Box for poly-Si and (110) c-Si, respectively. The dependence of R s on the substrates and the anomalous diffusion constants derived from SIMS are also discussed.

Silicon thin-film transistor backplanes on flexible substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kattamis, Alexis Z.

Flexible large area electronics, especially for displays, is a rapidly growing field. Since hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs) have become the industry standard for liquid crystal displays, it makes sense that they be used in any transition from glass substrates to flexible substrates. The goal of this thesis work was to implement a-Si:H backplane technology on stainless steel and clear plastic substrates, with minimal recipe changes to ensure high device quality. When fabricating TFTs on flexible substrates many new issues arise, from thin-film fracture to overlay alignment errors. Our approach was to maintain elevated deposition temperatures (˜300°C) and engineer methods to minimize these problems, rather than reducing deposition temperatures. The resulting TFTs exhibit more stable operation than their low temperature counterparts and are therefore similar to the TFTs produced on glass. Two display projects using a-Si:H TFTs will be discussed in detail. They are an active-matrix organic light emitting display (AMOLED) on stainless steel and an active-matrix electrophoretic display (AMEPD) on clear plastic, with TFTs deposited at 250°C-280°C. Achieving quality a-Si:H TFTs on these substrates required addressing a host of technical challenges, including surface roughness and feature misalignment. Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) was also implemented on a clear plastic substrate as a possible alternative to a-Si:H. nc-Si:H TFTs can be deposited using the same techniques as a-Si:H but yield carrier mobilities one order of magnitude greater. Their large mobilities could enable high resolution OLED displays and system-on-panel electronics.

Preparation of a silicon surface for subsequent growth of dilute nitride alloys by molecular-beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazarenko, A. A.; Berezovskaya, T. N.; Denisov, D. V.; Sobolev, M. S.; Pirogov, E. V.; Nikitina, E. V.

2017-11-01

This article discusses the process of preparation of a silicon surface for subsequent growth of dilute nitride alloys by molecular-beam epitaxy. The method of preparation of Si (100) and Si (111) substrates was developed. This method provides reproducible high-quality silicon surface for molecular-beam epitaxy of Si-GaP heterostructures. As a result, it managed to reduce the eviction oxide temperature below 800 °C, which is an important parameter for the MBE technology.

Single and multijunction silicon based thin film solar cells on a flexible substrate with absorber layers made by hot-wire CVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongbo

2007-09-01

With the worldwide growing concern about reliable energy supply and the environmental problems of fossil and nuclear energy production, the need for clean and sustainable energy sources is evident. Solar energy conversion, such as in photovoltaic systems, can play a major role in the urgently needed energy transition in electricity production. Solar cells based on thin film silicon and its alloys are a promising candidate that is capable of fulfilling the fast increasing demand of a reliable solar cell supply. The conventional method to deposit silicon thin films is based on plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) techniques, which have the disadvantage of increasing film inhomogeneity at a high deposition rate when scaling up for the industrial production. In this thesis, we study the possibility of making high efficiency single and multijunction thin film silicon solar cells with the so-called hot-wire CVD technique, in which no strong electromagnetic field is involved in the deposition. Therefore, the up-scaling for industrial production is straightforward. We report and discuss our findings on the correlation of substrate surface rms roughness and the main output parameter of a solar cell, the open circuit voltage Voc of c-Si:H n i p cells. By considering all the possible reasons that could influence the Voc of such cells, we conclude that the near linear correlation of Voc and substrate surface rms roughness is the result the two most probable reasons: the unintentional doping through the cracks originated near the valleys of the substrate surface due to the in-diffusion of impurities, and the high density electrical defects formed by the collision of columnar silicon structures. Both of them relate to the morphology of substrate surface. Therefore, to have the best cell performance on a rough substrate surface, a good control on the substrate surface morphology is necessary. Another issue influencing the performance of c-Si:H solar cells is the change in layer crystallinity during the growth of the c-Si:H i-layer. For PECVD deposited cells, it is often found that the layer crystallinity is enhanced with increasing film thickness. We found for Hot-wire deposited cells, however, the opposite development in material structure: the material becomes amorphous near the end of the deposition. This results in a deterioration of cell performance. We therefore introduce a so-called H2 reverse profiling technique, in which H2 is increased during the c-Si:H i-layer deposition. With this technique, a cell with an efficiency of 8.5% has been reached, which is in line with the best reported PECVD cells deposited on the same type of substrate. In the literature, carrier transport in c-Si:H cells has been a topic for debate. In this thesis, we present our finding of photogating effect on the spectral response of c-Si:H solar cells. When measured under coloured bias light, the apparent quantum efficiency value of a c-Si:H cell can be largely enhanced. This phenomenon is a typical result of trapping induced field modification in the bulk of a drift type solar cell. The discovery of this phenomenon has experimentally proved that field-driven transport to a large extend exist in a c-Si:H solar cell.

Process for the homoepitaxial growth of single-crystal silicon carbide films on silicon carbide wafers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, J. Anthony (Inventor)

1993-01-01

The invention is a method for growing homoepitaxial films of SiC on low tilt angle vicinal (0001) SiC wafers. The invention proposes and teaches a new theoretical model for the homoepitaxial growth of SiC films on (0001) SiC substrates. The inventive method consists of preparing the growth surface of SiC wafers slightly off-axis (from less the 0.1 to 6 deg) from the (0001) plane, subjecting the growth surface to a suitable etch, and then growing the homoepitaxial film using conventional SiC growth techniques.

Precursor-Surface Reactions in Plasma Deposition of Silicon Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakos, Tamas

2005-03-01

Device-quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films are usually grown by plasma deposition under conditions where the SiH3 radical is the dominant deposition precursor. In this presentation, we report results of first-principles density functional theory calculations on the interactions of the SiH3 radical with the crystalline Si(100)-(2x1):H surface in conjunction with molecular-dynamics simulations of a-Si:H thin film growth by SiH3 radicals, which elucidate the pathways and energetics of surface reactions that govern important film properties. In particular, we show that an SiH3 radical can insert into strained surface Si-Si dimer bonds, abstract surface H through an Eley-Rideal mechanism, and passivate surface dangling bonds; these reactions follow exothermic and barrierless pathways that lead to a temperature-independent growth rate in agreement with experimental measurements. We also identify a thermally activated surface H abstraction process, in which the SiH3 radical diffuses through overcoordinated surface Si atoms until it encounters a favorable site for H abstraction; the diffusion and H-abstraction steps have commensurate activation barriers. This mechanism explains partly the reduction of the film H content at elevated substrate temperatures.

Fe-C-Si ternary composite coating on CP-titanium and its tribological properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maleque, M. A.; Saffina, W.; Ahmed, A. S.; Ali, M. Y.

2017-03-01

This study focused on the development of ternary composite coating through incorporation of Fe-C-Si ternary powder mixtures on CP-Ti substrate and characterizes the microstructure, hardness and wears behavior in presence of Jatropha oil. In this work, the surface of commercial purity titanium (CP-Ti) was modified using a tungsten inert gas (TIG) surface melting technique. The wear behavior of coated CP-titanium was performed using pin-on-disk machine. The results showed that the melt track has dendritic microstructure which was homogenously distributed throughout the melt pool. This Fe-C-Si ternary composite coating enhanced the surface hardness of CP-Ti significantly from 175 HV for the untreated substrate to ∼800 HV for the Fe-C-Si coated CP-Ti due to the formation of intermetallic compounds.. The wear results showed that less wear volume loss was observed on the composite coated CP-Ti in presence of Jatropha-biodiesel compared to uncoated CP-Ti. The achievement of this hard Fe-C-Si composite coating on the surface of CP-Ti can broadened new prospect for many engineering applications that use biodiesel under different tribological variables.

Process for Smoothing an Si Substrate after Etching of SiO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Tasha; Wu, Chi

2003-01-01

A reactive-ion etching (RIE) process for smoothing a silicon substrate has been devised. The process is especially useful for smoothing those silicon areas that have been exposed by etching a pattern of holes in a layer of silicon dioxide that covers the substrate. Applications in which one could utilize smooth silicon surfaces like those produced by this process include fabrication of optical waveguides, epitaxial deposition of silicon on selected areas of silicon substrates, and preparation of silicon substrates for deposition of adherent metal layers. During etching away of a layer of SiO2 that covers an Si substrate, a polymer becomes deposited on the substrate, and the substrate surface becomes rough (roughness height approximately equal to 50 nm) as a result of over-etching or of deposition of the polymer. While it is possible to smooth a silicon substrate by wet chemical etching, the undesired consequences of wet chemical etching can include compromising the integrity of the SiO2 sidewalls and undercutting of the adjacent areas of the silicon dioxide that are meant to be left intact. The present RIE process results in anisotropic etching that removes the polymer and reduces height of roughness of the silicon substrate to less than 10 nm while leaving the SiO2 sidewalls intact and vertical. Control over substrate versus sidewall etching (in particular, preferential etching of the substrate) is achieved through selection of process parameters, including gas flow, power, and pressure. Such control is not uniformly and repeatably achievable in wet chemical etching. The recipe for the present RIE process is the following: Etch 1 - A mixture of CF4 and O2 gases flowing at rates of 25 to 75 and 75 to 125 standard cubic centimeters per minute (stdcm3/min), respectively; power between 44 and 55 W; and pressure between 45 and 55 mtorr (between 6.0 and 7.3 Pa). The etch rate lies between approximately equal to 3 and approximately equal to 6 nm/minute. Etch 2 - O2 gas flowing at 75 to 125 stdcm3/min, power between 44 and 55 W, and pressure between 50 and 100 mtorr (between 6.7 and 13.3 Pa).

Switching Transient Generation in Surface Interrogation Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy and Time-of-Flight Techniques.

PubMed

Ahn, Hyun S; Bard, Allen J

2015-12-15

In surface interrogation scanning electrochemical microscopy (SI-SECM), fine and accurate control of the delay time between substrate generation and tip interrogation (tdelay) is crucial because tdelay defines the decay time of the reactive intermediate. In previous applications of the SI-SECM, the resolution in the control of tdelay has been limited to several hundreds of milliseconds due to the slow switching of the bipotentiostat. In this work, we have improved the time resolution of tdelay control up to ca. 1 μs, enhancing the SI-SECM to be competitive in the time domain with the decay of many reactive intermediates. The rapid switching SI-SECM has been implemented in a substrate generation-tip collection time-of-flight (SG-TC TOF) experiment of a solution redox mediator, and the results obtained from the experiment exhibited good agreement with that obtained from digital simulation. The reaction rate constant of surface Co(IV) on oxygen-evolving catalyst film, which was inaccessible thus far due to the lack of tdelay control, has been measured by the rapid switching SI-SECM.

Layer uniformity in glucose oxidase immobilization on SiO 2 surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libertino, Sebania; Scandurra, Antonino; Aiello, Venera; Giannazzo, Filippo; Sinatra, Fulvia; Renis, Marcella; Fichera, Manuela

2007-09-01

The goal of this work was the characterization, step by step, of the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilization on silicon oxide surfaces, mainly by means of X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The immobilization protocol consists of four steps: oxide activation, silanization, linker molecule deposition and GOx immobilization. The linker molecule, glutaraldehyde (GA) in this study, must be able to form a uniform layer on the sample surface in order to maximize the sites available for enzyme bonding and achieve the best enzyme deposition. Using a thin SiO 2 layer grown on Si wafers and following the XPS Si2p signal of the Si substrate during the immobilization steps, we demonstrated both the glutaraldehyde layer uniformity and the possibility to use XPS to monitor thin layer uniformity. In fact, the XPS substrate signal, not shielded by the oxide, is suppressed only when a uniform layer is deposited. The enzyme correct immobilization was monitored using the XPS C1s and N1s signals. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements carried out on the same samples confirmed the results.

Growth of surface structures correlated with structural and mechanical modifications of brass by laser-induced Si plasma ions implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Shahbaz; Bashir, Shazia; Rafique, M. Shahid; Yousaf, Daniel

2017-04-01

Laser-produced Si plasma is employed as an ion source for implantation on the brass substrate for its surface, structural, and mechanical modifications. Thomson parabola technique is employed for the measurement of energy and flux of Si ions using CR-39. In response to stepwise increase in number of laser pulses from 3000 to 12000, four brass substrates were implanted by laser-induced Si plasma ions of energy 290 keV at different fluxes ranging from 45 × 1012 to 75 × 1015 ions/cm2. SEM analysis reveals the formation of nano/micro-sized irregular shaped cavities and pores for the various ion fluxes for varying numbers of laser pulses from 3000 to 9000. At the maximum ion flux for 12,000 pulses, distinct and organized grains with hexagonal and irregular shaped morphology are revealed. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis exhibits that a new phase of CuSi (311) is identified which confirms the implantation of Si ions in brass substrate. A significant decrease in mechanical properties of implanted brass, such as Yield Stress (YS), Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS), and hardness, with increasing laser pulses from 3000 to 6000 is observed. However, with increasing laser pulses from 9000 to a maximum value of 12,000, an increase in mechanical properties like hardness, YS, and UTS is observed. The generation as well as annihilation of defects, recrystallization, and intermixing of Si precipitates with brass matrix is considered to be responsible for variations in surface, structural, and mechanical modifications of brass.

New adatom model for Si(11) 7X7 and Si(111)Ge 5X5 reconstructed surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chadi, D. J.

1985-01-01

A new adatom model differing from the conventional model by a reconstruction of the substrate is proposed. The new adatom structure provides an explanation for the 7x7 and 5x5 size of the unit cells seen on annealed Si(111) and Si(111)-Ge surfaces, respectively. The model is consistent with structural information from vacuum-tunneling microscopy. It also provides simple explanations for stacking-fault-type features expected from Rutherford backscattering experiments and for similarities in the LEED and photoemission spectra of 2x1 and 7x7 surfaces.

Growth (AlCrNbSiTiV)N thin films on the interrupted turning and properties using DCMS and HIPIMS system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Kai-Sheng; Chen, Kuan-Ta; Hsu, Chun-Yao; Hong, Po-Da

2018-05-01

This paper determines the optimal settings in the deposition parameters for (AlCrNbSiTiV)N high-entropy alloy (HEAs) nitride films that are deposited on CBN cutting tools and glass substrates. We use direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), with Ar plasma and N2 reactive gases. Experiments with the grey-Taguchi method are conducted to determine the effect of deposition parameters (deposition time, substrate DC bias, DC power and substrate temperature) on interrupted turning 50CrMo4 steel machining and the films' structural properties. Experimental result shows that the multiple performance characteristics for these (AlCrNbSiTiV)N HEAs film coatings can be improved using the grey-Taguchi method. As can be seen, the coated film is homogeneous, very compact and exhibits perfect adherence to the substrate. The distribution of elements is homogeneous through the depth of the (AlCrNbSiTiV)N film, as measured by an auger electron nanoscope. After interrupted turning with an (AlCrNbSiTiV)N film coated tool, we obtain much longer tool life than when using uncoated tools. The correlation of these results with microstructure analysis and tool life indicates that HIPIMS discharge induced a higher (AlCrNbSiTiV)N film density, a smoother surface structure and a higher hardness surface.

Study of diamond film growth and properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albin, Sacharial

1990-01-01

The objective was to study diamond film growth and its properties in order to enhance the laser damage threshold of substrate materials. Calculations were performed to evaluate laser induced thermal stress parameter, R(sub T) of diamond. It is found that diamond has several orders of magnitude higher in value for R(sub T) compared to other materials. Thus, the laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of diamond is much higher. Diamond films were grown using a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) system at various conditions of gas composition, pressure, temperature, and substrate materials. A 0.5 percent CH4 in H2 at 20 torr were ideal conditions for growing of high quality diamond films on substrates maintained at 900 C. The diamond films were polycrystalline which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The top surface of the growing film is always rough due to the facets of polycrystalline film while the back surface of the film replicates the substrate surface. An analytical model based on two dimensional periodic heat flow was developed to calculate the effective in-plane (face parallel) diffusivity of a two layer system. The effective diffusivity of diamond/silicon samples was measured using a laser pulse technique. The thermal conductivity of the films was measured to be 13.5 W/cm K, which is better than that of a type Ia natural diamond. Laser induced damage experiments were performed on bare Si substrates, diamond film coated Si, and diamond film windows. Significant improvements in the LIDT were obtained for diamond film coated Si compared to the bare Si.

Toward intrinsic graphene surfaces: a systematic study on thermal annealing and wet-chemical treatment of SiO2-supported graphene devices.

PubMed

Cheng, Zengguang; Zhou, Qiaoyu; Wang, Chenxuan; Li, Qiang; Wang, Chen; Fang, Ying

2011-02-09

By combining atomic force microscopy and trans-port measurements, we systematically investigated effects of thermal annealing on surface morphologies and electrical properties of single-layer graphene devices fabricated by electron beam lithography on silicon oxide (SiO(2)) substrates. Thermal treatment above 300 °C in vacuum was required to effectively remove resist residues on graphene surfaces. However, annealing at high temperature was found to concomitantly bring graphene in close contact with SiO(2) substrates and induce increased coupling between them, which leads to heavy hole doping and severe degradation of mobilities in graphene devices. To address this problem, a wet-chemical approach employing chloroform was developed in our study, which was shown to enable both intrinsic surfaces and enhanced electrical properties of graphene devices. Upon the recovery of intrinsic surfaces of graphene, the adsorption and assisted fibrillation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ1-42) on graphene were electrically measured in real time.

Effect of time and of precursor molecule on the deposition of hydrophobic nanolayers on ethyelene tetrafluoroethylene-silicon oxide substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Gabriella; Castellano, Piera; Incarnato, Loredana

2016-10-01

A method was developed for generating transparent and hydrophobic nanolayers chemisorbed onto flexible substrates of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene-silicon oxide (ETFE-SiOx). In particular, the effect of the deposition time and of the precursor molecule on the nanocoating process was analyzed with the aim of pursuing an optimization of the above method in an industrial application perspective. It was found that precursor molecule of triethoxysilane allowed to obtain better hydrophobic properties on the SiOx surface in shorter times compared to trichlorosilane, reaching the 92 % of final contact angle (CA) value of 106° after only 1 h of deposition. The optical properties and surface morphology were also assessed in function of time, revealing that an initial transparency reduction is followed by a subsequent transmittance increase during the self assembly of fluoroalkylsilanes on the SiOx surface, coherently with the surface roughness analysis data. Encouraging results were also obtained in terms of oleophobic properties improvement of the nanocoated surfaces.

Interfacial Coupling and Electronic Structure of Two-Dimensional Silicon Grown on the Ag(111) Surface at High Temperature

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

Feng, Jiagui; Wagner, Sean R.; Zhang, Pengpeng

Freestanding silicene, a monolayer of Si arranged in a honeycomb structure, has been predicted to give rise to massless Dirac fermions, akin to graphene. However, Si structures grown on a supporting substrate can show properties that strongly deviate from the freestanding case. Here, combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and differential conductance mapping, we show that the electrical properties of the (√3 x √3) phase of few-layer Si grown on Ag(111) strongly depend on film thickness, where the electron phase coherence length decreases and the free-electron-like surface state gradually diminishes when approaching the interface. These features are presumably attributable to the inelasticmore » inter-band electron-electron scattering originating from the overlap between the surface state, interface state and the bulk state of the substrate. We further demonstrate that the intrinsic electronic structure of the as grown (√3 x √3) phase is identical to that of the (√3 x √3) R30° reconstructed Ag on Si(111), both of which exhibit the parabolic energy-momentum dispersion relation with comparable electron effective masses. Lastly, these findings highlight the essential role of interfacial coupling on the properties of two-dimensional Si structures grown on supporting substrates, which should be thoroughly scrutinized in pursuit of silicene.« less

Enhancement of electroluminescence from embedded Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers film by localized-surface-plasmon and surface roughening.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Wang, Shaolei; Hu, Mingyue; He, Sufeng; Ge, Pengpeng; Wang, Jing; Guo, Yan Yan; Zhaowei, Liu

2015-07-03

In this paper, we prepared a novel structure to enhance the electroluminescence intensity from Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers. An amorphous Si/SiO2 multilayer film was fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a Pt nanoparticle (NP)-coated Si nanopillar array substrate. By thermal annealing, an embedded Si quantum dot (QDs)/SiO2 multilayer film was obtained. The result shows that electroluminescence intensity was significantly enhanced. And, the turn-on voltage of the luminescent device was reduced to 3 V. The enhancement of the light emission is due to the resonance coupling between the localized-surface-plasmon (LSP) of Pt NPs and the band-gap emission of Si QDs/SiO2 multilayers. The other factors were the improved absorption of excitation light and the increase of light extraction ratio by surface roughening structures. These excellent characteristics are promising for silicon-based light-emitting applications.

Enhancement of electroluminescence from embedded Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers film by localized-surface-plasmon and surface roughening

PubMed Central

Li, Wei; Wang, Shaolei; Hu, Mingyue; He, Sufeng; Ge, Pengpeng; Wang, Jing; Guo, Yan Yan; Zhaowei, Liu

2015-01-01

In this paper, we prepared a novel structure to enhance the electroluminescence intensity from Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers. An amorphous Si/SiO2 multilayer film was fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a Pt nanoparticle (NP)-coated Si nanopillar array substrate. By thermal annealing, an embedded Si quantum dot (QDs)/SiO2 multilayer film was obtained. The result shows that electroluminescence intensity was significantly enhanced. And, the turn-on voltage of the luminescent device was reduced to 3 V. The enhancement of the light emission is due to the resonance coupling between the localized-surface-plasmon (LSP) of Pt NPs and the band-gap emission of Si QDs/SiO2 multilayers. The other factors were the improved absorption of excitation light and the increase of light extraction ratio by surface roughening structures. These excellent characteristics are promising for silicon-based light-emitting applications. PMID:26138830

Positron annihilation on the surfaces of SiO 2 films thermally grown on single crystal of Cz-Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Wen; Yue, Li; Zhang, Wei; Cheng, Xu-xin; Zhu, Yan-yan; Huang, Yu-yang

2009-09-01

Two-detector coincidence system and mono-energetic slow positron beam has been applied to measure the Doppler broadening spectra for single crystals of SiO2, SiO2 films with different thickness thermally grown on single crystal of Cz-Si, and single crystal of Si without oxide film. Oxygen is recognized as a peak at about 11.85 × 10-3m0c on the ratio curves. The S parameters decrease with the increase of positron implantation energy for the single crystal of SiO2 and Si without oxide film. However, for the thermally grown SiO2-Si sample, the S parameters in near surface of the sample increase with positron implantation energy. It is due to the formation of silicon oxide at the surface, which lead to lower S value. S and W parameters vary with positron implantation depth indicate that the SiO2-Si system consist of a surface layer, a SiO2 layer, a SiO2-Si interface layer and a semi-infinite Si substrate.

Substrate effects on the epitaxial growth of ZnGeP2 thin films by open tube organometallic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xing, G. C.; Bachmann, K. J.; Posthill, J. B.; Timmons, M. L.

1991-01-01

Epitaxial ZnGeP2-Ge films have been grown on (111)GaP substrates using MOCVD. The films grown with dimethylzinc to germane flow rate ratio R greater than 10 show mirror-smooth surface morphology. Films grown with R less than 10 show a high density of twinning, including both double position and growth twins. Compared to films grown on (001) GaP substrates, the layers on (111) GaP generally show a higher density of microstructural defects. TEM electron diffraction patterns show that the films grown on (111) GaP substrates are more disordered than films grown on (001) GaP under comparable conditions. The growth rate on (111) GaP substrates is about 2.5 times slower than that on (001) GaP, and films grown on Si substrates show extensive twinning formation. Both TEM and SEM examinations indicate that smooth epitaxial overgrowth may be easier on (111) Si substrates than on (001) Si.

Dislocation-free strained silicon-on-silicon by in-place bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, G. M.; Mooney, P. M.; Paruchuri, V. K.; Hovel, H. J.

2005-06-01

In-place bonding is a technique where silicon-on-insulator (SOI) slabs are bonded by hydrophobic attraction to the underlying silicon substrate when the buried oxide is undercut in dilute HF. The bonding between the exposed surfaces of the SOI slab and the substrate propagates simultaneously with the buried oxide etching. As a result, the slabs maintain their registration and are referred to as "bonded in-place". We report the fabrication of dislocation-free strained silicon slabs from pseudomorphic trilayer Si/SiGe/SOI by in-place bonding. Removal of the buried oxide allows the compressively strained SiGe film to relax elastically and induce tensile strain in the top and bottom silicon films. The slabs remain bonded to the substrate by van der Waals forces when the wafer is dried. Subsequent annealing forms a covalent bond such that when the upper Si and the SiGe layer are removed, the bonded silicon slab remains strained.

Three-dimensional hybrid silicon nanostructures for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy based molecular detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vendamani, V. S.; Nageswara Rao, S. V. S.; Venugopal Rao, S.; Kanjilal, D.; Pathak, A. P.

2018-01-01

Three-dimensional silver nanoparticles decorated vertically aligned Si nanowires (Si NWs) are effective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates for molecular detection at low concentration levels. The length of Si NWs prepared by silver assisted electroless etching is increased with an increase in etching time, which resulted in the reduced optical reflection in the visible region. These substrates were tested and optimized by measuring the Raman spectrum of standard dye Rhodamine 6G (R6G) of 10 nM concentration. Further, effective SERS enhancements of ˜105 and ˜104 were observed for the cytosine protein (concentration of 50 μM) and ammonium perchlorate (oxidizer used in explosives composition with a concentration of 10 μM), respectively. It is established that these three-dimensional SERS substrates yielded considerably higher enhancement factors for the detection of R6G when compared to previous reports. The sensitivity can further be increased and optimized since the Raman enhancement was found to increase with an increase in the density of silver nanoparticles decorated on the walls of Si NWs.

Application Of Optical Processing For Growth Of Silicon Dioxide

DOEpatents

Sopori, Bhushan L.

1997-06-17

A process for producing a silicon dioxide film on a surface of a silicon substrate. The process comprises illuminating a silicon substrate in a substantially pure oxygen atmosphere with a broad spectrum of visible and infrared light at an optical power density of from about 3 watts/cm.sup.2 to about 6 watts/cm.sup.2 for a time period sufficient to produce a silicon dioxide film on the surface of the silicon substrate. An optimum optical power density is about 4 watts/cm.sup.2 for growth of a 100.ANG.-300.ANG. film at a resultant temperature of about 400.degree. C. Deep level transient spectroscopy analysis detects no measurable impurities introduced into the silicon substrate during silicon oxide production and shows the interface state density at the SiO.sub.2 /Si interface to be very low.

In-situ NC-AFM measurements of high quality AlN(0001) layers grown at low growth rate on 4H-SiC(0001) and Si(111) substrates using ammonia molecular beam epitaxy

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

Chaumeton, Florian, E-mail: florian.chaumeton@cemes.fr; Gauthier, Sébastien, E-mail: gauthier@cemes.fr; Martrou, David, E-mail: david.martrou@cemes.fr

Nitride wide-band-gap semiconductors are used to make high power electronic devices or efficient light sources. The performance of GaN-based devices is directly linked to the initial AlN buffer layer. During the last twenty years of research on nitride growth, only few information on the AlN surface quality have been obtained, mainly by ex-situ characterization techniques. Thanks to a Non Contact Atomic Force Microscope (NC-AFM) connected under ultra high vacuum (UHV) to a dedicated molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) chamber, the surface of AlN(0001) thin films grown on Si(111) and 4H-SiC(0001) substrates has been characterized. These experiments give access to a quantitativemore » determination of the density of screw and edge dislocations at the surface. The layers were also characterized by ex-situ SEM to observe the largest defects such as relaxation dislocations and hillocks. The influence of the growth parameters (substrate temperature, growth speed, III/V ratio) and of the initial substrate preparation on the dislocation density was also investigated. On Si(111), the large in-plane lattice mismatch with AlN(0001) (19%) induces a high dislocation density ranging from 6 to 12×10{sup 10}/cm{sup 2} depending on the growth conditions. On 4H-SiC(0001) (1% mismatch with AlN(0001)), the dislocation density decreases to less than 10{sup 10}/cm{sup 2}, but hillocks appear, depending on the initial SiC(0001) reconstruction. The use of a very low growth rate of 10 nm/h at the beginning of the growth process allows to decrease the dislocation density below 2 × 10{sup 9}/cm{sup 2}.« less

DC heating induced shape transformation of Ge structures on ultraclean Si(5 5 12) surfaces.

PubMed

Dash, J K; Rath, A; Juluri, R R; Raman, P Santhana; Müller, K; Rosenauer, A; Satyam, P V

2011-04-06

We report the growth of Ge nanostructures and microstructures on ultraclean, high vicinal angle silicon surfaces and show that self-assembled growth at optimum thickness of the overlayer leads to interesting shape transformations, namely from nanoparticle to trapezoidal structures, at higher thickness values. Thin films of Ge of varying thickness from 3 to 12 ML were grown under ultrahigh vacuum conditions on a Si(5 5 12) substrate while keeping the substrate at a temperature of 600 °C. The substrate heating was achieved by two methods: (i) by heating a filament under the substrate (radiative heating, RH) and (ii) by passing direct current through the samples in three directions (perpendicular, parallel and at 45° to the (110) direction of the substrate). We find irregular, more spherical-like island structures under RH conditions. The shape transformations have been found under DC heating conditions and for Ge deposition more than 8 ML thick. The longer sides of the trapezoid structures are found to be along (110) irrespective of the DC current direction. We also show the absence of such a shape transformation in the case of Ge deposition on Si(111) substrates. Scanning transmission electron microscopy measurements suggested the mixing of Ge and Si. This has been confirmed with a quantitative estimation of the intermixing using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) measurements. The role of DC heating in the formation of aligned structures is discussed. Although the RBS simulations show the presence of a possible SiO(x) layer, under the experimental conditions of the present study, the oxide layer would not play a role in determining the formation of the various structures that were reported here.

Alignment of Ge nanoislands on Si(111) by Ga-induced substrate self-patterning.

PubMed

Schmidt, Th; Flege, J I; Gangopadhyay, S; Clausen, T; Locatelli, A; Heun, S; Falta, J

2007-02-09

A novel mechanism is described which enables the selective formation of three-dimensional Ge islands. Submonolayer adsorption of Ga on Si(111) at high temperature leads to a self-organized two-dimensional pattern formation by separation of the 7 x 7 substrate and Ga/Si(111)-(square root[3] x square root[3])-R30 degrees domains. The latter evolve at step edges and domain boundaries of the initial substrate reconstruction. Subsequent Ge deposition results in the growth of 3D islands which are aligned at the boundaries between bare and Ga-covered domains. This result is explained in terms of preferential nucleation conditions due to a modulation of the surface chemical potential.

Growth and surface analysis of SiO2 on 4H-SiC for MOS devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kodigala, Subba Ramaiah; Chattopadhyay, Somnath; Overton, Charles; Ardoin, Ira; Gordon, B. J.; Johnstone, D.; Roy, D.; Barone, D.

2015-03-01

The SiO2 layers have been grown onto C-face and Si-face 4H-SiC substrates by two different techniques such as wet thermal oxidize process and sputtering. The deposition recipes of these techniques are carefully optimized by trails and error method. The growth effects of SiO2 on the C-face and Si-face 4H-SiC substrates are thoroughly investigated by AFM analysis. The growth mechanism of different species involved in the growth process of SiO2 by wet thermal oxide is now proposed by adopting two body classical projectile scattering. This mechanism drives to determine growth of secondary phases such as α-CH nano-islands in the grown SiO2 layer. The effect of HF etchings on the SiO2 layers grown by both techniques and on both the C-face and Si-face substrates are legitimately studied. The thicknesses of the layers determined by AFM and ellipsometry techniques are widely promulgated. The MOS capacitors are made on the Si-face 4H-SiC wafers by wet oxidation and sputtering processes, which are studied by capacitance versus voltage (CV) technique. From CV measurements, the density of trap states with variation of trap level for MOS devices is estimated.

FI-STM study of hydrogen adsorption on Si(100) surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Lu; Xiang-dong, Wang; Motai, K.; Hashizume, T.; Sakurai, T.

1992-11-01

Chemisorption of atomic hydrogen on the Si(100)2 × 1 surface has been investigated in detail by using a field ion-scanning tunneling microscope (FI-STM). The results showed that the adsorption geometry changed from the 2 × 1 monohydride phase to the 1 × 1 dihydride phase with increasing exposure of hydrogen. The data of desorption of the hydrogen-saturated Si surface showed that on annealing at 670 K the surface becomes highly disordered: the 1 × 1 dihydride structure is eliminated and the 2 × 1 reconstructed monohydride is also hardly to identify. When the temperature rises to as high as 730 K, the surface is dominated by the 2 × 1 structure with missing dimer rows, and some adatom chains occur on the Si substrate terraces. We attribute the formation of these atomic chains to an epitaxial growth of Si atoms which are formed by the dissociation of SiHx (x = 1, 2, 3 or 4) compounds on the Si surface.

Structure determination of the ordered (2 × 1) phase of NiSi surface alloy on Ni(111) using low-energy electron diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sazzadur Rahman, Md.; Amirul Islam, Md.; Saha, Bidyut Baran; Nakagawa, Takeshi; Mizuno, Seigi

2015-12-01

The (2 × 1) structure of the two-dimensional nickel silicide surface alloy on Ni(111) was investigated using quantitative low-energy electron diffraction analysis. The unit cell of the determined silicide structure contains one Si and one Ni atom, corresponding to a chemical formula of NiSi. The Si atoms adopt substitutional face-centered cubic hollow sites on the Ni(111) substrate. The Ni-Si bond lengths were determined to be 2.37 and 2.34 Å. Both the alloy surface and the underlying first layers of Ni atoms exhibit slight corrugation. The Ni-Si interlayer distance is smaller than the Ni-Ni interlayer distance, which indicates that Si atoms and underlying Ni atoms strongly interact.

Effect of substrate morphology slope distributions on light scattering, nc-Si:H film growth, and solar cell performance.

PubMed

Kim, Do Yun; Santbergen, Rudi; Jäger, Klaus; Sever, Martin; Krč, Janez; Topič, Marko; Hänni, Simon; Zhang, Chao; Heidt, Anna; Meier, Matthias; van Swaaij, René A C M M; Zeman, Miro

2014-12-24

Thin-film silicon solar cells are often deposited on textured ZnO substrates. The solar-cell performance is strongly correlated to the substrate morphology, as this morphology determines light scattering, defective-region formation, and crystalline growth of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H). Our objective is to gain deeper insight in these correlations using the slope distribution, rms roughness (σ(rms)) and correlation length (lc) of textured substrates. A wide range of surface morphologies was obtained by Ar plasma treatment and wet etching of textured and flat-as-deposited ZnO substrates. The σ(rms), lc and slope distribution were deduced from AFM scans. Especially, the slope distribution of substrates was represented in an efficient way that light scattering and film growth direction can be more directly estimated at the same time. We observed that besides a high σ(rms), a high slope angle is beneficial to obtain high haze and scattering of light at larger angles, resulting in higher short-circuit current density of nc-Si:H solar cells. However, a high slope angle can also promote the creation of defective regions in nc-Si:H films grown on the substrate. It is also found that the crystalline fraction of nc-Si:H solar cells has a stronger correlation with the slope distributions than with σ(rms) of substrates. In this study, we successfully correlate all these observations with the solar-cell performance by using the slope distribution of substrates.

Freestanding ultrathin single-crystalline SiC substrate by MeV H ion-slicing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Qi; Huang, Kai; You, Tiangui; Yi, Ailun; Lin, Jiajie; Zhang, Shibin; Zhou, Min; Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Bo; Yu, Wenjie; Ou, Xin; Wang, Xi

2018-05-01

SiC is a widely used wide-bandgap semiconductor, and the freestanding ultrathin single-crystalline SiC substrate provides the material platform for advanced devices. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a freestanding ultrathin single-crystalline SiC substrate with a thickness of 22 μm by ion slicing using 1.6 MeV H ion implantation. The ion-slicing process performed in the MeV energy range was compared to the conventional case using low-energy H ion implantation in the keV energy range. The blistering behavior of the implanted SiC surface layer depends on both the implantation temperature and the annealing temperature. Due to the different straggling parameter for two implant energies, the distribution of implantation-induced damage is significantly different. The impact of implantation temperature on the high-energy and low-energy slicing was opposite, and the ion-slicing SiC in the MeV range initiates at a much higher temperature.

Strain-induced structure transformations on Si(111) and Ge(111) surfaces: a combined density-functional and scanning tunneling microscopy study.

PubMed

Zhachuk, R; Teys, S; Coutinho, J

2013-06-14

Si(111) and Ge(111) surface formation energies were calculated using density functional theory for various biaxial strain states ranging from -0.04 to 0.04, and for a wide set of experimentally observed surface reconstructions: 3 × 3, 5 × 5, 7 × 7 dimer-adatom-stacking fault reconstructions and c(2 × 8), 2 × 2, and √3×√3 adatoms based surfaces. The calculations are compared with scanning tunneling microscopy data obtained on stepped Si(111) surfaces and on Ge islands grown on a Si(111) substrate. It is shown that the surface structure transformations observed in these strained systems are accounted for by a phase diagram that relates the equilibrium surface structure to the applied strain. The calculated formation energy of the unstrained Si(111)-9 × 9 dimer-adatom-stacking fault surface is reported for the first time and it is higher than corresponding energies of Si(111)-5 × 5 and Si(111)-7 × 7 dimer-adatom-stacking fault surfaces as expected. We predict that the Si(111) surface should adopt a c(2 × 8) reconstruction when tensile strain is above 0.03.

Disentangling nonradiative recombination processes in Ge micro-crystals on Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pezzoli, Fabio; Giorgioni, Anna; Gallacher, Kevin; Isa, Fabio; Biagioni, Paolo; Millar, Ross W.; Gatti, Eleonora; Grilli, Emanuele; Bonera, Emiliano; Isella, Giovanni; Paul, Douglas J.; Miglio, Leo

2016-06-01

We address nonradiative recombination pathways by leveraging surface passivation and dislocation management in μm-scale arrays of Ge crystals grown on deeply patterned Si substrates. The time decay photoluminescence (PL) at cryogenic temperatures discloses carrier lifetimes approaching 45 ns in band-gap engineered Ge micro-crystals. This investigation provides compelling information about the competitive interplay between the radiative band-edge transitions and the trapping of carriers by dislocations and free surfaces. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the temperature dependence of the PL, combined with capacitance data and finite difference time domain modeling, demonstrates the effectiveness of GeO2 in passivating the surface of Ge and thus in enhancing the room temperature PL emission.

Single Junction InGaP/GaAs Solar Cells Grown on Si Substrates using SiGe Buffer Layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringel, S. A.; Carlin, J. A.; Andre, C. L.; Hudait, M. K.; Gonzalez, M.; Wilt, D. M.; Clark, E. B.; Jenkins, P.; Scheiman, D.; Allerman, A.

2002-01-01

Single junction InGaP/GaAs solar cells displaying high efficiency and record high open circuit voltage values have been grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on Ge/graded SiGe/Si substrates. Open circuit voltages as high as 980 mV under AM0 conditions have been verified to result from a single GaAs junction, with no evidence of Ge-related sub-cell photoresponse. Current AM0 efficiencies of close to 16% have been measured for a large number of small area cells, whose performance is limited by non-fundamental current losses due to significant surface reflection resulting from greater than 10% front surface metal coverage and wafer handling during the growth sequence for these prototype cells. It is shown that at the material quality currently achieved for GaAs grown on Ge/SiGe/Si substrates, namely a 10 nanosecond minority carrier lifetime that results from complete elimination of anti-phase domains and maintaining a threading dislocation density of approximately 8 x 10(exp 5) per square centimeter, 19-20% AM0 single junction GaAs cells are imminent. Experiments show that the high performance is not degraded for larger area cells, with identical open circuit voltages and higher short circuit current (due to reduced front metal coverage) values being demonstrated, indicating that large area scaling is possible in the near term. Comparison to a simple model indicates that the voltage output of these GaAs on Si cells follows ideal behavior expected for lattice mismatched devices, demonstrating that unaccounted for defects and issues that have plagued other methods to epitaxially integrate III-V cells with Si are resolved using SiGe buffers and proper GaAs nucleation methods. These early results already show the enormous and realistic potential of the virtual SiGe substrate approach for generating high efficiency, lightweight and strong III-V solar cells.

The fabrication of visible light responsive Ag-SiO2 co-doped TiO2 thin films by the sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dam Le, Duy; Dung Dang, Thi My; Thang Chau, Vinh; Chien Dang, Mau

2010-03-01

In this study we have successfully deposited Ag-SiO2 co-doped TiO2 thin films on glass substrates by the sol-gel method. After being coated by a dip coating method, the film was transparent, smooth and had strong adhesion on the glass surface. The deposited film was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) to investigate its crystallization, transmittance and surface structure. The antifogging ability is explained by the contact angle of water on the surface of the glass substrates under visible-light. The obtained results show that Ag-SiO2 co-doped TiO2 film has potential applications for self cleaning and anti-bacterial ceramic tiles.

Potentiostatic controlled nucleation and growth modes of electrodeposited cobalt thin films on n-Si(1 1 1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mechehoud, Fayçal; Khelil, Abdelbacet; Eddine Hakiki, Nour; Bubendorff, Jean-Luc

2016-08-01

The nucleation and growth of Co electrodeposits on n-Si(1 1 1) substrate have been investigated as a function of the applied potential in a large potential range using electrochemical techniques (voltammetry and chrono-amperometry) and surface imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface preparation of the sample is crucial and we achieve a controlled n-Si(1 1 1) surface with mono-atomic steps and flat terraces. Using Scharifker-Hills models for fitting the current-time transients, we show that a transition from an instantaneous nucleation process to a progressive one occurs when the overpotential increases. A good agreement between the nucleation and growth parameters extracted from the models and the AFM data's is observed. The growth is of the Volmer-Weber type with a roughness and a spatial extension in the substrate plane of the deposited islands that increase with thickness.

Tunable Wetting Property in Growth Mode-Controlled WS2 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Byoung Ki; Lee, In Hak; Kim, Jiho; Chang, Young Jun

2017-04-01

We report on a thickness-dependent wetting property of WS2/Al2O3 and WS2/SiO2/Si structures. We prepared WS2 films with gradient thickness by annealing thickness-controlled WO3 films at 800 °C in sulfur atmosphere. Raman spectroscopy measurements showed step-like variation in the thickness of WS2 over substrates several centimeters in dimension. On fresh surfaces, we observed a significant change in the water contact angle depending on film thickness and substrate. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that differences in the surface roughness of WS2 films can account for the contrasting wetting properties between WS2/Al2O3 and WS2/SiO2/Si. The thickness dependence of water contact angle persisted for longer than 2 weeks, which demonstrates the stability of these wetting properties when exposed to air contamination.

Interaction Between Graphene-Coated SiC Single Crystal and Liquid Copper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homa, M.; Sobczak, N.; Sobczak, J. J.; Kudyba, A.; Bruzda, G.; Nowak, R.; Pietrzak, K.; Chmielewski, M.; Strupiński, W.

2018-04-01

The wettability of graphene-coated SiC single crystal (CGn/SiCsc) by liquid Cu (99.99%) was investigated by a sessile drop method in vacuum conditions at temperature of 1100 °C. The graphene layer was produced via a chemical vapor deposition routine using 4H-SiC single crystal cut out from 6″ wafer. A dispensed drop technique combined with a non-contact heating of a couple of materials was applied. The Cu drop was squeezed from a graphite capillary and deposited on the substrate directly in a vacuum chamber. The first Cu drop did not wet the CGn/SiCsc substrate and showed a lack of adhesion to the substrate: the falling Cu drop only touched the substrate forming a contact angle of θ 0 = 121° and then immediately rolled like a ball along the substrate surface. After settling near the edge of the substrate in about 0.15 s, the Cu drop formed an asymmetric shape with the right and left contact angles of different values (θ R = 86° and θ L = 70°, respectively), while in the next 30 min, θ R and θ L achieved the same final value of 52°. The second Cu drop was put down on the displacement path of the first drop, and immediately after the deposition, it also did not wet the substrate (θ = 123°). This drop kept symmetry and the primary position, but its wetting behavior was unusual: both θ R and θ L decreased in 17 min to the value of 23° and next, they increased to a final value of 65°. Visual observations revealed a presence of 2.5-mm-thick interfacial phase layer reactively formed under the second drop. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations revealed the presence of carbon-enriched precipitates on the top surface of the first Cu drop. These precipitates were identified by the Raman spectroscopy as double-layer graphene. The Raman spectrum taken from the substrate far from the drop revealed the presence of graphene, while that obtained from the first drop displacement path exhibited a decreased intensity of 2D peak. The results of SEM investigations and Raman spectroscopy studies suggest that the presence of graphene layer on the SiC substrate suppresses but does not completely prevent chemical interaction between liquid Cu drop and SiC. Both chemical degradation (etching) and mechanical degradation of the graphene layer during drop rolling due to high adhesion of the Cu drop to the SiC substrate are responsible for mass transfer through the 2nd drop/substrate interface that in turn results in significant changes of structure and chemistry of the drop and the interface.

Interaction Between Graphene-Coated SiC Single Crystal and Liquid Copper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homa, M.; Sobczak, N.; Sobczak, J. J.; Kudyba, A.; Bruzda, G.; Nowak, R.; Pietrzak, K.; Chmielewski, M.; Strupiński, W.

2018-05-01

The wettability of graphene-coated SiC single crystal (CGn/SiCsc) by liquid Cu (99.99%) was investigated by a sessile drop method in vacuum conditions at temperature of 1100 °C. The graphene layer was produced via a chemical vapor deposition routine using 4H-SiC single crystal cut out from 6″ wafer. A dispensed drop technique combined with a non-contact heating of a couple of materials was applied. The Cu drop was squeezed from a graphite capillary and deposited on the substrate directly in a vacuum chamber. The first Cu drop did not wet the CGn/SiCsc substrate and showed a lack of adhesion to the substrate: the falling Cu drop only touched the substrate forming a contact angle of θ 0 = 121° and then immediately rolled like a ball along the substrate surface. After settling near the edge of the substrate in about 0.15 s, the Cu drop formed an asymmetric shape with the right and left contact angles of different values ( θ R = 86° and θ L = 70°, respectively), while in the next 30 min, θ R and θ L achieved the same final value of 52°. The second Cu drop was put down on the displacement path of the first drop, and immediately after the deposition, it also did not wet the substrate ( θ = 123°). This drop kept symmetry and the primary position, but its wetting behavior was unusual: both θ R and θ L decreased in 17 min to the value of 23° and next, they increased to a final value of 65°. Visual observations revealed a presence of 2.5-mm-thick interfacial phase layer reactively formed under the second drop. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations revealed the presence of carbon-enriched precipitates on the top surface of the first Cu drop. These precipitates were identified by the Raman spectroscopy as double-layer graphene. The Raman spectrum taken from the substrate far from the drop revealed the presence of graphene, while that obtained from the first drop displacement path exhibited a decreased intensity of 2D peak. The results of SEM investigations and Raman spectroscopy studies suggest that the presence of graphene layer on the SiC substrate suppresses but does not completely prevent chemical interaction between liquid Cu drop and SiC. Both chemical degradation (etching) and mechanical degradation of the graphene layer during drop rolling due to high adhesion of the Cu drop to the SiC substrate are responsible for mass transfer through the 2nd drop/substrate interface that in turn results in significant changes of structure and chemistry of the drop and the interface.

Molecular recognition on a cavitand-functionalized silicon surface.

PubMed

Biavardi, Elisa; Favazza, Maria; Motta, Alessandro; Fragalà, Ignazio L; Massera, Chiara; Prodi, Luca; Montalti, Marco; Melegari, Monica; Condorelli, Guglielmo G; Dalcanale, Enrico

2009-06-03

A Si(100) surface featuring molecular recognition properties was obtained by covalent functionalization with a tetraphosphonate cavitand (Tiiii), able to complex positively charged species. Tiiii cavitand was grafted onto the Si by photochemical hydrosilylation together with 1-octene as a spatial spectator. The recognition properties of the Si-Tiiii surface were demonstrated through two independent analytical techniques, namely XPS and fluorescence spectroscopy, during the course of reversible complexation-guest exchange-decomplexation cycles with specifically designed ammonium and pyridinium salts. Control experiments employing a Si(100) surface functionalized with a structurally similar, but complexation inactive, tetrathiophosphonate cavitand (TSiiii) demonstrated no recognition events. This provides evidence for the complexation properties of the Si-Tiiii surface, ruling out the possibility of nonspecific interactions between the substrate and the guests. The residual Si-O(-) terminations on the surface replace the guests' original counterions, thus stabilizing the complex ion pairs. These results represent a further step toward the control of self-assembly of complex supramolecular architectures on surfaces.

Ion scattering and electron spectroscopy of the chemical species at a HF-prepared Si(211) surface

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

Jaime-Vasquez, M.; Martinka, M.; Groenert, M.

2006-01-16

The species and the nature of their chemical bonds at the surface of a hydrogen-terminated Si(211) wafer were characterized using temperature desorption spectroscopy, ion scattering spectroscopy, and electron spectroscopy. The surface region is dominated by monohydride species with dihydrides present in small amounts. Fluorine is distributed across the top layer as largely a physisorbed species to the Si substrate. Low-energy {sup 3}He{sup +} ions remove the H and F species with only minimal damage to the underlying region.

Domain ordering of strained 5 ML SrTiO3 films on Si(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, P.; Wermeille, D.; Kim, J. W.; Woicik, J. C.; Hellberg, C. S.; Li, H.

2007-05-01

High resolution x-ray diffraction data indicate ordered square shaped coherent domains, ˜1200Å in length, coexisting with longer, ˜9500Å correlated regions in highly strained 5 ML SrTiO3 films grown on Si(001). These long range film structures are due to the Si substrate terraces defined by the surface step morphology. The silicon surface "step pattern" is comprised of an "intrinsic" terrace length from strain relaxation and a longer "extrinsic" interstep distance due to the surface miscut.

Growth of single crystal silicon carbide by halide chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanton, Mark A.

The goal of this thesis is to understand relationships between the major process variables and the growth rate, doping, and defect density of SiC grown by halide chemical vapor deposition (HCVD). Specifically this work addresses the maximum C/Si ratios that can be utilized for single crystal SiC growth by providing a thermodynamic model for determining the boundary between single crystal growth and SiC+C mixed phase growth in the Si-C-Cl-H system. SiC epitaxial layers ranging from 50--200microm thick were grown at temperatures near 2000°C on 6H and 4H-SiC substrates at rates up to 250microm/hr. Experimental trends in the growth rate as a function of precursor flow rates and temperature closely match those expected from thermodynamic equilibrium in a closed system. The equilibrium model can be used to predict the trends in growth rate with the changes in precursor flow rates as well as the boundary between deposition of pure SiC and deposition of a mixture of SiC and C. Calculation of the boundary position in terms of the SiCl 4 and CH4 concentrations provides an upper limit on the C/Si ratio that can be achieved for any given set of crystal growth conditions. The model can be adjusted for changes in temperature, pressure, and chlorine concentration as well. The boundary between phase pure and mixed phase growth was experimentally shown to be very abrupt, thereby providing a well defined window for Si-rich and C-rich growth conditions. Growth of SiC epitaxial layers by HCVD under both Si-rich and C-rich conditions generally yielded the same trends in dopant incorporation as those observed in conventional silane-based CVD processes. Nitrogen incorporation was highest on the C-face of 4H-SiC substrates but could be reduced to concentrations as low as 1x1015 atoms/cm3 at C/Si ratios greater than 1. Residual B concentrations were slightly higher for epitaxial layers grown on the Si-face of substrates. However, changes in the C/Si ratio had no effect on B incorporation at concentrations on the order of 1x10 15 atoms/cm3. No significant trends in structural quality or defect density were evident as the C/Si ratio was varied from 0.72 to 1.81. Structural quality and defect density were more closely related to substrate off-cut and polarity. The highest quality crystals were grown on the C-face of 4° off-axis substrates as measured by HRXRD rocking curves. Growth on on-axis substrates was most successful on the C-face, although the x-ray rocking curves were nearly twice as wide as those on off-axis substrates. Etch pit densities obtained by KOH etching layers grown on Si-face substrates were closely related to the defect density of the substrate not the C/Si ratio. Thick p-type layers with B or Al dopant concentrations on the order of 1019 atoms/cm3 were readily achieved with the HCVD process. Trimethylaluminum and BCl3 were successfully employed as dopant sources. Aluminum incorporation was sensitive to both the substrate surface polarity and the C/Si ratio employed for growth. Dopant concentrations were maximized under C-rich growth conditions on the Si-face of SiC substrates. Boron incorporation was insensitive to both the surface polarity of the substrate and the C/Si used for layer growth even though B appears to favor incorporation on Si lattice sites. Boron acceptors in HCVD grown SiC are not passivated by H to any significant extent based on a comparison of net acceptor concentrations and B doping concentrations. In addition, the lattice parameters epitaxial layers doped with B at concentrations on the order of 1019 atoms/cm3 showed no change as a function of B concentration. This was in contrast to the lattice parameter decrease as expected from a comparison between the size of the Si and B atoms. The HCVD process has demonstrated an order of magnitude higher growth rates than conventional SiC CVD and while providing control over the C/Si ratio. This allows the user to directly influence dopant incorporation and growth morphology. However, this control should also permit several other material properties to be tailored. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The effect of surface topography on the micellisation of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride at the silicon-aqueous interface

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

Darkins, Robert; Sushko, Maria L.; Liu, Jun

2015-02-11

Amphiphilic aggregation at solid-liquid interfaces can generate mesostructured micelles that can serve as soft templates. In this study we have simulated the self-assembly of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (C16TAC) surfactants at the Si(100)- and Si(111)-aqueous interfaces. The surfactants are found to form semicylindrical micelles on Si(100) but hemispherical micelles on Si(111). This difference in micelle structure is shown to be a consequence of the starkly different surface topographies that result from the reconstruction of the two silicon surfaces. This reveals that micelle structure can be governed by epitaxial matching even with non-polar substrates.

Oxidation resistant slurry coating for carbon-based materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smialek, J. L.; Rybicki, G. C. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An oxidation resistant coating is produced on carbon-base materials, and the same processing step effects an infiltration of the substrate with silicon containing material. The process comprises making a slurry of nickel and silicon powders in a nitrocellulose lacquer, spraying onto the graphite or carbon-carbon substrate, and sintering in vacuum to form a fused coating that wets and covers the surface as well as penetrates into the pores of the substrate. Optimum wetting and infiltration occurs in the range of Ni-60 w/o Si to Ni-90 w/o Si with deposited thicknesses of 25-100 mg/sq. cm. Sintering temperatures of about 1200 C to about 1400 C are used, depending on the melting point of the specific coating composition. The sintered coating results in Ni-Si intermetallic phases and SiC, both of which are highly oxidation resistant.

Hexagonal AlN Layers Grown on Sulfided Si(100) Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bessolov, V. N.; Gushchina, E. V.; Konenkova, E. V.; L'vova, T. V.; Panteleev, V. N.; Shcheglov, M. P.

2018-01-01

We have studied the influence of sulfide passivation on the initial stages of aluminum nitride (AlN)-layer nucleation and growth by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy (HVPE) on (100)-oriented single-crystalline silicon substrates. It is established that the substrate pretreatment in (NH4)2S aqueous solution leads to the columnar nucleation of hexagonal AlN crystals of two modifications rotated by 30° relative to each other. Based on the sulfide treatment, a simple method of oxide removal from and preparation of Si(100) substrate surface is developed that can be used for the epitaxial growth of group-III nitride layers.

Heteroepitaxial Growth of Ferromagnetic MnSb(0001) Films on Ge/Si(111) Virtual Substrates.

PubMed

Burrows, Christopher W; Dobbie, Andrew; Myronov, Maksym; Hase, Thomas P A; Wilkins, Stuart B; Walker, Marc; Mudd, James J; Maskery, Ian; Lees, Martin R; McConville, Christopher F; Leadley, David R; Bell, Gavin R

2013-11-06

Molecular beam epitaxial growth of ferromagnetic MnSb(0001) has been achieved on high quality, fully relaxed Ge(111)/Si(111) virtual substrates grown by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition. The epilayers were characterized using reflection high energy electron diffraction, synchrotron hard X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and magnetometry. The surface reconstructions, magnetic properties, crystalline quality, and strain relaxation behavior of the MnSb films are similar to those of MnSb grown on GaAs(111). In contrast to GaAs substrates, segregation of substrate atoms through the MnSb film does not occur, and alternative polymorphs of MnSb are absent.

Growth optimization and characterization of GaN epilayers on multifaceted (111) surfaces etched on Si(100) substrates

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

Ansah-Antwi, KwaDwo Konadu, E-mail: kakadee@gmail.com; Chua, Soo Jin; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, E4-5-45, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576

2015-11-15

The four nearest Si(111) multifaceted sidewalls were exposed inside an array of 3 μm-wide square holes patterned on an Si(100) substrate, and this patterned Si(100) substrate was used as a substrate for the deposition of a gallium nitride (GaN) epilayer. Subsequently the effect that the growth pressure, the etched-hole profiles, and the etched-hole arrangement had upon the quality of the as-grown GaN was investigated. The coalescence of the as-grown GaN epilayer on the exposed Si(111) facets was observed to be enhanced with reduced growth pressure from 120 to 90 Torr. A larger Si(001) plane area at the bottom of the etched holesmore » resulted in bidirectional GaN domains, which resulted in poor material quality. The bidirectional GaN domains were observed as two sets of six peaks via a high-resolution x-ray diffraction phi scan of the GaN(10-11) reflection. It was also shown that a triangular array of etched holes was more desirable than square arrays of etched holes for the growth high-quality and continuous GaN films.« less

Generation of silicon nanocrystals by damage free continuous wave laser annealing of substrate-bound SiO{sub x} films

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

Fricke-Begemann, T., E-mail: fricke-begemann@llg-ev.de; Ihlemann, J.; Wang, N.

2015-09-28

Silicon nanocrystals have been generated by laser induced phase separation in SiO{sub x} films. A continuous wave laser emitting at 405 nm is focused to a 6 μm diameter spot on 530 nm thick SiO{sub x} films deposited on fused silica substrates. Irradiation of lines is accomplished by focus scanning. The samples are investigated by atomic force microscopy, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements. At a laser power of 35 mW corresponding to an irradiance of about 1.2 × 10{sup 5 }W/cm{sup 2}, the formation of Si-nanocrystals in the film without any deterioration of the surface is observed. At higher laser power, the centralmore » irradiated region is oxidized to SiO{sub 2} and exhibits some porous character, while the surface remains optically smooth, and nanocrystals are observed beside and beneath this oxidized region. Amorphous Si-nanoclusters are formed at lower laser power and around the lines written at high power.« less

Effect of Composite Substrates on the Mechanical Behavior of Brazed Joints in Metal-Composite System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, M.; Morscher, Gregory N.; Shpargel, Tarah; Asthana, Rajiv

2006-01-01

Advanced composite components are being considered for a wide variety of demanding applications in aerospace, space exploration, and ground based systems. A number of these applications require robust integration technologies to join dissimilar materials (metalcomposites) into complex structural components. In this study, three types of composites (C-C, C-SiC, and SiC-SiC) were vacuum brazed to commercially pure Ti using the active metal braze alloy Cusil-ABA (63Ag-35.3Cu-1.75Ti). Composite substrates with as fabricated and polished surfaces were used for brazing. The microstructure and composition of the joint, examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), showed sound metallurgical bonding in all systems. The butt strap tensile (BST) test was performed on bonded specimens at room and elevated temperatures. Effect of substrate composition, interlaminar properties, and surface roughness on the mechanical properties and failure behavior of joints will be discussed.

Development of MoSi2 coating with Al doping by using high energy milling method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simanjuntak, C. M. S.; Hastuty, S.; Izzuddin, H.; Sundawa, R.; Sudiro, T.; Sukarto, A.; Thosin, K. A. Z.

2018-03-01

MoSi2 is well known as a material for high temperature application because it has high oxidation and corrosion resistance. The aim of this research is to develop MoSi2 coating with Al doping on Stainless Steel 316 (SS316) substrate using High-Energy Milling method. Aluminium is added to the coating as a dopant to increase formation of MoSi2 coating layer on the substrate. The variations used here based on the concentrations of doping Al (at.%) and duration of milling. Results show that the MoSi2 coatings with variations of 30 and 50 at.% of Al doping and 3 and 6 hours of milling times were successfully coated on the surface of SS 316 using the high-energy milling method. The most optimum coating result after oxidation test at 1100 °C for 100 hours is shown by MoSi2-30%Al with 3 hours of milling times. From the oxidation results, the Al doping into MoSi2 coating was able to increase the oxidation resistance of the SS 316 substrate.

High-performance SERS substrate based on hybrid structure of graphene oxide/AgNPs/Cu film@pyramid Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhe; Xu, Shi Cai; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Xiao Yun; Gao, Sai Sai; Hu, Li Tao; Guo, Jia; Ma, Yong; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Si, Hai Peng

2016-12-01

We present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles/copper film covered silicon pyramid arrays (GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si) by a low-cost and simple method. The GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrate presents high sensitivity, good homogeneity and well stability with R6G molecules as a probe. The detected concentration of Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) is as low as 10-15 M. These sensitive SERS behaviors are also confirmed in theory via a commercial COMSOL software, the electric field enhancement is not only formed between the AgNPs, but also formed between the AgNPs and Cu film. And the GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrates also present good property on practical application for the detection of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). This work may offer a novel and practical method to facilitate the SERS applications in areas of medicine, food safety and biotechnology.

High-performance SERS substrate based on hybrid structure of graphene oxide/AgNPs/Cu film@pyramid Si.

PubMed

Li, Zhe; Xu, Shi Cai; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Xiao Yun; Gao, Sai Sai; Hu, Li Tao; Guo, Jia; Ma, Yong; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Si, Hai Peng

2016-12-07

We present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles/copper film covered silicon pyramid arrays (GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si) by a low-cost and simple method. The GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrate presents high sensitivity, good homogeneity and well stability with R6G molecules as a probe. The detected concentration of Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) is as low as 10 -15 M. These sensitive SERS behaviors are also confirmed in theory via a commercial COMSOL software, the electric field enhancement is not only formed between the AgNPs, but also formed between the AgNPs and Cu film. And the GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrates also present good property on practical application for the detection of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). This work may offer a novel and practical method to facilitate the SERS applications in areas of medicine, food safety and biotechnology.

High-performance SERS substrate based on hybrid structure of graphene oxide/AgNPs/Cu film@pyramid Si

PubMed Central

Li, Zhe; Xu, Shi Cai; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Xiao Yun; Gao, Sai Sai; Hu, Li Tao; Guo, Jia; Ma, Yong; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Si, Hai Peng

2016-01-01

We present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles/copper film covered silicon pyramid arrays (GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si) by a low-cost and simple method. The GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrate presents high sensitivity, good homogeneity and well stability with R6G molecules as a probe. The detected concentration of Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) is as low as 10−15 M. These sensitive SERS behaviors are also confirmed in theory via a commercial COMSOL software, the electric field enhancement is not only formed between the AgNPs, but also formed between the AgNPs and Cu film. And the GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrates also present good property on practical application for the detection of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). This work may offer a novel and practical method to facilitate the SERS applications in areas of medicine, food safety and biotechnology. PMID:27924863

Peeling off effects in vertically aligned Fe3C filled carbon nanotubes films grown by pyrolysis of ferrocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boi, Filippo S.; Medranda, Daniel; Ivaturi, Sameera; Wang, Jiayu; Guo, Jian; Lan, Mu; Wen, Jiqiu; Wang, Shanling; He, Yi; Mountjoy, Gavin; Willis, Maureen A. C.; Xiang, Gang

2017-06-01

We report the observation of an unusual self-peeling effect which allows the synthesis of free standing vertically aligned carbon nanotube films filled with large quantities of Fe3C and small quantities of γ-Fe crystals. We demonstrate that this effect depends on the interplay of three main factors: (1) the physical interactions between the chosen substrate surface and grown carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which is fixed by the composition of the used substrate (111 SiO2/Si or quartz), (2) the CNT-CNT Van der Waals interactions, and (3) the differential thermal contraction between the grown CNT film and the used substrate, which is fixed by the cooling rate differences between the grown film and the used quartz or Si/SiO2 substrates. The width and stability of these films are then further increased to cm-scale by addition of small quantities of toluene to the ferrocene precursor.

Heat- and electron-beam-induced transport of gold particles into silicon oxide and silicon studied by in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Biskupek, Johannes; Kaiser, Ute; Falk, Fritz

2008-06-01

In this study, we describe the transport of gold (Au) nanoparticles from the surface into crystalline silicon (Si) covered by silicon oxide (SiO(2)) as revealed by in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Complete crystalline Au nanoparticles sink through the SiO(2) layer into the Si substrate when high-dose electron irradiation is applied and temperature is raised above 150 degrees C. Above temperatures of 250 degrees C, the Au nanoparticles finally dissolve into fragments accompanied by crystallization of the amorphized Si substrate around these fragments. The transport process is explained by a wetting process followed by Stokes motion. Modelling this process yields boundaries for the interface energies involved.

Application of optical processing for growth of silicon dioxide

DOEpatents

Sopori, B.L.

1997-06-17

A process for producing a silicon dioxide film on a surface of a silicon substrate is disclosed. The process comprises illuminating a silicon substrate in a substantially pure oxygen atmosphere with a broad spectrum of visible and infrared light at an optical power density of from about 3 watts/cm{sup 2} to about 6 watts/cm{sup 2} for a time period sufficient to produce a silicon dioxide film on the surface of the silicon substrate. An optimum optical power density is about 4 watts/cm{sup 2} for growth of a 100{angstrom}-300{angstrom} film at a resultant temperature of about 400 C. Deep level transient spectroscopy analysis detects no measurable impurities introduced into the silicon substrate during silicon oxide production and shows the interface state density at the SiO{sub 2}/Si interface to be very low. 1 fig.

Substrate impact on the low-temperature growth of GaN thin films by plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition

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

Kizir, Seda; Haider, Ali; Biyikli, Necmi, E-mail: biyikli@unam.bilkent.edu.tr

2016-07-15

Gallium nitride (GaN) thin films were grown on Si (100), Si (111), and c-plane sapphire substrates at 200 °C via hollow-cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (HCPA-ALD) using GaEt{sub 3} and N{sub 2}/H{sub 2} plasma as group-III and V precursors, respectively. The main aim of the study was to investigate the impact of substrate on the material properties of low-temperature ALD-grown GaN layers. Structural, chemical, and optical characterizations were carried out in order to evaluate and compare film quality of GaN on different substrates. X-ray reflectivity measurements showed film density values of 5.70, 5.74, and 5.54 g/cm{sup 3} for GaN grown on Simore » (100), Si (111), and sapphire, respectively. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction measurements exhibited hexagonal wurtzite structure in all HCPA-ALD grown GaN samples. However, dominant diffraction peak for GaN films grown on Si and sapphire substrates were detected differently as (002) and (103), respectively. X-ray diffraction gonio scans measured from GaN grown on c-plane sapphire primarily showed (002) orientation. All samples exhibited similar refractive index values (∼2.17 at 632 nm) with 2–3 at. % of oxygen impurity existing within the bulk of the films. The grain size was calculated as ∼9–10 nm for GaN grown on Si (100) and Si (111) samples while it was ∼5 nm for GaN/sapphire sample. Root-mean-square surface roughness values found as 0.68, 0.76, and 1.83 nm for GaN deposited on Si (100), Si (111), and sapphire, respectively. Another significant difference observed between the samples was the film growth per cycle: GaN/sapphire sample showed a considerable higher thickness value when compared with GaN/Si samples, which might be attributed to a possibly more-efficient nitridation and faster nucleation of sapphire surface.« less

Engineered Emitters for Improved Silicon Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamat, Ronak A.

In 2014, installation of 5.3GW of new Photovoltaic (PV) systems occurred in the United States, raising the total installed capacity to 16.36GW. Strong growth is predicted for the domestic PV market with analysts reporting goals of 696GW by 2020. Conventional single crystalline silicon cells are the technology of choice, accounting for 90% of the installations in the global commercial market. Cells made of GaAs offer higher efficiencies, but at a substantially higher cost. Thin film technologies such as CIGS and CdTe compete favorably with multi-crystalline Si (u-Si), but at 20% efficiency, still lag the c-Si cell in performance. The c-Si cell can be fabricated to operate at approximately 25% efficiency, but commercially the efficiencies are in the 18-21% range, which is a direct result of cost trade-offs between process complexity and rapid throughput. With the current cost of c-Si cell modules at nearly 0.60/W. The technology is well below the historic metric of 1/W for economic viability. The result is that more complex processes, once cost-prohibitive, may now be viable. An example is Panasonic's HIT cell which operates in the 22-24% efficiency range. To facilitate research and development of novel PV materials and techniques, RIT has developed a basic solar cell fabrication process. Student projects prior to this work had produced cells with 12.8% efficiency using p type substrates. This thesis reports on recent work to improve cell efficiencies while simultaneously expanding the capability of the rapid prototyping process. In addition to the p-Si substrates, cells have been produced using n-Si substrates. The cell emitter, which is often done with a single diffusion or implant has been re-engineered using a dual implant of the same dose. This dual-implanted emitter has been shown to lower contact resistance, increase Voc, and increase the efficiency. A p-Si substrate cell has been fabricated with an efficiency of 14.6% and n-Si substrate cell with a 13.5% efficiency. Further improvements could be made through the incorporation of a front-surface field, surface texturing and nitride ARC.

Fabrication and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of Ag/Au bimetallic films on Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chaonan; Fang, Jinghuai; Jin, Yonglong; Cheng, Mingfei

2011-11-01

Ag films on Si substrates were fabricated by immersion plating and served as sacrificial materials for preparation of Ag/Au bimetallic films by galvanic replacement reaction. The formation procedure of films on the surface of Si was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed Ag films with island and dendritic morphologies experienced novel structural evolution process during galvanic replacement reaction, and nanostructures with holes were produced within the resultant Ag/Au bimetallic films. SERS activity both of sacrificial Ag films and resultant Ag/Au bimetallic films was investigated by using crystal violet as an analyte. It has been shown that SERS signals increased with the process of galvanic substitution and reached intensity significantly stronger than that obtained from pure Ag films.

Magnetic imaging of cyanide-bridged co-ordination nanoparticles grafted on FIB-patterned Si substrates.

PubMed

Ghirri, Alberto; Candini, Andrea; Evangelisti, Marco; Gazzadi, Gian Carlo; Volatron, Florence; Fleury, Benoit; Catala, Laure; David, Christophe; Mallah, Talal; Affronte, Marco

2008-12-01

Prussian blue CsNiCr nanoparticles are used to decorate selected portions of a Si substrate. For successful grafting to take place, the Si surface needs first to be chemically functionalized. Low-dose focused ion beam patterning on uniformly functionalized surfaces selects those portions that will not participate in the grafting process. Step-by-step control is assured by atomic force and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, revealing a submonolayer distribution of the grafted nanoparticles. By novel scanning Hall-probe microscopy, an in-depth investigation of the magnetic response of the nanoparticles to varying temperature and applied magnetic field is provided. The magnetic images acquired suggest that low-temperature canted ferromagnetism is found in the grafted nanoparticles, similar to what is observed in the equivalent bulk material.

Tunneling Spectroscopy Studies of Epitaxial Graphene on Silicon Carbide(0001) and Its Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandin, Andreas Axel Tomas

A two dimensional network of sp2 bonded carbon atoms is defined as graphene. This novel material possesses remarkable electronic properties due to its unique band structure at the vicinity of the Fermi energy. The toughest challenge to bring use of graphene electronic properties in device geometries is that graphene is exceptionally sensitive to its electrical environment for integration into macroscopic system of electrical contacts and substrates. One of the most promising substrates for graphene is the polar surfaces of SiC for the reason it can be grown epitaxially by sublimating Si from the top-most SiC atomic layers. In this work, the interfaces of graphene grown on the Si-terminated polar surface SiC(0001) is studied in UHV using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and auger electron Spectroscopy (AES). STM is used image the graphene surface and interfaces with the capability of atomic resolution. LEED is used to study surface atomic reciprocal ordering and AES is used to determine surface atomic composition during the graphene formation. Interfacial layer (Buffer layer), Single layer graphene and bilayer graphene are identified electronically by means of probing the first member of the image potential derived state. This state is found by dZ/dV spectroscopy in the high energy unoccupied states and is exceptionally sensitive to electrostatic changes to the surface which is detected by energy shifts of image potential states (IPS). This sensitivity is utilized to probe the graphene screening of external electric fields by varying the electric field in the tunneling junction and addresses the fact that charged impurity scattering is likely to be crucial for epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001) when it comes to transport parameters. Shifts of IPS energy position has also been used verify work function changes for identification of several Sodium Intercalation structures of epitaxial graphene. STS, STM along with DFT calculations are used to determine the interface location of Sodium, SiC-bufferlayer or bufferlayer-graphene intercalation. In this thesis, STM, and STS are used to study the interactions of paramagnetic FePc molecules with epitaxial graphene. The molecules, FePc, is found to interact with the graphene substrate where STM images show substrate induced orientation of FePc densely packed square lattice structure. At sub-monolayer coverages, FePc form a molecular gas at room temperature suggesting a low diffusion barrier on the graphene lattice. The substrate interaction is probed by STS and show an abnormally low LUMO energy that suggest strong electronic coupling between graphene and FePc. DFT calculations support the experimental observations and predict a spin-dependent molecule-graphene hybridization close to the Fermi energy in unoccupied states. For majority spins, DFT demonstrates the Dirac cone splits and a delocalized hybrid state is found in the band gap. For minority spin the Dirac cone is intact with energy of Dirac point empty. In addition, a novel method of improving UHV graphene growth on SiC(0001) is presented. During growth the SiC surface is exposed to atomic hydrogen which allows selective etching of Si over Carbon. This result in more uniform non-thermal formation of the buffer layer with many fewer defects and thus leads to nearly pit-free and defect-free thermal graphene layers.

(113) Facets of Si-Ge/Si Islands; Atomic Scale Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassem, Hassan

We have studied, by computer simulation, some static and vibrationnal proprieties of SiGe/Si islands. We have used a Valence Force Field combined to Monte Carlo technique to study the growth of Ge and SiGe on (001)Si substrates. We have focalised on the case of large pyramidal islands presenting (113) facets on the free (001)Si surface with various non uniform composition inside the islands. The deformation inside the islands and Raman spectroscopy are discussed.

Effect of sputtered titanium interlayers on the properties of nanocrystalline diamond films

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

Li, Cuiping, E-mail: licp226@126.com, E-mail: limingji@163.com; Li, Mingji, E-mail: licp226@126.com, E-mail: limingji@163.com; Wu, Xiaoguo

2016-04-07

Ti interlayers with different thicknesses were sputtered on Si substrates and then ultrasonically seeded in a diamond powder suspension. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films were deposited using a dc arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition system on the seeded Ti/Si substrates. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy tests showed that the roughness of the prepared Ti interlayer increased with increasing thickness. The effects of Ti interlayers with various thicknesses on the properties of NCD films were investigated. The results show nucleation, growth, and microstructure of the NCD films are strongly influenced by the Ti interlayers. The addition of a Timore » interlayer between the Si substrate and the NCD films can significantly enhance the nucleation rate and reduce the surface roughness of the NCD. The NCD film on a 120 nm Ti interlayer possesses the fastest nucleation rate and the smoothest surface. Raman spectra of the NCD films show trans-polyacetylene relevant peaks reduce with increasing Ti interlayer thickness, which can owe to the improvement of crystalline at grain boundaries. Furthermore, nanoindentation measurement results show that the NCD film on a 120 nm Ti interlayer displays a higher hardness and elastic modulus. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images of a cross-section show that C atoms diffuse into the Ti layer and Si substrate and form TiC and SiC hard phases, which can explain the enhancement of mechanical properties of NCD.« less

Hydroxyapatite-TiO2-SiO2-Coated 316L Stainless Steel for Biomedical Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidane, Djahida; Khireddine, Hafit; Bir, Fatima; Yala, Sabeha; Montagne, Alex; Chicot, Didier

2017-07-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of titania (TiO2) as a reinforcing phase in the hydroxyapatite (HAP) coating and silica (SiO2) single layer as a bond coat between the TiO2-reinforced hydroxyapatite (TiO2/HAP) top layer and 316L stainless steel (316L SS) substrate on the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the underlying 316L SS metallic implant. Single layer of SiO2 film was first deposited on 316L SS substrate and studied separately. Water contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer analysis were used to evaluate the hydroxyl group reactivity at the SiO2 outer surface. The microstructural and morphological results showed that the reinforcement of HAP coating with TiO2 and SiO2 reduced the crystallite size and the roughness surface. Indeed, the deposition of 50 vol pct TiO2-reinforced hydroxyapatite layer enhanced the hardness and the elastic modulus of the HAP coating, and the introduction of SiO2 inner layer on the surface of the 316L SS allowed the improvement of the bonding strength and the corrosion resistance as confirmed by scratch studies, nanoindentation, and cyclic voltammetry tests.

Improving the photoresponse spectra of BaSi2 layers by capping with hydrogenated amorphous Si layers prepared by radio-frequency hydrogen plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhihao; Gotoh, Kazuhiro; Deng, Tianguo; Sato, Takuma; Takabe, Ryota; Toko, Kaoru; Usami, Noritaka; Suemasu, Takashi

2018-05-01

We studied the surface passivation effect of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers on BaSi2 films. a-Si:H was formed by an electron-beam evaporation of Si, and a supply of atomic hydrogen using radio-frequency plasma. Surface passivation effect was first investigated on a conventional n-Si(111) substrate by capping with 20 nm-thick a-Si:H layers, and next on a 0.5 μm-thick BaSi2 film on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy. The internal quantum efficiency distinctly increased by 4 times in a wide wavelength range for sample capped in situ with a 3 nm-thick a-Si:H layer compared to those capped with a pure a-Si layer.

Multi-Functional, Micro Electromechanical Silicon Carbide Accelerometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okojie, Robert S. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A method of bulk manufacturing SiC sensors is disclosed and claimed. Materials other than SiC may be used as the substrate material. Sensors requiring that the SiC substrate be pierced are also disclosed and claimed. A process flow reversal is employed whereby the metallization is applied first before the recesses are etched into or through the wafer. Aluminum is deposited on the entire planar surface of the metallization. Photoresist is spun onto the substantially planar surface of the Aluminum which is subsequently masked (and developed and removed). Unwanted Aluminum is etched with aqueous TMAH and subsequently the metallization is dry etched. Photoresist is spun onto the still substantially planar surface of Aluminum and oxide and then masked (and developed and removed) leaving the unimidized photoresist behind. Next, ITO is applied over the still substantially planar surface of Aluminum, oxide and unimidized photoresist. Unimidized and exposed photoresist and ITO directly above it are removed with Acetone. Next, deep reactive ion etching attacks exposed oxide not protected by ITO. Finally, hot phosphoric acid removes the Al and ITO enabling wires to connect with the metallization. The back side of the SiS wafer may be also etched.

Multi-functional micro electromechanical devices and method of bulk manufacturing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okojie, Robert S. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A method of bulk manufacturing SiC sensors is disclosed and claimed. Materials other than SiC may be used as the substrate material. Sensors requiring that the SiC substrate be pierced are also disclosed and claimed. A process flow reversal is employed whereby the metallization is applied first before the recesses are etched into or through the wafer. Aluminum is deposited on the entire planar surface of the metallization. Photoresist is spun onto the substantially planar surface of the Aluminum which is subsequently masked (and developed and removed). Unwanted Aluminum is etched with aqueous TMAH and subsequently the metallization is dry etched. Photoresist is spun onto the still substantially planar surface of Aluminum and oxide and then masked (and developed and removed) leaving the unimidized photoresist behind. Next, ITO is applied over the still substantially planar surface of Aluminum, oxide and unimidized photoresist. Unimidized and exposed photoresist and ITO directly above it are removed with Acetone. Next, deep reactive ion etching attacks exposed oxide not protected by ITO. Finally, hot phosphoric acid removes the Al and ITO enabling wires to connect with the metallization. The back side of the SiC wafer may be also be etched.

The influence of surface chemistry and topography on the contact guidance of MG63 osteoblast cells.

PubMed

Ismail, F S Magdon; Rohanizadeh, R; Atwa, S; Mason, R S; Ruys, A J; Martin, P J; Bendavid, A

2007-05-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine in vitro the effects of different surface topographies and chemistries of commercially pure titanium (cpTi) and diamond-like carbon (DLC) surfaces on osteoblast growth and attachment. Microgrooves (widths of 2, 4, 8 and 10 microm and a depth of 1.5-2 microm) were patterned onto silicon (Si) substrates using microlithography and reactive ion etching. The Si substrates were subsequently vapor coated with either cpTi or DLC coatings. All surfaces were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. Using the MG63 Osteoblast-Like cell line, we determined cell viability, adhesion, and morphology on different substrates over a 3 day culture period. The results showed cpTi surfaces to be significantly more hydrophilic than DLC for groove sizes larger than 2 microm. Cell contact guidance was observed for all grooved samples in comparison to the unpatterned controls. The cell viability tests indicated a significantly greater cell number for 8 and 10 microm grooves on cpTi surfaces compared to other groove sizes. The cell adhesion study showed that the smaller groove sizes, as well as the unpatterned control groups, displayed better cell adhesion to the substrate.

Plasma-mediated grafting of poly(ethylene glycol) on polyamide and polyester surfaces and evaluation of antifouling ability of modified substrates.

PubMed

Dong, Baiyan; Jiang, Hongquan; Manolache, Sorin; Wong, Amy C Lee; Denes, Ferencz S

2007-06-19

A simple cold plasma technique was developed to functionalize the surfaces of polyamide (PA) and polyester (PET) for the grafting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with the aim of reducing biofilm formation. The surfaces of PA and PET were treated with silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) plasma, and PEG was grafted onto plasma-functionalized substrates (PA-PEG, PET-PEG). Different molecular weights of PEG and grafting times were tested to obtain optimal surface coverage by PEG as monitored by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The presence of a predominant C-O peak on the PEG-modified substrates indicated that the grafting was successful. Data from hydroxyl group derivatization and water contact angle measurement also indicated the presence of PEG after grafting. The PEG-grafted PA and PET under optimal conditions had similar chemical composition and hydrophilicity; however, different morphology changes were observed after grafting. Both PA-PEG and PET-PEG surfaces developed under optimal plasma conditions showed about 96% reduction in biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes compared with that of the corresponding unmodified substrates. This plasma functionalization method provided an efficient way to graft PEG onto PA and PET surfaces. Because of the high reactivity of Si-Cl species, this method could potentially be applied to other polymeric materials.

Structural investigations of GaN grown by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition on 6H{endash}SiC and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} from GaCl{sub 3} and NH{sub 3}

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

Koynov, S.; Topf, M.; Fischer, S.

1997-08-01

GaN films grown on (0001) 6H{endash}SiC and (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition with GaCl{sub 3} and NH{sub 3} as precursors are comparatively explored by optical, scanning tunneling, and transmission electron microscopy. Independent of the substrate material used, the surface of the GaN layers is covered by hexagonally shaped islands. For GaN on 6H{endash}SiC, the islands are larger in diameter ({approx}50 {mu}m) and rather uniformly distributed. An atomically flat interface is observed for GaN on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in contrast to GaN grown on 6H{endash}SiC, where the interface is characterized by large steps. For both substrates,more » faceted holes (named as pinholes) are observed in near-surface regions of the GaN layers occurring with a density of about 7{times}10{sup 8} cm{sup {minus}2}. No unequivocal correlation between the density of pinholes and the density of threading dislocations ({approx}1.6{times}10{sup 10} cm{sup {minus}2} for GaN/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and {approx}4{times}10{sup 9} cm{sup {minus}2} for GaN/6H{endash}SiC) can be found. Rather, different types of defects are identified to be correlated with the pinholes, implying a dislocation-independent mechanism for the pinhole formation. Despite the small lattice mismatch between GaN and 6H{endash}SiC, the pronounced original surface roughness of this substrate material is believed to account for both the marked interfacial roughness and the still existing high density of threading dislocations. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

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. .

Methods for growth of relatively large step-free SiC crystal surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G. (Inventor); Powell, J. Anthony (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A method for growing arrays of large-area device-size films of step-free (i.e., atomically flat) SiC surfaces for semiconductor electronic device applications is disclosed. This method utilizes a lateral growth process that better overcomes the effect of extended defects in the seed crystal substrate that limited the obtainable step-free area achievable by prior art processes. The step-free SiC surface is particularly suited for the heteroepitaxial growth of 3C (cubic) SiC, AlN, and GaN films used for the fabrication of both surface-sensitive devices (i.e., surface channel field effect transistors such as HEMT's and MOSFET's) as well as high-electric field devices (pn diodes and other solid-state power switching devices) that are sensitive to extended crystal defects.

Selective epitaxial growth of Ge1-xSnx on Si by using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washizu, Tomoya; Ike, Shinichi; Inuzuka, Yuki; Takeuchi, Wakana; Nakatsuka, Osamu; Zaima, Shigeaki

2017-06-01

Selective epitaxial growth of Ge and Ge1-xSnx layers on Si substrates was performed by using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) with precursors of tertiary-butyl-germane (t-BGe) and tri-butyl-vinyl-tin (TBVSn). We investigated the effects of growth temperature and total pressure during growth on the selectivity and the crystallinity of the Ge and Ge1-xSnx epitaxial layers. Under low total pressure growth conditions, the dominant mechanism of the selective growth of Ge epitaxial layers is the desorption of the Ge precursors. At a high total pressure case, it is needed to control the surface migration of precursors to realize the selectivity because the desorption of Ge precursors was suppressed. The selectivity of Ge growth was improved by diffusion of the Ge precursors on the SiO2 surfaces when patterned substrates were used at a high total pressure. The selective epitaxial growth of Ge1-xSnx layer was also realized using MOCVD. We found that the Sn precursors less likely to desorb from the SiO2 surfaces than the Ge precursors.

Intermixing and thermal oxidation of ZrO2 thin films grown on a-Si, SiN, and SiO2 by metallic and oxidic mode magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coloma Ribera, R.; van de Kruijs, R. W. E.; Sturm, J. M.; Yakshin, A. E.; Bijkerk, F.

2017-03-01

The initial growth of DC sputtered ZrO2 on top of a-Si, SiN, and SiO2 layers has been studied by in vacuo high-sensitivity low energy ion scattering for two gas deposition conditions with different oxygen contents (high-O and low-O conditions). This unique surface sensitive technique allowed the determination of surface composition and thicknesses required to close the ZrO2 layer on all three substrates for both conditions. The ZrO2 layer closes similarly on all substrates due to more favorable enthalpies of formation for ZrO2 and ZrSiO4, resulting in passivation of the Si from the substrate. However, this layer closes at about half of the thickness (˜1.7 nm) for low-O conditions due to less oxidative conditions and less energetic particles arriving at the sample, which leads to less intermixing via silicate formation. In contrast, for high-O conditions, there is more ZrSiO4 and/or SiOx formation, giving more intermixing (˜3.4 nm). In vacuo X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements revealed similar stoichiometric ZrO2 layers deposited by both conditions and a higher interaction of the ZrO2 layer with the underlying a-Si for high-O conditions. In addition, oxygen diffusion through low-O ZrO2 films on a-Si has been investigated by ex situ angular-resolved XPS of samples annealed in atmospheric oxygen. For temperatures below 400 °C, no additional oxidation of the underlying a-Si was observed. This, together with the amorphous nature and smoothness of these samples, makes ZrO2 a good candidate as an oxidation protective layer on top of a-Si.

Highly dispersible diamond nanoparticles for pretreatment of diamond films on Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Shenjie; Huang, Jian; Zhou, Xinyu; Ren, Bing; Tang, Ke; Xi, Yifan; Wang, Lin; Wang, Linjun; Lu, Yicheng

2018-03-01

High quality diamond film on Si substrate was synthesized by coating diamond nanoparticles prepared by polyglycerol grafting (ND-PG) dispersion as pre-treatment method. Transmission electron microscope indicates that ND-PG is much more dispersible than untreated nanoparticles in organic solvents. The surface morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscope while atomic force microscope was conducted to measure the surface roughness. Microstructure properties were carried out by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results revealed an increase in nucleation density, an acceleration of growth rate and an improvement of film crystalline quality by using spin-coating ND-PG pretreatment.

Preparation of freestanding GaN wafer by hydride vapor phase epitaxy on porous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xian; Li, Peng; Liang, Renrong; Xiao, Lei; Xu, Jun; Wang, Jing

2018-05-01

A freestanding GaN wafer was prepared on porous Si (111) substrate using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). To avoid undesirable effects of the porous surface on the crystallinity of the GaN, a GaN seed layer was first grown on the Si (111) bare wafer. A pattern with many apertures was fabricated in the GaN seed layer using lithography and etching processes. A porous layer was formed in the Si substrate immediately adjacent to the GaN seed layer by an anodic etching process. A 500-μm-thick GaN film was then grown on the patterned GaN seed layer using HVPE. The GaN film was separated from the Si substrate through the formation of cracks in the porous layer caused by thermal mismatch stress during the cooling stage of the HVPE. Finally, the GaN film was polished to obtain a freestanding GaN wafer.

Recent advances in characterization of CaCu3Ti4O12 thin films by spectroscopic ellipsometric metrology.

PubMed

Lo Nigro, Raffaella; Malandrino, Graziella; Toro, Roberta G; Losurdo, Maria; Bruno, Giovanni; Fragalà, Ignazio L

2005-10-12

CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) thin films were successfully grown on LaAlO3(100) and Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by a novel MOCVD approach. Epitaxial CCTO(001) thin films have been obtained on LaAlO3(100) substrates, while polycrystalline CCTO films have been grown on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si(100) substrates. Surface morphology and grain size of the different nanostructured deposited films were examined by AFM, and spectroscopic ellipsometry has been used to investigate the electronic part of the dielectric constant (epsilon2). Looking at the epsilon2 curves, it can be seen that by increasing the film structural order, a greater dielectric response has been obtained. The measured dielectric properties accounted for the ratio between grain volumes and grain boundary areas, which is very different in the different structured films.

Synthesis and Characterization of TiO2/SiO2 Thin Film via Sol-Gel Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halin, D. S. C.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Mahmed, N.; Malek, S. N. A. Abdul; Vizureanu, P.; Azhari, A. W.

2017-06-01

TiO2/SiO2 thin films were prepared by sol-gel spin coating method. Structural, surface morphology and optical properties were investigated for different annealing temperatures at 300°C, 400°C and 500°C. X-ray diffraction pattern show that brookite TiO2 crystalline phase with SiO2 phase presence at 300°C. At higher temperatures of 400-500°C, the only phase presence was brookite. The surface morphology of film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The films annealed at 300°C shows an agglomeration of small flaky with crack free. When the temperature of annealing increase to 400-500°C, the films with large flaky and large cracks film were formed which was due to surface tension between the film and the air during the drying process. The UV-Vis spectroscopy shows that the film exhibits a low transmittance around 30% which was due to the substrate is inhomogeneously covered by the films. In order to improve the coverage of the film on the substrate, it has to repeatable the spin coating to ensure the substrate is fully covered by the films.

Ion irradiation synthesis of Ag-Au bimetallic nanospheroids in SiO2 glass substrate with tunable surface plasmon resonance frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Xuan; Shibayama, Tamaki; Yu, Ruixuan; Takayanagi, Shinya; Watanabe, Seiichi

2013-08-01

Ag-Au bimetallic nanospheroids with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) were synthesized by 100 keV Ar-ion irradiation of 30 nm Ag-Au bimetallic films deposited on SiO2 glass substrates. A shift of the LSPR peaks toward shorter wavelengths was observed up to an irradiation fluence of 1.0 × 1017 cm-2, and then shifted toward the longer wavelength because of the increase of fragment volume under ion irradiation. Further control of LSPR frequency over a wider range was realized by modifying the chemical components. The resulting LSPR frequencies lie between that of the pure components, and an approximate linear shift of the LSPR toward the longer wavelength with the Au concentration was achieved, which is in good agreement with the theoretical calculations based on Gans theory. In addition, the surface morphology and compositions were examined with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer, and microstructural characterizations were performed using a transmission electron microscope. The formation of isolated photosensitive Ag-Au nanospheroids with a FCC structure partially embedded in the SiO2 substrate was confirmed, which has a potential application in solid-state devices.

Material growth and characterization for solid state devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanakos, E. K.; Collis, W. J.; Abul-Fadl, A.; Iyer, S.

1984-01-01

During the reporting period, InGaAs was grown on Fe-doped (semi-insulating) (100) InP substrates by current controlled liquid phase epitaxy (CCLPE) at 640 C and current densities of 2.5A sq/cm to 5 A/sq cm for periods from 5 to 30 minutes. Special efforts were made to reduce the background carrier concentration in the grown layers as much as possible. The best layers exhibited carrier concentrations in the mid-10 to the 15th power/cu cm range and up to 10,900 sq cm/V-sec room temperature mobility. InGaAsP quaternary layers of energy gap corresponding to wavelengths of approximately 1.5 microns and 1.3 microns were grown on (100) InP substrates by CCLPE. In the device fabrication area, work was directed toward processing MISFET's using InGaAs. SiO2, Si3N4 and Al2O3 were deposited by ion beam sputtering, electron beam evaporation and chemical vapor reaction on Si, GaAs, and InGaAs substrates. SiO2 and Si3N4 sputtered layers were found to possess a high density of pinhole defects that precluded capacitance-voltage analysis. Chemical vapor deposited Al2O3 layers on Si, GaAs and InGaAs substrates also exhibited a large number of pinhole defects. This prevented achieving good MIS devices over most of the substrate surface area.

Nanoscale charge transfer and diffusion at the MoS2/SiO2 interface by atomic force microscopy: contact injection versus triboelectrification.

PubMed

Xu, Rui; Ye, Shili; Xu, Kunqi; Lei, Le; Hussain, Sabir; Zheng, Zhiyue; Pang, Fei; Xing, Shuya; Liu, Xinmeng; Ji, Wei; Cheng, Zhihai

2018-08-31

Understanding the process of charge generation, transfer, and diffusion between two-dimensional (2D) materials and their supporting substrates is very important for potential applications of 2D materials. Compared with the systematic studies of triboelectric charging in a bulk sample, a fundamental understanding of the triboelectrification of the 2D material/insulator system is rather limited. Here, the charge transfer and diffusion of both the SiO 2 surface and MoS 2 /SiO 2 interface through contact electrification and frictional electrification are investigated systematically in situ by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy and dual-harmonic electrostatic force microscopy. Different from the simple static charge transfer between SiO 2 and the PtSi alloy atomic force microscope (AFM) tip, the charge transfer between the tip and the MoS 2 /SiO 2 system is complicated. Triboelectric charges, generated by contact or frictional electrification with the AFM tip, are trapped at the MoS 2 /SiO 2 interface and act as floating gates. The local charge discharge processes can be obtained by monitoring the surface potential. The charge decay time (τ) of the MoS 2 /SiO 2 interface is one (or two) orders of magnitude larger than the decay time τ of the SiO 2 surface. This work facilitates an understanding of the triboelectric and de-electrification of the interface between 2D materials and substrates. In addition to the charge transfer and diffusion, we demonstrate the nanopatterns of surface and interfacial charges, which have great potential for the application of self-assembly of charged nanostructures.

Effect of a Stepped Si(100) Surface on the Nucleation Process of Ge Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yesin, M. Yu.; Nikiforov, A. I.; Timofeev, V. A.; Mashanov, V. I.; Tuktamyshev, A. R.; Loshkarev, I. D.; Pchelyakov, O. P.

2018-03-01

Nucleation of Ge islands on a stepped Si(100) surface is studied. It is shown by diffraction of fast electrons that at a temperature of 600°C, constant flux of Si, and deposition rate of 0.652 Å/s, a series of the 1×2 superstructure reflections completely disappears, if the Si (100) substrate deviated by an angle of 0.35° to the (111) face is preliminarily heated to 1000°C. The disappearance of the 1×2 superstructure reflexes is due to the transition from the surface with monoatomic steps to that with diatomic ones. Investigations of the Ge islands' growth were carried out on the Si(100) surface preliminarily annealed at temperatures of 800 and 1000°C. It is shown that the islands tend to nucleate at the step edges.

Residual stress in thick low-pressure chemical-vapor deposited polycrystalline SiC coatings on Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, D.; Shinavski, R. J.; Steffier, W. S.; Spearing, S. M.

2005-04-01

Residual stress in thick coatings of polycrystalline chemical-vapor deposited SiC on Si substrates is a key variable that must be controlled if SiC is to be used in microelectromechanical systems. Studies have been conducted to characterize the residual stress level as a function of deposition temperature, Si wafer and SiC coating thickness, and the ratios of methyltrichlorosilane to hydrogen and hydrogen chloride. Wafer curvature was used to monitor residual stress in combination with a laminated plate analysis. Compressive intrinsic (growth) stresses were measured with magnitudes in the range of 200-300MPa; however, these can be balanced with the tensile stress due to the thermal-expansion mismatch to leave near-zero stress at room temperature. The magnitude of the compressive intrinsic stress is consistent with previously reported values of surface stress in combination with the competition between grain-boundary energy and elastic strain energy.

Growth and spin-wave properties of thin Y{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} films on Si substrates

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

Stognij, A. I.; Novitskii, N. N.; Lutsev, L. V., E-mail: l-lutsev@mail.ru

2015-07-14

We describe synthesis of submicron Y{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} (YIG) films sputtered on Si substrates and present results of the investigation of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and spin waves in YIG/SiO{sub 2}/Si structures. It is found that decrease of the annealing time leads to essential reduction of the FMR linewidth ΔH and, consequently, to reduction of relaxation losses of spin waves. Spin-wave propagation in in-plane magnetized YIG/SiO{sub 2}/Si structures is studied. We observe the asymmetry of amplitude-frequency characteristics of the Damon-Eshbach spin waves caused by different localizations of spin waves at the free YIG surface and at the YIG/SiO{sub 2} interface.more » Growth of the generating microwave power leads to spin-wave instability and changes amplitude-frequency characteristics of spin waves.« less

Formation of different micro-morphologies from VO2 and ZnO crystallization using macro-porous silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salazar-Kuri, U.; Antúnez, E. E.; Estevez, J. O.; Olive-Méndez, Sion F.; Silva-González, N. R.; Agarwal, V.

2017-05-01

Square-shaped macropores produced by electrochemical anodization of n- and p-type Si wafers have been used as centers of nucleation to crystallize VO2 and ZnO. Substrate roughness dependent formation of different morphologies is revealed in the form of squared particles, spheres, bars and ribbons in the case of VO2 and hexagonal piles and spheres in the case of ZnO, have been observed.The presence of nano-/micro-metric crystals was studied through field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping. Crystal structure of metal oxides was confirmed by micro-Raman spectroscopy. The growth of the different morphologies has been explained in terms of the surface free energy of a bare Si/SiO2 substrate and its modification originated from the roughness of the surface and of the walls of the porous substrates. This energy plays a crucial role on the minimization of the required energy to induce heterogeneous nucleation and crystal growth. Present work strengthens and provides an experimental evidence of roughness dependent metal oxide crystal growth with well-defined habits from pore corners and rough sides of the pore walls, similar to already reported protein crystals.

Nano-Welding of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Silicon and Silica Surface by Laser Irradiation.

PubMed

Yuan, Yanping; Chen, Jimin

2016-02-24

In this study, a continuous fiber laser (1064 nm wavelength, 30 W/cm²) is used to irradiate multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on different substrate surfaces. Effects of substrates on nano-welding of MWCNTs are investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). For MWCNTs on silica, after 3 s irradiation, nanoscale welding with good quality can be achieved due to breaking C-C bonds and formation of new graphene layers. While welding junctions can be formed until 10 s for the MWCNTs on silicon, the difference of irradiation time to achieve welding is attributed to the difference of thermal conductivity for silica and silicon. As the irradiation time is prolonged up to 12.5 s, most of the MWCNTs are welded to a silicon substrate, which leads to their frameworks of tube walls on the silicon surface. This is because the accumulation of absorbed energy makes the temperature rise. Then chemical reactions among silicon, carbon and nitrogen occur. New chemical bonds of Si-N and Si-C achieve the welding between the MWCNTs and silicon. Vibration modes of Si₃N₄ appear at peaks of 363 cm -1 and 663 cm -1 . There are vibration modes of SiC at peaks of 618 cm -1 , 779 cm -1 and 973 cm -1 . The experimental observation proves chemical reactions and the formation of Si₃N₄ and SiC by laser irradiation.

Surface plasmon effect in electrodeposited diamond-like carbon films for photovoltaic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, B.; Ray, Sekhar C.; Espinoza-González, Rodrigo; Villarroel, Roberto; Hevia, Samuel A.; Alvarez-Vega, Pedro

2018-04-01

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films and nanocrystalline silver particles containing diamond-like carbon (DLC:Ag) films were electrodeposited on n-type silicon substrate (n-Si) to prepare n-Si/DLC and n-Si/DLC:Ag heterostructures for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect in this cell structure and its overall performance have been studied in terms of morphology, optical absorption, current-voltage characteristics, capacitance-voltage characteristics, band diagram and external quantum efficiency measurements. Localized surface plasmon resonance effect of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in n-Si/DLC:Ag PV structure exhibited an enhancement of ∼28% in short circuit current density (JSC), which improved the overall efficiency of the heterostructures.

Periodic silver nanocluster arrays over large-area silica nanosphere template as highly sensitive SERS substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Xu; Wang, Qi; Mao, Guoming; Liu, Hao; Yu, Rongdi; Ren, Xiaomin

2018-04-01

Periodic Ag nanocluster arrays for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) were fabricated through magnetron sputtering Ag over a large-area monolayer template which is based on silica (SiO2) nanospheres. High-density nanogaps between the adjacent Ag nanoclusters acted as "hot-spots", making a dominant contribution to the high-performance SERS detection. Moreover, the nanospheres and Ag nanoclusters effectively increased the surface roughness and also enlarged the surface area of as-obtained SERS substrate, which resulted in a further enhancement in Raman signals. As-prepared SERS substrates showed very high sensitivity with the enhancement factor (EF) value of 4.1 × 1012 for Rhodamine 6G (R6G), allowing the corresponding detection limit as low as 10-16 M. Additionally, SERS signal of melamine was still strong even though its concentration was lowered to 10-7 M. Our results show that preparing highly sensitive SERS substrate with periodic Ag nanoclusters over SiO2 nanosphere template is a convenient and promising pathway for chemical and biologic sensing.

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

Amusan, Akinwumi A., E-mail: akinwumi.amusan@ovgu.de; Kalkofen, Bodo; Burte, Edmund P.

Silver (Ag) layers were deposited by remote plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PALD) using Ag(fod)(PEt{sub 3}) (fod = 2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluorooctane-3,5-dionato) as precursor and hydrogen plasma on silicon substrate covered with thin films of SiO{sub 2}, TiN, Ti/TiN, Co, Ni, and W at different deposition temperatures from 70  to 200 °C. The deposited silver films were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, four point probe measurement, ellipsometric measurement, x-ray fluorescence (XRF), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). XPS revealed pure Ag with carbon and oxygen contamination close to the detectionmore » limit after 30 s argon sputtering for depositions made at 120 and 200 °C substrate temperatures. However, an oxygen contamination was detected in the Ag film deposited at 70 °C after 12 s argon sputtering. A resistivity of 5.7 × 10{sup −6} Ω cm was obtained for approximately 97 nm Ag film on SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate. The thickness was determined from the SEM cross section on the SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate and also compared with XRF measurements. Polycrystalline cubic Ag reflections were identified from XRD for PALD Ag films deposited at 120 and 200 °C. Compared to W surface, where poor adhesion of the films was found, Co, Ni, TiN, Ti/TiN and SiO{sub 2} surfaces had better adhesion for silver films as revealed by SEM, TEM, and AFM images.« less

Effects of a Ta interlayer on the phase transition of TiSi2 on Si(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Hyeongtag; Jung, Bokhee; Kim, Young Do; Yang, Woochul; Nemanich, R. J.

2000-09-01

This study examines the effects of a thin Ta interlayer on the formation of TiSi2 on Si(111) substrate. The Ta interlayer was introduced by depositing Ta and Ti films sequentially on an atomically clean Si(111) substrate in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) system. Samples of 100 Å Ti with 5 and 10 Å Ta interlayers were compared to similar structures without an interlayer. After deposition, the substrates were annealed for 10 min, in situ, at temperatures between 500 and 750 °C in 50 °C increments. The TiSi2 formation with and without the Ta interlayer was analyzed with an X-ray diffractometer, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and a four-point probe. The AES analysis data showed a 1:2 ratio of Ti:Si in the Ti-silicide layer and indicated that the Ta layer remained at the interface between TiSi2 and the Si(111) substrate. The C 49-C 54 TiSi2 phase transition temperature was lowered by ˜200 °C. The C 49-C 54 TiSi2 phase transition temperature was 550 °C for the samples with a Ta interlayer and was 750 °C for the samples with no Ta interlayer. The sheet resistance of the Ta interlayered Ti silicide showed lower values of resistivity at low temperatures which indicated the change in phase transition temperature. The C 54 TiSi2 displayed different crystal orientation when the Ta interlayer was employed. The SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the TiSi2 with a Ta interlayer significantly suppressed the tendency to islanding and surface agglomeration.

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.

Silicon-on-insulator with hybrid orientations for heterogeneous integration of GaN on Si (100) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Runchun; Zhao, Beiji; Huang, Kai; You, Tiangui; Jia, Qi; Lin, Jiajie; Zhang, Shibin; Yan, Youquan; Yi, Ailun; Zhou, Min; Ou, Xin

2018-05-01

Heterogeneous integration of materials pave a new way for the development of the microsystem with miniaturization and complex functionalities. Two types of hybrid silicon on insulator (SOI) structures, i.e., Si (100)-on-Si (111) and Si (111)-on-Si (100), were prepared by the smart-cut technique, which is consist of ion-slicing and wafer bonding. The precise calculation of the lattice strain of the transferred films without the epitaxial matching relationship to the substrate was demonstrated based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The XRD and Raman measurement results suggest that the transferred films possess single crystalline quality. With a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, the surface roughness of the transferred thin films can be reduced from 5.57 nm to 0.30 nm. The 4-inch GaN thin film epitaxially grown on the as-prepared hybrid SOI of Si (111)-on-Si (100) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) is of improved quality with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 672.54 arcsec extracted from the XRD rocking curve and small surface roughness of 0.40 nm. The wafer-scale GaN on Si (111)-on-Si (100) can serve as a potential platform for the one chip integration of GaN-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) or photonics with the Si (100)-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS).

Chemical shift and surface characteristics of Al-doped ZnO thin film on SiOC dielectrics.

PubMed

Oh, Teresa; Lee, Sang Yeol

2013-10-01

Aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were fabricated on SiOC/p-Si wafer and SiOC film was prepared on a p-type Si substrate with the SiC target at oxygen ambient with the gas flow rate of 5-30 sccm by a RF magnetron sputter. C-V curve of SiOC/Si wafer was measured to observe the relationship between the polarity of SiOC dielectrics and the change of capacitance depending on oxygen gas flow rate. The SiOC film could be controlled to be polar or nonpolar, and their surface energy was changed depending on the polarity. Smooth surface is essential to improve the TFT performance. AZO-TFTs used smooth SiOC film with low polarity as a gate insulator was observed to show low leakage current (IL) and low subthreshold voltage swing. It is proposed that SiOC film with high degree amorphous structure as a gate insulator between AZO and Si wafer could solve problems of the mismatched interfaces, which was originated from the electron scattering due to the grain boundary.

Magnetic Dirac Fermions and Chern Insulator Supported on Pristine Silicon Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Huixia; Liu, Zheng; Sun, Jia-Tao; Meng, Sheng

Emergence of ferromagnetism in non-magnetic semiconductors is strongly desirable, especially in topological materials thanks to the possibility to achieve quantum anomalous Hall effect. Based on first principles calculations, we propose that for Si thin film grown on metal substrate, the pristine Si(111)-r3xr3 surface with a spontaneous weak reconstruction has a strong tendency of ferromagnetism and nontrivial topological properties, characterized by spin polarized Dirac-fermion surface states. In contrast to conventional routes relying on introduction of alien charge carriers or specially patterned substrates, the spontaneous magnetic order and spin-orbit coupling on the pristine silicon surface together gives rise to quantized anomalous Hall effect with a finite Chern number C = -1. This work suggests exciting opportunities in silicon-based spintronics and quantum computing free from alien dopants or proximity effects.

Large-area fabrication of patterned ZnO-nanowire arrays using light stamping lithography.

PubMed

Hwang, Jae K; Cho, Sangho; Seo, Eun K; Myoung, Jae M; Sung, Myung M

2009-12-01

We demonstrate selective adsorption and alignment of ZnO nanowires on patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) thin layers with (aminopropyl)siloxane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Light stamping lithography (LSL) was used to prepare patterned PDMS thin layers as neutral passivation regions on Si substrates. (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane-based SAMs were selectively formed only on regions exposing the silanol groups of the Si substrates. The patterned positively charged amino groups define and direct the selective adsorption of ZnO nanowires with negative surface charges in the protic solvent. This procedure can be adopted in automated printing machines that generate patterned ZnO-nanowire arrays on large-area substrates. To demonstrate its usefulness, the LSL method was applied to prepare ZnO-nanowire transistor arrays on 4-in. Si wafers.

Atomic-scale analysis of deposition and characterization of a-Si:H thin films grown from SiH radical precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriraman, Saravanapriyan; Aydil, Eray S.; Maroudas, Dimitrios

2002-07-01

Growth of hydrogenated amorphous silicon films (a-Si:H) on an initial H-terminated Si(001)(2 x1) substrate at T=500 K was studied through molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations of repeated impingement of SiH radicals to elucidate the effects of reactive minority species on the structural quality of the deposited films. The important reactions contributing to film growth were identified through detailed visualization of radical-surface interaction trajectories. These reactions include (i) insertion of SiH into Si-Si bonds, (ii) adsorption onto surface dangling bonds, (iii) surface H abstraction by impinging SiH radicals through an Eley-Rideal mechanism, (iv) surface adsorption by penetration into subsurface layers or dissociation leading to interstitial atomic hydrogen, (v) desorption of interstitial hydrogen into the gas phase, (vi) formation of higher surface hydrides through the exchange of hydrogen, and (vii) dangling-bond-mediated dissociation of surface hydrides into monohydrides. The MD simulations of a-Si:H film growth predict an overall surface reaction probability of 95% for the SiH radical that is in good agreement with experimental measurements. Structural and chemical characterization of the deposited films was based on the detailed analysis of evolution of the films' structure, surface morphology and roughness, surface reactivity, and surface composition. The analysis revealed that the deposited films exhibit high dangling bond densities and rough surface morphologies. In addition, the films are abundant in voids and columnar structures that are detrimental to producing device-quality a-Si:H thin films.

Solvent-free thermoplastic-poly(dimethylsiloxane) bonding mediated by UV irradiation followed by gas-phase chemical deposition of an adhesion linker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, S. Y.; Lee, N. Y.

2015-07-01

Here, we introduce a solvent-free strategy for bonding various thermoplastic substrates with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation followed by the gas-phase chemical deposition of aminosilane on the UV-irradiated thermoplastic substrates. The thermoplastic substrates were first irradiated with UV for surface hydrophilic treatment and were then grafted with vacuum-evaporated aminosilane, where the alkoxysilane side reacted with the oxidized surface of the thermoplastic substrate. Next, the amine-terminated thermoplastic substrates were treated with corona discharge to oxidize the surface and were bonded with PDMS, which was also oxidized via corona discharge. The two substrates were then hermetically sealed and pressed under atmospheric pressure for 30 min at 60 °C. This process enabled the formation of a robust siloxane bond (Si-O-Si) between the thermoplastic substrate and PDMS under relatively mild conditions using an inexpensive and commercially available UV lamp and Tesla coil. Various thermoplastic substrates were examined for bonding with PDMS, including poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) and polystyrene (PS). Surface characterizations were performed by measuring the contact angle and performing x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and the bond strength was analyzed by conducting various mechanical force measurements such as pull, delamination, leak and burst tests. The average bond strengths for the PMMA-PDMS, PC-PDMS, PET-PDMS and PS-PDMS assemblies were measured at 823.6, 379.3, 291.2 and 229.0 kPa, respectively, confirming the highly reliable performance of the introduced bonding strategy.

Horizontal silicon nanowires for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebavi, Hrvoje; Ristić, Davor; Baran, Nikola; Mikac, Lara; Mohaček-Grošev, Vlasta; Gotić, Marijan; Šikić, Mile; Ivanda, Mile

2018-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to focus on details of the fabrication process of horizontally and vertically oriented silicon nanowires (SiNWs) substrates for the application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The fabrication process is based on the vapor-liquid-solid method and electroless-assisted chemical etching, which, as the major benefit, resulting in the development of economical, easy-to-prepare SERS substrates. Furthermore, we examined the fabrication of Au coated Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the SiNWs substrates in such a way as to diminish the influence of silver NPs corrosion, which, in turn, enhanced the SERS time stability, thus allowing for wider commercial applications. The substances on which high SERS sensitivity was proved are rhodamine (R6G) and 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA), with the detection limits of 10-8 M and 10-6 M, respectively.

A general lithography-free method of microscale/nanoscale fabrication and patterning on Si and Ge surfaces

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Here, we introduce and give an overview of a general lithography-free method to fabricate silicide and germanide micro-/nanostructures on Si and Ge surfaces through metal-vapor-initiated endoepitaxial growth. Excellent controls on shape and orientation are achieved by adjusting the substrate orientation and growth parameters. Furthermore, micro-/nanoscale pits with controlled morphologies can also be successfully fabricated on Si and Ge surfaces by taking advantage of the sublimation of silicides/germanides. The aim of this brief report is to illustrate the concept of lithography-free synthesis and patterning on surfaces of elemental semiconductors, and the differences and the challenges associated with the Si and the Ge surfaces will be discussed. Our results suggest that this low-cost bottom-up approach is promising for applications in functional nanodevices. PMID:22315969

Superconducting magnesium diboride films on Si with Tc0˜24 K grown via vacuum annealing from stoichiometric precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, H. Y.; Christen, H. M.; Zhang, L.; Cantoni, C.; Paranthaman, M.; Sales, B. C.; Christen, D. K.; Lowndes, D. H.

2001-10-01

Superconducting magnesium diboride films with Tc0˜24 K and sharp transition ˜1 K were prepared on Si by pulsed-laser deposition from stoichiometric MgB2 target. Contrary to previous reports, anneals at 630 °C and a background of 2×10-4Ar/4%H2 were performed without the requirement of Mg vapor or Mg cap layer. This integration of superconducting MgB2 film on Si may thus prove enabling in superconductor-semiconductor device applications. Images of surface morphology and cross-section profiles by scanning electron microscopy show that the films have a uniform surface morphology and thickness. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy study reveals these films were contaminated with oxygen, originating either from the growth environment or from sample exposure to air. The oxygen contamination may account for the low Tc for those in situ annealed films, while the use of Si as a substrate does not result in a decrease in Tc as compared to other substrates.

Morphological Evolution of Pit-Patterned Si(001) Substrates Driven by Surface-Energy Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvalaglio, Marco; Backofen, Rainer; Voigt, Axel; Montalenti, Francesco

2017-09-01

Lateral ordering of heteroepitaxial islands can be conveniently achieved by suitable pit-patterning of the substrate prior to deposition. Controlling shape, orientation, and size of the pits is not trivial as, being metastable, they can significantly evolve during deposition/annealing. In this paper, we exploit a continuum model to explore the typical metastable pit morphologies that can be expected on Si(001), depending on the initial depth/shape. Evolution is predicted using a surface-diffusion model, formulated in a phase-field framework, and tackling surface-energy anisotropy. Results are shown to nicely reproduce typical metastable shapes reported in the literature. Moreover, long time scale evolutions of pit profiles with different depths are found to follow a similar kinetic pathway. The model is also exploited to treat the case of heteroepitaxial growth involving two materials characterized by different facets in their equilibrium Wulff's shape. This can lead to significant changes in morphologies, such as a rotation of the pit during deposition as evidenced in Ge/Si experiments.

Morphological Evolution of Pit-Patterned Si(001) Substrates Driven by Surface-Energy Reduction.

PubMed

Salvalaglio, Marco; Backofen, Rainer; Voigt, Axel; Montalenti, Francesco

2017-09-29

Lateral ordering of heteroepitaxial islands can be conveniently achieved by suitable pit-patterning of the substrate prior to deposition. Controlling shape, orientation, and size of the pits is not trivial as, being metastable, they can significantly evolve during deposition/annealing. In this paper, we exploit a continuum model to explore the typical metastable pit morphologies that can be expected on Si(001), depending on the initial depth/shape. Evolution is predicted using a surface-diffusion model, formulated in a phase-field framework, and tackling surface-energy anisotropy. Results are shown to nicely reproduce typical metastable shapes reported in the literature. Moreover, long time scale evolutions of pit profiles with different depths are found to follow a similar kinetic pathway. The model is also exploited to treat the case of heteroepitaxial growth involving two materials characterized by different facets in their equilibrium Wulff's shape. This can lead to significant changes in morphologies, such as a rotation of the pit during deposition as evidenced in Ge/Si experiments.

Electrical characterizations of MIS structures based on variable-gap n(p)-HgCdTe grown by MBE on Si(0 1 3) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voitsekhovskii, A. V.; Nesmelov, S. N.; Dzyadukh, S. M.; Varavin, V. S.; Dvoretskii, S. A.; Mikhailov, N. N.; Yakushev, M. V.; Sidorov, G. Yu.

2017-12-01

Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures based on n(p)-Hg1-xCdxTe (x = 0.22-0.40) with near-surface variable-gap layers were grown by the molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) technique on the Si (0 1 3) substrates. Electrical properties of MIS structures were investigated experimentally at various temperatures (9-77 K) and directions of voltage sweep. The ;narrow swing; technique was used to determine the spectra of fast surface states with the exception of hysteresis effects. It is established that the density of fast surface states at the MCT/Al2O3 interface at a minimum does not exceed 3 × 1010 eV-1 × cm-2. For MIS structures based on n-MCT/Si(0 1 3), the differential resistance of the space-charge region in strong inversion mode in the temperature range 50-90 K is limited by the Shockley-Read-Hall generation in the space-charge region.

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.

Superstrong encapsulated monolayer graphene by the modified anodic bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Wonsuk; Yoon, Taeshik; Choi, Jongho; Kim, Soohyun; Kim, Yong Hyup; Kim, Taek-Soo; Han, Chang-Soo

2013-12-01

We report a superstrong adhesive of monolayer graphene by modified anodic bonding. In this bonding, graphene plays the role of a superstrong and ultra-thin adhesive between SiO2 and glass substrates. As a result, monolayer graphene presented a strong adhesion energy of 1.4 J m-2 about 310% that of van der Waals bonding (0.45 J m-2) to SiO2 and glass substrates. This flexible solid state graphene adhesive can tremendously decrease the adhesive thickness from about several tens of μm to 0.34 nm for epoxy or glue at the desired bonding area. As plausible causes of this superstrong adhesion, we suggest conformal contact with the rough surface of substrates and generation of C-O chemical bonding between graphene and the substrate due to the bonding process, and characterized these properties using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.We report a superstrong adhesive of monolayer graphene by modified anodic bonding. In this bonding, graphene plays the role of a superstrong and ultra-thin adhesive between SiO2 and glass substrates. As a result, monolayer graphene presented a strong adhesion energy of 1.4 J m-2 about 310% that of van der Waals bonding (0.45 J m-2) to SiO2 and glass substrates. This flexible solid state graphene adhesive can tremendously decrease the adhesive thickness from about several tens of μm to 0.34 nm for epoxy or glue at the desired bonding area. As plausible causes of this superstrong adhesion, we suggest conformal contact with the rough surface of substrates and generation of C-O chemical bonding between graphene and the substrate due to the bonding process, and characterized these properties using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03822j

Chemical structure of interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grunthaner, F. J.

1985-01-01

The interfacial structure of silicon/dielectric and silicon/metal systems is particularly amenable to analysis using a combination of surface spectroscopies together with a variety of chemical structures of Si/SiO2, Si/SiO2Si3N4, Si/Si2N2O, Si/SiO2/Al, and Si/Native Oxide interfaces using high resolution (0.350 eV FWHM) X ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The general structure of these dielectric interfaces entails a monolayer chemical transition layer at the Si/dielectric boundary. Amorphous Si substrates show a wide variety of hydrogenated Si and Si(OH) sub x states that are not observed in thermal oxidation of single crystal material. Extended SiO2 layers greater than 8 A in thickness are shown to be stoichiometric SiO2, but to exhibit a wide variety of local network structures. In the nitrogen containing systems, an approach to stoichiometric oxynitride compounds with interesting impurity and electron trapping properties are seen. In native oxides, substantial topographical nonuniformity in oxide thickness and composition are found. Analysis of metal/oxide interfacial layers is accomplished by analytical removal of the Si substrate by UHV XeF2 dry etching methods.

Near-field polarization distribution of Si nanoparticles near substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshetov, S. A.; Vladimirova, Yu. V.; Gevorkian, L. P.; Zadkov, V. N.

2017-01-01

Structure of the near-field intensity and polarization distributions, the latter is described with the generalized 3D Stokes parameters, of a spherical Si subwavelength nanoparticle in a non-magnetic and non-absorbing media near a dielectric substrate has been studied in detail with the help of the Mie theory and an extension of the Weyl's method for the calculation of the reflection of dipole radiation by a flat surface. It is shown that for the nanoparticle near the substrate the interference effects due to the scattering by the nanoparticle and interaction with the substrate play an essential role. We also demonstrate how these effects depend on the dielectric properties of the nanoparticle, its size, distance to the substrate as well as on the polarization, wavelength and incident angle of the external light field.

Fiber Optic Couplers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-01

over a 1 x 4 inch glass plate. A further problem has been that the surface over the ion diffused region is submerged 2 pm below that of the substrate...of varying mask openings (35, 45, 55, 65, 78, 85 pm ). The ion exchange processing time was varied using 20, 25, 35 and 40 minutes. We found that the...pattern is then overcoated with a thick layer of SiO 2 (lO0 pm thick). This thick layer and the SiO 2 substrate thus com- pletely surround the dopant

Giant (12 ×12 ) and (4 ×8 ) reconstructions of the 6 H -SiC(0001) surface obtained by progressive enrichment in Si atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martrou, David; Leoni, Thomas; Chaumeton, Florian; Castanié, Fabien; Gauthier, Sébastien; Bouju, Xavier

2018-02-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is nowadays a major material for applications in high power electronics, quantum optics, or nitride semiconductors growth. Mastering the surface of SiC substrate is crucial to obtain reproducible results. Previous studies on the 6 H -SiC(0001) surface have determined several reconstructions, including the (√{3 }×√{3 }) -R 30∘ and the (3 ×3 ) . Here, we introduce a process of progressive Si enrichment that leads to the formation of two reconstructions, the giant (12 ×12 ) and the (4 ×8 ) . From electron diffraction and tunneling microscopy completed by molecular dynamics simulations, we build models introducing a type of Si adatom bridging two Si surface atoms. Using these Si bridges, we also propose a structure for two other reconstructions, the (2 √{3 }×2 √{3 }) -R 30∘ and the (2 √{3 }×2 √{13 } ). We show that five reconstructions follow each other with Si coverage ranging from 1 and 1.444 monolayer. This result opens the way to greatly improve the control of 6 H -SiC(0001) at the atomic scale.

The effect of Si nano-columns in 2-D and 3-D on cellular behaviour: nanotopography-induced CaP deposition from differentiating mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Guvendik, S; Trabzon, L; Ramazanoglu, M

2011-10-01

Si nano-columns were deposited in 2-D and 3-D in the form of well-defined geometries by physical vapor deposition. The films were grown by e-beam evaporation with an angle between source and substrate. The Si nano-columns were deposited in the shape of spiral with two different incoming atomic flux angle so that the manipulation of nano-columns in 3-D (out-of-plane) was obtained. The Si nano-columns were also grown as vertical stick with square, triangle and linear cross sections in 2D (in-plane). Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured on these different Si nanosurfaces. MTS assay was carried out to determine the cell proliferation and viability based on different nanotopographies. For the evaluation of cell distribution and morphology, a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) analysis was performed. Any CaP deposition on Si nanosurfaces was observed using energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy in SEM (SEM-EDX). After 4 days of culture, there was a higher value of cell proliferation on square columns and spiral Si nano-columns grown with 85 degrees of incoming atomic flux. The cell attachment and spreading was also affected by the geometry of Si nano-columns. While there were still cells showing round/spherical morphology with minimal spreading on conventional Si surfaces, most of the cells cultured on different Si nanotopographies attached on the surface and displayed flattened morphology, especially on the square columns surface. Moreover, CaP deposition was discovered on square columns and spiral films with 85 degrees substrate angle. So, it can be concluded that there is a clear correlation between cell responses and nano-sized geometry on Si surface and it is possible to induce cellular differentiation and CaP formation in certain geometrical constraints.

Optimising the visibility of graphene and graphene oxide on gold with multilayer heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velický, Matěj; Hendren, William R.; Donnelly, Gavin E.; Katzen, Joel M.; Bowman, Robert M.; Huang, Fumin

2018-07-01

Metals have been increasingly used as substrates in devices based on two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, the high reflectivity of bulk metals results in low optical contrast (<3%) and therefore poor visibility of transparent mono- and few-layer 2D materials on these surfaces. Here we demonstrate that by engineering the complex reflectivity of a purpose-designed multilayer heterostructure composed of thin Au films (2–8 nm) on SiO2/Si substrate, the optical contrast of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) can be significantly enhanced in comparison to bulk Au, up to about 3 and 5 times, respectively. In particular, we achieved ∼17% optical contrast for monolayer GO, which is even 2 times higher than that on bare SiO2/Si substrate. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical simulations. This concept is demonstrated for Au, but the methodology is applicable to other metals and can be adopted to design a variety of high-contrast metallic substrates. This will facilitate research and applications of 2D materials in areas such as plasmonics, photonics, catalysis and sensors.

Silicanizing Process On Mild Steel Substrate by Using Tronoh Silica Sand: Microstructure, composition and coating growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Y, Yusnenti F. M.; M, Othman; Mustapha, Mazli; I, MohdYusri

2016-02-01

A new Silicanizing process on formation of coating on mild steel using Tronoh Silica Sand (TSS) is presented. The process was performed in the temperature range 1000- 1100°C and with varying deposition time of 1-4 hours. Influence of the layer and the substrate constituents on the coating compatibility of the whole silicanized layer is described in detail. Morphology and structure of the silicanized layer were investigated by XRF, XRD and SEM. It is observed that diffusion coatings containing high concentrations of silica which profile distribution of SiO2 in the silicanized layer was encountered and the depth from the surface to the substrate was taken as the layer thickness. The results also depicted that a longer deposition time have tendency to produce a looser and larger grain a hence rougher layer. The silicanized layer composed of FeSi and Fe2SiO4 phases with preferred orientation within the experimental range. It is also found that longer deposition time and higher temperature resulted in an increase in SiO2 concentration on the substrate (mild steel).

Optimising the visibility of graphene and graphene oxide on gold with multilayer heterostructures.

PubMed

Velický, Matěj; Hendren, William R; Donnelly, Gavin E; Katzen, Joel M; Bowman, Robert M; Huang, Fumin

2018-07-06

Metals have been increasingly used as substrates in devices based on two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, the high reflectivity of bulk metals results in low optical contrast (<3%) and therefore poor visibility of transparent mono- and few-layer 2D materials on these surfaces. Here we demonstrate that by engineering the complex reflectivity of a purpose-designed multilayer heterostructure composed of thin Au films (2-8 nm) on SiO 2 /Si substrate, the optical contrast of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) can be significantly enhanced in comparison to bulk Au, up to about 3 and 5 times, respectively. In particular, we achieved ∼17% optical contrast for monolayer GO, which is even 2 times higher than that on bare SiO 2 /Si substrate. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical simulations. This concept is demonstrated for Au, but the methodology is applicable to other metals and can be adopted to design a variety of high-contrast metallic substrates. This will facilitate research and applications of 2D materials in areas such as plasmonics, photonics, catalysis and sensors.

Atomic force microscopy investigation of growth process of organic TCNQ aggregates on SiO2 and mica substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huan, Qing; Hu, Hao; Pan, Li-Da; Xiao, Jiang; Du, Shi-Xuan; Gao, Hong-Jun

2010-08-01

Deposition patterns of tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) molecules on different surfaces are investigated by atomic force microscopy. A homemade physical vapour deposition system allows the better control of molecule deposition. Taking advantage of this system, we investigate TCNQ thin film growth on both SiO2 and mica surfaces. It is found that dense island patterns form at a high deposition rate, and a unique seahorse-like pattern forms at a low deposition rate. Growth patterns on different substrates suggest that the fractal pattern formation is dominated by molecule-molecule interaction. Finally, a phenomenal “two-branch" model is proposed to simulate the growth process of the seahorse pattern.

Silver photo-diffusion and photo-induced macroscopic surface deformation of Ge{sub 33}S{sub 67}/Ag/Si substrate

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

Sakaguchi, Y., E-mail: y-sakaguchi@cross.or.jp; Asaoka, H.; Uozumi, Y.

2016-08-07

Ge-chalcogenide films show various photo-induced changes, and silver photo-diffusion is one of them which attracts lots of interest. In this paper, we report how silver and Ge-chalcogenide layers in Ge{sub 33}S{sub 67}/Ag/Si substrate stacks change under light exposure in the depth by measuring time-resolved neutron reflectivity. It was found from the measurement that Ag ions diffuse all over the matrix Ge{sub 33}S{sub 67} layer once Ag dissolves into the layer. We also found that the surface was macroscopically deformed by the extended light exposure. Its structural origin was investigated by a scanning electron microscopy.

Density dependence of the saturated velocity in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferry, D. K.

2016-11-01

The saturated velocity of a semiconductor is an important measure in bench-marking performance for either logic or microwave applications. Graphene has been of interest for such applications due to its apparently high value of the saturated velocity. Recent experiments have suggested that this value is very density dependent and can even exceed the band limiting Fermi velocity. Some of these measurements have also suggested that the scattering is dominated by the low energy surface polar mode of the SiO2 substrate. Here, we show that the saturated velocity of graphene on SiO2 is relatively independent of the density and that the scattering is dominated by the high energy surface polar mode of the substrate.

Enhanced the hydrophobic surface and the photo-activity of TiO2-SiO2 composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, S.; Prasetya, A. T.

2017-02-01

The aim of this research is to develop nanomaterials for coating applications. This research studied the effect of various TiO2-SiO2 composites in acrylic paint to enhance the hydrophobic properties of the substrate. Titanium dioxide containing silica in the range 20-35 mol% has been synthesized using sol-gel route. The XRD’s spectra show that increasing SiO2 content in the composite, decreasing its crystalline properties but increasing the surface area. TiO2-SiO2 composite was dispersed in acrylic paint in 2% composition by weight. The largest contact angle was 70, which produced by the substrate coated with TS-35-modified acrylic paint. This study also investigated the enhanced photo-activity of TiO2-SiO2 modified with poly-aniline. The XRD spectra show that the treatment does not change the crystal structure of TiO2. The photo-activity of the composite was evaluated by degradation of Rhodamine-B with visible light. The best performance of the degradation process was handled by the composite treated with 0.1mL anilines per gram of TiO2-SiO2 composite (TSP-A). On the other side, the contact angle 70 has not shown an excellent hydrophobic activity. However, the AFM spectra showed that nanoroughness has started to form on the surface of acrylic paint modified with TiO2-SiO2 than acrylic alone.

GaInAsP/InP lateral-current-injection distributed feedback laser with a-Si surface grating.

PubMed

Shindo, Takahiko; Okumura, Tadashi; Ito, Hitomi; Koguchi, Takayuki; Takahashi, Daisuke; Atsumi, Yuki; Kang, Joonhyun; Osabe, Ryo; Amemiya, Tomohiro; Nishiyama, Nobuhiko; Arai, Shigehisa

2011-01-31

We fabricated a novel lateral-current-injection-type distributed feedback (DFB) laser with amorphous-Si (a-Si) surface grating as a step to realize membrane lasers. This laser consists of a thin GaInAsP core layer grown on a semi-insulating InP substrate and a 30-nm-thick a-Si surface layer for DFB grating. Under a room-temperature continuous-wave condition, a low threshold current of 7.0 mA and high efficiency of 43% from the front facet were obtained for a 2.0-μm stripe width and 300-μm cavity length. A small-signal modulation bandwidth of 4.8 GHz was obtained at a bias current of 30 mA.

Surface Attachment of Gold Nanoparticles Guided by Block Copolymer Micellar Films and Its Application in Silicon Etching

PubMed Central

Wei, Mingjie; Wang, Yong

2015-01-01

Patterning metallic nanoparticles on substrate surfaces is important in a number of applications. However, it remains challenging to fabricate such patterned nanoparticles with easily controlled structural parameters, including particle sizes and densities, from simple methods. We report on a new route to directly pattern pre-formed gold nanoparticles with different diameters on block copolymer micellar monolayers coated on silicon substrates. Due to the synergetic effect of complexation and electrostatic interactions between the micellar cores and the gold particles, incubating the copolymer-coated silicon in a gold nanoparticles suspension leads to a monolayer of gold particles attached on the coated silicon. The intermediate micellar film was then removed using oxygen plasma treatment, allowing the direct contact of the gold particles with the Si substrate. We further demonstrate that the gold nanoparticles can serve as catalysts for the localized etching of the silicon substrate, resulting in nanoporous Si with a top layer of straight pores. PMID:28793407

Voltage-Controlled Spray Deposition of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on Semiconducting and Insulating Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maulik, Subhodip; Sarkar, Anirban; Basu, Srismrita; Daniels-Race, Theda

2018-05-01

A facile, cost-effective, voltage-controlled, "single-step" method for spray deposition of surfactant-assisted dispersed carbon nanotube (CNT) thin films on semiconducting and insulating substrates has been developed. The fabrication strategy enables direct deposition and adhesion of CNT films on target samples, eliminating the need for substrate surface functionalization with organosilane binder agents or metal layer coatings. Spray coating experiments on four types of sample [bare silicon (Si), microscopy-grade glass samples, silicon dioxide (SiO2), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)] under optimized control parameters produced films with thickness ranging from 40 nm to 6 μm with substantial surface coverage and packing density. These unique deposition results on both semiconducting and insulator target samples suggest potential applications of this technique in CNT thin-film transistors with different gate dielectrics, bendable electronics, and novel CNT-based sensing devices, and bodes well for further investigation into thin-film coatings of various inorganic, organic, and hybrid nanomaterials on different types of substrate.

Buckling reversal of the Si(111) bilayer termination of 2-dimensional ErSi2 upon H dosing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetzel, P.; Pirri, C.; Gewinner, G.

1997-05-01

Hydrogen-induced reconstruction of 2-dimensional (2D) ErSi2 epitaxially grown on Si(111) is studied by Auger-electron diffraction (AED) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). The intensity of the Er MNN Auger line is measured vs. polar angle along the [1 - 2 1] and [- 1 2 - 1] azimuths for clean and H-saturated (1 × 1) ErSi2 silicides. The atomic structure of clean 2D silicide, previously established by AED as well as other techniques, consists of a hexagonal monolayer of Er located underneath a buckled Si layer comparable to the Si(111) substrate double layers. Moreover, for clean 2D ErSi2 only the B-type orientation is observed, i.e. the buckled Si top layer is always rotated by 180° around the surface normal relative to the relevant double layers of the substrate. After atomic H saturation, AED reveals drastic changes in the silicide structure involving a major most remarkable reconstruction of the Si bilayer termination. The latter is found to switch from B-type to A-type orientation upon H dosing, i.e. H-saturated 2D ErSi2 exhibits a buckled Si top layer oriented in the same way as the substrate double layers. A comparison with single scattering cluster simulations demonstrates that the latter phenomenon is accompanied by a large expansion of the Er-Si interlayer spacing close to 0.3 Å.

Microstructure evolution of the Ir-inserted Ni silicides with additional annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Kijeong; Song, Ohsung

2009-02-01

Thermally-evaporated 10 nm-Ni/1 nm-Ir/(poly)Si structures were fabricated in order to investigate the thermal stability of Ir-inserted nickel silicide after additional annealing. The silicide samples underwent rapid thermal annealing at 300 ° C to 1200 ° C for 40 s, followed by 30 min annealing at the given RTA temperatures. Silicides suitable for the salicide process were formed on the top of the single crystal and polycrystalline silicon substrates, mimicking actives and gates. The sheet resistance was measured using a four-point probe. High resolution x-ray diffraction and Auger depth profiling were used for phase and chemical composition analysis, respectively. Transmission electron microscope and scanning probe microscope were used to determine the cross-section structure and surface roughness. The silicide, which formed on single crystal silicon substrate with surface agglomeration after additional annealing, could defer the transformation of Ni(Ir)Si to Ni(Ir)Si2 and was stable at temperatures up to 1200 °C. Moreover, the silicide thickness doubled. There were no outstanding changes in the silicide thickness on polycrystalline silicon. However, after additional annealing, the silicon-silicide mixing became serious and showed high resistance at temperatures >700 °C. Auger depth profiling confirmed the increased thickness of the silicide layers after additional annealing without a change in composition. For a single crystal silicon substrate, the sheet resistance increased slightly due to the significant increases in surface roughness caused by surface agglomeration after additional annealing. Otherwise, there were almost no changes in surface roughness on the polycrystalline silicon substrate. The Ir-inserted nickel monosilicide was able to maintain a low resistance in a wide temperature range and is considered suitable for the nano-thick silicide process.

Bioinspired periodic pinecone-shaped Si subwavelength nanostructures for broadband and omnidirectional antireflective surface.

PubMed

Leem, Jung Woo; Yu, Jae Su

2012-10-01

We reported the bioinspired periodic pinecone-shaped silicon (Si) subwavelength nanostructures, which were fabricated by laser interference lithography and inductively coupled plasma etching using thermally dewetted gold (Au) nanoparticles in SiCl4 plasma, on Si substrates for broadband and wide-angle antireflective surface. For the fabricated pinecone-like Si subwavelength nanostructures, antireflection characteristics and wetting behaviors were investigated. The pinecone-shaped Si subwavelength nanostructure with a period of 320 nm for 7 nm of Au film exhibited a relatively low solar weighted reflectance value of 3.5% over a wide wavelength range of 300-1030 nm, maintaining the reflectance values of < 9.9% at a wavelength of 550 nm up to a high incident angle of theta(i) = 70 degrees for non-polarized light. This structure also showed a hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle of theta(c) approximately 102 degrees.

Evaluation of steam corrosion and water quenching behavior of zirconium-silicide coated LWR fuel claddings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeom, Hwasung; Lockhart, Cody; Mariani, Robert; Xu, Peng; Corradini, Michael; Sridharan, Kumar

2018-02-01

This study investigates steam corrosion of bulk ZrSi2, pure Si, and zirconium-silicide coatings as well as water quenching behavior of ZrSi2 coatings to evaluate its feasibility as a potential accident-tolerant fuel cladding coating material in light water nuclear reactor. The ZrSi2 coating and Zr2Si-ZrSi2 coating were deposited on Zircaloy-4 flats, SiC flats, and cylindrical Zircaloy-4 rodlets using magnetron sputter deposition. Bulk ZrSi2 and pure Si samples showed weight loss after the corrosion test in pure steam at 400 °C and 10.3 MPa for 72 h. Silicon depletion on the ZrSi2 surface during the steam test was related to the surface recession observed in the silicon samples. ZrSi2 coating (∼3.9 μm) pre-oxidized in 700 °C air prevented substrate oxidation but thin porous ZrO2 formed on the coating. The only condition which achieved complete silicon immobilization in the oxide scale in aqueous environments was the formation of ZrSiO4 via ZrSi2 coating oxidation in 1400 °C air. In addition, ZrSi2 coatings were beneficial in enhancing quenching heat transfer - the minimum film boiling temperature increased by 6-8% in the three different environmental conditions tested. During repeated thermal cycles (water quenching from 700 °C to 85 °C for 20 s) performed as a part of quench tests, no spallation and cracking was observed and the coating prevented oxidation of the underlying Zircaloy-4 substrate.

Ge growth on vicinal si(001) surfaces: island's shape and pair interaction versus miscut angle.

PubMed

Persichetti, L; Sgarlata, A; Fanfoni, M; Balzarotti, A

2011-10-01

A complete description of Ge growth on vicinal Si(001) surfaces is provided. The distinctive mechanisms of the epitaxial growth process on vicinal surfaces are clarified from the very early stages of Ge deposition to the nucleation of 3D islands. By interpolating high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy measurements with continuum elasticity modeling, we assess the dependence of island's shape and elastic interaction on the substrate misorientation. Our results confirm that vicinal surfaces offer an additional degree of control over the shape and symmetry of self-assembled nanostructures.

Nucleation of uniform mono- and bilayer epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaosong; Zhang, Rui; Dong, Yunliang; Guo, Shuai; Kong, Wenjie; Liao, Zhimin; Yu, Dapeng

2012-02-01

Early stage of epitaxial graphene growth on SiC(0001) has been investigated. Using the confinement controlled sublimation (CCS) method, we has achieved well controlled growth and been able to see the formation of mono- and bilayer graphene islands. The growth features reveal the intriguing growth mechanism. In particular, a new ``stepdown'' growth mode has been identified. Graphene can propagate tens of micrometers across many SiC steps, while, most importantly, step bunching is avoided and the initial regular stepped SiC surface morphology is preserved. The stepdown growth demonstrates a route towards uniform epitaxial graphene in wafer size without sacrificing the initial substrate surface morphology.

Improving off-state leakage characteristics for high voltage AlGaN/GaN-HFETs on Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Sung-Woon; Twynam, John; Lee, Jongsub; Seo, Deokwon; Jung, Sungdal; Choi, Hong Goo; Shim, Heejae; Yim, Jeong Soon; Roh, Sungwon D.

2014-06-01

We present a reliable process and design technique for realizing high voltage AlGaN/GaN hetero-junction field effect transistors (HFETs) on Si substrates with very low and stable off-state leakage current characteristics. In this work, we have investigated the effects of the surface passivation layer, prepared by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) of silicon nitride (SiNx), and gate bus isolation design on the off-state leakage characteristics of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) gate structure-based GaN HFETs. The surface passivated devices with gate bus isolation fully surrounding the source and drain regions showed extremely low off-state leakage currents of less than 20 nA/mm at 600 V, with very small variation. These techniques were successfully applied to high-current devices with 80-mm gate width, yielding excellent off-state leakage characteristics within a drain voltage range 0-700 V.

Improved performance of flexible amorphous silicon solar cells with silver nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y. R.; Li, Z. Q.; Chen, X. H.; Liu, C.; Ye, X. J.; Wang, Z. B.; Sun, Z.; Huang, S. M.

2012-12-01

A novel hybrid electrode structure using Ag nanowires (NWs) to create surface plasmons to enhance light trapping is designed and applied on the front surface of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells on steel substrates, targeting broad-band absorption enhancements. Ag NWs were synthesized using a soft and self-seeding process. The produced Ag NWs were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates or the ITO layers of the as-prepared flexible a-Si:H solar cells to form Ag NW-ITO hybrid electrodes. The Ag NW-ITO hybrid electrodes were optimized to achieve maximum optical enhancement using surface plasmons and obtain good electrical contacts in cells. Finite-element electromagnetic simulations confirmed that the presence of the Ag NWs resulted in increased electromagnetic fields within the a-Si:H layer. Compared to the cell with conventional ITO electrode, the measured quantum efficiency of the best performing a-Si:H cell shows an obvious enhancement in the wavelength range from 330 nm to 600 nm. The cell based on the optimized Ag NW-ITO demonstrates an increase about 4% in short-circuit current density and over 6% in power conversion efficiency under AM 1.5 illumination.

Osteoblast responses to different oxide coatings produced by the sol-gel process on titanium substrates.

PubMed

Ochsenbein, Anne; Chai, Feng; Winter, Stefan; Traisnel, Michel; Breme, Jürgen; Hildebrand, Hartmut F

2008-09-01

In order to improve the osseointegration of endosseous implants made from titanium, the structure and composition of the surface were modified. Mirror-polished commercially pure (cp) titanium substrates were coated by the sol-gel process with different oxides: TiO(2), SiO(2), Nb(2)O(5) and SiO(2)-TiO(2). The coatings were physically and biologically characterized. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the absence of organic residues. Ellipsometry determined the thickness of layers to be approximately 100nm. High resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomice force microscopy revealed a nanoporous structure in the TiO(2) and Nb(2)O(5) layers, whereas the SiO(2) and SiO(2)-TiO(2) layers appeared almost smooth. The R(a) values, as determined by white-light interferometry, ranged from 20 to 50nm. The surface energy determined by the sessile-drop contact angle method revealed the highest polar component for SiO(2) (30.7mJm(-2)) and the lowest for cp-Ti and 316L stainless steel (6.7mJm(-2)). Cytocompatibility of the oxide layers was investigated with MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts in vitro (proliferation, vitality, morphology and cytochemical/immunolabelling of actin and vinculin). Higher cell proliferation rates were found in SiO(2)-TiO(2) and TiO(2), and lower in Nb(2)O(5) and SiO(2); whereas the vitality rates increased for cp-Ti and Nb(2)O(5). Cytochemical assays showed that all substrates induced a normal cytoskeleton and well-developed focal adhesion contacts. SEM revealed good cell attachment for all coating layers. In conclusion, the sol-gel-derived oxide layers were thin, pure and nanostructured; consequent different osteoblast responses to those coatings are explained by the mutual action and coadjustment of different interrelated surface parameters.

van der Waals epitaxy of SnS film on single crystal graphene buffer layer on amorphous SiO2/Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Yu; Yang, Yunbo; Guo, Fawen; Sun, Xin; Lu, Zonghuan; Mohanty, Dibyajyoti; Bhat, Ishwara; Washington, Morris; Lu, Toh-Ming; Wang, Gwo-Ching

2018-03-01

Conventional hetero-epitaxial films are typically grown on lattice and symmetry matched single crystal substrates. We demonstrated the epitaxial growth of orthorhombic SnS film (∼500 nm thick) on single crystal, monolayer graphene that was transferred on the amorphous SiO2/Si substrate. Using X-ray pole figure analysis we examined the structure, quality and epitaxy relationship of the SnS film grown on the single crystal graphene and compared it with the SnS film grown on commercial polycrystalline graphene. We showed that the SnS films grown on both single crystal and polycrystalline graphene have two sets of orientation domains. However, the crystallinity and grain size of the SnS film improve when grown on the single crystal graphene. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction measurements show that the near surface texture has more phases as compared with that of the entire film. The surface texture of a film will influence the growth and quality of film grown on top of it as well as the interface formed. Our result offers an alternative approach to grow a hetero-epitaxial film on an amorphous substrate through a single crystal graphene buffer layer. This strategy of growing high quality epitaxial thin film has potential applications in optoelectronics.

The effect of Substrate temperature on physical and electrical properties of DC magnetron sputtered (Ta2O5)0.85(TiO2)0.15 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekhar, M. Chandra; Uthanna, S.; Martins, R.; Jagadeesh Chandra, S. V.; Elangovan, E.

2012-04-01

Thin films of (Ta2O5)0.85(TiO2)0.15 were deposited on quartz and p-Si substrates by DC reactive magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures (Ts) in the range 303 - 873 K. The films deposited at 303 0K were in the amorphous and it transformed to crystalline at substrate temperatures >= 573 0K. The crystallite size was increased from 50 nm to 72 nm with the increase of substrate temperature. The surface morphology was significantly influenced with the substrate temperature. After deposition of the (Ta2O5)0.85(TiO2)0.15 films on Si, aluminium (Al) electrode was deposited to fabricate metal/oxide/semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with a configuration of Al/(Ta2O5)0.85(TiO2)0.15/Si. A low leakage current of 7.7 × 10-5 A/cm2 was obtained from the films deposited at 303 K. The leakage current was decreased to 9.3 × 10-8 A/cm2 with the increase of substrate temperature owing to structural changes. The conduction mechanism of the Al/(Ta2O5)0.85(TiO2)0.15/Si capacitors was analyzed and compared with mechanisms of Poole-Frenkel and Schottky emissions. The optical band gap (Eg) was decreased from 4.45 eV to 4.38 eV with the increase in substrate temperature.

Self assembled monolayers of octadecyltrichlorosilane for dielectric materials

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

Kumar, Vijay, E-mail: cirivijaypilani@gmail.com; Mechanical Engineering Department, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani; Puri, Paridhi

2016-04-13

Treatment of surfaces to change the interaction of fluids with them is a critical step in constructing useful microfluidics devices, especially those used in biological applications. Selective modification of inorganic materials such as Si, SiO{sub 2} and Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} is of great interest in research and technology. We evaluated the chemical formation of OTS self-assembled monolayers on silicon substrates with different dielectric materials. Our investigations were focused on surface modification of formerly used common dielectric materials SiO{sub 2}, Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and a-poly. The improvement of wetting behaviour and quality of monolayer films were characterized using Atomic force microscope,more » Scanning electron microscope, Contact angle goniometer, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) monolayer deposited oxide surface.« less

Buffer-eliminated, charge-neutral epitaxial graphene on oxidized 4H-SiC (0001) surface

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

Sirikumara, Hansika I., E-mail: hansi.sirikumara@siu.edu; Jayasekera, Thushari, E-mail: thushari@siu.edu

Buffer-eliminated, charge-neutral epitaxial graphene (EG) is important to enhance its potential in device applications. Using the first principles Density Functional Theory calculations, we investigated the effect of oxidation on the electronic and structural properties of EG on 4H-SiC (0001) surface. Our investigation reveals that the buffer layer decouples from the substrate in the presence of both silicate and silicon oxy-nitride at the interface, and the resultant monolayer EG is charge-neutral in both cases. The interface at 4H-SiC/silicate/EG is characterized by surface dangling electrons, which opens up another route for further engineering EG on 4H-SiC. Dangling electron-free 4H-SiC/silicon oxy-nitride/EG is idealmore » for achieving charge-neutral EG.« less

Nano-Welding of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Silicon and Silica Surface by Laser Irradiation

PubMed Central

Yuan, Yanping; Chen, Jimin

2016-01-01

In this study, a continuous fiber laser (1064 nm wavelength, 30 W/cm2) is used to irradiate multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on different substrate surfaces. Effects of substrates on nano-welding of MWCNTs are investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). For MWCNTs on silica, after 3 s irradiation, nanoscale welding with good quality can be achieved due to breaking C–C bonds and formation of new graphene layers. While welding junctions can be formed until 10 s for the MWCNTs on silicon, the difference of irradiation time to achieve welding is attributed to the difference of thermal conductivity for silica and silicon. As the irradiation time is prolonged up to 12.5 s, most of the MWCNTs are welded to a silicon substrate, which leads to their frameworks of tube walls on the silicon surface. This is because the accumulation of absorbed energy makes the temperature rise. Then chemical reactions among silicon, carbon and nitrogen occur. New chemical bonds of Si–N and Si–C achieve the welding between the MWCNTs and silicon. Vibration modes of Si3N4 appear at peaks of 363 cm−1 and 663 cm−1. There are vibration modes of SiC at peaks of 618 cm−1, 779 cm−1 and 973 cm−1. The experimental observation proves chemical reactions and the formation of Si3N4 and SiC by laser irradiation. PMID:28344293

Growth and quantum transport properties of vertical Bi2Se3 nanoplate films on Si substrates.

PubMed

Li, Mingze; Wang, Zhenhua; Yang, Liang; Pan, Desheng; Li, Da; Gao, Xuan P A; Zhang, Zhidong

2018-08-03

Controlling the growth direction (planar versus vertical) and surface-to-bulk ratio can lead to lots of unique properties for two-dimensional layered materials. We report a simple method to fabricate continuous films of vertical Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplates on Si substrate and investigate the quantum transport properties of such films. In contrast to (001) oriented planar Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplate film, vertical Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplate films are enclosed by (015) facets, which possess high surface-to-bulk ratio that can enhance the quantum transport property of topological surface states. And by controlling the compactness of vertical Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplates, we realized an effective tuning of the weak antilocalization effect from topological surface states in Bi 2 Se 3 films. Our work paves a way for exploring the unique transport properties of this unconventional structure topological insulator film.

Ion irradiation synthesis of Ag–Au bimetallic nanospheroids in SiO{sub 2} glass substrate with tunable surface plasmon resonance frequency

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

Meng, Xuan; Yu, Ruixuan; Takayanagi, Shinya

2013-08-07

Ag–Au bimetallic nanospheroids with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) were synthesized by 100 keV Ar–ion irradiation of 30 nm Ag–Au bimetallic films deposited on SiO{sub 2} glass substrates. A shift of the LSPR peaks toward shorter wavelengths was observed up to an irradiation fluence of 1.0 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −2}, and then shifted toward the longer wavelength because of the increase of fragment volume under ion irradiation. Further control of LSPR frequency over a wider range was realized by modifying the chemical components. The resulting LSPR frequencies lie between that of the pure components, and an approximate linearmore » shift of the LSPR toward the longer wavelength with the Au concentration was achieved, which is in good agreement with the theoretical calculations based on Gans theory. In addition, the surface morphology and compositions were examined with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer, and microstructural characterizations were performed using a transmission electron microscope. The formation of isolated photosensitive Ag–Au nanospheroids with a FCC structure partially embedded in the SiO{sub 2} substrate was confirmed, which has a potential application in solid-state devices.« less

Pump-probe surface photovoltage spectroscopy measurements on semiconductor epitaxial layers.

PubMed

Jana, Dipankar; Porwal, S; Sharma, T K; Kumar, Shailendra; Oak, S M

2014-04-01

Pump-probe Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy (SPS) measurements are performed on semiconductor epitaxial layers. Here, an additional sub-bandgap cw pump laser beam is used in a conventional chopped light geometry SPS setup under the pump-probe configuration. The main role of pump laser beam is to saturate the sub-bandgap localized states whose contribution otherwise swamp the information related to the bandgap of material. It also affects the magnitude of Dember voltage in case of semi-insulating (SI) semiconductor substrates. Pump-probe SPS technique enables an accurate determination of the bandgap of semiconductor epitaxial layers even under the strong influence of localized sub-bandgap states. The pump beam is found to be very effective in suppressing the effect of surface/interface and bulk trap states. The overall magnitude of SPV signal is decided by the dependence of charge separation mechanisms on the intensity of the pump beam. On the contrary, an above bandgap cw pump laser can be used to distinguish the signatures of sub-bandgap states by suppressing the band edge related feature. Usefulness of the pump-probe SPS technique is established by unambiguously determining the bandgap of p-GaAs epitaxial layers grown on SI-GaAs substrates, SI-InP wafers, and p-GaN epilayers grown on Sapphire substrates.

Engineering Surface Energy and Nanostructure of Microporous Films for Expanded Membrane Distillation Applications.

PubMed

Boo, Chanhee; Lee, Jongho; Elimelech, Menachem

2016-08-02

We investigated the factors that determine surface omniphobicity of microporous membranes and evaluated the potential application of these membranes in desalination of low surface tension wastewaters by membrane distillation (MD). Specifically, the effects of surface morphology and surface energy on membrane surface omniphobicity were systematically investigated by evaluating wetting resistance to low surface tension liquids. Single and multilevel re-entrant structures were achieved by using cylindrical glass fibers as a membrane substrate and grafting silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) on the fibers. Surface energy of the membrane was tuned by functionalizing the fiber substrate with fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) having two different lengths of fluoroalkyl chains. Results show that surface omniphobicity of the modified fibrous membrane increased with higher level of re-entrant structure and with lower surface energy. The secondary re-entrant structure achieved by SiNP coating on the cylindrical fibers was found to play a critical role in enhancing the surface omniphobicity. Membranes coated with SiNPs and chemically modified by the FAS with a longer fluoroalkyl chain (or lower surface energy) exhibited excellent surface omniphobicity and showed wetting resistance to low surface tension liquids such as ethanol (22.1 mN m(-1)). We further evaluated performance of the membranes in desalination of saline feed solutions with varying surface tensions by membrane distillation (MD). The engineered membranes exhibited stable MD performance with low surface tension feed waters, demonstrating the potential application omniphobic membranes in desalinating complex, high salinity industrial wastewaters.

A Novel Growth Method To Improve the Quality of GaAs Nanowires Grown by Ga-Assisted Chemical Beam Epitaxy.

PubMed

García Núñez, Carlos; Braña, Alejandro F; López, Nair; García, Basilio J

2018-06-13

The successful synthesis of high crystalline quality and high aspect ratio GaAs nanowires (NWs) with a uniform diameter is needed to develop advanced applications beyond the limits established by thin film and bulk material properties. Vertically aligned GaAs NWs have been extensively grown by Ga-assisted vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism on Si(111) substrates, and they have been used as building blocks in photovoltaics, optoelectronics, electronics, and so forth. However, the nucleation of parasitic species such as traces and nanocrystals on the Si substrate surface during the NW growth could affect significantly the controlled nucleation of those NWs, and therefore the resulting performance of NW-based devices. Preventing the nucleation of parasitic species on the Si substrate is a matter of interest, because they could act as traps for gaseous precursors and/or chemical elements during VLS growth, drastically reducing the maximum length of grown NWs, affecting their morphology and structure, and reducing the NW density along the Si substrate surface. This work presents a novel and easy to develop growth method (i.e., without using advanced nanolithography techniques) to prevent the nucleation of parasitic species, while preserving the quality of GaAs NWs even for long duration growths. GaAs NWs are grown by Ga-assisted chemical beam epitaxy on oxidized Si(111) substrates using triethylgallium and tertiarybutylarsine precursors by a two-step-based growth method presented here; this method includes a growth interruption for an oxidation on air between both steps of growth, reducing the nucleation of parasitic crystals on the thicker SiO x capping layer during the second and longer growth step. VLS conditions are preserved overtime, resulting in a stable NW growth rate of around 6 μm/h for growth times up to 1 h. Resulting GaAs NWs have a high aspect ratio of 85 and average radius of 35 nm. We also report on the existence of characteristic reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns associated with the epitaxial growth of GaAs NWs on Si(111) substrates, which have been analyzed and compared to the morphological characterization of GaAs NWs grown for different times under different conditions.

Formation of Au nano-patterns on various substrates using simplified nano-transfer printing method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jong-Woo; Yang, Ki-Yeon; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Heon

2008-06-01

For future device applications, fabrication of the metal nano-patterns on various substrates, such as Si wafer, non-planar glass lens and flexible plastic films become important. Among various nano-patterning technologies, nano-transfer print method is one of the simplest techniques to fabricate metal nano-patterns. In nano-transfer printing process, thin Au layer is deposited on flexible PDMS mold, containing surface protrusion patterns, and the Au layer is transferred from PDMS mold to various substrates due to the difference of bonding strength of Au layer to PDMS mold and to the substrate. For effective transfer of Au layer, self-assembled monolayer, which has strong bonding to Au, is deposited on the substrate as a glue layer. In this study, complicated SAM layer coating process was replaced to simple UV/ozone treatment, which can activates the surface and form the -OH radicals. Using simple UV/ozone treatments on both Au and substrate, Au nano-pattern can be successfully transferred to as large as 6 in. diameter Si wafer, without SAM coating process. High fidelity transfer of Au nano-patterns to non-planar glass lens and flexible PET film was also demonstrated.

Oxygen adsorption on a Si(1 0 0) substrate: effects on secondary emission properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogan, W. S.; Champion, R. L.

2001-10-01

Secondary anion and electron yields resulting from low-energy (50-500 eV) Na + bombardment of an oxygen-adsorbed Si(1 0 0) substrate have been measured as a function of oxygen exposure and of Na + impact energy. Adsorbate coverage ranges from none to over half a monolayer. The dominant sputtered anion was found to be O - with SiO 2- being a minor constituent. Kinetic energy distributions of the secondary anions and electrons were also measured. The presence of an adsorbate was observed to enhance secondary anion emission to a significant degree whereas secondary electron emission was minor, in sharp contrast to what has been observed for metallic substrates. The mechanism for secondary emission appears to involve electronic excitation of Si xO -; it is suggested that electron emission is governed by a process similar to Penning ionization, in which a vacancy created by the excitation of Si xO - may be filled by an electron from the valence band. The variation in the work function as oxygen accumulated on the surface was observed to be small.

Oxide mediated liquid-solid growth of high aspect ratio aligned gold silicide nanowires on Si(110) substrates.

PubMed

Bhatta, Umananda M; Rath, Ashutosh; Dash, Jatis K; Ghatak, Jay; Yi-Feng, Lai; Liu, Chuan-Pu; Satyam, P V

2009-11-18

Silicon nanowires grown using the vapor-liquid-solid method are promising candidates for nanoelectronics applications. The nanowires grow from an Au-Si catalyst during silicon chemical vapor deposition. In this paper, the effect of temperature, oxide at the interface and substrate orientation on the nucleation and growth kinetics during formation of nanogold silicide structures is explained using an oxide mediated liquid-solid growth mechanism. Using real time in situ high temperature transmission electron microscopy (with 40 ms time resolution), we show the formation of high aspect ratio ( approximately 15.0) aligned gold silicide nanorods in the presence of native oxide at the interface during in situ annealing of gold thin films on Si(110) substrates. Steps observed in the growth rate and real time electron diffraction show the existence of liquid Au-Si nano-alloy structures on the surface besides the un-reacted gold nanostructures. These results might enable us to engineer the growth of nanowires and similar structures with an Au-Si alloy as a catalyst.

Nanomechanical characterization of phospholipid bilayer islands on flat and porous substrates: a force spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Nussio, Matthew R; Oncins, Gerard; Ridelis, Ingrid; Szili, Endre; Shapter, Joseph G; Sanz, Fausto; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2009-07-30

In this study, we compare for the first time the nanomechanical properties of lipid bilayer islands on flat and porous surfaces. 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers were deposited on flat (silicon and mica) and porous silicon (pSi) substrate surfaces and examined using atomic force spectroscopy and force volume imaging. Force spectroscopy measurements revealed the effects of the underlying substrate and of the lipid phase on the nanomechanical properties of bilayers islands. For mica and silicon, significant differences in breakthrough force between the center and the edges of bilayer islands were observed for both phospolipids. These differences were more pronounced for DMPC than for DPPC, presumably due to melting effects at the edges of DMPC bilayers. In contrast, bilayer islands deposited on pSi yielded similar breakthrough forces in the central region and along the perimeter of the islands, and those values in turn were similar to those measured along the perimeter of bilayer islands deposited on the flat substrates. The study also demonstrates that pSi is suitable solid support for the formation of pore-spanning phospholipid bilayers with potential applications in transmembrane protein studies, drug delivery, and biosensing.

CVD growth and properties of boron phosphide on 3C-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padavala, Balabalaji; Frye, C. D.; Wang, Xuejing; Raghothamachar, Balaji; Edgar, J. H.

2016-09-01

Improving the crystalline quality of boron phosphide (BP) is essential for realizing its full potential in semiconductor device applications. In this study, 3C-SiC was tested as a substrate for BP epitaxy. BP films were grown on 3C-SiC(100)/Si, 3C-SiC(111)/Si, and 3C-SiC(111)/4H-SiC(0001) substrates in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system. Films were produced with good crystalline orientation and morphological features in the temperature range of 1000-1200 °C using a PH3+B2H6+H2 mixture. Rotational twinning was absent in the BP due to the crystal symmetry-matching with 3C-SiC. Confocal 3D Raman imaging of BP films revealed primarily uniform peak shift and peak widths across the scanned area, except at defects on the surface. Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography showed the epitaxial relationship between BP and 3C-SiC was (100) 〈 011 〉 BP||(100) 〈 011 〉 3C-SiC and (111) 〈 11 2 ̅ 〉 BP||(111) 〈 11 2 ̅ 〉 3C-SiC. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated residual tensile strain in the films and improved crystalline quality at temperatures below 1200 °C. These results indicated that BP properties could be further enhanced by employing high quality bulk 3C-SiC or 3C-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC substrates.

CVD growth and properties of boron phosphide on 3C-SiC

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

Padavala, Balabalaji; Frye, C. D.; Wang, Xuejing

Improving the crystalline quality of boron phosphide (BP) is essential for realizing its full potential in semiconductor device applications. In this study, 3C-SiC was tested as a substrate for BP epitaxy. BP films were grown on 3C-SiC(100)/Si, 3C-SiC(111)/Si, and 3C-SiC(111)/4H-SiC(0001) substrates in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system. Films were produced with good crystalline orientation and morphological features in the temperature range of 1000–1200 °C using a PH3+B2H6+H2 mixture. Rotational twinning was absent in the BP due to the crystal symmetry-matching with 3C-SiC. Confocal 3D Raman imaging of BP films revealed primarily uniform peak shift and peak widths acrossmore » the scanned area, except at defects on the surface. Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography showed the epitaxial relationship between BP and 3C-SiC was (100) <011>BP||(100) <011>3C-SiC and (111)View the MathML sourceBP||(111)View the MathML source3C-SiC. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated residual tensile strain in the films and improved crystalline quality at temperatures below 1200 °C. These results indicated that BP properties could be further enhanced by employing high quality bulk 3C-SiC or 3C-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC substrates.« less

BaSi2 formation mechanism in thermally evaporated films and its application to reducing oxygen impurity concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hara, Kosuke O.; Yamamoto, Chiaya; Yamanaka, Junji; Arimoto, Keisuke; Nakagawa, Kiyokazu; Usami, Noritaka

2018-04-01

Thermal evaporation is a simple and rapid method to fabricate semiconducting BaSi2 films. In this study, to elucidate the BaSi2 formation mechanism, the microstructure of a BaSi2 epitaxial film fabricated by thermal evaporation has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The BaSi2 film is found to consist of three layers with different microstructural characteristics, which is well explained by assuming two stages of film deposition. In the first stage, BaSi2 forms through the diffusion of Ba atoms from the deposited Ba-rich film to the Si substrate while in the second stage, the mutual diffusion of Ba and Si atoms in the film leads to BaSi2 formation. On the basis of the BaSi2 formation mechanism, two issues are addressed. One is the as-yet unclarified reason for epitaxial growth. It is found important to quickly form BaSi2 in the first stage for the epitaxial growth of upper layers. The other issue is the high oxygen concentration in BaSi2 films around the BaSi2-Si interface. Two routes of oxygen incorporation, i.e., oxidation of the Si substrate surface and initially deposited Ba-rich layer by the residual gas, are identified. On the basis of this knowledge, oxygen concentration is decreased by reducing the holding time of the substrate at high temperatures and by premelting of the source. In addition, X-ray diffraction results show that the decrease in oxygen concentration can lead to an increased proportion of a-axis-oriented grains.

Growth and structure of Bi 0.5(Na 0.7K 0.2Li 0.1) 0.5TiO 3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Lei; Xiao, Dingquan; Lin, Dunmin; Zhang, Yongbin; Zhu, Jianguo

2009-02-01

Bi 0.5(Na 0.7K 0.2Li 0.1) 0.5TiO 3 (BNKLT) thin films were prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO 2/Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The films prepared were examined by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effects of the processing parameters, such as oxygen pressure, substrate temperature and laser power, on the crystal structure, surface morphology, roughness and deposition rates of the thin films were investigated. It was found that the substrate temperature of 600 °C and oxygen pressure of 30 Pa are the optimized technical parameters for the growth of textured film, and all the thin films prepared have granular structure, homogeneous grain size and smooth surfaces.

Fabrication of nanopore and nanoparticle arrays with high aspect ratio AAO masks.

PubMed

Li, Z P; Xu, Z M; Qu, X P; Wang, S B; Peng, J; Mei, L H

2017-03-03

How to use high aspect ratio anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as an etching and evaporation mask is one of the unsolved problems in the application of nanostructured arrays. Here we describe the versatile utilizations of the highly ordered AAO membranes with a high aspect ratio of more than 20 used as universal masks for the formation of various nanostructure arrays on various substrates. The result shows that the fabricated nanopore and nanoparticle arrays of substrates inherit the regularity of the AAO membranes completely. The flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages were attached to the Si substrates respectively as an etching mask, which demonstrates that the two kinds of replication, positive and negative, represent the replication of the mirroring of Si substrates relative to the flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages. Our work is a breakthrough for the broad research field of surface nano-masking.

Fabrication of nanopore and nanoparticle arrays with high aspect ratio AAO masks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. P.; Xu, Z. M.; Qu, X. P.; Wang, S. B.; Peng, J.; Mei, L. H.

2017-03-01

How to use high aspect ratio anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as an etching and evaporation mask is one of the unsolved problems in the application of nanostructured arrays. Here we describe the versatile utilizations of the highly ordered AAO membranes with a high aspect ratio of more than 20 used as universal masks for the formation of various nanostructure arrays on various substrates. The result shows that the fabricated nanopore and nanoparticle arrays of substrates inherit the regularity of the AAO membranes completely. The flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages were attached to the Si substrates respectively as an etching mask, which demonstrates that the two kinds of replication, positive and negative, represent the replication of the mirroring of Si substrates relative to the flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages. Our work is a breakthrough for the broad research field of surface nano-masking.

Molecular dynamics study about the effect of substrate temperature on a-Si:H structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Yaorong; Gong, Hongyong; Zhou, Naigen; Huang, Haibin; Zhou, Lang

2018-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulation of the microstructure of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film with different substrate temperatures has been performed based on the Tersoff potential. The results showed that: the silicon thin film maintained amorphous structure in the substrate temperature range from 200 to 1000 K; high substrate temperature could smooth the surface. The first neighbour Voronoi polyhedron was dominated by the tetrahedron. When the substrate temperature increased, the content of tetrahedrons increased due to the transition from pentahedrons and hexahedrons to tetrahedrons. The change of the second neighbour Voronoi polyhedron could be classified into two cases: one case with low medium coordination number decreased as temperature increased, while the other one with high medium coordination number showed an opposite change tendency. It indicated that the local paracrystalline structure arrangement of the second neighbour atoms had been enhanced as substrate temperature rose.

Uniform Si nano-dot fabrication using reconstructed structure of Si(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, Masahiro; Uozumi, Yuki; Yasuda, Satoshi; Asaoka, Hidehito

2018-06-01

Si nano-dot (ND) formation on Si(110) is observed by means of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The initial Si-NDs are Si crystals that are continuous from the substrate and grow during the oxide layer desorption. The NDs fabricated on the flat surface of Si(110)-1 × 1 are surrounded by four types of facets with almost identical appearance probabilities. An increase in the size of the NDs increases the variety of its morphology. In contrast, most Si-NDs fabricated on straight-stepped surface of Si(110)-16 × 2 reconstructed structure are surrounded by only a single type of facet, namely the \\text{Si}(17,15,1)-2 × 1 plane. An appearance probability of the facet in which the base line is along the step of Si(110)-16 × 2 exceeds 75%. This finding provides a fabrication technique of uniformed structural Si-NDs by using the reconstructed structure of Si(110).

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

A nanometric cushion for enhancing scratch and wear resistance of hard films

PubMed Central

Gotlib-Vainshtein, Katya; Girshevitz, Olga; Barlam, David

2014-01-01

Summary Scratch resistance and friction are core properties which define the tribological characteristics of materials. Attempts to optimize these quantities at solid surfaces are the subject of intense technological interest. The capability to modulate these surface properties while preserving both the bulk properties of the materials and a well-defined, constant chemical composition of the surface is particularly attractive. We report herein the use of a soft, flexible underlayer to control the scratch resistance of oxide surfaces. Titania films of several nm thickness are coated onto substrates of silicon, kapton, polycarbonate, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The scratch resistance measured by scanning force microscopy is found to be substrate dependent, diminishing in the order PDMS, kapton/polycarbonate, Si/SiO2. Furthermore, when PDMS is applied as an intermediate layer between a harder substrate and titania, marked improvement in the scratch resistance is achieved. This is shown by quantitative wear tests for silicon or kapton, by coating these substrates with PDMS which is subsequently capped by a titania layer, resulting in enhanced scratch/wear resistance. The physical basis of this effect is explored by means of Finite Element Analysis, and we suggest a model for friction reduction based on the "cushioning effect” of a soft intermediate layer. PMID:25161836

Modification of crystal anisotropy and enhancement of magnetic moment of Co-doped SnO2 thin films annealed under magnetic field

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Co-doped SnO2 thin films were grown by sputtering technique on SiO2/Si(001) substrates at room temperature, and then, thermal treatments with and without an applied magnetic field (HTT) were performed in vacuum at 600°C for 20 min. HTT was applied parallel and perpendicular to the substrate surface. Magnetic M(H) measurements reveal the coexistence of a strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) signal and a ferromagnetic (FM) component. The AFM component has a Néel temperature higher than room temperature, the spin axis lies parallel to the substrate surface, and the highest magnetic moment m =7 μB/Co at. is obtained when HTT is applied parallel to the substrate surface. Our results show an enhancement of FM moment per Co+2 from 0.06 to 0.42 μB/Co at. for the sample on which HTT was applied perpendicular to the surface. The FM order is attributed to the coupling of Co+2 ions through electrons trapped at the site of oxygen vacancies, as described by the bound magnetic polaron model. Our results suggest that FM order is aligned along [101] direction of Co-doped SnO2 nanocrystals, which is proposed to be the easy magnetization axis. PMID:25489286

Metal/silicon Interfaces and Their Oxidation Behavior - Photoemission Spectroscopy Analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Jyh-Jye

Synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy was used to study Ni/Si and Au/Si interface properties on the atomic scale at room temperature, after high temperature annealing and after oxygen exposures. Room temperature studies of metal/Si interfaces provide background for an understanding of the interface structure after elevated temperature annealing. Oxidation studies of Si surfaces covered with metal overlayers yield insight about the effect of metal atoms in the Si oxidation mechanisms and are useful in the identification of subtle differences in bonding relations between atoms at the metal/Si interfaces. Core level and valence band spectra with variable surface sensitivities were used to study the interactions between metal, Si, and oxygen for metal coverages and oxide thickness in the monolayer region. Interface morphology at the initial stage of metal/Si interface formation and after oxidation was modeled on the basis of the evolutions of metal and Si signals at different probing depths in the photoemission experiment. Both Ni/Si and Au/Si interfaces formed at room temperature have a diffusive region at the interface. This is composed of a layer of metal-Si alloy, formed by Si outdiffusion into the metal overlayer, above a layer of interstitial metal atoms in the Si substrate. Different atomic structures of these two regions at Ni/Si interface can account for the two different growth orientations of epitaxial Ni disilicides on the Si(111) surface after thermal annealing. Annealing the Au/Si interface at high temperature depletes all the Au atoms except for one monolayer of Au on the Si(111) surface. These phenomena are attributed to differences in the metal-Si chemical bonding relations associated with specific atomic structures. After oxygen exposures, both the Ni disilicide surface and Au covered Si surfaces (with different coverages and surface orderings) show silicon in higher oxidation states, in comparison to oxidized silicon on a clean surface. Preferential Si dioxide growth on the Au/Si surface is related to the strong distortion of the Si lattice when Au-Si bonds are formed. In comparison, a monolayer of Ni on a Si surface, with its weaker Ni-Si bond, does not enhance oxide formation.

Solar cell with silicon oxynitride dielectric layer

DOEpatents

Shepherd, Michael; Smith, David D

2015-04-28

Solar cells with silicon oxynitride dielectric layers and methods of forming silicon oxynitride dielectric layers for solar cell fabrication are described. For example, an emitter region of a solar cell includes a portion of a substrate having a back surface opposite a light receiving surface. A silicon oxynitride (SiO.sub.xN.sub.y, 0

Modeling elastic anisotropy in strained heteroepitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna Dixit, Gopal; Ranganathan, Madhav

2017-09-01

Using a continuum evolution equation, we model the growth and evolution of quantum dots in the heteroepitaxial Ge on Si(0 0 1) system in a molecular beam epitaxy unit. We formulate our model in terms of evolution due to deposition, and due to surface diffusion which is governed by a free energy. This free energy has contributions from surface energy, curvature, wetting effects and elastic energy due to lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate. In addition to anisotropy due to surface energy which favors facet formation, we also incorporate elastic anisotropy due to an underlying crystal lattice. The complicated elastic problem of the film-substrate system subjected to boundary conditions at the free surface, interface and the bulk substrate is solved by perturbation analysis using a small slope approximation. This permits an analysis of effects at different orders in the slope and sheds new light on the observed behavior. Linear stability analysis shows the early evolution of the instability towards dot formation. The elastic anisotropy causes a change in the alignment of dots in the linear regime, whereas the surface energy anisotropy changes the dot shapes at the nonlinear regime. Numerical simulation of the full nonlinear equations shows the evolution of the surface morphology. In particular, we show, for parameters of the Ge0.25 Si0.75 on Si(0 0 1), the surface energy anisotropy dominates the shapes of the quantum dots, whereas their alignment is influenced by the elastic energy anisotropy. The anisotropy in elasticity causes a further elongation of the islands whose coarsening is interrupted due to < 1 0 5 > facets on the surface.

Substrate independent approach for synthesis of graphene platelet networks.

PubMed

Shashurin, A; Fang, X; Zemlyanov, D; Keidar, M

2017-06-23

Graphene platelet networks (GPNs) comprised of randomly oriented graphene flakes two to three atomic layers thick are synthesized using a novel plasma-based approach. The approach uses a substrate capable of withstanding synthesis temperatures around 800 °C, but is fully independent of the substrate material. The synthesis occurs directly on the substrate surface without the necessity of any additional steps. GPNs were synthesized on various substrate materials including silicon (Si), thermally oxidized Si (SiO 2 ), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu), nickel-chromium (NiCr) alloy and alumina ceramics (Al 2 O 3 ). The mismatch between the atomic structures of sp 2 honeycomb carbon networks and the substrate material is fully eliminated shortly after the synthesis initiation, namely when about 100 nm thick deposits are formed on the substrate. GPN structures synthesized on a substrate at a temperature of about 800 °C are significantly more porous in comparison to the much denser packed amorphous carbon deposits synthesized at lower temperatures. The method proposed here can potentially revolutionize the area of electrochemical energy storage by offering a single-step direct approach for the manufacture of graphene-based electrodes for non-Faradaic supercapacitors. Mass production can be achieved using this method if a roll-to-roll system is utilized.

Substrate independent approach for synthesis of graphene platelet networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashurin, A.; Fang, X.; Zemlyanov, D.; Keidar, M.

2017-06-01

Graphene platelet networks (GPNs) comprised of randomly oriented graphene flakes two to three atomic layers thick are synthesized using a novel plasma-based approach. The approach uses a substrate capable of withstanding synthesis temperatures around 800 °C, but is fully independent of the substrate material. The synthesis occurs directly on the substrate surface without the necessity of any additional steps. GPNs were synthesized on various substrate materials including silicon (Si), thermally oxidized Si (SiO2), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu), nickel-chromium (NiCr) alloy and alumina ceramics (Al2O3). The mismatch between the atomic structures of sp2 honeycomb carbon networks and the substrate material is fully eliminated shortly after the synthesis initiation, namely when about 100 nm thick deposits are formed on the substrate. GPN structures synthesized on a substrate at a temperature of about 800 °C are significantly more porous in comparison to the much denser packed amorphous carbon deposits synthesized at lower temperatures. The method proposed here can potentially revolutionize the area of electrochemical energy storage by offering a single-step direct approach for the manufacture of graphene-based electrodes for non-Faradaic supercapacitors. Mass production can be achieved using this method if a roll-to-roll system is utilized.

In Vitro Biocompatibility of Si Alloyed Multi-Principal Element Carbide Coatings

PubMed Central

Vladescu, Alina; Titorencu, Irina; Dekhtyar, Yuri; Jinga, Victor; Pruna, Vasile; Balaceanu, Mihai; Dinu, Mihaela; Pana, Iulian; Vendina, Viktorija

2016-01-01

In the current study, we have examined the possibility to improve the biocompatibility of the (TiZrNbTaHf)C through replacement of either Ti or Ta by Si. The coatings were deposited on Si and 316L stainless steel substrates by magnetron sputtering in an Ar+CH4 mixed atmosphere and were examined for elemental composition, chemical bonds, surface topography, surface electrical charge and biocompatible characteristics. The net surface charge was evaluated at nano and macroscopic scale by measuring the electrical potential and work function, respectively. The biocompatible tests comprised determination of cell viability and cell attachment to the coated surface. The deposited coatings had C/(metal+Si) ratios close to unity, while a mixture of metallic carbide, free-carbon and oxidized species formed on the film surface. The coatings’ surfaces were smooth and no influence of surface roughness on electrical charge or biocompatibility was found. The biocompatible characteristics correlated well with the electrical potential/work function, suggesting a significant role of surface charge in improving biocompatibility, particularly cell attachment to coating's surface. Replacement of either Ti or Ta by Si in the (TiZrNbTaHf)C coating led to an enhanced surface electrical charge, as well as to superior biocompatible properties, with best results for the (TiZrNbSiHf)C coating. PMID:27571361

Microcrystalline silicon thin films deposited by matrix-distributed electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using an SiF4 /H2 chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Junkang; Bulkin, Pavel; Florea, Ileana; Maurice, Jean-Luc; Johnson, Erik

2016-07-01

For the growth of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) thin films by low temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) has recently attracted interest as a precursor due to the resilient optoelectronic performance of the resulting material and devices. In this work, μc-Si:H films are deposited at high rates (7 Å s-1) from a SiF4 and hydrogen (H2) gas mixture by matrix-distributed electron cyclotron resonance PECVD (MDECR-PECVD). Increased substrate temperature and moderate ion bombardment energy (IBE) are demonstrated to be of vital importance to achieve high quality μc-Si:H films under such low process pressure and high plasma density conditions, presumably due to thermally-induced and ion-induced enhancement of surface species migration. Two well-defined IBE thresholds at 12 eV and 43 eV, corresponding respectively to SiF+ ion-induced surface and bulk atomic displacement, are found to be determinant to the final film properties, namely the surface roughness, feature size and crystalline content. Moreover, a study of the growth dynamics shows that the primary challenge to producing highly crystallized μc-Si:H films by MDECR-PECVD appears to be the nucleation step. By employing a two-step method to first prepare a highly crystallized seed layer, μc-Si:H films lacking any amorphous incubation layer have been obtained. A crystalline volume fraction of 68% is achieved with a substrate temperature as low as 120 °C, which is of great interest to broaden the process window for solar cell applications.

Peel-and-Stick: Fabricating Thin Film Solar Cell on Universal Substrates

PubMed Central

Lee, Chi Hwan; Kim, Dong Rip; Cho, In Sun; William, Nemeth; Wang, Qi; Zheng, Xiaolin

2012-01-01

Fabrication of thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) on substrates other than Si and glass has been challenging because these nonconventional substrates are not suitable for the current TFSC fabrication processes due to poor surface flatness and low tolerance to high temperature and chemical processing. Here, we report a new peel-and-stick process that circumvents these fabrication challenges by peeling off the fully fabricated TFSCs from the original Si wafer and attaching TFSCs to virtually any substrates regardless of materials, flatness and rigidness. With the peel-and-stick process, we integrated hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) TFSCs on paper, plastics, cell phone and building windows while maintaining the original 7.5% efficiency. The new peel-and-stick process enables further reduction of the cost and weight for TFSCs and endows TFSCs with flexibility and attachability for broader application areas. We believe that the peel-and-stick process can be applied to thin film electronics as well. PMID:23277871

Method of protecting a surface with a silicon-slurry/aluminide coating. [coatings for gas turbine engine blades and vanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deadmore, D. L.; Young, S. G. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

A low cost coating for protecting metallic base system substrates from high temperatures, high gas velocity oxidation, thermal fatigue and hot corrosion is described. The coating is particularly useful for protecting vanes and blades in aircraft and land based gas turbine engines. A lacquer slurry comprising cellulose nitrate containing high purity silicon powder is sprayed onto the superalloy substrates. The silicon layer is then aluminized to complete the coating. The Si-Al coating is less costly to produce than advanced aluminides and protects the substrate from oxidation and thermal fatigue for a much longer period of time than the conventional aluminide coatings. While more expensive Pt-Al coatings and physical vapor deposited MCrAlY coatings may last longer or provide equal protection on certain substrates, the Si-Al coating exceeded the performance of both types of coatings on certain superalloys in high gas velocity oxidation and thermal fatigue. Also, the Si-Al coating increased the resistance of certain superalloys to hot corrosion.

Peel-and-Stick: Fabricating Thin Film Solar Cell on Universal Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chi Hwan; Kim, Dong Rip; Cho, In Sun; William, Nemeth; Wang, Qi; Zheng, Xiaolin

2012-12-01

Fabrication of thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) on substrates other than Si and glass has been challenging because these nonconventional substrates are not suitable for the current TFSC fabrication processes due to poor surface flatness and low tolerance to high temperature and chemical processing. Here, we report a new peel-and-stick process that circumvents these fabrication challenges by peeling off the fully fabricated TFSCs from the original Si wafer and attaching TFSCs to virtually any substrates regardless of materials, flatness and rigidness. With the peel-and-stick process, we integrated hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) TFSCs on paper, plastics, cell phone and building windows while maintaining the original 7.5% efficiency. The new peel-and-stick process enables further reduction of the cost and weight for TFSCs and endows TFSCs with flexibility and attachability for broader application areas. We believe that the peel-and-stick process can be applied to thin film electronics as well.

High Aspect Ratio Semiconductor Heterojunction Solar Cells

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

Redwing, Joan; Mallouk, Tom; Mayer, Theresa

2013-05-17

The project focused on the development of high aspect ratio silicon heterojunction (HARSH) solar cells. The solar cells developed in this study consisted of high density vertical arrays of radial junction silicon microwires/pillars formed on Si substrates. Prior studies have demonstrated that vertical Si wire/pillar arrays enable reduced reflectivity and improved light trapping characteristics compared to planar solar cells. In addition, the radial junction structure offers the possibility of increased carrier collection in solar cells fabricated using material with short carrier diffusion lengths. However, the high junction and surface area of radial junction Si wire/pillar array devices can be problematicmore » and lead to increased diode leakage and enhanced surface recombination. This study investigated the use of amorphous hydrogenated Si in the form of a heterojunction-intrinsic-thin layer (HIT) structure as a junction formation method for these devices. The HIT layer structure has widely been employed to reduce surface recombination in planar crystalline Si solar cells. Consequently, it was anticipated that it would also provide significant benefits to the performance of radial junction Si wire/pillar array devices. The overall goals of the project were to demonstrate a HARSH cell with a HIT-type structure in the radial junction Si wire/pillar array configuration and to develop potentially low cost pathways to fabricate these devices. Our studies demonstrated that the HIT structure lead to significant improvements in the open circuit voltage (V oc>0.5) of radial junction Si pillar array devices compared to devices fabricated using junctions formed by thermal diffusion or low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). In addition, our work experimentally demonstrated that the radial junction structure lead to improvements in efficiency compared to comparable planar devices for devices fabricated using heavily doped Si that had reduced carrier diffusion lengths. Furthermore, we made significant advances in employing the bottom-up vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth technique for the fabrication of the Si wire arrays. Our work elucidated the effects of growth conditions and substrate pattern geometry on the growth of large area Si microwire arrays grown with SiCl4. In addition, we also developed a process to grow p-type Si nanowire arrays using aluminum as the catalyst metal instead of gold. Finally, our work demonstrated the feasibility of growing vertical arrays of Si wires on non-crystalline glass substrates using polycrystalline Si template layers. The accomplishments demonstrated in this project will pave the way for future advances in radial junction wire array solar cells.« less

Self-assembled growth of MnSi~1.7 nanowires with a single orientation and a large aspect ratio on Si(110) surfaces

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

MnSi~1.7 nanowires (NWs) with a single orientation and a large aspect ratio have been formed on a Si(110) surface with the molecular beam epitaxy method by a delicate control of growth parameters, such as temperature, deposition rate, and deposition time. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was employed to study the influence of these parameters on the growth of NWs. The supply of free Si atoms per unit time during the silicide reaction plays a critical role in the growth kinetics of the NWs. High growth temperature and low deposition rate are favorable for the formation of NWs with a large aspect ratio. The orientation relationship between the NWs and the reconstruction rows of the Si(110) surface suggests that the NWs grow along the 11¯0 direction of the silicon substrate. High-resolution STM and backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the NWs are composed of MnSi~1.7. PMID:23339353

Morphology and electronic properties of silicon carbide surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Shu

2007-12-01

Several issues related to SiC surfaces are studied in the thesis using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Specific surfaces examined include electropolished SiC, epitaxial graphene on SiC, and vicinal (i.e. slightly miscut from a low-index direction) SiC that have been subjected to high temperature hydrogen-etching. The electropolished surfaces are meant to mimic electrochemically etched SiC, which forms a porous network. The chemical treatment of the surface is similar between electropolishing and electrochemical etching, but the etching conditions are slightly different such that the former produces a flat surface (that is amenable to STM study) whereas the latter produces a complex 3-dimensional porous network. We have used these porous SiC layers as semi-permeable membranes in a biosensor, and we find that the material is quite biocompatible. The purpose of the STM/STS study is to investigate the surface properties of the SiC on the atomic scale in an effort to explain this biocompatibility. The observed tunneling spectra are found to be very asymmetric, with a usual amount of current at positive voltages but no observable current at negative voltages. We propose that this behavior is due to surface charge accumulating on an incompletely passivated surface. Measurements on SiC surfaces prepared by various amounts of hydrogen-etching are used to support this interpretation. Comparison with tunneling computations reveals a density of about 10 13 cm-2 fixed charges on both the electro-polished and the H-etched surfaces. The relatively insulating nature observed on the electro-polished SiC surface may provide an explanation for the biocompatibility of the surface. Graphene, a monolayer of carbon, is a new material for electronic devices. Epitaxial graphene on SiC is fabricated by the Si sublimation method in which a substrate is heated up to about 1350°C in ultra-high vacuum (UHV). The formation of the graphene is monitored using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy, and the morphology of the graphitized surface is studied using AFM and STM. Use of H-etched SiC substrates enables a relatively flat surface morphology, although residual steps remain due to unintentional miscut of the wafers. Additionally, some surface roughness in the form of small pits is observed, possibly due to the fact that the surface treatments (H-etching and UHV annealing) having been performed in separate vacuum chambers with an intervening transfer through air. Field-effect transistors have been fabricated with our graphene layers; they show a relatively strong held effect at room temperature, with an electron mobility of 535 cm 2/Vs. This value is somewhat lower than that believed to be theoretically possible for this material, and one possible reason may be the nonideal morphology of the surface (i.e. because of the observed steps and pits). Tunneling spectra of the graphene reveal semi-metallic behavior, consistent with that theoretically expected for an isolated layer of graphene. However, additional discrete states are observed in the spectra, possibly arising from bonding at the graphene/SiC interface. The observation of these states provides important input towards an eventual determination of the complete interface structure, and additionally, such states may be relevant in determining the electron mobility of the graphene. Stepped vicinal SIC{0001} substrates are useful templates for epitaxial growth of various types of layers: thick layers of compound semiconductor (in which the steps help preserving the stacking arrangement in the overlayer), monolayers of graphene, or submonolayer semiconductor layers that form quantum wires along the step edges. Step array produced by H-etching of vicinal SiC (0001) and (0001¯) with various miscut angles have been studied by AFM. H-etching is found to produce full unit-cell-high steps on the (0001) Si-face surfaces, but half unit-cell-high steps on the (0001¯) C-face surfaces. These observations are consistent with an asymmetry in the surface energy (i.e. etch rate) of the two types of step terminations occurring on the different surfaces. For high miscut angles, facet formation is observed on the vicinal Si-face, but less so on the C-face. This difference is interpreted in terms of a lower surface energy of the C-face. In terms of applying the stepped surfaces as a template, a much better uniformity in the step-step separation is found for the C-face surfaces.

Surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization grafting of sodium styrene sulfonate from titanium and silicon substrates.

PubMed

Foster, Rami N; Keefe, Andrew J; Jiang, Shaoyi; Castner, David G

2013-11-01

This study investigates the grafting of poly-sodium styrene sulfonate (pNaSS) from trichlorosilane/10-undecen-1-yl 2-bromo-2-methylpropionate functionalized Si and Ti substrates by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The composition, molecular structure, thickness, and topography of the grafted pNaSS films were characterized with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. XPS and ToF-SIMS results were consistent with the successful grafting of a thick and uniform pNaSS film on both substrates. VASE and AFM scratch tests showed the films were between 25 and 49 nm thick on Si, and between 13 and 35 nm thick on Ti. AFM determined root-mean-square roughness values were ∼2 nm on both Si and Ti substrates. Therefore, ATRP grafting is capable of producing relatively smooth, thick, and chemically homogeneous pNaSS films on Si and Ti substrates. These films will be used in subsequent studies to test the hypothesis that pNaSS-grafted Ti implants preferentially adsorb certain plasma proteins in an orientation and conformation that modulates the foreign body response and promotes formation of new bone.

Surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization grafting of sodium styrene sulfonate from titanium and silicon substrates

PubMed Central

Foster, Rami N.; Keefe, Andrew J.; Jiang, Shaoyi; Castner, David G.

2013-01-01

This study investigates the grafting of poly-sodium styrene sulfonate (pNaSS) from trichlorosilane/10-undecen-1-yl 2-bromo-2-methylpropionate functionalized Si and Ti substrates by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The composition, molecular structure, thickness, and topography of the grafted pNaSS films were characterized with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. XPS and ToF-SIMS results were consistent with the successful grafting of a thick and uniform pNaSS film on both substrates. VASE and AFM scratch tests showed the films were between 25 and 49 nm thick on Si, and between 13 and 35 nm thick on Ti. AFM determined root-mean-square roughness values were ∼2 nm on both Si and Ti substrates. Therefore, ATRP grafting is capable of producing relatively smooth, thick, and chemically homogeneous pNaSS films on Si and Ti substrates. These films will be used in subsequent studies to test the hypothesis that pNaSS-grafted Ti implants preferentially adsorb certain plasma proteins in an orientation and conformation that modulates the foreign body response and promotes formation of new bone. PMID:24482558

Photoluminescence enhancement of silicon quantum dot monolayer by plasmonic substrate fabricated by nano-imprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanagawa, Hiroto; Inoue, Asuka; Sugimoto, Hiroshi; Shioi, Masahiko; Fujii, Minoru

2017-12-01

Near-field coupling between a silicon quantum dot (Si-QD) monolayer and a plasmonic substrate fabricated by nano-imprint lithography and having broad multiple resonances in the near-infrared (NIR) window of biological substances was studied by precisely controlling the QDs-substrate distance. A strong enhancement of the NIR photoluminescence (PL) of Si-QDs was observed. Detailed analyses of the PL and PL excitation spectra, the PL decay dynamics, and the reflectance spectra revealed that both the excitation cross-sections and the emission rates are enhanced by the surface plasmon resonances, thanks to the broad multiple resonances of the plasmonic substrate, and that the relative contribution of the two enhancement processes depends strongly on the excitation wavelength. Under excitation by short wavelength photons (405 nm), where enhancement of the excitation cross-section is not expected, the maximum enhancement was obtained when the QDs-substrate distance was around 30 nm. On the other hand, under long wavelength excitation (641 nm), where strong excitation cross-section enhancement is expected, the largest enhancement was obtained when the distance was minimum (around 1 nm). The achievement of efficient excitation of NIR luminescence of Si-QDs by long wavelength photons paves the way for the development of Si-QD-based fluorescence bio-sensing devices with a high bound-to-free ratio.

Surface Properties of the IN SITU Formed Ceramics Reinforced Composite Coatings on TI-3AL-2V Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Peng; Guo, Wei; Hu, Dakui; Luo, Hui; Zhang, Yuanbin

2012-04-01

The synthesis of hard composite coating on titanium alloy by laser cladding of Al/Fe/Ni+C/Si3N4 pre-placed powders has been investigated in detail. SEM result indicated that a composite coating with metallurgical joint to the substrate was formed. XRD result indicated that the composite coating mainly consisted of γ-(Fe, Ni), FeAl, Ti3Al, TiC, TiNi, TiC0.3N0.7, Ti2N, SiC, Ti5Si3 and TiNi. Compared with Ti-3Al-2V substrate, an improvement of the micro-hardness and the wear resistance was observed for this composite coating.

Effect of CoSi2 buffer layer on structure and magnetic properties of Co films grown on Si (001) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Bo; He, Wei; Ye, Jun; Tang, Jin; Syed Sheraz, Ahmad; Zhang, Xiang-Qun; Cheng, Zhao-Hua

2015-01-01

Buffer layer provides an opportunity to enhance the quality of ultrathin magnetic films. In this paper, Co films with different thickness of CoSi2 buffer layers were grown on Si (001) substrates. In order to investigate morphology, structure, and magnetic properties of films, scanning tunneling microscope (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect (SMOKE) were used. The results show that the crystal quality and magnetic anisotropies of the Co films are strongly affected by the thickness of CoSi2 buffer layers. Few CoSi2 monolayers can prevent the interdiffusion of Si substrate and Co film and enhance the Co film quality. Furthermore, the in-plane magnetic anisotropy of Co film with optimal buffer layer shows four-fold symmetry and exhibits the two-jumps of magnetization reversal process, which is the typical phenomenon in cubic (001) films. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2011CB921801 and 2012CB933102), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11374350, 11034004, 11274361, and 11274033), and the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20131102130005).

[A Double Split Ring Terahertz Filter on Ploymide Substrate].

PubMed

He, Jun; Zhang, Tie-jun; Xiong, Wei; Zhang, Bo; He, Ting; Shen, Jing-ling

2015-11-01

Metamaterials are artificial composites that acquire their electromagnetic properties from embeded subwavelength metalic structure. With proper design of metamaterials, numerrous intriguing phenomena that not exhibited naturally can be realized, such as invisible cloaking, perfect absorption, negative refractive index and so on. In recent years, With the development of THz technology, the extensive research onTHz metamaterials devices areattracting more and more attentions. Since silicon (Si) has a higher transmittance for THz wave, it is usually selected as substrate in metamaterials structure. However, Si has the shortcomings of hardness, not easy to bend, and fragile, which limit the application of THz metamaterials. In this work, we use polyimide as the substrate to overcome the shortcomings of the Si substrate. Polyimide is flexible, smooth, suitable for conventional lithography process and the THz transmittance can compete with that of the Si. Frist, we test the THz optical properties of polymide, and get the refractive index of 1.9, and the transmittance of 80%. Second, we design a double splits ring resonators (DSRRs), and study the properties of transmission by changing the THz incidence angle and curvature of the sample. We find the resonant amplitude and resonant frequencies are unchanged. Fabricating metamaterials structures on a thin plastic substrate is a possible way to extend plane surface filtering to curved surface filtering. Third, we try to make a broadband filter by stacking two samples, and the 181GHz bandwidth at 50% has been achieved. By stacking several plane plastic metamaterial layers with different resonance responses into a multi-layer structure, a broadband THz filter can be built. The broadband filter has the advantages of simple manufacture, obvious filtering effect, which provides a new idea for the production of terahertz band filter.

Hexagonal Ag nanoarrays induced enhancement of blue light emission from amorphous oxidized silicon nitride via localized surface plasmon coupling.

PubMed

Ma, Zhongyuan; Ni, Xiaodong; Zhang, Wenping; Jiang, Xiaofan; Yang, Huafeng; Yu, Jie; Wang, Wen; Xu, Ling; Xu, Jun; Chen, Kunji; Feng, Duan

2014-11-17

A significant enhancement of blue light emission from amorphous oxidized silicon nitride (a-SiNx:O) films is achieved by introduction of ordered and size-controllable arrays of Ag nanoparticles between the silicon substrate and a-SiNx:O films. Using hexagonal arrays of Ag nanoparticles fabricated by nanosphere lithography, the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) resonance can effectively increase the internal quantum efficiency from 3.9% to 13.3%. Theoretical calculation confirms that the electromagnetic field-intensity enhancement is through the dipole surface plasma coupling with the excitons of a-SiNx:O films, which demonstrates a-SiNx:O films with enhanced blue emission are promising for silicon-based light-emitting applications by patterned Ag arrays.

Potential variation around grain boundaries in BaSi{sub 2} films grown on multicrystalline silicon evaluated using Kelvin probe force microscopy

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

Baba, Masakazu; Tsukahara, Daichi; Toko, Kaoru

2014-12-21

Potential variations across the grain boundaries (GBs) in a 100 nm thick undoped n-BaSi{sub 2} film on a cast-grown multicrystalline Si (mc-Si) substrate are evaluated using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM). The θ-2θ X-ray diffraction pattern reveals diffraction peaks, such as (201), (301), (410), and (411) of BaSi{sub 2}. Local-area electron backscatter diffraction reveals that the a-axis of BaSi{sub 2} is tilted slightly from the surface normal, depending on the local crystal plane of the mc-Si. KFM measurements show that the potentials are not significantly disordered in the grown BaSi{sub 2}, even around the GBs of mc-Si. The potentials are highermore » at GBs of BaSi{sub 2} around Si GBs that are formed by grains with a Si(111) face and those with faces that deviate slightly from Si(111). Thus, downward band bending occurs at these BaSi{sub 2} GBs. Minority carriers (holes) undergo a repelling force near the GBs, which may suppress recombination as in the case of undoped n-BaSi{sub 2} epitaxial films on a single crystal Si(111) substrate. The barrier height for hole transport across the GBs varies in the range from 10 to 55 meV. The potentials are also higher at the BaSi{sub 2} GBs grown around Si GBs composed of grains with Si(001) and Si(111) faces. The barrier height for hole transport ranges from 5 to 55 meV. These results indicate that BaSi{sub 2} GBs formed on (111)-dominant Si surfaces do not have a negative influence on the minority-carrier properties, and thus BaSi{sub 2} formed on underlayers, such as (111)-oriented Si or Ge and on (111)-oriented mc-Si, can be utilized as a solar cell active layer.« less

Design, synthesis, characterization, and OFET properties of amphiphilic heteroleptic tris(phthalocyaninato) europium(III) complexes. The effect of crown ether hydrophilic substituents.

PubMed

Gao, Yingning; Ma, Pan; Chen, Yanli; Zhang, Ying; Bian, Yongzhong; Li, Xiyou; Jiang, Jianzhuang; Ma, Changqin

2009-01-05

Two amphiphilic heteroleptic tris(phthalocyaninato) europium complexes with hydrophilic crown ether heads and hydrophobic octyloxy tails [Pc(mCn)(4)]Eu[Pc(mCn)(4)]Eu[Pc(OC(8)H(17))(8)] [m = 12, n = 4, H(2)Pc(12C4)(4) = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-tetrakis(12-crown-4)phthalocyanine; m = 18, n = 6, H(2)Pc(18C6)(4) = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-tetrakis(18-crown-6)phthalocyanine; H(2)Pc(OC(8)H(17))(8) = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyanine] (1, 2) were designed and prepared from the reaction between homoleptic bis(phthalocyaninato) europium compound [Pc(mCn)(4)]Eu[Pc(mCn)(4)] (m = 12, n = 4; m = 18, n = 6) and metal-free H(2)Pc(OC(8)H(17))(8) in the presence of Eu(acac)(3).H(2)O (Hacac = acetylacetone) in boiling 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. These novel sandwich triple-decker complexes were characterized by a wide range of spectroscopic methods and electrochemically studied. With the help of the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, these typical amphiphilic triple-decker complexes were fabricated into organic field effect transistors (OFET) with top contact configuration on bare SiO(2)/Si substrate, hexamethyldisilazane-treated SiO(2)/Si substrate, and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-treated SiO(2)/Si substrate, respectively. The device performance is revealed to be dependent on the species of crown ether substituents and substrate surface treatment. OFETs fabricated from the triple decker with 12-crown-4 hydrophilic substituents, 1, allow the hole transfer in the direction parallel to the aromatic phthalocyanine rings. In contrast, the devices of a triple-decker compound containing 18-crown-6 as hydrophilic heads, 2, transfer holes in a direction along the long axis of the assembly composed of face-to-face aggregated triple-decker molecules, revealing the effect of molecular structure, specifically the crown ether substituents on the film structure and OFET functional properties. The carrier mobility for hole as high as 0.33 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and current modulation of 7.91 x 10(5) were reached for the devices of triple-decker compound 1 deposited on the OTS-treated SiO(2)/Si substrates, indicating the effect of substrate surface treatment on the OFET performance due to the improvement on the film quality as demonstrated by the atomic force microscope investigation results.

Solid-state reaction of iron on β-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, R.; Klein, P. H.; Addamiano, A.

1985-07-01

The solid-state reaction between Fe and β-SiC has been studied using Auger-electron and electron-energy-loss spectroscopies and ion sputter profiling. Fe films from submonolayer coverage to 1000 Å thickness were grown in ultrahigh vacuum, and annealed at temperatures up to 550 °C. Auger line-shape changes occurred even for initial Fe coverage at 190 °C, indicating substantial bond alteration in the SiC substrate. A 1000-Å film was largely consumed by reaction with Si and C diffused from the substrate during a 500 °C anneal, and exhibited both Fe silicide and carbide throughout most of its original volume and free C present as graphite primarily at the surface. As an aid in identifying the reaction products studied in this work, Auger line shapes were first determined for the SiLVV peak in Fe silicide and for the CKLL transition in Fe carbide.

Temperature Dependences of the Product of the Differential Resistance by the Area in MIS-Structures Based on Cd x Hg1- x Te Grown by Molecularbeam Epitaxy on Alternative Si and GaAs Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voitsekhovskii, A. V.; Nesmelov, S. N.; Dzyadukh, S. M.; Varavin, V. S.; Vasil'ev, V. V.; Dvoretskii, S. A.; Mikhailov, N. N.; Yakushev, M. V.; Sidorov, G. Yu.

2017-06-01

In a temperature range of 9-200 K, temperature dependences of the differential resistance of space-charge region in the strong inversion mode are experimentally studied for MIS structures based on CdxHg1-xTe (x = 0.22-0.40) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The effect of various parameters of structures: the working layer composition, the type of a substrate, the type of insulator coating, and the presence of a near-surface graded-gap layer on the value of the product of differential resistance by the area is studied. It is shown that the values of the product RSCRA for MIS structures based on n-CdHgTe grown on a Si(013) substrate are smaller than those for structures based on the material grown on a GaAs(013) substrate. The values of the product RSCRA for MIS structures based on p-CdHgTe grown on a Si(013) substrate are comparable with the value of the analogous parameter for MIS structures based on p-CdHgTe grown on a GaAs(013) substrate.

Low Temperature Rhombohedral Single Crystal SiGe Epitaxy on c-plane Sapphire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duzik, Adam J.; Choi, Sang H.

2016-01-01

Current best practice in epitaxial growth of rhombohedral SiGe onto (0001) sapphire (Al2O3) substrate surfaces requires extreme conditions to grow a single crystal SiGe film. Previous models described the sapphire surface reconstruction as the overriding factor in rhombohedral epitaxy, requiring a high temperature Al-terminated surface for high quality films. Temperatures in the 850-1100 C range were thought to be necessary to get SiGe to form coherent atomic matching between the (111) SiGe plane and the (0001) sapphire surface. Such fabrication conditions are difficult and uneconomical, hindering widespread application. This work proposes an alternative model that considers the bulk sapphire structure and determines how the SiGe film nucleates and grows. Accounting for thermal expansion effects, calculations using this new model show that both pure Ge and SiGe can form single crystal films in the 450-550 C temperature range. Experimental results confirm these predictions, where x-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy show the films fabricated at low temperature rival the high temperature films in crystallographic and surface quality. Finally, an explanation is provided for why films of comparable high quality can be produced in either temperature range.

Controlled growth of periodically aligned copper-silicide nanocrystal arrays on silicon directed by laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nürnberger, Philipp; Reinhardt, Hendrik M.; Rhinow, Daniel; Riedel, René; Werner, Simon; Hampp, Norbert A.

2017-10-01

In this paper we introduce a versatile tool for the controlled growth and alignment of copper-silicide nanocrystals. The method takes advantage of a unique self-organization phenomenon denoted as laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). Copper films (3 ± 0.2 nm) are sputter-deposited onto single crystal silicon (100) substrates with a thin oxide layer (4 ± 0.2 nm), and subsequently exposed to linearly polarized nanosecond laser pulses (τ ≈ 6 ns) at a central wavelength of 532 nm. The irradiation triggers dewetting of the Cu film and simultaneous formation of periodic Cu nanowires (LIPSS), which partially penetrate the oxide layer to the Si substrate. These LIPSS act as nucleation centers for the growth of Cu-Si crystals during thermal processing at 500 °C under forming gas 95/5 atmosphere. Exemplified by our model system Cu/SiO2/Si, LIPSS are demonstrated to facilitate the diffusion reaction between Cu and underlying Si. Moreover, adjustment of the laser polarization allows us to precisely control the nanocrystal alignment with respect to the LIPSS orientation. Potential applications and conceivable alternatives of this process are discussed.

Synergistic effects of semiconductor substrate and noble metal nano-particles on SERS effect both theoretical and experimental aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chen; Liang, Pei; Tang, Lisha; Zhou, Yongfeng; Cao, Yanting; Wu, Yanxiong; Zhang, De; Dong, Qianmin; Huang, Jie; He, Peng

2018-04-01

As a means of chemical identification and analysis, Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), with the advantages of high sensitivity and selectivity, non-destructive, high repeatability and in situ detection etc., has important significance in the field of composition detection, environmental science, biological medicine etc. Physical model of coupling effect between different semiconductor substrates and noble metal particles were investigated by using 3D-FDTD method. Mechanism and the effects of excitation wavelength, particle spacing and semiconductor substrate types on the SERS effect were discussed. The results showed that the optimal excitation wavelengths of three noble metals of Ag, Au, Cu, were located at 510, 600 and 630 nm, respectively; SERS effect of Ag, Au, Cu increases with the decreasing of the inter distance of particles, while the distance of the NPs reaches the critical value of 3 nm, the strength of SERS effect will be greatly enhanced. For the four different types of substrate of Ge, Si, SiO2 (glass) and Al2O3, the SERS effect of Ag on SiO2 > Ge > Al2O3 > Si. For Au and Cu nanoparticles, the SERS effect of them on oxide substrate is stronger than that on non-oxide substrate. In order to verify FDTD simulations, taking silver nanoparticles as an example, and silver nanoparticles prepared by chemical method were spinning coating on the four different substrates with R6G as probe molecules. The results show that the experimental results are consistent with FDTD theoretical simulations, and the SERS enhancement effect of Ag-SiO2 substrate is best. The results of this study have important theoretical significance to explain the variations of SERS enhancement on different noble metals, which is also an important guide for the preparation of SERS substrates, especially for the microfluidics. The better Raman effect can be realized by choosing proper substrate type, particle spacing and excitation wavelength, result in expanding the depth and width of SERS application.

Electrostatic placement of single ferritin molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumagai, Shinya; Yoshii, Shigeo; Yamada, Kiyohito; Matsukawa, Nozomu; Fujiwara, Isamu; Iwahori, Kenji; Yamashita, Ichiro

2006-04-01

We electrostatically placed a single ferritin molecule on a nanometric 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) pattern that was on an oxidized Si substrate. The numerical analysis of the total interaction free energy for ferritin predicted that a quadrilateral array of 15nm diameter APTES nanodisks placed at intervals of 100nm would accommodate a single molecule of ferritin in each disk under a Debye length of 14nm. The experiments we conducted conformed to theoretical predictions and we successfully placed a single ferritin molecule on each ATPES disk without ferritin adsorbing on the SiO2 substrate surface.

STM/STS studies of Ca-intercalated bilayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Ryota; Sugawara, Katsuaki; Kanetani, Kohei; Iwaya, Katsuya; Sato, Takafumi; Takahashi, Takashi; Hitosugi, Taro

2013-03-01

We have performed low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) measurements on a two-dimensional Ca-intercalated bilayer graphene epitaxially grown on a 6H-SiC(0001) substrate. The STM topographic images clearly resolve each intercalated Ca atom with graphene-based honeycomb lattice. Furthermore, we found a clear ×2.5 modulation in the topography, implying charge density wave or Moiré pattern originated from the interaction with the SiC substrate. Comparison with ARPES measurements provided us of further insight into the Fermi surface deduced from STS.

Reactions of Persistent Carbenes with Hydrogen-Terminated Silicon Surfaces.

PubMed

Zhukhovitskiy, Aleksandr V; Mavros, Michael G; Queeney, K T; Wu, Tony; Voorhis, Troy Van; Johnson, Jeremiah A

2016-07-13

Surface passivation has enabled the development of silicon-based solar cells and microelectronics. However, a number of emerging applications require a paradigm shift from passivation to functionalization, wherein surface functionality is installed proximal to the silicon surface. To address this need, we report here the use of persistent aminocarbenes to functionalize hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces via Si-H insertion reactions. Through the use of model compounds (H-Si(TMS)3 and H-Si(OTMS)3), nanoparticles (H-SiNPs), and planar Si(111) wafers (H-Si(111)), we demonstrate that among different classes of persistent carbenes, the more electrophilic and nucleophilic ones, in particular, a cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) and an acyclic diaminocarbene (ADAC), are able to undergo insertion into Si-H bonds at the silicon surface, forming persistent C-Si linkages and simultaneously installing amine or aminal functionality in proximity to the surface. The CAAC (6) is particularly notable for its clean insertion reactivity under mild conditions that produces monolayers with 21 ± 3% coverage of Si(111) atop sites, commensurate with the expected maximum of ∼20%. Atomic force and transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron, and infrared spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry provided evidence for the surface Si-H insertion process. Furthermore, computational studies shed light on the reaction energetics and indicated that CAAC 6 should be particularly effective at binding to silicon dihydride, trihydride, and coupled monohyride motifs, as well as oxidized surface sites. Our results pave the way for the further development of persistent carbenes as universal ligands for silicon and potentially other nonmetallic substrates.

Hexagonally ordered nanodots: Result of substrate rotation during oblique incidence low energy IBS

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

Chowdhury, Debasree, E-mail: debasree.chowdhury@saha.ac.in; Ghose, Debabrata, E-mail: debasree.chowdhury@saha.ac.in

The anisotropic regular patterns are often results during oblique incidence ion beam sputtering (IBS). Simultaneous substrate rotation (SR) during IBS can suppress surface roughening and removes anisotropic nature of surface pattern. Here, the evolution of Si surface morphology as result of with and without SR is studied during oblique incidence low energy Ar{sup +} sputtering. Resultant topography shows smooth surface to hexagonally ordered nanodots at different rotating conditions. Interestingly, surface roughness exhibits non-monotonic dependence on rotation frequency. The underlying mechanism for dot formation can be described within the framework of isotropic DKS equation.

Xenon-ion irradiation of Co/Si bilayers: Magnetic and structural properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novaković, M.; Popović, M.; Zhang, K.; Čubrović, V.; Bibić, N.; Rakočević, Z.

2018-07-01

Evolution of the structure of cobalt-silicon films during Xe ions irradiation has been studied and the same is correlated with magnetic properties. The polycrystalline cobalt films were deposited by electron beam evaporation method to a thickness of 50 nm on crystalline silicon (c-Si) and silicon with pre-amorphized surface (a-Si). After deposition the layers were irradiated with 400 keV Xe ions to the fluences in the range of 2-30 × 1015 ions/cm2. Structural analysis was done by means of transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the magnetic properties were analyzed by using magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) technique. For the both types of substrate the AFM and XRD results show that after Xe ions irradiation the layers become more rough and the grain size of the crystallites increases; the effects being more evidenced for all fluences for the layers deposited on pre-amorphized Si. The MOKE measurements provided the in-plane azimuthal angular dependence of the hysteresis loops and the change of magnetization with the structural parameters. Although the coercive field is influenced by the surface roughness, in the case of c-Si substrate we found it is much more determined by the size of the crystallites. Additionally, independently on the substrate used the magnetic anisotropy in the Co films disappeared as the Xe ion fluence increased, indicating that the changes of magnetization in both systems occur for similar reasons.

Ordered CdSe nanoparticles within self-assembled block copolymer domains on surfaces.

PubMed

Zou, Shan; Hong, Rui; Emrick, Todd; Walker, Gilbert C

2007-02-13

Hierarchical, high-density, ordered patterns were fabricated on Si substrates by self-assembly of CdSe nanoparticles within approximately 20-nm-thick diblock copolymer films in a controlled manner. Surface-modified CdSe nanoparticles formed well-defined structures within microphase-separated polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) domains. Trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)-coated CdSe nanoparticles were incorporated into PS domains and polyethylene glycol-coated CdSe nanoparticles were located primarily in the P2VP domains. Nearly close-packed CdSe nanoparticles were clearly identified within the highly ordered patterns on Si substrates by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Contact angle measurements together with SEM results indicate that TOPO-CdSe nanoparticles were partially placed at the air/copolymer interface.

Multichannel detection of ionic currents through two nanopores fabricated on integrated Si3N4 membranes.

PubMed

Yanagi, Itaru; Akahori, Rena; Aoki, Mayu; Harada, Kunio; Takeda, Ken-Ichi

2016-08-16

Integration of solid-state nanopores and multichannel detection of signals from each nanopore are effective measures for realizing high-throughput nanopore sensors. In the present study, we demonstrated fabrication of Si3N4 membrane arrays and the simultaneous measurement of ionic currents through two nanopores formed in two adjacent membranes. Membranes with thicknesses as low as 6.4 nm and small nanopores with diameters of less than 2 nm could be fabricated using the poly-Si sacrificial-layer process and multilevel pulse-voltage injection. Using the fabricated nanopore membranes, we successfully achieved simultaneous detection of clear ionic-current blockades when single-stranded short homopolymers (poly(dA)60) passed through two nanopores. In addition, we investigated the signal crosstalk and leakage current among separated chambers. When two nanopores were isolated on the front surface of the membrane, there was no signal crosstalk or leakage current between the chambers. However, when two nanopores were isolated on the backside of the Si substrate, signal crosstalk and leakage current were observed owing to high-capacitance coupling between the chambers and electrolysis of water on the surface of the Si substrate. The signal crosstalk and leakage current could be suppressed by oxidizing the exposed Si surface in the membrane chip. Finally, the observed ionic-current blockade when poly(dA)60 passed through the nanopore in the oxidized chip was approximately half of that observed in the non-oxidized chip.

X-ray reflectometry and simulation of the parameters of SiC epitaxial films on Si(111), grown by the atomic substitution method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukushkin, S. A.; Nussupov, K. Kh.; Osipov, A. V.; Beisenkhanov, N. B.; Bakranova, D. I.

2017-05-01

The structure and composition of SiC nanolayers are comprehensively studied by X-ray reflectometry, IR-spectroscopy, and atomic-force microscopy (AFM) methods for the first time. SiC films were synthesized by the new method of topochemical substitution of substrate atoms at various temperatures and pressure of CO active gas on the surface of high-resistivity low-dislocation single-crystal n-type silicon (111). Based on an analysis and generalization of experimental data obtained using X-ray reflectometry, IR spectroscopy, and AFM methods, a structural model of SiC films on Si was proposed. According to this model, silicon carbide film consists of a number of layers parallel to the substrate, reminiscent of a layer cake. The composition and thickness of each layer entering the film structure is experimentally determined. It was found that all samples contain superstoichiometric carbon; however, its structure is significantly different for the samples synthesized at temperatures of 1250 and 1330°C, respectively. In the former case, the film surface is saturated with silicon vacancies and carbon in the structurally loose form reminiscent of HOPG carbon. In the films grown at 1330°C, carbon is in a dense structure with a close-to-diamond density.

Characterization, modeling and physical mechanisms of different surface treatment methods at room temperature on the oxide and interfacial quality of the SiO2 film using the spectroscopic scanning capacitance microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Kin Mun

In this article, a simple, low cost and combined surface treatment method [pre-oxidation immersion of the p-type silicon (Si) substrate in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and post oxidation ultra-violet (UV) irradiation of the silicon-dioxide (SiO2) film] at room temperature is investigated. The interface trap density at midgap [Dit(mg)] of the resulting SiO2 film (denoted as sample 1A) is quantified from the full width at half-maximum of the scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) differential capacitance (dC/dV) characteristics by utilizing a previously validated theoretical model. The Dit(mg) of sample 1A is significantly lower than the sample without any surface treatments which indicates that it is a viable technique for improving the interfacial quality of the thicker SiO2 films prepared by wet oxidation. Moreover, the proposed combined surface treatment method may possibly complement the commonly used forming gas anneal process to further improve the interfacial quality of the SiO2 films. The positive shift of the flatband voltage due to the overall oxide charges (estimated from the probe tip dc bias at the peak dC/dV spectra) of sample 1A suggests the presence of negative oxide fixed charge density (Nf) in the oxide. In addition, an analytical formula is derived to approximate the difference of the Nf values between the oxide samples that are immersed in H2O2 and UV irradiated from their measured SCM dC/dV spectra. Conversely, some physical mechanisms are proposed that result in the ionization of the SiO- species (which are converted from the neutral SiOH groups that originate from the pre-oxidation immersion in H2O2 and ensuing wet oxidation) during the UV irradiation as well as the UV photo-injected electrons from the Si substrate (which did not interact with the SiOH groups). They constitute the source of mobile electrons which partially passivate the positively charged empty donor-like interface traps at the Si-SiO2 interface.

Growth and Characterization of 3C-SiC and 2H-AIN/GaN Films and Devices Produced on Step-Free 4H-SiC Mesa Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, P. G.; Du, H.; Skowronski, M.; Spry, D. J.; Trunek, A. J.

2007-01-01

While previously published experimental results have shown that the step-free (0 0 0 1) 4H-SiC mesa growth surface uniquely enables radical improvement of 3C-SiC and 2H-AlN/GaN heteroepitaxial film quality (greater than 100-fold reduction in extended defect densities), important aspects of the step-free mesa heterofilm growth processes and resulting electronic device benefits remain to be more fully elucidated. This paper reviews and updates recent ongoing studies of 3C-SiC and 2H-AlN/GaN heteroepilayers grown on top of 4H-SiC mesas. For both 3C-SiC and AlN/GaN films nucleated on 4H-SiC mesas rendered completely free of atomic-scale surface steps, TEM studies reveal that relaxation of heterofilm strain arising from in-plane film/substrate lattice constant mismatch occurs in a remarkably benign manner that avoids formation of threading dislocations in the heteroepilayer. In particular, relaxation appears to occur via nucleation and inward lateral glide of near-interfacial dislocation half-loops from the mesa sidewalls. Preliminary studies of homojunction diodes implemented in 3C-SiC and AlN/GaN heterolayers demonstrate improved electrical performance compared with much more defective heterofilms grown on neighbouring stepped 4H-SiC mesas. Recombination-enhanced dislocation motion known to degrade forward-biased 4H-SiC bipolar diodes has been completely absent from our initial studies of 3C-SiC diodes, including diodes implemented on defective 3C-SiC heterolayers grown on stepped 4H-SiC mesas.

Synthesis of Silver Nanodendrites on Silicon and Its Application for the Trace Detection of Pyridaben Pesticide Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngan, Luong Truc Quynh; Minh, Kieu Ngoc; Cao, Dao Tran; Anh, Cao Tuan; Van Vu, Le

2017-06-01

We present the results of the synthesis of arrays of silver nanodendrites (AgNDs) on the surface of a silicon wafer (AgNDs@Si) and the application of them as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates to detect traces of pesticides, through the example of pyridaben detection. AgNDs were chosen because they contain many of the points that could be considered as "hot spots", and therefore SERS substrates made from them will have a high Raman enhancement factor. AgNDs were deposited onto the surface of silicon by electrochemical deposition, using an aqueous solution of HF and AgNO3. The results showed that, after fabrication, a large number of fern-like AgNDs formed on the surface of the silicon. These AgNDs are distributed evenly across the entire silicon surface with a relatively thick density. Pyridaben is a pesticide for the control of mites and some other insects such as white flies, aphids and thrips on fruits, vegetables, tea and ornamentals. Pyridaben is harmful to humans if it is used improperly. When used for the detection of pyridaben, SERS substrates made from fabricated AgNDs@Si were able to detect concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm.

Controlling the width of self-assembled dysprosium silicide nanowires on the Si(001) surface.

PubMed

Cui, Y; Chung, J; Nogami, J

2012-02-01

We present STM data that show that it is possible to use a metal induced 2 × 7 reconstruction of Si(001) to narrow the width distribution of Dy silicide nanowires. This behavior is distinct from the effect of the 7 × 7 reconstruction on the Si(111) surface, where the 7 × 7 serves as a static template and the deposited metal avoids the unit cell boundaries on the substrate. In this case, the 2 × 7 is a dynamic template, and the nanowires nucleate at anti-phase boundaries between 2 × 7 reconstruction domains.

Method for rapid, controllable growth and thickness, of epitaxial silicon films

DOEpatents

Wang, Qi [Littleton, CO; Stradins, Paul [Golden, CO; Teplin, Charles [Boulder, CO; Branz, Howard M [Boulder, CO

2009-10-13

A method of producing epitaxial silicon films on a c-Si wafer substrate using hot wire chemical vapor deposition by controlling the rate of silicon deposition in a temperature range that spans the transition from a monohydride to a hydrogen free silicon surface in a vacuum, to obtain phase-pure epitaxial silicon film of increased thickness is disclosed. The method includes placing a c-Si substrate in a HWCVD reactor chamber. The method also includes supplying a gas containing silicon at a sufficient rate into the reaction chamber to interact with the substrate to deposit a layer containing silicon thereon at a predefined growth rate to obtain phase-pure epitaxial silicon film of increased thickness.

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

Interaction of tetraethoxysilane with OH-terminated SiO2 (0 0 1) surface: A first principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Xiaodi; Song, Yixu; Li, Jinchun; Pu, Yikang

2014-06-01

First principles calculates have been performed to investigate the surface reaction mechanism of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with fully hydroxylated SiO2(0 0 1) substrate. In semiconductor industry, this is the key step to understand and control the SiO2 film growth in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. During the calculation, we proposed a model which breaks the surface dissociative chemisorption into two steps and we calculated the activation barriers and thermochemical energies for each step. Our calculation result for step one shows that the first half reaction is thermodynamically favorable. For the second half reaction, we systematically studied the two potential reaction pathways. The comparing result indicates that the pathway which is more energetically favorable will lead to formation of crystalline SiO2 films while the other will lead to formation of disordered SiO2 films.

Correlation between morphology, electron band structure, and resistivity of Pb atomic chains on the Si(5 5 3)-Au surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jałochowski, M.; Kwapiński, T.; Łukasik, P.; Nita, P.; Kopciuszyński, M.

2016-07-01

Structural and electron transport properties of multiple Pb atomic chains fabricated on the Si(5 5 3)-Au surface are investigated using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, reflection high electron energy diffraction, angular resolved photoemission electron spectroscopy and in situ electrical resistance. The study shows that Pb atomic chains growth modulates the electron band structure of pristine Si(5 5 3)-Au surface and hence changes its sheet resistivity. Strong correlation between chains morphology, electron band structure and electron transport properties is found. To explain experimental findings a theoretical tight-binding model of multiple atomic chains interacting on effective substrate is proposed.

Effects of RF plasma treatment on spray-pyrolyzed copper oxide films on silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madera, Rozen Grace B.; Martinez, Melanie M.; Vasquez, Magdaleno R., Jr.

2018-01-01

The effects of radio-frequency (RF) argon (Ar) plasma treatment on the structural, morphological, electrical and compositional properties of the spray-pyrolyzed p-type copper oxide films on n-type (100) silicon (Si) substrates were investigated. The films were successfully synthesized using 0.3 M copper acetate monohydrate sprayed on precut Si substrates maintained at 350 °C. X-ray diffraction revealed cupric oxide (CuO) with a monoclinic structure. An apparent improvement in crystallinity was realized after Ar plasma treatment, attributed to the removal of residues contaminating the surface. Scanning electron microscope images showed agglomerated monoclinic grains and revealed a reduction in size upon plasma exposure induced by the sputtering effect. The current-voltage characteristics of CuO/Si showed a rectifying behavior after Ar plasma exposure with an increase in turn-on voltage. Four-point probe measurements revealed a decrease in sheet resistance after plasma irradiation. Fourier transform infrared spectral analyses also showed O-H and C-O bands on the films. This work was able to produce CuO thin films via spray pyrolysis on Si substrates and enhancement in their properties by applying postdeposition Ar plasma treatment.

Friction measurements on InAs NWs by AFM manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettersson, Hakan; Conache, Gabriela; Gray, Struan; Bordag, Michael; Ribayrol, Aline; Froberg, Linus; Samuelson, Lars; Montelius, Lars

2008-03-01

We discuss a new approach to measure the friction force between elastically deformed nanowires and a surface. The wires are bent, using an AFM, into an equilibrium shape determined by elastic restoring forces within the wire and friction between the wire and the surface. From measurements of the radius of curvature of the bent wires, elasticity theory allows the friction force per unit length to be calculated. We have studied friction properties of InAs nanowires deposited on SiO2, silanized SiO2 and Si3N4 substrates. The wires were typically from 0.5 to a few microns long, with diameters varying between 20 and 80 nm. Manipulation is done in a `Retrace Lift' mode, where feedback is turned off for the reverse scan and the tip follows a nominal path. The effective manipulation force during the reverse scan can be changed by varying an offset in the height of the tip over the surface. We will report on interesting static- and sliding friction experiments with nanowires on the different substrates, including how the friction force per unit length varies with the diameter of the wires.

Photochemistry on ultrathin metal films: Strongly enhanced cross sections for NO2 on Ag /Si(100)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wesenberg, Claudia; Autzen, Olaf; Hasselbrink, Eckart

2006-12-01

The surface photochemistry of NO2 on ultrathin Ag(111) films (5-60nm ) on Si(100) substrates has been studied. NO2, forming N2O4 on the surface, dissociates to release NO and NO2 into the gas phase with translational energies exceeding the equivalent of the sample temperature. An increase of the photodesorption cross section is observed for 266nm light when the film thickness is decreased below 30nm despite the fact that the optical absorptivity decreases. For 4.4nm film thickness this increase is about threefold. The data are consistent with a similar effect for 355nm light. The reduced film thickness has no significant influence on the average translation energy of the desorbing molecules or the branching into the different channels. The increased photodesorption cross section is interpreted to result from photon absorption in the Si substrate producing electrons with no or little momenta parallel to the surface at energies where this is not allowed in Ag. It is suggested that these electrons penetrate through the Ag film despite the gap in the surface projected band structure.

Interfacial structure and electrical properties of ultrathin HfO2 dielectric films on Si substrates by surface sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, You-Pin; Li, Ai-Dong; Qian, Xu; Zhao, Chao; Wu, Di

2009-01-01

Ultrathin HfO2 films with about ~3 nm thickness were deposited on n-type (1 0 0) silicon substrates using hafnium chloride (HfCl4) source by the surface sol-gel method and post-deposition annealing (PDA). The interfacial structure and electrical properties of ultrathin HfO2 films were investigated. The HfO2 films show amorphous structures and smooth surface morphologies with a very thin interfacial oxide layer of ~0.5 nm and small surface roughness (~0.45 nm). The 500 °C PDA treatment forms stronger Hf-O bonds, leading to passivated traps, and the interfacial layer is mainly Hf silicate (HfxSiyOz). Equivalent oxide thickness of around 0.84 nm of HfO2/Si has been obtained with a leakage current density of 0.7 A cm-2 at Vfb + 1 V after 500 °C PDA. It was found that the current conduction mechanism of HfO2/Si varied from Schottky-Richardson emission to Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling at an applied higher positive voltage due to the activated partial traps remaining in the ultrathin HfO2 films.

Switchable Super-Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) Film Surfaces on Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) Textured Si Wafer.

PubMed

Kim, Hwa-Min; Litao, Yao; Kim, Bonghwan

2015-11-01

We have developed a surface texturing process for pyramidal surface features along with an indium tin oxide (ITO) coating process to fabricate super-hydrophilic conductive surfaces. The contact angle of a water droplet was less than 5 degrees, which means that an extremely high wettability is achievable on super-hydrophilic surfaces. We have also fabricated a super-hydrophobic conductive surface using an additional coating of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) on the ITO layer coated on the textured Si surface; the ITO and PTFE films were deposited by using a conventional sputtering method. We found that a super-hydrophilic conductive surface is produced by ITO coated on the pyramidal Si surface (ITO/Si), with contact angles of approximately 0 degrees and a resistivity of 3 x 10(-4) Ω x cm. These values are highly dependent on the substrate temperature during the sputtering process. We also found that the super-hydrophobic conductive surface produced by the additional coating of PTFE on the pyramidal Si surface with an ITO layer (PTFE/ITO/Si) has a contact angle of almost 160 degrees and a resistivity of 3 x 10(-4) Ω x cm, with a reflectance lower than 9%. Therefore, these processes can be used to fabricate multifunctional features of ITO films for switchable super-hydrophilic and super-hydrophobic surfaces.

Functionalization of SiO2 Surfaces for Si Monolayer Doping with Minimal Carbon Contamination.

PubMed

van Druenen, Maart; Collins, Gillian; Glynn, Colm; O'Dwyer, Colm; Holmes, Justin D

2018-01-17

Monolayer doping (MLD) involves the functionalization of semiconductor surfaces followed by an annealing step to diffuse the dopant into the substrate. We report an alternative doping method, oxide-MLD, where ultrathin SiO 2 overlayers are functionalized with phosphonic acids for doping Si. Similar peak carrier concentrations were achieved when compared with hydrosilylated surfaces (∼2 × 10 20 atoms/cm 3 ). Oxide-MLD offers several advantages over conventional MLD, such as ease of sample processing, superior ambient stability, and minimal carbon contamination. The incorporation of an oxide layer minimizes carbon contamination by facilitating attachment of carbon-free precursors or by impeding carbon diffusion. The oxide-MLD strategy allows selection of many inexpensive precursors and therefore allows application to both p- and n-doping. The phosphonic acid-functionalized SiO 2 surfaces were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, whereas doping was assessed using electrochemical capacitance voltage and Hall measurements.

Silicon Carbide membranes as substrate for Synchrotron measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altissimo, M.; Iacopi, A.; Hold, L.; Matruglio, A.; Zucchiatti, P.; Vaccari, L.; Bedolla, D. E.; Ulloa Severino, L.; Parisse, P.; Gianoncelli, A.

2018-05-01

Silicon Nitride (SiN) membranes have long been the substrate of choice for many different synchrotron techniques at very different wavelengths (from IR to hard X-rays), due to their ease of production, relative robustness even in films <200 nm in thickness, and compatibility with standard microfabrication techniques. Here we present a set of data referring to custom-made Silicon Carbide (SiC) windows. We measured SiC surface roughness, mechanical robustness and membrane transmission both at IR and soft X-rays wavelengths, and compared the data with standard Si3N4, acquired in the same conditions. Further, we grew HEK293T cells both on Si3N4 and SiC membranes, and analysed them with IR and soft X-ray microscopy. Our data demonstrates how SiC is an excellent choice as membrane material for synchrotron measurements, since it shows higher transmission and higher robustness as compared to Si3N4 of the same thickness, and an improved compatibility for cell culturing, allowing to postulate their use also for bio-oriented research.

Photo-Attachment of Biomolecules for Miniaturization on Wicking Si-Nanowire Platform

PubMed Central

Cheng, He; Zheng, Han; Wu, Jia Xin; Xu, Wei; Zhou, Lihan; Leong, Kam Chew; Fitzgerald, Eugene; Rajagopalan, Raj; Too, Heng Phon; Choi, Wee Kiong

2015-01-01

We demonstrated the surface functionalization of a highly three-dimensional, superhydrophilic wicking substrate using light to immobilize functional biomolecules for sensor or microarray applications. We showed here that the three-dimensional substrate was compatible with photo-attachment and the performance of functionalization was greatly improved due to both increased surface capacity and reduced substrate reflectivity. In addition, photo-attachment circumvents the problems induced by wicking effect that was typically encountered on superhydrophilic three-dimensional substrates, thus reducing the difficulty of producing miniaturized sites on such substrate. We have investigated various aspects of photo-attachment process on the nanowire substrate, including the role of different buffers, the effect of wavelength as well as how changing probe structure may affect the functionalization process. We demonstrated that substrate fabrication and functionalization can be achieved with processes compatible with microelectronics processes, hence reducing the cost of array fabrication. Such functionalization method coupled with the high capacity surface makes the substrate an ideal candidate for sensor or microarray for sensitive detection of target analytes. PMID:25689680

Si1-yCy/Si(001) gas-source molecular beam epitaxy from Si2H6 and CH3SiH3: Surface reaction paths and growth kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foo, Y. L.; Bratland, K. A.; Cho, B.; Desjardins, P.; Greene, J. E.

2003-04-01

In situ surface probes and postdeposition analyses were used to follow surface reaction paths and growth kinetics of Si1-yCy alloys grown on Si(001) by gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy from Si2H6/CH3SiH3 mixtures as a function of C concentration y (0-2.6 at %) and temperature Ts (500-600 °C). High-resolution x-ray diffraction reciprocal lattice maps show that all layers are in tension and fully coherent with their substrates. Film growth rates R decrease with both y and Ts, and the rate of decrease in R as a function of y increases rapidly with Ts. In situ isotopically tagged D2 temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) measurements reveal that C segregation during steady-state Si1-yCy(001) growth results in charge transfer from Si surface dangling bonds to second-layer C atoms, which have a higher electronegativity than Si. From the TPD results, we obtain the coverage θSi*(y,Ts) of Si* surface sites with C backbonds as well as H2 desorption energies Ed from both Si and Si* surface sites. θSi* increases with increasing y and Ts in the kinetically limited segregation regime while Ed decreases from 2.52 eV for H2 desorption from Si surface sites with Si back bonds to 2.22 eV from Si* surface sites. This leads to an increase in the H2 desorption rate, and hence should yield higher film deposition rates, with increasing y and/or Ts during Si1-yCy(001) growth. The effect, however, is more than offset by the decrease in Si2H6 reactive sticking probabilities at Si* surface sites. Film growth rates R(Ts,JSi2H6,JCH3SiH3) calculated using a simple transition-state kinetic model, together with measured kinetic parameters, were found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental data.

Effect of starting point formation on the crystallization of amorphous silicon films by flash lamp annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Daiki; Ohdaira, Keisuke

2018-04-01

We succeed in the crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films by flash lamp annealing (FLA) at a low fluence by intentionally creating starting points for the trigger of explosive crystallization (EC). We confirm that a partly thick a-Si part can induce the crystallization of a-Si films. A periodic wavy structure is observed on the surface of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) on and near the thick parts, which is a clear indication of the emergence of EC. Creating partly thick a-Si parts can thus be effective for the control of the starting point of crystallization by FLA and can realize the crystallization of a-Si with high reproducibility. We also compare the effects of creating thick parts at the center and along the edge of the substrates, and a thick part along the edge of the substrates leads to the initiation of crystallization at a lower fluence.

Aluminum silicide microparticles transformed from aluminum thin films by hypoeutectic interdiffusion

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Aluminum silicide microparticles with oxidized rough surfaces were formed on Si substrates through a spontaneous granulation process of Al films. This microparticle formation was caused by interdiffusion of Al and Si atoms at hypoeutectic temperatures of Al-Si systems, which was driven by compressive stress stored in Al films. The size, density, and the composition of the microparticles could be controlled by adjusting the annealing temperature, time, and the film thickness. High-density microparticles of a size around 10 μm and with an atomic ratio of Si/Al of approximately 0.8 were obtained when a 90-nm-thick Al film on Si substrate was annealed for 9 h at 550°C. The microparticle formation resulted in a rapid increase of the sheet resistance, which is a consequence of substantial consumption of Al film. This simple route to size- and composition-controllable microparticle formation may lay a foundation stone for the thermoelectric study on Al-Si alloy-based heterogeneous systems. PMID:24994964

Aluminum silicide microparticles transformed from aluminum thin films by hypoeutectic interdiffusion.

PubMed

Noh, Jin-Seo

2014-01-01

Aluminum silicide microparticles with oxidized rough surfaces were formed on Si substrates through a spontaneous granulation process of Al films. This microparticle formation was caused by interdiffusion of Al and Si atoms at hypoeutectic temperatures of Al-Si systems, which was driven by compressive stress stored in Al films. The size, density, and the composition of the microparticles could be controlled by adjusting the annealing temperature, time, and the film thickness. High-density microparticles of a size around 10 μm and with an atomic ratio of Si/Al of approximately 0.8 were obtained when a 90-nm-thick Al film on Si substrate was annealed for 9 h at 550°C. The microparticle formation resulted in a rapid increase of the sheet resistance, which is a consequence of substantial consumption of Al film. This simple route to size- and composition-controllable microparticle formation may lay a foundation stone for the thermoelectric study on Al-Si alloy-based heterogeneous systems.

Influence of intermediate layers on the surface condition of laser crystallized silicon thin films and solar cell performance

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

Höger, Ingmar, E-mail: ingmar.hoeger@ipht-jena.de; Gawlik, Annett; Brückner, Uwe

The intermediate layer (IL) between glass substrate and silicon plays a significant role in the optimization of multicrystalline liquid phase crystallized silicon thin film solar cells on glass. This study deals with the influence of the IL on the surface condition and the required chemical surface treatment of the crystallized silicon (mc-Si), which is of particular interest for a-Si:H heterojunction thin film solar cells. Two types of IL were investigated: sputtered silicon nitride (SiN) and a layer stack consisting of silicon nitride and silicon oxide (SiN/SiO). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements revealed the formation of silicon oxynitride (SiO{sub x}N{sub y}) ormore » silicon oxide (SiO{sub 2}) layers at the surface of the mc-Si after liquid phase crystallization on SiN or SiN/SiO, respectively. We propose that SiO{sub x}N{sub y} formation is governed by dissolving nitrogen from the SiN layer in the silicon melt, which segregates at the crystallization front during crystallization. This process is successfully hindered, when additional SiO layers are introduced into the IL. In order to achieve solar cell open circuit voltages above 500 mV, a removal of the formed SiO{sub x}N{sub y} top layer is required using sophisticated cleaning of the crystallized silicon prior to a-Si:H deposition. However, solar cells crystallized on SiN/SiO yield high open circuit voltage even when a simple wet chemical surface treatment is applied. The implementation of SiN/SiO intermediate layers facilitates the production of mesa type solar cells with open circuit voltages above 600 mV and a power conversion efficiency of 10%.« less

Bidisperse silica nanoparticles close-packed monolayer on silicon substrate by three step spin method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanna, Sakshum; Marathey, Priyanka; Utsav, Chaliawala, Harsh; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2018-05-01

We present the studies on the structural properties of monolayer Bidisperse silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (BDS) on Silicon (Si-100) substrate using spin coating technique. The Bidisperse silica nanoparticle was synthesised by the modified sol-gel process. Nanoparticles on the substrate are generally assembled in non-close/close-packed monolayer (CPM) form. The CPM form is obtained by depositing the colloidal suspension onto the silicon substrate using complex techniques. Here we report an effective method for forming a monolayer of bidisperse silica nanoparticle by three step spin coating technique. The samples were prepared by mixing the monodisperse solutions of different particles size 40 and 100 nm diameters. The bidisperse silica nanoparticles were self-assembled on the silicon substrate forming a close-packed monolayer film. The scanning electron microscope images of bidisperse films provided in-depth film structure of the film. The maximum surface coverage obtained was around 70-80%.

Hybrid solar cell based on a-Si/polymer flat heterojunction on flexible substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivares Vargas, A. J.; Mansurova, S.; Cosme, I.; Kosarev, A.; Ospina Ocampo, C. A.; Martinez Mateo, H. E.

2017-08-01

In this work, we present the results of investigation of thin film hybrid organic-inorganic photovoltaic structures based on flat heterojunction hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H) and poly(3,4 ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fabricated on polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). Different thicknesses of transparent AL doped Zn:O (AZO) electrodes have been tested on PEN substrate and studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AZO films on PEN substrate were statistically processed to obtain surface morphological characteristics, such as root mean square roughness RQ, skewness SK and kurtosis KU. Performance characteristics of fabricated photovoltaic structures have been measured and analyzed for different thicknesses of the transparent electrodes under standard illumination (AM 1.5 I0= 100mW/cm2). Structures on flexible substrates show reproducible performance characteristic as their glass substrate counterpart with values of JSC= 6 mA/cm2, VOC= 0.535 V, FF= 43 % and PCE= 1.41%.

Direct observation for atomically flat and ordered vertical {111} side-surfaces on three-dimensionally figured Si(110) substrate using scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Haoyu; Hattori, Azusa N.; Ohata, Akinori; Takemoto, Shohei; Hattori, Ken; Daimon, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Hidekazu

2017-11-01

A three-dimensional Si{111} vertical side-surface structure on a Si(110) wafer was fabricated by reactive ion etching (RIE) followed by wet-etching and flash-annealing treatments. The side-surface was studied with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in atomic scale for the first time, in addition to atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). AFM and SEM showed flat and smooth vertical side-surfaces without scallops, and STM proved the realization of an atomically-flat 7 × 7-reconstructed structure, under optimized RIE and wet-etching conditions. STM also showed that a step-bunching occurred on the produced {111} side-surface corresponding to a reversely taped side-surface with a tilt angle of a few degrees, but did not show disordered structures. Characteristic LEED patterns from both side- and top-reconstructed surfaces were also demonstrated.

Constructing a superhydrophobic surface on polydimethylsiloxane via spin coating and vapor-liquid sol-gel process.

PubMed

Peng, Yu-Ting; Lo, Kuo-Feng; Juang, Yi-Je

2010-04-06

In this study, a superhydrophobic surface on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate was constructed via the proposed vapor-liquid sol-gel process in conjunction with spin coating of dodecyltrichlorosilane (DTS). Unlike the conventional sol-gel process where the reaction takes place in the liquid phase, layers of silica (SiO(2)) particles were formed through the reaction between the reactant spin-coated on the PDMS surface and vapor of the acid solution. This led to the SiO(2) particles inlaid on the PDMS surface. Followed by subsequent spin coating of DTS solution, the wrinkle-like structure was formed, and the static contact angle of the water droplet on the surface could reach 162 degrees with 2 degrees sliding angle and less than 5 degrees contact angle hysteresis. The effect of layers of SiO(2) particles, concentrations of DTS solution and surface topography on superhydrophobicity of the surface is discussed.

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of plasma-sprayed Mg(2)SiO(4) coating on titanium alloy.

PubMed

Xie, Youtao; Zhai, Wanyin; Chen, Lei; Chang, Jiang; Zheng, Xuebin; Ding, Chuanxian

2009-07-01

In this paper, chemically synthesized Mg(2)SiO(4) (MS) powder was plasma-sprayed onto a titanium alloy substrate to evaluate its application potentials in biomedicine. The phase composition and surface morphology of the MS coating were analyzed. Results showed that the MS coating was composed mainly of Mg(2)SiO(4) phase, with a small amount of MgO and glass phases. Mechanical testing showed that the coating exhibited good adhesion strength to the substrate due to the close thermal expansion coefficient between the MS ceramic and the titanium alloy substrate. The measured bonding strength was as high as 41.5+/-5.3MPa, which is much higher than the traditional HA coating. In vitro cytocompatibility evaluation of the MS coating was performed using canine bone marrow stem cells (MSCs). The MSCs exhibited good adhesion, proliferation and differentiation behavior on the MS coating surface, which can be explained by the high protein adsorption capability of the MS coating, as well as the stimulatory effects of Mg and Si ions released from the coating. The proliferation rate of the MSCs on MS coating was very close to that on the hydroxylapatite (HA) coating. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity analysis demonstrated that the ALP level of the MSCs on the MS coating remained high even after 21days, implying that the surface characteristics of the coating are beneficial for the differentiation of MSCs. In summary, our results suggest that MS coating might be a new approach to prepare bone implants.

LaAlO{sub 3}/Si capacitors: Comparison of different molecular beam deposition conditions and their impact on electrical properties

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

Pelloquin, Sylvain; Baboux, Nicolas; Albertini, David

2013-01-21

A study of the structural and electrical properties of amorphous LaAlO{sub 3} (LAO)/Si thin films fabricated by molecular beam deposition (MBD) is presented. Two substrate preparation procedures have been explored namely a high temperature substrate preparation technique-leading to a step and terraces surface morphology-and a chemical HF-based surface cleaning. The LAO deposition conditions were improved by introducing atomic plasma-prepared oxygen instead of classical molecular O{sub 2} in the chamber. An Au/Ni stack was used as the top electrode for its electrical characteristics. The physico-chemical properties (surface topography, thickness homogeneity, LAO/Si interface quality) and electrical performance (capacitance and current versus voltagemore » and TunA current topography) of the samples were systematically evaluated. Deposition conditions (substrate temperature of 550 Degree-Sign C, oxygen partial pressure settled at 10{sup -6} Torr, and 550 W of power applied to the O{sub 2} plasma) and post-depositions treatments were investigated to optimize the dielectric constant ({kappa}) and leakage currents density (J{sub Gate} at Double-Vertical-Line V{sub Gate} Double-Vertical-Line = Double-Vertical-Line V{sub FB}- 1 Double-Vertical-Line ). In the best reproducible conditions, we obtained a LAO/Si layer with a dielectric constant of 16, an equivalent oxide thickness of 8.7 A, and J{sub Gate} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup -2}A/cm{sup 2}. This confirms the importance of LaAlO{sub 3} as an alternative high-{kappa} for ITRS sub-22 nm technology node.« less

Comparative analysis of germanium-silicon quantum dots formation on Si(100), Si(111) and Sn/Si(100) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozovoy, Kirill; Kokhanenko, Andrey; Voitsekhovskii, Alexander

2018-02-01

In this paper theoretical modeling of formation and growth of germanium-silicon quantum dots in the method of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on different surfaces is carried out. Silicon substrates with crystallographic orientations (100) and (111) are considered. Special attention is paid to the question of growth of quantum dots on the silicon surface covered by tin, since germanium-silicon-tin system is extremely important for contemporary nano- and optoelectronics: for creation of photodetectors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and fast-speed transistors. A theoretical approach for modeling growth processes of such semiconductor compounds during the MBE is presented. Both layer-by-layer and island nucleation stages in the Stranski-Krastanow growth mode are described. A change in free energy during transition of atoms from the wetting layer to an island, activation barrier of the nucleation, critical thickness of 2D to 3D transition, as well as surface density and size distribution function of quantum dots in these systems are calculated with the help of the established model. All the theoretical speculations are carried out keeping in mind possible device applications of these materials. In particular, it is theoretically shown that using of the Si(100) surface covered by tin as a substrate for Ge deposition may be very promising for increasing size homogeneity of quantum dot array for possible applications in low-noise selective quantum dot infrared photodetectors.

Comparative analysis of germanium-silicon quantum dots formation on Si(100), Si(111) and Sn/Si(100) surfaces.

PubMed

Lozovoy, Kirill; Kokhanenko, Andrey; Voitsekhovskii, Alexander

2018-02-02

In this paper theoretical modeling of formation and growth of germanium-silicon quantum dots in the method of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on different surfaces is carried out. Silicon substrates with crystallographic orientations (100) and (111) are considered. Special attention is paid to the question of growth of quantum dots on the silicon surface covered by tin, since germanium-silicon-tin system is extremely important for contemporary nano- and optoelectronics: for creation of photodetectors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and fast-speed transistors. A theoretical approach for modeling growth processes of such semiconductor compounds during the MBE is presented. Both layer-by-layer and island nucleation stages in the Stranski-Krastanow growth mode are described. A change in free energy during transition of atoms from the wetting layer to an island, activation barrier of the nucleation, critical thickness of 2D to 3D transition, as well as surface density and size distribution function of quantum dots in these systems are calculated with the help of the established model. All the theoretical speculations are carried out keeping in mind possible device applications of these materials. In particular, it is theoretically shown that using of the Si(100) surface covered by tin as a substrate for Ge deposition may be very promising for increasing size homogeneity of quantum dot array for possible applications in low-noise selective quantum dot infrared photodetectors.

A high-resolution core-level photoemission study of the Au/4H-SiC(0001)-([Formula: see text]) interface.

PubMed

Stoltz, D; Stoltz, S E; Johansson, L S O

2007-07-04

We present a systematic study of different reconstructions obtained after deposition of Au on the [Formula: see text]-4H-SiC(0001) surface. For 1-2 monolayers (ML) Au and annealing temperature T(anneal)∼675 °C, a 3 × 3 reconstruction was observed. For 4 ML Au and T(anneal)∼650 °C, a [Formula: see text] reconstruction appeared, while 5 ML Au annealed at 700 °C reconstructed to give a [Formula: see text] pattern. From the Si 2p and Au 4f core-level components, we propose interface models, depending on the amount of Au on the surface and the annealing temperature. For 1-4 ML Au annealed at 650-675 °C, gold diffuses under the topmost Si into the SiC and forms a silicide. An additional Si component in our Si 2p spectra is related to the interface between the silicide and SiC. For 5 ML Au annealed at 700 °C, silicide is also formed at the surface, covering unreacted Au on top of the SiC substrate. The interface Si component is also observed in the Si 2p spectra of this surface. The key role in [Formula: see text]-4H-SiC(0001) interface formation is played by diffusion and the silicon-richness of the surface.

A niching genetic algorithm applied to optimize a SiC-bulk crystal growth system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Juan; Chen, Xuejiang; Li, Yuan; Pons, Michel; Blanquet, Elisabeth

2017-06-01

A niching genetic algorithm (NGA) was presented to optimize a SiC-bulk crystal growth system by PVT. The NGA based on clearing mechanism and its combination method with heat transfer model for SiC crystal growth were described in details. Then three inverse problems for optimization of growth system were carried out by NGA. Firstly, the radius of blind hole was optimized to decrease the radial temperature gradient along the substrate while the center temperature on the surface of substrate is fixed at 2500 K. Secondly, insulation materials with anisotropic thermal conductivities were selected to obtain much higher growth rate as 600, 800 and 1000 μm/h. Finally, the density of coils was also rearranged to minimize the temperature variation in the SiC powder. All the results were analyzed and discussed.

Advanced fabrication of single-crystalline silver nanopillar on SiO{sub 2} substrate

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

Mori, Tomohiro, E-mail: tomohiro-mori@wakayama-kg.jp, E-mail: kenzo@eng.kagawa-u.ac.jp; Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture, Ogura 60, Wakayama 649-6261; Tanaka, Yasuhiro

2016-01-25

Nanoscale crystallographic textures have received very little attention in research on surface plasmons using metallic nanostructures. A single-crystalline metallic nanostructure with a controlled crystallographic texture is expected to reduce optical losses. We elucidated the grain growth mechanism in silver thin films deposited on a highly transparent SiO{sub 2} substrate by electron backscatter diffraction methods with nanoscale resolution. At higher substrate temperatures, the grain growth was facilitated but the preferred orientation was not achieved. Moreover, we fabricated a single-crystalline silver nanopillar in a (111)-oriented large growing grain, which was controlled by varying the substrate temperature during film deposition by focused ion-beammore » milling. Furthermore, the light intensity of the scattering spectrum was measured for a single-crystalline silver nanopillar (undersurface diameter: 200 nm) for which surface plasmon resonance was observed. The single-crystalline silver nanopillar exhibits a stronger and sharper spectrum than the polycrystalline silver nanopillar. These results can be applied to the direct fabrication of a single-crystalline silver nanopillar using only physical processing.« less

Growth graphene on silver-copper nanoparticles by chemical vapor deposition for high-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiumei; Xu, Shicai; Jiang, Shouzhen; Wang, Jihua; Wei, Jie; Xu, Shida; Gao, Shoubao; Liu, Hanping; Qiu, Hengwei; Li, Zhen; Liu, Huilan; Li, Zhenhua; Li, Hongsheng

2015-10-01

We present a graphene/silver-copper nanoparticle hybrid system (G/SCNPs) to be used as a high-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. The silver-copper nanoparticles wrapped by a monolayer graphene layer are directly synthesized on SiO2/Si substrate by chemical vapor deposition in a mixture of methane and hydrogen. The G/SCNPs shows excellent SERS enhancement activity and high reproducibility. The minimum detected concentration of R6G is as low as 10-10 M and the calibration curve shows a good linear response from 10-6 to 10-10 M. The date fluctuations from 20 positions of one SERS substrate are less than 8% and from 20 different substrates are less than 10%. The high reproducibility of the enhanced Raman signals could be due to the presence of an ultrathin graphene layer and uniform morphology of silver-copper nanoparticles. The use of G/SCNPs for detection of nucleosides extracted from human urine demonstrates great potential for the practical applications on a variety of detection in medicine and biotechnology field.

Theoretical study of the noble metals on semiconductor surfaces and Ti-base shape memory alloys

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

Ding, Yungui

1994-07-27

The electronic and structural properties of the (√3 x√3) R30° Ag/Si(111) and (√3 x √3) R30° Au/Si(111) surfaces are investigated using first principles total energy calculations. We have tested almost all experimentally proposed structural models for both surfaces and found the energetically most favorable model for each of them. The lowest energy model structure of the (√3 x √3) R30° Ag/Si(111) surface consists of a top layer of Ag atoms arranged as ``honeycomb-chained-trimers`` lying above a distorted ``missing top layer`` Si(111) substrate. The coverage of Ag is 1 monolayer (ML). We find that the honeycomb structure observed in STM imagesmore » arise from the electronic charge densities of an empty surface band near the Fermi level. The electronic density of states of this model gives a ``pseudo-gap`` around the Fermi level, which is consistent with experimental results. The lowest energy model for the (√3 x √3) R30° Au/Si(111) surface is a conjugate honeycomb-chained-trimer (CHCT-1) configuration which consists of a top layer of trimers formed by 1 ML Au atoms lying above a ``missing top layer`` Si(111) substrate with a honeycomb-chained-trimer structure for its first layer. The structures of Au and Ag are in fact quite similar and belong to the same class of structural models. However, small variation in the structural details gives rise to quite different observed STM images, as revealed in the theoretical calculations. The electronic charge density from bands around the Fermi level for the (√3 x √3) R30°, Au/Si(111) surface also gives a good description of the images observed in STM experiments. First principles calculations are performed to study the electronic and structural properties of a series of Ti-base binary alloys TiFe, TiNi, TiPd, TiMo, and TiAu in the B2 structure.« less

The Selective Epitaxy of Silicon at Low Temperatures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Jen-Chung

1991-01-01

This dissertation has developed a process for the selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of silicon at low temperatures using a dichlorosilane-hydrogen mixture in a hot-wall low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) reactor. Some basic issues concerning the quality of epilayers --substrate preparation, ex-situ and in-situ cleaning, and deposition cycle, have been studied. We find it necessary to use a plasma etch to open epitaxial windows for the SEG of Si. A cycled plasma etch, a thin sacrificial oxide growth, and an oxide etching step can completely remove plasma-etch-induced surface damage and contaminants, which result in high quality epilayers. A practical wafer cleaning step is developed for low temperature Si epitaxial growth. An ex-situ HF vapor treatment can completely remove chemical oxide from the silicon surface and retard the reoxidation of the silicon surface. An in-situ low-concentration DCS cycle can aid in decomposition of surface oxide during a 900 ^circC H_2 prebake step. An HF vapor treatment combined with a low-concentration of DCS cycle consistently achieves defect-free epilayers at 850^circC and lower temperatures. We also show that a BF_sp{2}{+ } or F^+ ion implantation is a potential ex-situ wafer cleaning process for SEG of Si at low temperatures. The mechanism for the formation of surface features on Si epilayers is also discussed. Based on O ^+ ion implantation, we showed that the oxygen incorporation in silicon epilayers suppresses the Si growth rate. Therefore, we attribute the formation of surface features to the local reduction of the Si growth rate due to the dissolution of oxide islands at the epi/substrate interface. Finally, with this developed process for the SEG of silicon, defect-free overgrown epilayers are also obtained. This achievement demonstrates the feasibility for the future silicon-on-oxide (SOI) manufacturing technology.

Method of forming a hardened surface on a substrate

DOEpatents

Branagan, Daniel J.

2010-08-31

The invention includes a method of producing a hard metallic material by forming a mixture containing at least 55% iron and at least one of B, C, Si and P. The mixture is formed into an alloy and cooled to form a metallic material having a hardness of greater than about 9.2 GPa. The invention includes a method of forming a wire by combining a metal strip and a powder. The metal strip and the powder are rolled to form a wire containing at least 55% iron and from two to seven additional elements including at least one of C, Si and B. The invention also includes a method of forming a hardened surface on a substrate by processing a solid mass to form a powder, applying the powder to a surface to form a layer containing metallic glass, and converting the glass to a crystalline material having a nanocrystalline grain size.

Laser dispersing of ceramic powders into Al-alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jendrzejewski, Rafał; Van Acker, Karel; Vanhoyweghen, Dirk

2007-02-01

The general objective of the work was formation of highly wear resistant metal matrix composite (MMC) surface layers on aluminium based Al 6061 alloy by means of laser dispersing. The surface of the substrate is locally melted by the high power diode laser beam and simultaneously powder particles are injected into molten material. The optimal process parameter window for the laser dispersing of SiC in Al 6061 has been found. The measured values of the wear rates of the sample with dispersed SiC particles are about seven times lower than that of the reference Al-substrates. Results show that laser dispersing is highly promising technology to improve the surface, mainly wear properties of light metals. However the possibilities of industrial application are still limited due to considerable laser beam power and preheating temperature applied as well low productivity because of low scanning speed, and therefore further investigations are required.

Surface-plasmon mediated total absorption of light into silicon.

PubMed

Yoon, Jae Woong; Park, Woo Jae; Lee, Kyu Jin; Song, Seok Ho; Magnusson, Robert

2011-10-10

We report surface-plasmon mediated total absorption of light into a silicon substrate. For an Au grating on Si, we experimentally show that a surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) excited on the air/Au interface leads to total absorption with a rate nearly 10 times larger than the ohmic damping rate of collectively oscillating free electrons in the Au film. Rigorous numerical simulations show that the SPP resonantly enhances forward diffraction of light to multiple orders of lossy waves in the Si substrate with reflection and ohmic absorption in the Au film being negligible. The measured reflection and phase spectra reveal a quantitative relation between the peak absorbance and the associated reflection phase change, implying a resonant interference contribution to this effect. An analytic model of a dissipative quasi-bound resonator provides a general formula for the resonant absorbance-phase relation in excellent agreement with the experimental results.

Laser-induced modification of graphene in the presence of ethanol on a graphene - substrate interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pivovarov, P. A.; Frolov, V. D.; Zavedeev, E. V.; Konov, V. I.

2017-12-01

We have studied the effect that the substitution of an organic substance (ethanol) for water adsorbate on a CVD graphene-SiO2/Si interface has on the laser-induced modification of graphene and graphene structures on the SiO2 film. Scanning probe microscopy has been used to analyse changes in the electronic properties of graphene structures on a hydrophilic substrate in the presence of ethanol and as a result of a laser-induced spatial redistribution of a water-alcohol adsorbate on the interface. It has been demonstrated experimentally that ethanol substitution for water adsorbate leads to an increase in the surface potential of the graphene, which is equivalent to a reduction in its work function with respect to the original level under normal conditions at a relative humidity of air from 30% to 60%. In the laser irradiation zone, we observe an additional increase in surface potential by 30-50 mV. Thus, ethanol makes it possible to tune the laser-induced electronic properties of graphene on a substrate. In addition, it has been shown that the intercalation of ethanol molecules leads to severe temporal instability of the physical properties of graphene structures produced by local laser irradiation. We have demonstrated the possibility of information ‘rewriting’ by low-intensity laser pulses in microregions with a changed surface potential in the presence of ethanol.

Current Status of the Quality of 4H-SiC Substrates and Epilayers for Power Device Applications

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

Dudley, M.; Wang, H.; Guo, Jianqiu

ABSTRACT Interfacial dislocations (IDs) and half-loop arrays (HLAs) present in the epilayers of 4H-SiC crystal are known to have a deleterious effect on device performance. Synchrotron X-ray Topography studies carried out on n-type 4H-SiC offcut wafers before and after epitaxial growth show that in many cases BPD segments in the substrate are responsible for creating IDs and HLAs during CVD growth. This paper reviews the behaviors of BPDs in the substrate during the epitaxial growth in different cases: (1) screw-oriented BPD segments intersecting the surface replicate directly through the interface during the epitaxial growth and take part in stress relaxationmore » process by creating IDs and HLAs (Matthews-Blakeslee model [1] ); (2) non-screw oriented BPD half loop intersecting the surface glides towards and replicates through the interface, while the intersection points convert to threading edge dislocations (TEDs) and pin the half loop, leaving straight screw segments in the epilayer and then create IDs and HLAs; (3) edge oriented short BPD segments well below the surface get dragged towards the interface during epitaxial growth, leaving two long screw segments in their wake, some of which replicate through the interface and create IDs and HLAs. The driving force for the BPDs to glide toward the interface is thermal stress and driving force for the relaxation process to occur is the lattice parameter difference at growth temperature which results from the doping concentration difference between the substrate and epilayer.« less

Studies of the Origins of Half-Loop Arrays and Interfacial Dislocations Observed in Homoepitaxial Layers of 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Dudley, M.; Wu, F.; Yang, Y.; Raghothamachar, B.; Zhang, J.; Chung, G.; Thomas, B.; Sanchez, E. K.; Mueller, S. G.; Hansen, D.; Loboda, M. J.

2015-05-01

Synchrotron x-ray topography and KOH etching studies have been carried out on n-type 4H-SiC offcut substrates before and after homoepitaxial growth to study defect replication and strain relaxation processes and identify the nucleation sources of both interfacial dislocations (IDs) and half-loop arrays (HLAs), which are known to have a deleterious effect on device performance. Two cases are reported. In one, they nucleate from short segments of edge-oriented basal plane dislocations (BPDs) in the substrate which are drawn into the epilayer. In the other, they form from segments of half-loops of BPD that are attached to the substrate surface prior to growth which glide into the epilayer. The significance of these findings is: (1) It is demonstrated that it is not necessary for a BPD to intersect the substrate surface in order for it to be replicated into the homoepitaxial layer and take part in nucleation of IDs and HLAs; (2) The conversion of the surface intersections of a substrate BPD half-loop into threading edge dislocations (TEDs) does not prevent it from also becoming involved in nucleation of IDs and HLAs. This means that, while BPD to TED conversion can eliminate most of the BPD transfer into the epilayer, further mitigation may only be possible by continued efforts to reduce the BPD density in substrates by control of temperature-gradient- induced stresses during their physical vapor transport (PVT) growth.

Polytype Stability and Microstructural Characterization of Silicon Carbide Epitaxial Films Grown on [ {11}overline{{2}} {0} ]- and [0001]-Oriented Silicon Carbide Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, S. M.; Reynolds, C. L.; Liliental-Weber, Z.; Uprety, Y.; Zhu, J.; Wang, D.; Park, M.; Molstad, J. C.; Barnhardt, D. E.; Shrivastava, A.; Sudarshan, T. S.; Davis, R. F.

2007-04-01

The polytype and surface and defect microstructure of epitaxial layers grown on 4H( {11}overline{{2}} {0} ), 4H(0001) on-axis, 4H(0001) 8° off-axis, and 6H(0001) on-axis substrates have been investigated. High-resolution x-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the epitaxial layers on 4H( {11}overline{{2}} {0} ) and 4H(0001) 8° off-axis to have the 4H-SiC (silicon carbide) polytype, while the 3C-SiC polytype was identified for epitaxial layers on 4H(0001) and 6H(0001) on-axis substrates. Cathodoluminescence (CL), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed these results. The epitaxial surface of 4H( {11}overline{{2}} {0} ) films was specular with a roughness of 0.16-nm root-mean-square (RMS), in contrast to the surfaces of the other epitaxial layer-substrate orientations, which contained curvilinear boundaries, growth pits (˜3 × 104 cm-2), triangular defects >100 μm, and significant step bunching. Molten KOH etching revealed large defect densities within 4H( {11}overline{{2}} {0} ) films that decreased with film thickness to ˜106 cm-2 at 2.5 μm, while cross-sectional TEM studies showed areas free of defects and an indistinguishable film-substrate interface for 4H( {11}overline{{2}} {0} ) epitaxial layers.

Mechanism analysis on finishing of reaction-sintered silicon carbide by combination of water vapor plasma oxidation and ceria slurry polishing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Xinmin; Tu, Qunzhang; Deng, Hui; Jiang, Guoliang; Yamamura, Kazuya

2015-05-01

Reaction-sintered silicon carbide (RS-SiC), which is considered as a promising mirror material for space telescope systems, requires a high surface property. An ultrasmooth surface with a Ra surface roughness of 0.480 nm was obtained after water vapor plasma oxidation for 90 min followed by ceria slurry polishing for 40 min. The oxidation process of RS-SiC by water vapor plasma was analyzed based on the Deal-Grove model, and the theoretical calculation results are consistent with the measured data obtained by scanning white light interferometer (SWLI), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive x-ray, and atomic force microscope. The polishing process of oxidized RS-SiC by ceria slurry was investigated according to the Preston equation, which would theoretically forecast the evolutions of RS-SiC surfaces along with the increasing of polishing time, and it was experimentally verified by comparing the surface roughnesses obtained by SWLI and the surface morphologies obtained by SEM. The mechanism analysis on the finishing of RS-SiC would be effective for the optimization of water vapor plasma oxidation parameters and ceria slurry polishing parameters, which will promote the application of RS-SiC substrates by improving the surface property obtained by the oxidation-assisted polishing method.

Estimation of critical thickness of Stranski-Krastanow transition in GeSi/Sn/Si system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozovoy, K. A.; Pishchagin, A. A.; Kokhanenko, A. P.; Voitsekhovskii, A. V.

2017-11-01

In this paper Stranski-Krastanow growth of Ge x Si1-x epitaxial layers on the Si(001) surface with pre-deposited tin layer with the thickness less than 1 ML is considered. For the calculations of critical thickness of transition from 2D to 3D growth in this paper a theoretical model based on general nucleation theory is used. This model is specified by taking into account dependencies of elastic modulus, lattices mismatch and surface energy of side facet on the composition x, as well as change in the adatoms diffusion coefficient and surface energy of the substrate in the presence of tin. As a result, dependencies of critical thickness of Stranski-Krastanow transition on compositon x and temperature are obtained. The simulated results are in a good agreement with experimentally observed results.

STM studies of GeSi thin layers epitaxially grown on Si(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motta, N.; Sgarlata, A.; De Crescenzi, M.; Derrien, J.

1996-08-01

Ge/Si alloys were prepared in UHV by solid phase epitaxy on Si(111) substrates. The alloy formation, as a function of the evaporation rate and the Ge layer thickness has been followed in situ by RHEED and scanning tunneling microscopy. The 5 × 5 surface reconstruction appeared after annealing at 450°C Ge layers (up to 10 Å thick), obtained from a low rate Knudsen cell evaporator. In this case a nearly flat and uniform layer of reconstructed alloy was observed. When using an e-gun high rate evaporator we needed to anneal the Ge layer up to 780°C to obtain a 5 × 5 reconstruction. The grown layer was not flat, with many steps and Ge clusters; at high coverages (10 Å and more) large Ge islands appeared. Moreover, we then succeeded in visualizing at atomic resolution the top of some of these Ge islands which displayed a 2 × 1 reconstruction, probably induced from the high compressive strain due to the lattice mismatch with the substrate. We suggest that this unusual behavior could be connected to the high evaporation rate, which helped the direct formation of Ge microcrystals on the Si substrate during the deposition process.

Fourier Transform Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy of Gas-Phase and Surface Reaction Products during Si Etching in Inductively Coupled Cl2 Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyata, Hiroki; Tsuda, Hirotaka; Fukushima, Daisuke; Takao, Yoshinori; Eriguchi, Koji; Ono, Kouichi

2011-10-01

A better understanding of plasma-surface interactions is indispensable during etching, including the behavior of reaction or etch products, because the products on surfaces and in the plasma are important in passivation layer formation through their redeposition on surfaces. In practice, the nanometer-scale control of plasma etching would still rely largely on such passivation layer formation as well as ion-enhanced etching on feature surfaces. This paper presents in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy of gas-phase and surface reaction products during inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching of Si in Cl2. The observation was made in the gas phase by transmission absorption spectroscopy (TAS), and also on the substrate surface by reflection absorption spectroscopy (RAS). The quantum chemical calculation was also made of the vibrational frequency of silicon chloride molecules. The deconvolution of the TAS spectrum revealed absorption features of Si2Cl6 and SiClx (x = 1-3) as well as SiCl4, while that of the RAS spectrum revealed relatively increased absorption features of unsaturated silicon chlorides. A different behavior was also observed in bias power dependence between the TAS and RAS spectra.

Phase separation in SiGe nanocrystals embedded in SiO{sub 2} matrix during high temperature annealing

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

Mogaddam, N. A. P.; Turan, R.; Alagoz, A. S.

2008-12-15

SiGe nanocrystals have been formed in SiO{sub 2} matrix by cosputtering Si, Ge, and SiO{sub 2} independently on Si substrate. Effects of the annealing time and temperature on structural and compositional properties are studied by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy measurements. It is observed that Ge-rich Si{sub (1-x)}Ge{sub x} nanocrystals do not hold their compositional uniformity when annealed at high temperatures for enough long time. A segregation process leading to separation of Ge and Si atoms from each other takes place. This process has been evidenced by a double peak formation in the XRD and Ramanmore » spectra. We attributed this phase separation to the differences in atomic size, surface energy, and surface diffusion disparity between Si and Ge atoms leading to the formation of nonhomogenous structure consist of a Si-rich SiGe core covered by a Ge-rich SiGe shell. This experimental observation is consistent with the result of reported theoretical and simulation methods.« less

Van der Waals heterojunction diode composed of WS2 flake placed on p-type Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aftab, Sikandar; Farooq Khan, M.; Min, Kyung-Ah; Nazir, Ghazanfar; Afzal, Amir Muhammad; Dastgeer, Ghulam; Akhtar, Imtisal; Seo, Yongho; Hong, Suklyun; Eom, Jonghwa

2018-01-01

P-N junctions represent the fundamental building blocks of most semiconductors for optoelectronic functions. This work demonstrates a technique for forming a WS2/Si van der Waals junction based on mechanical exfoliation. Multilayered WS2 nanoflakes were exfoliated on the surface of bulk p-type Si substrates using a polydimethylsiloxane stamp. We found that the fabricated WS2/Si p-n junctions exhibited rectifying characteristics. We studied the effect of annealing processes on the performance of the WS2/Si van der Waals p-n junction and demonstrated that annealing improved its electrical characteristics. However, devices with vacuum annealing have an enhanced forward-bias current compared to those annealed in a gaseous environment. We also studied the top-gate-tunable rectification characteristics across the p-n junction interface in experiments as well as density functional theory calculations. Under various temperatures, Zener breakdown occurred at low reverse-bias voltages, and its breakdown voltage exhibited a negative coefficient of temperature. Another breakdown voltage was observed, which increased with temperature, suggesting a positive coefficient of temperature. Therefore, such a breakdown can be assigned to avalanche breakdown. This work demonstrates a promising application of two-dimensional materials placed directly on conventional bulk Si substrates.

Orientation control of barium titanate films using metal oxide nanosheet layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Hiroshi; Oi, Tomotake; Noguchi, Keito; Moki, Shota; Kim, Jin Woon; Shima, Hiromi; Nishida, Ken; Kiguchi, Takanori; Akama, Akihiko; Konno, Toyohiko J.; Funakubo, Hiroshi

2016-10-01

In the present work, we aim to achieve the preferred crystal orientation of chemical solution deposition (CSD)-derived BaTiO3 films on ubiquitous Si wafers with the assistance of Ca2Nb3O10 nanosheet (ns-CN) template layers. The ns-CN on platinized Si (Pt/Si) substrates aligned the BaTiO3(100) plane to the substrate surface, because of the favorable lattice matching of the ns-CN (001) plane. The CSD process in air required a high crystallization temperature of 900 °C for the preferred crystal orientation of BaTiO3(100) because of the BaCO3 byproduct generated during the combustion reaction of the precursor gel. The processing in vacuum to remove CO2 species enhanced the crystal orientation even at the crystallization temperature of 800 °C, although it can generate oxygen vacancies (\\text{V}\\text{O}{} \\bullet \\bullet ) that cause distorted polarization behavior under an applied field higher than approximately 150 kV/cm. The relative dielectric constant (εr) of the (100)-oriented BaTiO3 film on the ns-CN-supported Pt/Si substrate (ns-CN/Pt/Si) was generally larger than that of the randomly oriented film on Pt/Si, depending on the degree of crystal orientation.

Precise Nanoelectronics with Adatom Chains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamada, Toshishige

1999-01-01

Adatom chains on an atomically regulated substrate will be building components in future precise nanoelectronics. Adatoms need to be secured with chemical bonding, but then electronic isolation between the adatom and substrate systems is not guaranteed. A one-dimensional model shows that good isolation with existence of surface states is expected on an s-p crossing substrate such as Si, Ge, or GaAs, reflecting the bulk nature of the substrate. Isolation is better if adatoms are electronically similar to the substrate atoms, and can be manipulated by hydrogenation. Chain structures with group IV adatoms with two chemical bonds, or group III adatoms with one chemical bond, are semiconducting, reflecting the surface nature of the substrate. These structures are unintentionally doped due to the charge transfer across the chemical bonds. Physical properties of adatom chains have to be determined for the unified adatom-substrate system.

Novel Passivating/Antireflective Coatings for Space Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faur, Mircea; Faur, Maria; Bailey, S. G.; Flood, D. J.; Faur, H. M.; Mateescu, C. G.; Alterovitz, S. A.; Scheiman, D.; Jenkins, P. P.; Brinker, D. J.

2005-01-01

We are developing a novel process to grow passivating/antireflective (AR) coatings for terrestrial and space solar cells. Our approach involves a Room Temperature Wet Chemical Growth (RTWCG) process, which was pioneered, and is under development at SPECMAT, Inc., under a Reimbursable Space Act Agreement with NASA Glenn Research Center. The RTWCG passivating/AR coatings with graded index of refraction are applied in one easy step on finished (bare) cells. The RTWCG coatings grown on planar, textured and porous Si, as well as on poly-Si, CuInSe2, and III-V substrates, show excellent uniformity irrespective of surface topography, crystal orientation, size and shape. In this paper we present some preliminary results of the RTWCG coatings on Si and III-V substrates that show very good potential for use as a passivation/AR coating for space solar cell applications. Compared to coatings grown using conventional techniques, the RTWCG coatings have the potential to reduce reflection losses and improve current collection near the illuminated surface of space solar cells, while reducing the fabrication costs.

Physical mechanisms of SiN{sub x} layer structuring with ultrafast lasers by direct and confined laser ablation

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

Rapp, S., E-mail: rapp@hm.edu; Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies; Heinrich, G.

2015-03-14

In the production process of silicon microelectronic devices and high efficiency silicon solar cells, local contact openings in thin dielectric layers are required. Instead of photolithography, these openings can be selectively structured with ultra-short laser pulses by confined laser ablation in a fast and efficient lift off production step. Thereby, the ultrafast laser pulse is transmitted by the dielectric layer and absorbed at the substrate surface leading to a selective layer removal in the nanosecond time domain. Thermal damage in the substrate due to absorption is an unwanted side effect. The aim of this work is to obtain a deepermore » understanding of the physical laser-material interaction with the goal of finding a damage-free ablation mechanism. For this, thin silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) layers on planar silicon (Si) wafers are processed with infrared fs-laser pulses. Two ablation types can be distinguished: The known confined ablation at fluences below 300 mJ/cm{sup 2} and a combined partial confined and partial direct ablation at higher fluences. The partial direct ablation process is caused by nonlinear absorption in the SiN{sub x} layer in the center of the applied Gaussian shaped laser pulses. Pump-probe investigations of the central area show ultra-fast reflectivity changes typical for direct laser ablation. Transmission electron microscopy results demonstrate that the Si surface under the remaining SiN{sub x} island is not damaged by the laser ablation process. At optimized process parameters, the method of direct laser ablation could be a good candidate for damage-free selective structuring of dielectric layers on absorbing substrates.« less

Mechanical properties, chemical analysis and evaluation of antimicrobial response of Si-DLC coatings fabricated on AISI 316 LVM substrate by a multi-target DC-RF magnetron sputtering method for potential biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bociaga, Dorota; Sobczyk-Guzenda, Anna; Szymanski, Witold; Jedrzejczak, Anna; Jastrzebska, Aleksandra; Olejnik, Anna; Jastrzebski, Krzysztof

2017-09-01

In this study silicon doped diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) coatings were synthesized on two substrates: silicon and AISI 316LVM stainless steel using a multi-target DC-RF magnetron sputtering method. The Si content in the films ranged between 4 and 16 at.%, and was controlled by the electrical power applied in RF regime to Si cathode target. The character of the chemical bonds was revealed by FTIR analysis. With the addition of silicon the hydroxyl absorption (band in the range of 3200-3600 cm-1) increased what suggests more hydrophilic character of the coating. There were also observed significant changes in bonding of Si atoms. For low content of dopant, Si-O-Si bond system is predominant, while for the highest content of silicon there is an evidence of the shift to Si-C bonds in close proximity to methyl groups. The Raman spectroscopy revealed that the G peak position is shifted to a lower wavenumber and the ID/IG ratio decreased with increasing Si content, which indicates an increase in the C-sp3 content. Regardless of the coatings' composition, the improvement of hardness in comparison to pure substrate material (AISI 316 LVM) was observed. Although the reduction of the level of hardness from the level of 10.8 GPa for pure DLC to about 9.4 GPa for the silicon doped coatings was observed, the concomitant improvement of films adhesion with higher amount of Si was revealed. Although incorporation of the dopant to DLC coatings increases the number of E. coli cells which adhered to the examined surfaces, the microbial colonisation remains on the level of substrate material. The presented results prove the potential of Si-DLC coatings in biomedical applications from the point of view of their mechanical properties.

Step Free Surface Heteroepitaxy of 3C-SiC Layers on Patterned 4H/6H-SiC Mesas and Cantilevers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, P. G.; Powell, J. A.; Trunek, A. J.; Spry, D. J.

2004-01-01

The off-axis approach to SiC epitaxial growth has not prevented many substrate crystal defects from propagating into SiC epilayers, and does not permit the realization of SiC heteropolytype devices. This paper reviews recent advancements in SiC epitaxial growth that begin to overcome the above shortcomings for arrays of device-sized mesas patterned into on-axis 4H/6HSiC wafers. These on-axis mesa growth techniques have produced 4H/6H-SiC homoepilayers and 3C-SiC heteroepilayers with substantially lower dislocation densities. The results should enable improved homojunction and heterojunction silicon carbide prototype devices.

Effect of charged impurities and morphology on oxidation reactivity of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Mahito; Cullen, William; Einstein, Theodore; Fuhrer, Michael

2012-02-01

Chemical reactivity of single layer graphene supported on a substrate is observed to be enhanced over thicker graphene. Possible mechanisms for the enhancement are Fermi level fluctuations due to ionized impurities on the substrate, and structural deformation of graphene induced by coupling to the substrate geometry. Here, we study the substrate-dependent oxidation reactivity of graphene, employing various substrates such as SiO2, mica, SiO2 nanoparticle thin film, and hexagonal boron nitride, which exhibit different charged impurity concentrations and surface roughness. Graphene is prepared on each substrate via mechanical exfoliation and oxidized in Ar/O2 mixture at temperatures from 400-600 ^oC. After oxidation, the Raman spectrum of graphene is measured, and the Raman D to G peak ratio is used to quantify the density of point defects introduced by oxidation. We will discuss the correlations among the defect density in oxidized graphene, substrate charge inhomogeneity, substrate corrugations, and graphene layer thickness. This work has been supported by the University of Maryland NSF-MRSEC under Grant No. DMR 05-20471 with supplemental funding from NRI, and NSF-DMR 08-04976.

Thickness-dependent multiferroic behavior of BiFe0.75Cr0.25O3 films over Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

William, R. V.; Sivaprakash, P.; Marikani, A.; Reddy, V. Raghavendra; Arumugam, S.

2018-02-01

We present here the experimental results of BiFe0.75Cr0.25O3 (BFCO) thin film deposited by sol-gel spin coating technique directly on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate at different thicknesses. The crystal structure of BFCO has been investigated using X-ray diffraction which acts as a double perovskite structure with high crystallinity obtained at 400 °C. Further microscopic studies such as scanning electron microscope (SEM) with EDAX, transmission electron microscope (TEM) were also used in identifying the grain size and particle distribution over Pt (111) substrate. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) on the films at a different thickness (- 80 to - 250 nm) reveals that the surface roughness and other amplitude parameters increases with the increase in thickness signifying an increase of grain size with thickness. Increase in grain size and substrate clamping effect between the BFCO film and the substrate induces change in ferroelectric polarization and dielectric properties in relation to thickness effect. Similarly, decrease in magnetization from 9.241 emu/cm3 (- 80 nm) to 5.7791 emu/cm3 (- 250 nm) is attributed to the formation of anti-sites and anti-phase boundaries in the films. In addition, temperature dependence of magnetization reveals ferromagnetic super-exchange interaction of BFCO which is unlike the spin structure of antiferromagnetic BiFeO3.

Fabrication and characterization of low temperature polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnan, Anand Thiruvengadathan

2000-10-01

The proliferation of devices with built-in displays, such as personal digital assistants and cellular phones has created a demand for rugged light-weight displays. Polymeric substrates could be suited for these applications, and they offer the possibility of flexible displays also. However, driver circuitry needs to be integrated in the display if the cost is to be reduced. Low temperature (<350°C) polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film transistors, if developed, offer driver circuitry integration during pixel transistor fabrication on top of flexible substrates. This thesis addresses several issues related to the fabrication of thin film transistors at low temperatures on glass substrates. A high-density plasma (electron cyclotron resonance (ECR)) based approach was adopted for deposition of thin films. A process for deposition of n-type doped silicon (n-type doped Si) at T < 350°C and having resistivity <1 ohm/cm has been developed. Intrinsic poly-Si was deposited under different conditions of microwave power, RF bias and deposition times. The properties of n-type doped Si and intrinsic poly-Si were correlated with the structure and the deposition conditions. A novel TFT structure has been proposed and implemented in this work. This top gate TFT structure uses n-type doped Si and utilizes only two masks and one alignment step. There are no critical etch steps and good interface quality could be obtained even without post-processing hydrogenation as the poly-Si surface was not exposed to air before deposition of the gate dielectric. TFTs using this top gate structure were fabricated with no process step exceeding 340°C electrode temperature (surface temperature <300°C). These TFTs show ON/OFF ratios in excess of 105. Their sub-threshold swing is ˜0.5 V/decade and mobility is 1--10 cm2/V-s. Several TFTs were also fabricated using alternative dielectrics such as oxide deposited from tetramethyl silane in an RFPECVD chamber and silicon nitride deposited in the ECR and these TFTs also show reasonable device characteristics. TFTs processed using this high-density plasma based approach show great potential for use in applications such as driver circuitry integration on low temperature substrates.

Synthesis of sub-micro-flakes CrSe2 on glass and (110) Si substrates by solvothermal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Qingkai; Liu, Changyou; Zhang, Binbin; Jie, Wanqi

2018-06-01

Layered structure MX2 (M = transition metal, X = S, Se and Te) chalcogenides have rich physic properties and potential applications. While it is still a challenge to prepare the chalcogenides by solvothermal method. In this work, we reported a new solution method to prepare CrSe2 sub-micro-flakes on different substrates. The surface morphologies, structures and compositions of the precursor CrSe2(en)1/2 and CrSe2 were investigated by SEM, XRD, thermogravimetric, IR and Raman spectra. The CrSe2 flakes with the sizes of 5-15 μm were obtained on both glass and (110) Si crystalline substrates. The formation mechanism of CrSe2 sub-micro-flakes is suggested.

Direct growth of nanocrystalline hexagonal boron nitride films on dielectric substrates

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

Tay, Roland Yingjie; Temasek Laboratories@NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, Singapore 639798; Tsang, Siu Hon

Atomically thin hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) films are primarily synthesized through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on various catalytic transition metal substrates. In this work, a single-step metal-catalyst-free approach to obtain few- to multi-layer nanocrystalline h-BN (NCBN) directly on amorphous SiO{sub 2}/Si and quartz substrates is demonstrated. The as-grown thin films are continuous and smooth with no observable pinholes or wrinkles across the entire deposited substrate as inspected using optical and atomic force microscopy. The starting layers of NCBN orient itself parallel to the substrate, initiating the growth of the textured thin film. Formation of NCBN is due to the random andmore » uncontrolled nucleation of h-BN on the dielectric substrate surface with no epitaxial relation, unlike on metal surfaces. The crystallite size is ∼25 nm as determined by Raman spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the NCBN formed sheets of multi-stacked layers with controllable thickness from ∼2 to 25 nm. The absence of transfer process in this technique avoids any additional degradation, such as wrinkles, tears or folding and residues on the film which are detrimental to device performance. This work provides a wider perspective of CVD-grown h-BN and presents a viable route towards large-scale manufacturing of h-BN substrates and for coating applications.« less

Generic approach for synthesizing asymmetric nanoparticles and nanoassemblies

DOEpatents

Sun, Yugang; Hu, Yongxing

2015-05-26

A generic route for synthesis of asymmetric nanostructures. This approach utilizes submicron magnetic particles (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4--SiO.sub.2) as recyclable solid substrates for the assembly of asymmetric nanostructures and purification of the final product. Importantly, an additional SiO.sub.2 layer is employed as a mediation layer to allow for selective modification of target nanoparticles. The partially patched nanoparticles are used as building blocks for different kinds of complex asymmetric nanostructures that cannot be fabricated by conventional approaches. The potential applications such as ultra-sensitive substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) have been included.

Erosion and Surface Morphology of Silicon Carbide Under Variable DIII-D Divertor Heat Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bringuier, Stefan; Abrams, Tyler; Khalifa, Hesham; Thomas, Dan; Holland, Leo; Rudakov, Dmitry; Briesemeister, Alexis

2017-10-01

A SiC coating of 250 μm, deposited onto a graphite DiMES cap via chemical vapor deposition, was exposed to 80 s of H-mode plasma bombardment in the DIII-D outer divertor with steady-state heat fluxes up to 3 MW m-2 and transient loads due to ELMs typically peaking at 10 MW m-2. In-situ monitoring of Si I and Si II atomic spectral lines revealed the presence of significant neutral Si and Si+ impurity influx, which are used to determine quantitative erosion rates via the S/XB method. No visual macroscopic flaking or delamination of the SiC coating was observed, supporting the notion that SiC is thermal-mechanically robust and compatible with graphite substrates at elevated temperatures. Post-mortem profilometric analysis also indicates no pronounced change in surface roughness after plasma exposure. Finally, we investigate aspects of preferential sputtering and changes to surface composition exposure using scanning electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. Work supported under USDOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Interfacial stability of CoSi2/Si structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, T.; Fathauer, R. W.

1992-01-01

The stability of CoSi2/Si interfaces was examined in this study using columnar silicide structures grown on (111) Si substrates. In the first set of experiments, Co and Si were codeposited using MBE at 800 C and the resulting columnar silicide layer was capped by epitaxial Si. Deposition of Co on the surface of the Si capping layer at 800 C results in the growth of the buried silicide columns. The buried columns grow by subsurface diffusion of the deposited Co, suppressing the formation of surface islands of CoSi2. The column sidewalls appear to be less stable than the top and bottom interfaces, resulting in preferential lateral growth and ultimately in the coalescence of the columns to form a continuous buried CoSi2 layer. In the second set of experiments, annealing of a 250 nm-thick buried columnar layer at 1000 C under a 100 nm-thick Si capping layer results in the formation of a surface layer of CoSi2 with a reduction in the sizes of the CoSi2 columns. For a sample having a thicker Si capping layer the annealing leads to Ostwald ripening producing buried equiaxed columns. The high CoSi2/Si interfacial strain could provide the driving force for the observed behavior of the buried columns under high-temperature annealing.

Atomistics of Ge deposition on Si(100) by atomic layer epitaxy.

PubMed

Lin, D S; Wu, J L; Pan, S Y; Chiang, T C

2003-01-31

Chlorine termination of mixed Ge/Si(100) surfaces substantially enhances the contrast between Ge and Si sites in scanning tunneling microscopy observations. This finding enables a detailed investigation of the spatial distribution of Ge atoms deposited on Si(100) by atomic layer epitaxy. The results are corroborated by photoemission measurements aided by an unusually large chemical shift between Cl adsorbed on Si and Ge. Adsorbate-substrate atomic exchange during growth is shown to be important. The resulting interface is thus graded, but characterized by a very short length scale of about one monolayer.

Realization of 13.6% Efficiency on 20 μm Thick Si/Organic Hybrid Heterojunction Solar Cells via Advanced Nanotexturing and Surface Recombination Suppression.

PubMed

He, Jian; Gao, Pingqi; Liao, Mingdun; Yang, Xi; Ying, Zhiqin; Zhou, Suqiong; Ye, Jichun; Cui, Yi

2015-06-23

Hybrid silicon/polymer solar cells promise to be an economically feasible alternative energy solution for various applications if ultrathin flexible crystalline silicon (c-Si) substrates are used. However, utilization of ultrathin c-Si encounters problems in light harvesting and electronic losses at surfaces, which severely degrade the performance of solar cells. Here, we developed a metal-assisted chemical etching method to deliver front-side surface texturing of hierarchically bowl-like nanopores on 20 μm c-Si, enabling an omnidirectional light harvesting over the entire solar spectrum as well as an enlarged contact area with the polymer. In addition, a back surface field was introduced on the back side of the thin c-Si to minimize the series resistance losses as well as to suppress the surface recombination by the built high-low junction. Through these improvements, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 13.6% was achieved under an air mass 1.5 G irradiation for silicon/organic hybrid solar cells with the c-Si thickness of only about 20 μm. This PCE is as high as the record currently reported in hybrid solar cells constructed from bulk c-Si, suggesting a design rule for efficient silicon/organic solar cells with thinner absorbers.

Strong light absorption capability directed by structured profile of vertical Si nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaliyawala, Harsh A.; Ray, Abhijit; Pati, Ranjan K.; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2017-11-01

Si nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) with random fractal geometry was fabricated using fast, mask-less, non-lithographic and facile approach by incorporating metal assisted electroless etching of n-type Si (111) substrates. The FESEM images demonstrate the formation of nano-porous surfaces that provide effective path for the incoming light to get trapped into the cavity of nanowires. The length of NWs increases from ∼1 to 10 μm with increase in the etching time having a diameter in the range of ∼25-82 nm. A transformation from zero to first order kinetics after a prolonged etching has been determined. The synthesized SiNWAs show high light trapping properties, including a maximum photon absorption across the entire visible and near IR range below the band gap of Si. The SiNWAs etched for 15 min exhibit extremely low specular and total reflectance of ∼0.2% and 4.5%, respectively over a broadband of wavelength. The reduction in the reflection loss is accompanied with the gradient of refractive index from air to Si substrate as well as due to the sub-wavelength structures, which manifests the light scattering effect. The COMSOL multiphysics simulation has been performed to study the high broadband light absorption capability in terms of the strong localized light field confinement by varying the length of the nanowire. Moreover, the SiNWs induces the dewetting ability at the solid/liquid interface and enhances the superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, a maximum length scale of 100-200 nm manifests a strong heterogeneity along the planar section of the surface of SiNWs. The study thus provides an insight on the light propagation into the random fractal geometries of Si nanowires. These outstanding properties should contribute to the structural optimization of various optoelectronic and photonic devices.

Raman enhancement on ultra-clean graphene quantum dots produced by quasi-equilibrium plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Liu, Donghua; Chen, Xiaosong; Hu, Yibin; Sun, Tai; Song, Zhibo; Zheng, Yujie; Cao, Yongbin; Cai, Zhi; Cao, Min; Peng, Lan; Huang, Yuli; Du, Lei; Yang, Wuli; Chen, Gang; Wei, Dapeng; Wee, Andrew Thye Shen; Wei, Dacheng

2018-01-15

Graphene is regarded as a potential surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate. However, the application of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) has had limited success due to material quality. Here, we develop a quasi-equilibrium plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method to produce high-quality ultra-clean GQDs with sizes down to 2 nm directly on SiO 2 /Si, which are used as SERS substrates. The enhancement factor, which depends on the GQD size, is higher than conventional graphene sheets with sensitivity down to 1 × 10 -9  mol L -1 rhodamine. This is attributed to the high-quality GQDs with atomically clean surfaces and large number of edges, as well as the enhanced charge transfer between molecules and GQDs with appropriate diameters due to the existence of Van Hove singularities in the electronic density of states. This work demonstrates a sensitive SERS substrate, and is valuable for applications of GQDs in graphene-based photonics and optoelectronics.

Nanoscale Etching and Indentation of Silicon Surfaces with Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dzegilenko, Fedor N.; Srivastava, Deepak; Saini, Subhash

1998-01-01

The possibility of nanolithography of silicon and germanium surfaces with bare carbon nanotube tips of scanning probe microscopy devices is considered with large scale classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations employing Tersoff's reactive many-body potential for heteroatomic C/Si/Ge system. Lithography plays a key role in semiconductor manufacturing, and it is expected that future molecular and quantum electronic devices will be fabricated with nanolithographic and nanodeposition techniques. Carbon nanotubes, rolled up sheets of graphene made of carbon, are excellent candidates for use in nanolithography because they are extremely strong along axial direction and yet extremely elastic along radial direction. In the simulations, the interaction of a carbon nanotube tip with silicon surfaces is explored in two regimes. In the first scenario, the nanotubes barely touch the surface, while in the second they are pushed into the surface to make "nano holes". The first - gentle scenario mimics the nanotube-surface chemical reaction induced by the vertical mechanical manipulation of the nanotube. The second -digging - scenario intends to study the indentation profiles. The following results are reported in the two cases. In the first regime, depending on the surface impact site, two major outcomes outcomes are the selective removal of either a single surface atom or a surface dimer off the silicon surface. In the second regime, the indentation of a silicon substrate by the nanotube is observed. Upon the nanotube withdrawal, several surface silicon atoms are adsorbed at the tip of the nanotube causing significant rearrangements of atoms comprising the surface layer of the silicon substrate. The results are explained in terms of relative strength of C-C, C-Si, and Si-Si bonds. The proposed method is very robust and does not require applied voltage between the nanotube tips and the surface. The implications of the reported controllable etching and hole-creating for nanolithography on silicon are discussed in detail.

Analysis of Etched CdZnTe Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, J. D.; Bubulac, L. O.; Jaime-Vasquez, M.; Lennon, C. M.; Arias, J. M.; Smith, P. J.; Jacobs, R. N.; Markunas, J. K.; Almeida, L. A.; Stoltz, A.; Wijewarnasuriya, P. S.; Peterson, J.; Reddy, M.; Jones, K.; Johnson, S. M.; Lofgreen, D. D.

2016-09-01

State-of-the-art as-received (112)B CdZnTe substrates have been examined for surface impurity contamination and polishing residue. Two 4 cm × 4 cm and one 6 cm × 6 cm (112)B state-of-the-art as-received CdZnTe wafers were analyzed. A maximum surface impurity concentration of Al = 1.7 × 1015 atoms cm-2, Si = 3.7 × 1013 atoms cm-2, Cl = 3.12 × 1015 atoms cm-2, S = 1.7 × 1014 atoms cm-2, P = 1.1 × 1014 atoms cm-2, Fe = 1.0 × 1013 atoms cm-2, Br = 1.2 × 1014 atoms cm-2, and Cu = 4 × 1012 atoms cm-2 was observed on the as-received CdZnTe wafers. CdZnTe particulates and residual SiO2 polishing grit were observed on the surface of the as-received (112)B CdZnTe substrates. The polishing grit/CdZnTe particulate density on CdZnTe wafers was observed to vary across a 6 cm × 6 cm wafer from ˜4 × 107 cm-2 to 2.5 × 108 cm-2. The surface impurity and damage layer of the (112)B CdZnTe wafers dictate that a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) preparation etch is required. The contamination for one 4 cm × 4 cm and one 6 cm × 6 cm CdZnTe wafer after a standard MBE Br:methanol preparation etch procedure was also analyzed. A maximum surface impurity concentration of Al = 2.4 × 1015 atoms cm-2, Si = 4.0 × 1013 atoms cm-2, Cl = 7.5 × 1013 atoms cm-2, S = 4.4 × 1013 atoms cm-2, P = 9.8 × 1013 atoms cm-2, Fe = 1.0 × 1013 atoms cm-2, Br = 2.9 × 1014 atoms cm-2, and Cu = 5.2 × 1012 atoms cm-2 was observed on the MBE preparation-etched CdZnTe wafers. The MBE preparation-etched surface contamination consists of Cd(Zn)Te particles/flakes. No residual SiO2 polishing grit was observed on the (112)B surface.

Surface Passivation of Silicon Using HfO2 Thin Films Deposited by Remote Plasma Atomic Layer Deposition System.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Ying; Hsu, Chia-Hsun; Lien, Shui-Yang; Chen, Song-Yan; Huang, Wei; Yang, Chih-Hsiang; Kung, Chung-Yuan; Zhu, Wen-Zhang; Xiong, Fei-Bing; Meng, Xian-Guo

2017-12-01

Hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) thin films have attracted much attention owing to their usefulness in equivalent oxide thickness scaling in microelectronics, which arises from their high dielectric constant and thermodynamic stability with silicon. However, the surface passivation properties of such films, particularly on crystalline silicon (c-Si), have rarely been reported upon. In this study, the HfO 2 thin films were deposited on c-Si substrates with and without oxygen plasma pretreatments, using a remote plasma atomic layer deposition system. Post-annealing was performed using a rapid thermal processing system at different temperatures in N 2 ambient for 10 min. The effects of oxygen plasma pretreatment and post-annealing on the properties of the HfO 2 thin films were investigated. They indicate that the in situ remote plasma pretreatment of Si substrate can result in the formation of better SiO 2 , resulting in a better chemical passivation. The deposited HfO 2 thin films with oxygen plasma pretreatment and post-annealing at 500 °C for 10 min were effective in improving the lifetime of c-Si (original lifetime of 1 μs) to up to 67 μs.

Atomic scale study of strain relaxation in Sn islands on Sn-induced Si(111)-(2√3 ×2√3 ) surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L. L.; Ma, X. C.; Ning, Y. X.; Ji, S. H.; Fu, Y. S.; Jia, J. F.; Kelly, K. F.; Xue, Q. K.

2009-04-01

Surface structure of the Sn islands 5 ML high, prepared on Si(111)-(2√3 ×2√3 )-Sn substrate, is investigated by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. Due to the elastic strain relaxation in the islands, the in-plane unit cell structure distorts and the apparent height of the surface atoms varies regularly to form an overall modulated strip structure. The quantum well states are observed to depend on the relative position within this structure, which implies the change of the surface chemical potential induced by the elastic strain relaxation as well.

Interaction of phosphine with Si(100) from core-level photoemission and real-time scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Deng-Sung; Ku, Tsai-Shuan; Chen, Ru-Ping

2000-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the interaction of phosphine (PH3) on the Si(100)-2×1 surface at temperatures between 635 and 900 K. The hydrogen desorption, growth mode, surface morphology, and chemical composition and ordering of the surface layer are examined by synchrotron radiation core-level photoemission and real-time high-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The P 2p core-level spectra indicate that decomposition of PHn is complete above ~550 K and the maximum P coverage is strongly influenced by the growth temperature, which governs the coverage of H-terminated sites. The scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images taken at real time during PH3 exposure indicate that a surface phosphorus atom readily and randomly displaces one Si atom from the substrate. The ejected Si diffuses, nucleates, and incorporates itself into islands or step edges, leading to similar growth behavior as that found in Si chemical vapor deposition. Line defects both perpendicular and parallel to the dimer rows are observed on the nearly P-saturated surface. Perpendicular line defects act as a strain relief mechanism. Parallel line defects result from growth kinetics. STM images also indicate that incorporating a small amount of phosphorus eliminates the line defects in the Si(100)-2×n surface.

Effects of ion and nanosecond-pulsed laser co-irradiation on the surface nanostructure of Au thin films on SiO{sub 2} glass substrates

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

Yu, Ruixuan; Meng, Xuan; Takayanagi, Shinya

2014-04-14

Ion irradiation and short-pulsed laser irradiation can be used to form nanostructures on the surfaces of substrates. This work investigates the synergistic effects of ion and nanosecond-pulsed laser co-irradiation on surface nanostructuring of Au thin films deposited under vacuum on SiO{sub 2} glass substrates. Gold nanoparticles are randomly formed on the surface of the substrate after nanosecond-pulsed laser irradiation under vacuum at a wavelength of 532 nm with a repetition rate of 10 Hz and laser energy density of 0.124 kJ/m{sup 2}. Gold nanoparticles are also randomly formed on the substrate after 100-keV Ar{sup +} ion irradiation at doses of upmore » to 3.8 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2}, and nearly all of these nanoparticles are fully embedded in the substrate. With increasing ion irradiation dose (number of incident laser pulses), the mean diameter of the Au nanoparticles decreases (increases). However, Au nanoparticles are only formed in a periodic surface arrangement after co-irradiation with 6000 laser pulses and 3.8 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2}. The periodic distance is ∼540 nm, which is close to the wavelength of the nanosecond-pulsed laser, and the mean diameter of the Au nanoparticles remains at ∼20 nm with a relatively narrow distribution. The photoabsorption peaks of the ion- or nanosecond-pulsed laser-irradiated samples clearly correspond to the mean diameter of Au nanoparticles. Conversely, the photoabsorption peaks for the co-irradiated samples do not depend on the mean nanoparticle diameter. This lack of dependence is likely caused by the periodic nanostructure formed on the surface by the synergistic effects of co-irradiation.« less

TEM Observation of the Ti Interlayer Between SiC Substrates During Diffusion Bonding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsuda, Hiroshi; Mori, Shigeo; Halbig, Michael C.; Singh, Mori

2012-01-01

Diffusion bonding was carried out to join SiC to SiC substrates using titanium interlayers. In this study, 10 m and 20 m thick physical vapor deposited (PVD) Ti surface coatings, and 10 and 20 m thick Ti foils were used. Diffusion bonding was performed at 1250 C for PVD Ti coatings and 1200 C for Ti foil. This study investigates the microstructures of the phases formed during diffusion bonding through TEM and selected-area diffraction analysis of a sample prepared with an FIB, which allows samples to be taken from the reacted area. In all samples, Ti3SiC2, Ti5Si3Cx and TiSi2 phases were identified. In addition, TiC and unknown phases also appeared in the samples in which Ti foils were used as interlayers. Furthermore, Ti3SiC2 phases show high concentration and Ti5Si3Cx formed less when samples were processed at a higher temperature and thinner interlayer samples were used. It appears that the formation of microcracks is caused by the presence of intermediate phase Ti5Si3Cx, which has anisotropic thermal expansion, and by the presence of an unidentified Ti-Si-C ternary phase with relatively low Si content.

SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY: Wet etching characteristics of a HfSiON high-k dielectric in HF-based solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yongliang, Li; Qiuxia, Xu

2010-03-01

The wet etching properties of a HfSiON high-k dielectric in HF-based solutions are investigated. HF-based solutions are the most promising wet chemistries for the removal of HfSiON, and etch selectivity of HF-based solutions can be improved by the addition of an acid and/or an alcohol to the HF solution. Due to densification during annealing, the etch rate of HfSiON annealed at 900 °C for 30 s is significantly reduced compared with as-deposited HfSiON in HF-based solutions. After the HfSiON film has been completely removed by HF-based solutions, it is not possible to etch the interfacial layer and the etched surface does not have a hydrophobic nature, since N diffuses to the interface layer or Si substrate formation of Si-N bonds that dissolves very slowly in HF-based solutions. Existing Si-N bonds at the interface between the new high-k dielectric deposit and the Si substrate may degrade the carrier mobility due to Coulomb scattering. In addition, we show that N2 plasma treatment before wet etching is not very effective in increasing the wet etch rate for a thin HfSiON film in our case.

Effect of etching parameters on antireflection properties of Si subwavelength grating structures for solar cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leem, J. W.; Song, Y. M.; Lee, Y. T.; Yu, J. S.

2010-09-01

Silicon (Si) subwavelength grating (SWG) structures were fabricated on Si substrates by holographic lithography and subsequent inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching process using SiCl4 with or without Ar addition for solar cell applications. To ensure a good nanosized pattern transfer into the underlying Si layer, the etch selectivity of Si over the photoresist mask is optimized by varying the etching parameters, thus improving antireflection characteristics. For antireflection analysis of Si SWG surfaces, the optical reflectivity is measured experimentally and it is also calculated theoretically by a rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The reflectance depends on the height, period, and shape of two-dimensional periodic Si subwavelength structures, correlated with ICP etching parameters. The optimized Si SWG structure exhibits a dramatic decrease in optical reflection of the Si surface over a wide angle of incident light ( θ i ), i.e. less than 5% at wavelengths of 300-1100 nm, leading to good wide-angle antireflection characteristics (i.e. solar-weighted reflection of 1.7-4.9% at θ i <50°) of Si solar cells.

Electron-phonon coupling in graphene placed between magnetic Li and Si layers on cobalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usachov, Dmitry Yu.; Fedorov, Alexander V.; Vilkov, Oleg Yu.; Ogorodnikov, Ilya I.; Kuznetsov, Mikhail V.; Grüneis, Alexander; Laubschat, Clemens; Vyalikh, Denis V.

2018-02-01

Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we study the electronic structure and electron-phonon coupling in a Li-doped graphene monolayer decoupled from the Co(0001) substrate by intercalation of silicon. Based on the photoelectron diffraction measurements, we disclose the structural properties of the Si/Co interface. Our density functional theory calculations demonstrate that in the studied Li/graphene/Si/Co system the magnetism of Co substrate induces notable magnetic moments on Li and Si atoms. At the same time graphene remains almost nonmagnetic and clamped between two magnetically active atomic layers with antiparallel magnetizations. ARPES maps of the graphene Fermi surface reveal strong electron doping, which may lead to superconductivity mediated by electron-phonon coupling (EPC). Analysis of the spectral function of photoelectrons reveals apparent anisotropy of EPC in the k space. These properties make the studied system tempting for studying the relation between superconductivity and magnetism in two-dimensional materials.

III-V compound semiconductor growth on silicon via germanium buffer and surface passivation for CMOS technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Donghun

Integration of III-V compound semiconductors on silicon substrates has recently received much attention for the development of optoelectronic and high speed electronic devices. However, it is well known that there are some key challenges for the realization of III-V device fabrication on Si substrates: (i) the large lattice mismatch (in case of GaAs: 4.1%), and (ii) the formation of antiphase domain (APD) due to the polar compound semiconductor growth on non-polar elemental structure. Besides these growth issues, the lack of a useful surface passivation technology for compound semiconductors has precluded development of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices and causes high surface recombination parasitics in scaled devices. This work demonstrates the growth of high quality III-V materials on Si via an intermediate Ge buffer layer and some surface passivation methods to reduce interface defect density for the fabrication of MOS devices. The initial goal was to achieve both low threading dislocation density (TDD) and low surface roughness on Ge-on-Si heterostructure growth. This was achieved by repeating a deposition-annealing cycle consisting of low temperature deposition + high temperature-high rate deposition + high temperature hydrogen annealing, using reduced-pressure chemical-vapor deposition (CVD). We then grew III-V materials on the Ge/Si virtual substrates using molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). The relationship between initial Ge surface configuration and antiphase boundary formation was investigated using surface reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns and atomic force microscopy (AFM) image analysis. In addition, some MBE growth techniques, such as migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE) and low temperature GaAs growth, were adopted to improve surface roughness and solve the Ge self-doping problem. Finally, an Al2O3 gate oxide layer was deposited using atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) system after HCl native oxide etching and ALD in-situ pre-annealing at 400 °C. A 100 nm thick aluminum layer was deposited to form the gate contact for a MOS device fabrication. C-V measurement results show very small frequency dispersion and 200-300 mV hysteresis, comparable to our best results for InGaAs/GaAs MOS structures on GaAs substrate. Most notably, the quasi-static C-V curve demonstrates clear inversion layer formation. I-V curves show a reasonable leakage current level. The inferred midgap interface state density, Dit, of 2.4 x 1012 eV-1cm-2 was calculated by combined high-low frequency capacitance method. In addition, we investigated the interface properties of amorphous LaAlO 3/GaAs MOS capacitors fabricated on GaAs substrate. The surface was protected during sample transfer between III-V and oxide molecular beam deposition (MBD) chambers by a thick arsenic-capping layer. An annealing method, a low temperature-short time RTA followed by a high temperature RTA, was developed, yielding extremely small hysteresis (˜ 30 mV), frequency dispersion (˜ 60 mV), and interface trap density (mid 1010 eV-1cm -2). We used capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) measurements for electrical characterization of MOS devices, tapping-mode AFM for surface morphology analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical elements analysis of interface, cross section transmission-electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and photoluminescence (PL) measurement for film quality characterization. This successful growth and appropriate surface treatments of III-V materials provides a first step for the fabrication of III-V optical and electrical devices on the same Si-based electronic circuits.

Misfit-guided self-organization of anticorrelated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires.

PubMed

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C Y; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-09-12

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one-dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anticorrelated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a postgrowth annealing process.

Wear and Corrosion Properties of 316L-SiC Composite Coating Deposited by Cold Spray on Magnesium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jie; Ma, Bing; Liu, Guang; Song, Hui; Wu, Jinming; Cui, Lang; Zheng, Ziyun

2017-08-01

In order to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of commonly used magnesium alloys, 316L stainless steel coating and 316L-SiC composite coating have been deposited directly on commercial AZ80 magnesium alloy using cold spraying technology (CS). The microstructure, hardness and bonding strength of as-sprayed coatings were studied. Their tribological properties sliding against Si3N4 and GCr15 steel under unlubricated conditions were evaluated by a ball-on-disk tribometer. Corrosion behaviors of coated samples were also evaluated and compared to that of uncoated magnesium alloy substrate in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution by electrochemical measurements. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the corresponding wear tracks and corroded surfaces to determine wear and corrosion mechanisms. The results showed that the as-sprayed coatings possessed higher microhardness and more excellent wear resistance than magnesium alloy substrate. Meanwhile, 316L and 316L-SiC coating also reduced the corrosion current density of magnesium alloy and the galvanic corrosion of the substrates was not observed after 200-h neutral salt spray exposure, which demonstrated that corrosion resistance of a magnesium alloy substrate could be greatly improved by cold-sprayed stainless steel-based coatings.

High-temperature chemical stability of plasma-sprayed Ca{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 4}P{sub 6}O{sub 24} coatings on Nicalon/SiC ceramic matrix composite and Ni-based superalloy substrates

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

Lee, W.Y.; Cooley, K.M.; Joslin, D.L.

The potential application of Ca{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 4}P{sub 6}O{sub 24} (CS50) as a corrosion-resistant coating material for Si-based ceramics and as a thermal barrier coating material for Ni-based superalloys was explored. A {approximately}200 {micro}m thick CS50 coating was prepared by air plasma spray with commercially available powder. A Nicalon/SiC ceramic matrix composite and a Ni-based superalloy coated with a {approximately}200 {micro}m thick metallic bond coat layer were used as substrate materials. Both the powder and coating contained ZrP{sub 2}O{sub 7} as an impurity phase, and the coating was highly porous as-deposited. The coating deposited on the Nicalon/SiC substrate was chemicallymore » stable upon exposure to air and Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4}/O{sub 2} atmospheres at 1,000 C for 100 h. In contrast, the coating sprayed onto the superalloy substrate significantly reacted with the bond coat surface after similar oxidation in air.« less

High-aspect-ratio microstructures with versatile slanting angles on silicon by uniform metal-assisted chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Liyi; Zhang, Cheng; Tuan, Chia-Chi; Chen, Yun; Wong, C.-P.

2018-05-01

High-aspect-ratio (HAR) microstructures on silicon (Si) play key roles in photonics and electromechanical devices. However, it has been challenging to fabricate HAR microstructures with slanting profiles. Here we report successful fabrication of uniform HAR microstructures with controllable slanting angles on (1 0 0)-Si by slanted uniform metal-assisted chemical etching (SUMaCE). The trenches have width of 2 µm, aspect ratio greater than 20:1 and high geometric uniformity. The slanting angles can be adjusted between 2-70° with respect to the Si surface normal. The results support a fundamental hypothesis that under the UMaCE condition, the preferred etching direction is along the normal of the thin film catalysts, regardless of the relative orientation of the catalyst to Si substrates or the crystalline orientation of the substrates. The SUMaCE method paves the way to HAR 3D microfabrication with arbitrary slanting profiles inside Si.

Deuterium trapping in the carbon-silicon co-deposition layers prepared by RF sputtering in D2 atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongliang; Zhang, Weiyuan; Su, Ranran; Tu, Hanjun; Shi, Liqun; Hu, Jiansheng

2018-04-01

Deuterated carbon-silicon layers co-deposited on graphite and silicon substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering in pure D2 plasma were produced to study deuterium trapping and characteristics of the C-Si layers. The C-Si co-deposited layers were examined by ion beam analysis (IBA), Raman spectroscopy (RS), infrared absorption (IR) spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the growth rate of the C-Si co-deposition layer decreased with increasing temperature from 350 K to 800 K, the D concentration and C/Si ratios increased differently on graphite and silicon substrates. TDS shows that D desorption is mainly as D2, HD, HDO, CD4, and C2D4 and release peaks occurred at temperatures of less than 900 K. RS and IR analysis reveal that the structure of the C-Si layers became more disordered with increasing temperatures. Rounded areas of peeling with 1-2 μm diameters were observed on the surface.

Self-assembled antireflection coatings for light trapping based on SiGe random metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouabdellaoui, Mohammed; Checcucci, Simona; Wood, Thomas; Naffouti, Meher; Sena, Robert Paria; Liu, Kailang; Ruiz, Carmen M.; Duche, David; le Rouzo, Judikael; Escoubas, Ludovic; Berginc, Gerard; Bonod, Nicolas; Zazoui, Mimoun; Favre, Luc; Metayer, Leo; Ronda, Antoine; Berbezier, Isabelle; Grosso, David; Gurioli, Massimo; Abbarchi, Marco

2018-03-01

We demonstrate a simple self-assembly method based on solid state dewetting of ultrathin silicon films and germanium deposition for the fabrication of efficient antireflection coatings on silicon for light trapping. We fabricate SiGe islands with a high surface density, randomly positioned and broadly varied in size. This allows one to reduce the reflectance to low values in a broad spectral range (from 500 nm to 2500 nm) and a broad angle (up to 55°) and to trap within the wafer a large portion of the impinging light (˜40 % ) also below the band gap, where the Si substrate is nonabsorbing. Theoretical simulations agree with the experimental results, showing that the efficient light coupling into the substrate is mediated by Mie resonances formed within the SiGe islands. This lithography-free method can be implemented on arbitrarily thick or thin SiO2 layers and its duration only depends on the sample thickness and on the annealing temperature.

Deposition of defected graphene on (001) Si substrates by thermal decomposition of acetone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milenov, T. I.; Avramova, I.; Valcheva, E.; Avdeev, G. V.; Rusev, S.; Kolev, S.; Balchev, I.; Petrov, I.; Pishinkov, D.; Popov, V. N.

2017-11-01

We present results on the deposition and characterization of defected graphene by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The source of carbon/carbon-containing radicals is thermally decomposed acetone (C2H6CO) in Ar main gas flow. The deposition takes place on (001) Si substrates at about 1150-1160 °C. We established by Raman spectroscopy the presence of single- to few- layered defected graphene deposited on two types of interlayers that possess different surface morphology and consisted of mixed sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon. The study of interlayers by XPS, XRD, GIXRD and SEM identifies different phase composition: i) a diamond-like carbon dominated film consisting some residual SiC, SiO2 etc.; ii) a sp2- dominated film consisting small quantities of C60/C70 fullerenes and residual Si-O-, Cdbnd O etc. species. The polarized Raman studies confirm the presence of many single-layered defected graphene areas that are larger than few microns in size on the predominantly amorphous carbon interlayers.

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

Averichkin, P. A., E-mail: P-Yugov@mail.ru; Donskov, A. A.; Dukhnovsky, M. P.

The results of using carbidsiliconoxide (a-C:SiO1{sub .5}) films with a thickness of 30–60 nm, produced by the pyrolysis annealing of oligomethylsilseskvioksana (CH{sub 3}–SiO{sub 1.5}){sub n} with cyclolinear (staircased) molecular structure, as intermediate films in the hydride vapor phase epitaxy of gallium nitride on polycrystalline CVD-diamond substrates are presented. In the pyrolysis annealing of (CH{sub 3}–SiO{sub 1.5}){sub n} films in an atmosphere of nitrogen at a temperature of 1060°C, methyl radicals are carbonized to yield carbon atoms chemically bound to silicon. In turn, these atoms form a SiC monolayer on the surface of a-C:SiO{sub 1.5} films via covalent bonding with silicon.more » It is shown that GaN islands grow on such an intermediate layer on CVD-polydiamond substrates in the process of hydride vapor phase epitaxy in a vertical reactor from the GaCl–NH{sub 3}–N{sub 2} gas mixture.« less

Detection of nerve gases using surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates with high droplet adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakonen, Aron; Rindzevicius, Tomas; Schmidt, Michael Stenbæk; Andersson, Per Ola; Juhlin, Lars; Svedendahl, Mikael; Boisen, Anja; Käll, Mikael

2016-01-01

Threats from chemical warfare agents, commonly known as nerve gases, constitute a serious security issue of increasing global concern because of surging terrorist activity worldwide. However, nerve gases are difficult to detect using current analytical tools and outside dedicated laboratories. Here we demonstrate that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be used for sensitive detection of femtomol quantities of two nerve gases, VX and Tabun, using a handheld Raman device and SERS substrates consisting of flexible gold-covered Si nanopillars. The substrate surface exhibits high droplet adhesion and nanopillar clustering due to elasto-capillary forces, resulting in enrichment of target molecules in plasmonic hot-spots with high Raman enhancement. The results may pave the way for strategic life-saving SERS detection of chemical warfare agents in the field.Threats from chemical warfare agents, commonly known as nerve gases, constitute a serious security issue of increasing global concern because of surging terrorist activity worldwide. However, nerve gases are difficult to detect using current analytical tools and outside dedicated laboratories. Here we demonstrate that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be used for sensitive detection of femtomol quantities of two nerve gases, VX and Tabun, using a handheld Raman device and SERS substrates consisting of flexible gold-covered Si nanopillars. The substrate surface exhibits high droplet adhesion and nanopillar clustering due to elasto-capillary forces, resulting in enrichment of target molecules in plasmonic hot-spots with high Raman enhancement. The results may pave the way for strategic life-saving SERS detection of chemical warfare agents in the field. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr06524k

Influence of CO annealing in metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with SiO2 films thermally grown on Si and on SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitthan, E.; dos Reis, R.; Corrêa, S. A.; Schmeisser, D.; Boudinov, H. I.; Stedile, F. C.

2016-01-01

Understanding the influence of SiC reaction with CO, a by-product of SiC thermal oxidation, is a key point to elucidate the origin of electrical defects in SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices. In this work, the effects on electrical, structural, and chemical properties of SiO2/Si and SiO2/SiC structures submitted to CO annealing were investigated. It was observed that long annealing times resulted in the incorporation of carbon from CO in the Si substrate, followed by deterioration of the SiO2/Si interface, and its crystallization as SiC. Besides, this incorporated carbon remained in the Si surface (previous SiO2/Si region) after removal of the silicon dioxide film by HF etching. In the SiC case, an even more defective surface region was observed due to the CO interaction. All MOS capacitors formed using both semiconductor materials presented higher leakage current and generation of positive effective charge after CO annealings. Such results suggest that the negative fixed charge, typically observed in SiO2/SiC structures, is not originated from the interaction of the CO by-product, formed during SiC oxidation, with the SiO2/SiC interfacial region.

SERS activity of Ag decorated nanodiamond and nano-β-SiC, diamond-like-carbon and thermally annealed diamond thin film surfaces.

PubMed

Kuntumalla, Mohan Kumar; Srikanth, Vadali Venkata Satya Siva; Ravulapalli, Satyavathi; Gangadharini, Upender; Ojha, Harish; Desai, Narayana Rao; Bansal, Chandrahas

2015-09-07

In the recent past surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based bio-sensing has gained prominence owing to the simplicity and efficiency of the SERS technique. Dedicated and continuous research efforts have been made to develop SERS substrates that are not only stable, durable and reproducible but also facilitate real-time bio-sensing. In this context diamond, β-SiC and diamond-like-carbon (DLC) and other related thin films have been promoted as excellent candidates for bio-technological applications including real time bio-sensing. In this work, SERS activities of nanodiamond, nano-β-SiC, DLC, thermally annealed diamond thin film surfaces were examined. DLC and thermally annealed diamond thin films were found to show SERS activity without any metal nanostructures on their surfaces. The observed SERS activities of the considered surfaces are explained in terms of the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism and charge transfer resonance process.

Antireflective surface with a step in the taper: Numerical optimization and large-area fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinotsuka, Kei; Hongo, Koki; Dai, Kotaro; Hirama, Satoru; Hatta, Yoshihisa

2017-02-01

In this study, we developed a practical method to improve the optical performance of subwavelength antireflective two-dimensional (2D) gratings. A numerical simulation of both convex and concave paraboloids suggested that surface reflectivity drastically decreases when a step is introduced in the taper. The optimum height and depth of a step provided average reflectances of 0.098% for convex protrusions and 0.040% for concave protrusions in the visible range. Furthermore, a stepped paraboloid was experimentally fabricated by dry etching of a Si substrate with SiO2 particle monolayer mask. A cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) reverse replica (concave) imprinted by the Si mold exhibited a measured reflectance of 0.077% on average in the visible range. It was also demonstrated that the antireflective structure was fabricated on the whole surface of a 6 in. Si wafer, which is a sufficient size for industrial utilization.

On the Control of the Fixed Charge Densities in Al2O3-Based Silicon Surface Passivation Schemes.

PubMed

Simon, Daniel K; Jordan, Paul M; Mikolajick, Thomas; Dirnstorfer, Ingo

2015-12-30

A controlled field-effect passivation by a well-defined density of fixed charges is crucial for modern solar cell surface passivation schemes. Al2O3 nanolayers grown by atomic layer deposition contain negative fixed charges. Electrical measurements on slant-etched layers reveal that these charges are located within a 1 nm distance to the interface with the Si substrate. When inserting additional interface layers, the fixed charge density can be continuously adjusted from 3.5 × 10(12) cm(-2) (negative polarity) to 0.0 and up to 4.0 × 10(12) cm(-2) (positive polarity). A HfO2 interface layer of one or more monolayers reduces the negative fixed charges in Al2O3 to zero. The role of HfO2 is described as an inert spacer controlling the distance between Al2O3 and the Si substrate. It is suggested that this spacer alters the nonstoichiometric initial Al2O3 growth regime, which is responsible for the charge formation. On the basis of this charge-free HfO2/Al2O3 stack, negative or positive fixed charges can be formed by introducing additional thin Al2O3 or SiO2 layers between the Si substrate and this HfO2/Al2O3 capping layer. All stacks provide very good passivation of the silicon surface. The measured effective carrier lifetimes are between 1 and 30 ms. This charge control in Al2O3 nanolayers allows the construction of zero-fixed-charge passivation layers as well as layers with tailored fixed charge densities for future solar cell concepts and other field-effect based devices.