Advanced thermal processing of semiconductor materials in the msec-range

This paper reviews the advances that flash lamp annealing brings to the processing of the most frequently used semiconductor materials, namely silicon and silicon carbide, thus enabling the fabrication of novel microelectronic structures and materials. The paper describes how such developments can translate into important practical applications leading to a wide range of technological benefits. Opportunities in ultra-shallow junction formation, heteroepitaxial growth of thin films of cubic silicon carbide on silicon, and crystallization of amorphous silicon films, along with the technical reasons for using flash lamp annealing are discussed in the context of state-of-the-art materials processing. © 2005 IEEE.

Switching aspects of hybrid semiconductor power devices

A hybrid semiconductor power device has been designed which combines IGBT switching and thyristor on-state characteristics. A single gate signal controls the switching and triggers the transitions between an IGBT and a thyristor mode of operation. This paper discusses aspects of the switching behaviour of this and of similar devices. Simulation results of an example structure are presented and conceivable developments in the switching characteristics of hybrid devices are discussed.

Single-gated multiple-mode power semiconductor devices

A new method has been used to design a power semiconductor device which combines IGBT switching and thyristor on-state characteristics. A single gate signal controls the switching and triggers the transitions between the IGBT and thyristor modes of operation. This paper discusses single-gated devices with multiple modes and aspects of their switching behaviour.

Switching aspects of hybrid semiconductor power devices

A hybrid semiconductor power device has been designed which combines IGBT switching and thyristor on-state characteristics. A single gate signal controls the switching and triggers the transitions between an IGBT and a thyristor mode of operation. This paper discusses aspects of the switching behaviour of this and of similar devices. Simulation results of an example structure are presented and conceivable developments in the switching characteristics of hybrid devices are discussed.

Using a semiconductor optical amplifier integrated with a pump laser for mid-span spectral inversion and wavelength conversion

A semiconductor optical amplifier monolithically integrated with a distributed feedback pump laser is used for non-degenerate four wave mixing applications. Experimental results are presented which illustrate the use of this compact device for both wavelength conversion and dispersion compensation applications at high data rates.

Thermal characterization of SOI CMOS micro hot-plate gas sensors

This work reports on thermal characterization of SOI (silicon on insulator) CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) gas sensors using a thermoreflectance (TR) thermography system. The sensors were fabricated in a CMOS foundry and the micro hot-plate structures were created by back-etching the CMOS processed wafers in a MEMS foundry using DRIE (deep reactive ion etch) process. The calibration and experimental details of the thermoreflectance based thermal imaging setup, used for these micro hot-plate gas sensor structures, are presented. Experimentally determined temperature of a micro hot-plate sensor, using TR thermography and built-in silicon resistive temperature sensor, is compared with that estimated using numerical simulations. The results confirm that TR based thermal imaging technique can be used to determine surface temperature of CMOS MEMS devices with a high accuracy. © 2010 EDA Publishing/THERMINIC.

Variable repetition frequency femtosecond-pulse surface emitting semiconductor laser

We report a femtosecond-pulse vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser with a continuous repetition frequency tuning range of 8 near 1 GHz. A constant average output power of 56 ± 1 mW and near-transform-limited pulse duration of 450 ± 20 fs were observed across the entire tuning range. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Suitability of tuna red meat for preparation of wafers

Studies to find out the suitability of tuna red meat for preparation of wafers have indicated that the red meat as such is not a good raw material for the production of wafers. The wafers obtained had poor organoleptic quality and characteristic tuna red meat flavour unacceptable to consumers. Attempts to prepare the wafers with the red meat mixed with the meat of barracuda in varying proportions showed that the mixture of red meat and barracuda meat in the ratio 1:3 gives a product having excellent physical properties and good swelling characteristics. The overall organoleptic quality of these wafers was very much comparable to the wafers produced from other quality fish. Increasing the proportion of red meat not only affects the overall appearance of the product but a1so imparts the red meat taste to the product.

Theoretical model for dicke superradiance in a semiconductor laser device

A theoretical model for Dicke superradiance (SR) in diode lasers is proposed using the travelling wave method with a spatially resolved absorber and spectrally resolved gain. The role of electrode configuration and optical bandwidth are compared and contrasted as a route to enhance femtosecond pulse power. While pulse duration can be significantly reduced through careful absorber length specification, stability is degraded. However an increased spectral gain bandwidth of up to 150 nm is predicted to allow pulsewidth reductions of down to 10 fs and over 500-W peak power without further degradation in pulse stability. © 2011 IEEE.