Formation of dendritic nanostructures in Pyrex glass anodically bonded to silicon coated with an aluminum thin film

Anodic bonding with thin films of metal or alloy as an intermediate layer, finds increasing applications in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems. At the bonding temperature of 350 degrees C, voltage of 400 V, and 30 min duration, the anodic bonding is completed between Pyrex glass and crystalline silicon coated with an aluminum thin film with a thickness comprised between 50 and 230 nm. Sodium-depleted layers and dendritic nanostructures were observed in Pyrex 7740 glass adjacent to the bonding interface. The sodium depletion width does not increase remarkably with the thickness of aluminum film. The dendritic nanostructures result from aluminum diffusion into the Pyrex glass. This experimental research is expected to enhance the understanding of how the depletion layer and dendritic nanostructures affect the quality of anodic bonding. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination Of Interfacial Properties Between Metal Film And Ceramic Substrate With An Adhesive Layer

Peel test measurements and inverse analysis to determine the interfacial mechanical parameters for the metal film/ceramic system are performed, considering that there exist an epoxy interface layer between film and ceramic. In the present investigation, Al films with a series of thicknesses between 20 and 250 mu m and three peel angles of 90, 135 and 180 degrees are considered. A finite element model with the cohesive zone elements is used to simulate the peel test process. The finite element results are taken as the training data of a neural network in the inverse analysis. The interfacial cohesive energy and the separation strength can be determined based on the inverse analysis and peel experimental result. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Study Of Vortex-Induced Vibrations Of A Cylinder Near A Rigid Plane Boundary In Steady Flow

In this study, the vortex-induced vibrations of a cylinder near a rigid plane boundary in a steady flow are studied experimentally. The phenomenon of vortex-induced vibrations of the cylinder near the rigid plane boundary is reproduced in the flume. The vortex shedding frequency and mode are also measured by the methods of hot film velocimeter and hydrogen bubbles. A parametric study is carried out to investigate the influences of reduced velocity, gap-to-diameter ratio, stability parameter and mass ratio on the amplitude and frequency responses of the cylinder. Experimental results indicate: (1) the Strouhal number (St) is around 0.2 for the stationary cylinder near a plane boundary in the sub-critical flow regime; (2) with increasing gap-to-diameter ratio (e (0)/D), the amplitude ratio (A/D) gets larger but frequency ratio (f/f (n) ) has a slight variation for the case of larger values of e (0)/D (e (0)/D > 0.66 in this study); (3) there is a clear difference of amplitude and frequency responses of the cylinder between the larger gap-to-diameter ratios (e (0)/D > 0.66) and the smaller ones (e (0)/D < 0.3); (4) the vibration of the cylinder is easier to occur and the range of vibration in terms of V (r) number becomes more extensive with decrease of the stability parameter, but the frequency response is affected slightly by the stability parameter; (5) with decreasing mass ratio, the width of the lock-in ranges in terms of V (r) and the frequency ratio (f/f (n) ) become larger.

On a novel method of impact by a front-end-coated bullet to evaluate the interface adhesion between film and substrate

A preliminary experiment was carried out to validate the feasibility of the method of impact by a front-end-coated bullet to evaluate the interface adhesion between film and substrate. The theoretical description of the initiation, propagation and evolution of the stress pulse during impact was generalized and formulized. The effects of the crucial parameters on the interface stress were further investigated with FEM. The results found the promising prospect of the application of such a method and provided useful guidance for experimental design.

Forced convection film boiling of subcooled water around a sphere

An experimental investigation was made of forced convection film boiling of subcooled water around a sphere at atmospheric pressure. The water was sufficiently cool that the vapor condensed before leaving the film with the result that no vapor bubbles left the film. The experimental runs were made using inductively heated spheres at temperatures above 740°C. and using inlet water temperatures between 15°C. and 27°C. The spheres used had diameters of 1/2 inch, 9/16 inch, and 3/8 inch and were supported by the liquid flow. Reynolds numbers between 60 and 700 were used.

Analysis of the collected non-condensables indicated that oxygen and nitrogen dissolved in the water accumulated within the vapor film and that hetrogeneous chemical reactions occurred at the sphere surface. An iron-steam reaction resulted in more than 20% by volume hydrogen in the film at wall temperatures above 900°C. At temperatures near 1100°C. more than 80% by volume of the film was composed of hydrogen. It was found that gold plating of the sphere could eliminate this reaction.

Material and energy balances were used to derive equations which may be used to predict the overall average heat transfer coefficients for subcooled film boiling around a sphere. These equations include the effect of dissolved gases in the water. Equations also were derived which may be used to predict the composition of the film for cases in which an equilibrium exists between the dissolved gases and the gases in the film.

The derived equations were compared to the experimental results. It was found that a correlation existed between the Nusselt number for heat transfer from the vapor-liquid interface into the liquid and the Reynolds number, liquid Prandtl number product. In addition, it was found that the percentage of dissolved oxygen removed during the film boiling could be predicted to within 10%.

Ultrafast double pulses ablation of Cr film on glass

Ultrafast lasers ablation of Cr film was investigated by using double-pulse method. Experimental results show that there exists a temporal ablation window effect with each of the double pulses adjusted just smaller than the threshold. When the delay between the double pulses is within the order of 400 ps, the ablation of Cr film could happen. When the delay between the double pulses is beyond the order of 400 ps, the ablation of Cr film would not happen, and the reflectivity from the surface of the Cr film shows a sharp rise at the same time. The two-temperature model was developed into the form of double pulses to explain the experimental phenomena. Furthermore, microbump structures were formed on the surface of Cr film after ablation by ultrafast double pulses. Their heights exhibit an obvious drop between 1 and 10 ps double pulses delay, which is involved with the electron-phonon coupling process according to the numerical simulation. These results should be helpful for understanding the dynamic processes during ultrafast lasers ablation of metal films. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental studies of weak superconductivity

Experimental investigations were made of the nature of weak superconductivity in a structure having well-defined, controllable characteristics and geometry. Controlled experiments were made possible by using a thin-film structure which was entirely metallic and consisted of a superconducting film with a localized section that was weak in the sense that its transition temperature was depressed relative to the rest of the film. The depression of transition temperature was brought about by underlaying the superconductor with a normal metal.

The DC and AC electrical characteristics of this structure were studied. It was found that this structure exhibited a non-zero, time-average supercurrent at finite voltage to at least .2 mV, and generated an oscillating electric potential at a frequency given by the Josephson relation. The DC V-I characteristic and the amplitude of the AC oscillation were found to be consistent with a two- fluid (normal current-supercurrent) model of weak super-conductivity based on e thermodynamically irreversible process of repetitive phase-slip, and featuring a periodic time dependence in the amplitude of the superconducting order parameter.

The observed linewidth of the AC oscillation could be accounted for by incorporating Johnson noise in the two-fluid model.

Experimentally it was found that the behavior of a short (length on the order of the coherence distance) weak superconductor could be characterized by its critical current and normal-state resistance, and an empirical expression was obtained for the time dependence of the super-current and voltage.

It was found that the results could not be explained on the basis of the theory of the Josephson junction.

Structure-change-dependent transmittance of PtOx thin film in super-resolution near-field structure: Diffraction effect analysis

To study working mechanism of super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) optical disk from a far-field optics view is very necessary because of the actual far-field writing/readout process in the optical disk system. A Gaussian diffraction model based on Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction theory of PtOx-type super-RENS has been set up in this Letter. The relationship between micro-structural deformation (change of bubble structure and refractive index profile) with far-field optical response of PtOx thin film has been studied with it in detail. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results reported in literatures with a designed configuration. These results may provide more quantitative information for better understanding of the working mechanism of metal-oxide-type super-RENS. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure and properties of amorphous thin film for optical data storage

In this paper the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of amorphous rare earth-transition metal (RE-TM) alloys as well as the magnetic coupling in the multi-layer thin films for high density optical data storage are presented. Using magnetic effect in scanning tunneling microscopy the clusters structure of amorphous RE-TM thin films has been observed and the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in amorphous RE-TM thin films has been interpreted. Experimental results of quick phase transformation under short pulse laser irradiation of amorphous semiconductor and metallic alloy thin films for phase change optical recording are reported. A step-by-step phase transformation process through metastable states has been observed. The waveform of crystallization propagation in micro-size spot during laser recording in amorphous semiconductor thin films is characterized and quick recording and erasing mechanism for optical data storage with high performance are discussed. The nonlinear optical effects in amorphous alloy thin films have been studied. By photo-thermal effect or third order optical nonlinearity, the optical self-focusing is observed in amorphous mask thin films. The application of amorphous thin films with super-resolution near field structure for high-density optical data storage is performed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Super-resolution scanning laser microscopy with a third-order optical nonlinear thin film

In a configuration of optical far-field scanning microscopy, super-resolution achieved by inserting a third-order optical nonlinear thin film is demonstrated and analyzed in terms of the frequency response function. Without the thin film the microscopy is diffraction limited; thus, subwavelength features cannot be resolved. With the nonlinear thin film inserted, the resolution is dramatically improved and thus the microscopy resolves features significantly smaller than the smallest spacing allowed by the diffraction limit. A theoretical model is established and the device is analyzed for the frequency response function. The results show that the frequency response function exceeds the cutoff spatial frequency of the microscopy defined by the laser wavelength and the numerical aperture of the convergent lens. The main contribution to the improvement of the cutoff spatial frequency is from the phase change induced by the complex transmission of the nonlinear thin film. Experimental results are presented and are shown to be consistent with the results of theoretical simulations.

Numerical and experimental analysis on green laser crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films

The effect of laser fluence on the crystallization of amorphous silicon irradiated by a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser is studied both theoretically and experimentally. An effective numerical model is set up to predict the melting threshold and the optimized laser fluence for the crystallization of 200-nm-thick amorphous silicon. The variation of the temperature distribution with time and the melt depth is analyzed. Besides the model, the Raman spectra of thin films treated with different fluences are measured to confirm the phase transition and to determine the optimized fluence. The calculating results accord well with those obtained from the experimental data in this research. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of defect removal in hydrogenated and deuterated amorphous silicon thin film transistors

Thin film transistors (TFTs) utilizing an hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) channel layer exhibit a shift in the threshold voltage with time under the application of a gate bias voltage due to the creation of metastable defects. These defects are removed by annealing the device with zero gate bias applied. The defect removal process can be characterized by a thermalization energy which is, in turn, dependent upon an attempt-to-escape frequency for defect removal. The threshold voltage of both hydrogenated and deuterated amorphous silicon (a-Si:D) TFTs has been measured as a function of annealing time and temperature. Using a molecular dynamics simulation of hydrogen and deuterium in a silicon network in the H2 * configuration, it is shown that the experimental results are consistent with an attempt-to-escape frequency of (4.4 ± 0.3) × 1013 Hz and (5.7 ± 0.3) × 1013 Hz for a-Si:H and a-Si:D respectively which is attributed to the oscillation of the Si-H and Si-D bonds. Using this approach, it becomes possible to describe defect removal in hydrogenated and deuterated material by the thermalization energies of (1.552 ± 0.003) eV and (1.559 ± 0.003) eV respectively. This correlates with the energy per atom of the Si-H and Si-D bonds. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of high-Q film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) filters withcarbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes

FBAR devices with carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes have been developed withthe aim of taking advantage of the low density and high acoustic impedance ofthe CNTs compared to other known materials. The influence of the CNTs on thefrequency response of the FBAR devices was studied by comparing two identicalsets of devices, one set comprised FBARs fabricated with chromium/gold bilayerelectrodes, and the second set comprised FBARs fabricated with CNT electrodes.It was found that the CNTs had a significant effect on attenuating travellingwaves at the surface of the FBARs membranes due to their high elastic stiffness.Finite element analysis of the devices fabricated was carried out using COMSOLMultiphysics, and the numerical results confirmed the experimental resultsobtained. © 2010 IEEE.

Experimental study on an SFCL using series-connected YBCO thin films

Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs) are able to reduce fault currents to an acceptable value, reducing potential mechanical and thermal damage and allowing more flexibility in an electric power system's design. Due to limitations in current YBCO thin film manufacturing techniques, it is necessary to connect a number of thin films in different series and parallel configurations in order to realise a practical SFCL for electric power system applications. The amount of resistance generated (i.e. the degree of current limitation), the characteristics of the S-N transition, and the time at which they operate is different depending on their comparative characteristics. However, it is desirable for series-connected thin films to have an operating time difference as small as possible to avoid placing an excess burden on certain thin films. The role of a parallel resistance, along with the influence of thin film characteristics, such as critical current (Ic), are discussed in regards to the design of SFCLs using YBCO thin films. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Film bulk acoustic resonator pressure sensor with self temperature reference

A novel film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) with two resonant frequencies which have opposite reactions to temperature changes has been designed. The two resonant modes respond differently to changes in temperature and pressure, with the frequency shift being linearly correlated with temperature and pressure changes. By utilizing the FBAR's sealed back trench as a cavity, an on-chip single FBAR sensor suitable for measuring pressure and temperature simultaneously is proposed and demonstrated. The experimental results show that the pressure coefficient of frequency for the lower frequency peak of the FBAR sensors is approximately -17.4 ppm kPa-1, while that for the second peak is approximately -6.1 ppm kPa-1, both of them being much more sensitive than other existing pressure sensors. This dual mode on-chip pressure sensor is simple in structure and operation, can be fabricated at very low cost, and yet requires no specific package, therefore has great potential for applications. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.