Very low-pressure VLP-CVD growth of high quality gamma-Al2O3 films on silicon by multi-step process

gamma-Al2O3 films were grown on Si (10 0) substrates using the sources of TMA (AI(CH3)(3)) and O-2 by very low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The effects of temperature control on the crystalline quality, surface morphology, uniformity and dielectricity were investigated. It has been found that the,gamma-Al2O3 film prepared at a temperature of 1000degreesC has a good crystalline quality, but the surface morphology, uniformity and dielectricity were poor due to the etching reaction between 0, and Si substrate in the initial growth stage. However, under a temperature-varied multi-step process the properties Of gamma-Al2O3 film were improved. The films have a mirror-like surface and the dielectricity was superior to that grown under a single-step process. The uniformity of gamma-Al2O3 films for 2-in epi-wafer was <5%, it is better than that disclosed elsewhere. In order to improve the crystalline quality, the gamma-Al2O3 films were annealed for I h in O-2 atmosphere. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Epitaxial growth of SiC on complex substrates

Epitaxial growth of SiC on complex substrates was carried out at substrate temperature from 1200 degreesC to 1400 degreesC. Three kinds of new complex substrates, c-plane sapphire, AlN/sapphire, and GaN/AlN/sapphire, were used in this study. We obtained a growth rate in the range of 1-6 mum/h. Thick (6 mum) SIC epitaxial layers with no cracks were successfully obtained on AlN/sapphire and GaN/AlN/sapphire substrates. X-ray diffraction patterns have confirmed that single-crystal SiC was obtained on these complex substrates. Analysis of optical transmission spectra of the SIC grown on sapphire substrates shows the lowest-energy gap near 2.2 eV, which is the value for cubic SiC. The undoped SIC showed n-type electrical conductivity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of field effect transistor characteristics between space-grown and earth-grown gallium arsenide single crystal substrates

Semi-insulating gallium arsenide single crystal grown in space has been used in fabricating low noise field effect transistors and analog switch integrated circuits by the direct ion-implantation technique. All key electrical properties of these transistors and integrated circuits have surpassed those made from conventional earth-grown gallium arsenide. This result shows that device-grade space-grown semiconducting single crystal has surpassed the best terrestrial counterparts. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.

The content calculation of hexagonal phase inclusions in cubic GaN films on GaAs(001) substrates grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Cubic GaN(c-GaN) films are grown on GaAs(001) substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Two GaN samples were grown with different buffer layer, the deposition time of each was 1 and 3 min, respectively. 4-circle X-ray double crystal diffraction (XRDCD) was used to study the secondary crystallographic phases presented in the c-GaN films. The phase composition of the epilayers was determined by X-ray reciprocal space mapping. The intensities of the c-GaN(002) and h-GaN(10 (1) over bar 1) planes detected in the mapping were investigated by omega scans. The content of the hexagonal phase inclusions in the c-GaN films was calculated to about 1.6 and 7.9%, respectively. The thicker buffer layer is not preferable for growing high quality pure c-GaN films. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

The growth of SiC on Si substrates with C2H4 and Si2H6

SiC was grown on Si (100) substrates oriented and off-oriented by 2-5 degrees towards [011] with simultaneous supply of C2H4 and S2H6 at 1050 degrees C. SiC formed during removal of oxide could be removed at 1150 degrees C. Twinned growth occurred on both oriented and off-oriented substrates during carbonization, but fewer twins formed on the off-oriented substrate than that on the oriented substrate. In SiC growth process, twinned growth continued on the off-oriented substrate whereas twinned growth stopped and single crystal SiC with double-domain (2 x 1) superstructure formed on the oriented substrate. SiC single crystal could grow on a carbonized twinned buffer layer. Obvious SiC LO and TO phonon modes were observed with Raman spectroscopy in the epilayer grown on the oriented substrate. The surface of the epilayer grown on the oriented substrate was smooth, while there was a high density of islands on the epilayer grown on the off-oriented substrate. The film grown on the oriented substrate is superior than that grown on the off-oriented substrate. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence enhancement of porous silicon by organic cyano compounds

A pronounced photoluminescence enhancement on chemically oxidized porous silicon was induced by a series of organic cyano compounds including 1,2-dicyanoethylene (CE), 1,3-dicyanobenzene (1,3-CB), 1,4-dicyanobenzene (1,4-CB), 1-cyanonaphthalene (1-CN), and 9-cyanoanthracene (9-CA). Photoluminescence enhancement effects were reversible for all compounds studies in this work. A dependence of photoluminescence enhancement on the steric effect and the electronic characteristics of these compounds and the structure of the porous silicon substrates were analyzed in terms of the photoluminescence enhancing factors. Surface chemical composition examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra demonstrated that the surface Si-H bonds were not changed and no new luminescent compounds were formed on porous silicon surface during adsorption of cyano compounds. A mechanism based on induced surface states acting as radiative recombination centers by cyano compounds adsorption was suggested.

Photoluminescence from Erbium-implanted silicon-rich SiO2

Si-rich SiO2 films were deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on the silicon substrates, and then implanted with 1 x 10(15) cm(-2) 400 keV Er ions. After annealing at 800 degrees C for 5 min the samples show room temperature luminescence around 1.54 mu m, characteristic of intra-4f emission from Er3+, upon excitation using an Ar ion laser.

Fracture properties of PECVD silicon nitride thin films by long rectangular memrane bulge test

Bulge test combined with a refined load-deflection model for long rectangular membrane was applied to determine the mechanical and fracture properties of PECVD silicon nitride (SiNx) thin films. Plane-strain modulus E-ps prestress s(0), and fracture strength s(max) of SiNx thin films deposited both on bare Si substrate and on SiO2-topped Si substrate were extracted. The SiNx thin films on different substrates possess similar values of E-ps and s(0) but quite different values of s(max). The statistical analysis of fracture strengths were performed by Weibull distribution function and the fracture origins were further predicted.

High epitaxial growth rate of 4H-SiC using TCS as silicon precursor

High homoepitaxial growth of 4H-SiC has been performed in a home-made horizontal hot wall CVD reactor on n-type 4H-SiC 8 degrees off-oriented substrates in the size of 10 mm x 10 mm, using trichlorosilane (TCS) as silicon precursor source together with ethylene as carbon precursor source. Cross-section Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman scattering spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were used to determine the growth rate, structural property and surface morphology, respectively. The growth rate reached to 23 mu m/h and the optimal epilayer was obtained at 1600 degrees C with TCS flow rate of 12 seem in C/Si of 0.42, which has a good surface morphology with a low Rms of 0.64 nm in 10 mu mx10 mu m area.

Research on the band-gap of InN grown on siticon substrates

Photoluminescence (PL) and absorption experiments were carried out to examine the fundamental band-gap of InN films grown on silicon substrates. A strong PL peak at 0.78 eV was observed at room temperature, which is much lower than the commonly accepted value of 1.9 eV. The integrated PL intensity was found to depend linearly on the excitation laser intensity over a wide intensity range. These results strongly suggest that the observed PL is related to the emission of the fundamental inter-band transitions of InN rather than to deep defect or impurity levels. Due to the effect of band-filling with increasing free electron concentration, the absorption edge shifts to higher energy. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fabrication of Silicon-Based Template-Assisted Nanoelectrode Arrays and Ohmic Contact Properties Investigation

A convenient fabrication technology for large-area, highly-ordered nanoelectrode arrays on silicon substrate has been described here, using porous anodic alumina (PAA) as a template. The ultrathin PAA membranes were anodic oxidized utilizing a two-step anodization method, from Al film evaporated on substrate. The purposes for the use of two-step anodization were, first, improving the regularity of the porous structures, and second reducing the thickness of the membranes to 100 similar to 200 nm we desired. Then the nanoelectrode arrays were obtained by electroless depositing Ni-W alloy into the through pores of PAA membranes, making the alloy isolated by the insulating pore walls and contacting with the silicon substrates at the bottoms of pores. The Ni-W alloy was also electroless deposited at the back surface of silicon to form back electrode. Then ohmic contact properties between silicon and Ni-W alloy were investigated after rapid thermal annealing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showed the structure characteristics, and the influence factors of fabrication effect were discussed. The current voltage (I-V) curves revealed the contact properties. After annealing in N-2 at 700 degrees C, good linear property was shown with contact resistance of 33 Omega, which confirmed ohmic contacts between silicon and electrodes. These results presented significant application potential of this technology in nanosize current-injection devices in optoelectronics, microelectronics and bio-medical fields.

Epitaxial growth on 4H-SiC by TCS as a silicon precursor

Epitaxial growth on n-type 4H-SiC 8°off-oriented substrates with a size of 10 × 10 mm~2 at different tem-peratures with various gas flow rates has been performed in a horizontal hot wall CVD reactor, using trichlorosilane (TCS) as a silicon precursor source together with ethylene as a carbon precursor source. The growth rate reached 23 μm/h and the optimal epilayer was obtained at 1600 ℃ with a TCS flow rate of 12 sccm in C/Si of 0.42, which has a good surface morphology with a low RMS of 0.64 nm in an area of 10 × 10μm~2. The homoepitaxial layer was oh-tained at 1500 ℃ with low growth rate (< 5μm/h) and the 3C-SiC epilayers were obtained at 1650 ℃ with a growth rate of 60-70μm/h. It is estimated that the structural properties of the epilayers have a relationship with the growth temperature and growth rate. Silicon droplets with different sizes are observed on the surface of the homoepitaxial layer in a low C/Si ratio of 0.32.

Low-Microwave Loss Coplanar Waveguides Fabricated on High-Resistivity Silicon Substrate

Three kinds of coplanar waveguides （CPWs） are designed and fabricated on different silicon substrates---common low-resistivity silicon substrate （LRS）, LRS with a 3μm-thick silicon oxide interlayer, and high-resistivity silicon （HRS） substrate. The results show that the microwave loss of a CPW on LRS is too high to be used, but it can be greatly reduced by adding a thick interlayer of silicon oxide between the CPW transmission lines and the LRS.A CPW directly on HRS shows a loss lower than 2dB/cm in the range of 0-26GHz and the process is simple,so HRS is a more suitable CPW substrate.

Effect of Silicon-on-Insulator Substrate on Residual Strain in 3C-SiC Films

One group of SiC films are grown on silicon-on-insulator （SOI） substrates with a series of silicon-overlayer thickness. Raman scattering spectroscopy measurement clearly indicates that a systematic trend of residual stress reduction as the silicon over-layer thickness decreases for the SOI substrates. Strain relaxation in the SiC epilayer is explained by force balance approach and near coincidence lattice model.

Heteroepitaxial growth and annealing of gamma-Al2O3 thin films on silicon

The gamma-Al2O3 films were grown on Si (100) substrates using the sources of TMA (Al (CH3)(3)) and O-2 by very low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (VLP-CVD). It has been found that the gamma-Al2O3 film has a mirror-like surface and the RMS was about 2.5nm. And the orientation relationship was gamma-Al2O3(100)/Si(100). The thickness uniformity of gamma-Al2O3 films for 2-inch epi-wafer was less than 5%. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) results show that the crystalline quality of the film was improved after the film was annealed at 1000degreesC in O-2 atmosphere. The high-frequency C-V and leakage current of Al/gamma-Al2O3/Si capacitor were also measured to verify the annealing effect of the film. The results show that the dielectric constant increased from 4 to 7 and the breakdown voltage for 65-nm-thick gamma-Al2O3 film on silicon increases from 17V to 53V.