Effects of rapid thermal annealing on the optical properties of GaNxAs1-x/GaAs single quantum well structure grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The effect of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the optical properties of GaNxAs1-x/GaAs strained single quantum well (SQW) was studied by low-temperature photoluminescence (PL). The GaNxAs1-x/GaAs SQW structures were prepared by dc active nitrogen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. PL measurements on a series of samples with different well widths and nitrogen compositions were used to evaluate the effects of RTA. The annealing temperature and time were varied from 650 to 850 degrees C and 30 s to 15 min, respectively. Remarkable improvements of the optical properties of the samples were observed after RTA under optimum conditions. The interdiffusion constants have been calculated by taking into account error function diffusion and solving the Schrodinger equation. The estimated interdiffusion constants D are 10(-17)-10(-16) cm(2)/s for the earlier annealing conditions. Activation energies of 6-7 eV are obtained by fitting the temperature dependence of the interdiffusion constants. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)10401-3].

Effect of rapid thermal annealing on Ti-AlN interfaces

The interface diffusion, reaction, and adherence of rapid thermal annealed Ti/ALN were investigated by RES, AES, SIMS, XRD and a scratch test. The experimental results show that diffusion and reaction occurs at the interface of Ti/AlN when the sample is rapidly annealed. During annealing, both the O adsorbed on the surface and doped in the AlN substrate diffuse into the Ti film. At low temperature TiO2 is produced. At higher temperature O reacts with the diffused Al in the Ti film and produces an Al2O3 layer in the middle of the film. N diffuses into the Ti film and produces TiN with an interface reaction. Ti oxide is produced at the interface between the film and the substrate. Scratch test results show that interface adherence is distinctly improved by rapid annealing at low temperature and decreases at higher temperature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Solid-phase crystallization and dopant activation of amorphous silicon films by pulsed rapid thermal annealing

An improved pulsed rapid thermal annealing method has been used to crystallize amorphous silicon films prepared by PECVD. The solid-phase crystallization and dopant activation process can be completed with time-temperature budgets such as 10 cycles of 60-s 550 degrees C thermal bias/l-s 850 degrees C thermal pulse. A mean grain size more than 1000 Angstrom and a Hall mobility of 24.9 cm(2)/V s are obtained in the crystallized films. The results indicate that this annealing method possesses the potential for fabricating large-area and good-quality polycrystalline silicon films on low-cost glass substrate. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of rapid thermal annealing on the optical properties of gallium nitride grown by gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy

Raman scattering, photoluminescence (PL), and nuclear reaction analysis (MA) have been employed to investigate the effects of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on GaN films grown on sapphire (0001) substrates by gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy, The Raman spectra showed the presence of the E-2 (high) mode of GaN and shift of this mode from 572 to 568 cm(-1) caused by annealing. The results showed that RTA has a significant effect on the strain relaxation caused by the lattice and thermal expansion misfit between the GaN epilayer and the substrate. The PL peak exhibited a blueshift in its energy position and a decrease in the full width at half maximum after annealing, indicating an improvement in the optical quality of the film. Furthermore, a green luminescence appeared after annealing and increased in intensity with increasing annealing time. This effect was attributed to H concentration variation in the GaN film, which was measured by NRA. A high H concentration exists in as-grown GaN, which can neutralize the deep level, and the H-bonded complex dissociates during RTA, This leads to the appearance of a luminescent peak in the PL spectrum. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Rapid thermal annealing processing of GaN epilayer on sapphire(0 0 0 1)

The effect of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) in a Nz ambient up to 900 degrees C has been investigated for GaN films grown on sapphire(0 0 0 1) substrates. Raman spectra, X-ray diffractometry and Hall-effect studies were performed for this purpose. The Raman spectra show the presence of the E-2 (high) mode and a shift in the wave number of this mode with respect to the annealing processing. This result suggests the presence and relaxation of residual stress due to thermal expansion misfit in the films which are confirmed by X-ray measurements and the structure quality of GaN epilayer was improved. Furthermore, the electron mobility increased at room temperature with respect to decrease of background electron concentration after RTA. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Two-dimensional photonic crystals with a large photonic band gap designed by a rapid genetic algorithm

We used Plane Wave Expansion Method and a Rapid Genetic Algorithm to design two-dimensional photonic crystals with a large absolute band gap. A filling fraction controlling operator and Fourier transform data storage mechanism had been integrated into the genetic operators to get desired photonic crystals effectively and efficiently. Starting from randomly generated photonic crystals, the proposed RGA evolved toward the best objectives and yielded a square lattice photonic crystal with the band gap (defined as the gap to mid-gap ratio) as large as 13.25%. Furthermore, the evolutionary objective was modified and resulted in a satisfactory PC for better application to slab system.

Effect of noncoherent islands on the optical properties of the 1.3 mu m InAs/GaAs quantum dots during rapid thermal annealing

The effect of thermal annealing of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) with emission wavelength at 1.3 mu m have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM measurements. There is a dramatic change in the A spectra when the annealing temperature is raised up to 800 degrees C: an accelerated blushifit of the main emission peak of QDs together with an inhomogeneous broadening of the linewidth. The TEM images shows that the lateral size of normal QDs decreases as the annealing temperature is increased, while the noncoherent islands increase their size and densit. A small fraction of the relative large QDs contain dislocations when the annealing temperature increases up to 800 degrees C. The latter leads to the strong decrease of the PL intensity.

RECRYSTALLIZATION, IMPURITY MIGRATION AND OPTICAL ACTIVATION OF YB-IMPLANTED SILICON INDUCED BY RAPID THERMAL ANNEALING

The rapid thermal annealing temperature dependence of the recrystallization, Yb migration and its optical activation were studied for Yb-implanted silicon. For the annealing regime 800-1000-degrees-C, the Yb segregates both at the crystal/amorphous interface and at the surface, which is different from the usual segregation of Er at the crystal/amorphous interface, and the efficiency of optical activation also increases with annealing temperature. However, the amorphous layer regrows completely and no photoluminescence is observed after the annealing at 1200-degrees-C.

INTERACTION OF CO WITH SI AND SIO2 DURING RAPID THERMAL ANNEALING

The interaction of Co with Si and SiO2 during rapid thermal annealing has been investigated. Phase sequence, layer morphology, and reaction kinetics were studied by sheet resistance, x-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. With increasing annealing temperature, Co film on Si(100) is transformed sequentially into Co2Si, CoSi, and finally CoSi2 which corresponds to the minimum of sheet resistance. No evidence of silicide formation was observed for Co/SiO2 annealed even at the high temperature of 1050-degrees-C.

Polycrystalline silicon thin films and solar cells prepared by rapid thermal CVD

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films(similar to 10 mu m) were grown from dichlorosilane by a rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) technique, with a growth rate up to 100 Angstrom/s at the substrate temperature (T-s) of 1030 degrees C. The average grain size and carrier mobility of the films were found to be dependent on the substrate temperature and material. By using the poly-Si films, the first model pn(+) junction solar cell without anti-reflecting (AR) coating has been prepared on an unpolished heavily phosphorus-doped Si wafer, with an energy conversion efficiency of 4.54% (AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm(2), 1 cm(2)).

Rapid thermal annealing of arsenic implanted Si1-xGex epilayers

Rapid thermal annealing of arsenic implanted Si1-xGex was studied by secondary ion-mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and spreading resistance probe (SRP) over a wide range of Ge fractions (0-43%). Redistribution of the implanted arsenic was followed as a function of Ge content and annealing temperature. Arsenic concentration profiles from SIMS indicated that the behavior of implanted arsenic in Si1-xGex after RTA was different from that in Si, and the Si1-xGex samples exhibited box-shaped, concentration-dependent diffusion profiles with increasing Ge content. The maximum concentrations of electrically active arsenic in Si1-xGex was found to decrease with increasing Ge content. Experimental results showed that the arsenic diffusion is enhanced with increasing temperature for certain Ge content and strongly dependent on Ge content, and the higher Ge content, the faster As diffusion.

Microstructure studies of PdGe/Ge ohmic contacts to n-type GaAs formed by rapid thermal annealing

A low resistance and shallow ohmic contact to n-GaAs is performed by using Ge/Pd/GaAs trilayer structure and rapid thermal annealing process. The dependence of specific contact resistivity on the temperature of rapid thermal annealing is investigated. A good ohmic contact is formed after annealing at 400-500 degrees C for 60 s. The best specific contact resistivity is 1.4 x 10(-6) Omega cm(2). Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to analyze the interfacial microstructure. A strong correlation between the contact resistance and the film microstructure is observed.