金微盘电极的加工和表征

微电极具有常规电极无法比拟的优良的电化学特性^[1,2].它包括单微电极和微电极阵列, 其中单微电极的整体尺寸小, 可用于微区分析研究. 目前微盘电极的工艺改善目标主要包括: 电极整体尺寸小、 电极材料和绝缘层之间的粘附性高及电极具有明确的和可重复的形状和尺寸等^[3]方面.     

沉积温度对等离子增强化学气相沉积法制备的SiNx:H薄膜特性的影响

利用Centrotherm公司生产的管式等离子增强化学气相沉积(PECVD)设备在p型抛光硅片表面沉积SiN_x:H薄膜, 研究沉积温度对SiN_x:H薄膜的组成及光学特性、结构及表面钝化特性的影响. 然后采用工业化的单晶硅太阳电池制作设备和工艺制作太阳电池, 研究不同温度制备的薄膜对电池电性能的影响. 测试结果表明: SiN_x:H薄膜的折射率随着沉积温度的升高而变大, 分布在1.926-2.231之间, 这表明Si/N摩尔比随着沉积温度的增加而增加; 当沉积温度增加时, 薄膜中Si－H键和N－H键浓度呈现减小趋势, 而Si－N键浓度逐渐升高, 薄膜致密度增加; 随着沉积温度的升高, SiN_x:H薄膜中的氢析出导致了钝化硅片的有效少子寿命先升高后降低, 并且有效少子寿命出现明显的时间衰减特性. 当沉积温度为450 °C时, 薄膜具有最优的减反射和表面钝化效果. 采用不同温度PECVD制备的5组电池的电性能测试结果也验证了这一结果.     

Formation and characterization of DNA microarrays at silicon nitride substrates

A versatile method for direct, covalent attachment of DNA microarrays at silicon nitride layers, previously deposited by chemical vapor deposition at silicon wafer substrates, is reported. Each microarray fabrication process step, from silicon nitride substrate deposition, surface cleaning, amino-silanation, and attachment of a homobifunctional cross-linking molecule to covalent immobilization of probe oligonucleotides, is defined, characterized, and optimized to yield consistent probe microarray quality, homogeneity, and probe-target hybridization performance. The developed microarray fabrication methodology provides excellent (high signal-to-background ratio) and reproducible responsivity to target oligonucleotide hybridization with a rugged chemical stability that permits exposure of arrays to stringent pre- and posthybridization wash conditions through many sustained cycles of reuse. Overall, the achieved performance features compare very favorably with those of more mature glass based microarrays. It is proposed that this DNA microarray fabrication strategy has the potential to provide a viable route toward the successful realization of future integrated DNA biochips.     

Quantitative Auger depth profiling of LPCVD and PECVD silicon nitride films

Summary Thin silicon nitride films (100–210 nm) with refractive indices varying from 1.90 to 2.10 were deposited on silicon substrates by low pressure chemical vapour deposition (LPCVD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), ellipsometry, surface profiling measurements and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) in combination with Ar⁺ sputtering were used to characterize these films. We have found that the use of (p-p)heights of the Si LVV and N KLL Auger transitions in the first derivative of the energy distribution (dN(E)/dE) leads to an accurate determination of the silicon nitride composition in Auger depth profiles over a wide range of atomic Si/N ratios. Moreover, we have shown that the Si KLL Auger transition, generally considered to be a better probe than the low energy Si LVV Auger transition in determining the chemical composition of silicon nitride layers, leads to deviating results.

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Quantitative Auger-Tiefenprofilanalyse von LPCVD- und PECVD-Siliciumnitridfilmen

     

纳米半导体及其应用

纳米半导体硅薄膜是利用等离子增强化学气相淀积方法制备的，制备条件可以很好地进行调节控制。纳米硅薄膜由两种组元组成；纳米尺度晶粒级元和晶粒间的界面组元，即晶态相和晶界相组成，这对发展半导体器件，例如量子功能器件和薄膜敏感器件等是特别有价值的。     

Effect of Showerhead Configuration on Coherent Raman Spectroscopically Monitored Pulsed Radio Frequency Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited Silicon Nitride Thin Films

The effect of showerhead design, number of holes and geometry, in a parallel plate reactor was studied by measuring the concentration of silane reactant by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy as a function of radio frequency (rf) pulse width and peak power during pulsed power plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon nitride thin films. Film deposition rate, stress, SiH/NH ratio, and thickness and index of refraction homogeneity were correlated with the change in silane concentration for each of the three head geometries: radial, square, and asymmetrical. The asymmetrical head caused plasma quality problems which affected the films' qualities. The square pattern showed good mixing qualities, but produced a film with high compressive stress. The radial head provided the most homogenous film, with respect to index of refraction and film thickness. With a 10 ms pulse width, however, the radial head plasma acted as a continuous plasma for depletion and stress data. The showerhead geometry affects plasma qualities, like stability and intensity, and reactant gas velocities, which in turn affect the nitride film thickness, nitride composition, and stress.     

X-ray photoelectron study of the effect of the composition of the initial gas phase on changes in the electronic structure of hexagonal boron nitride films obtained by PECVD from borazine

Hexagonal boron nitride films are synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from a gas mixture of borazine and ammonia or helium on Si(100) substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to study changes in the electronic structure and chemical composition of the films depending on the composition of the initial gas mixture. It is found that the chemical composition of the samples depends on the gas used. The use of helium results in an excess of boron atoms on the film surface, the appearance of B–B bonds, and a decrease in the contribution of B–N bonds in the hexagonal structure. The preparation of h-BN films close to the stoichiometric composition by PECVD methods with the use of borazine is shown to be possible with the addition of ammonia. Based on the literature data, the binding energies in the B 1s XPS spectra are calculated for different boron environments in the hexagonal lattice.     

Study of Thin Polymeric Film Deposited by the PECVD Process for use at 193 nm

A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) reactor was used to deposit thin polymeric films with high absorption at 193 nm. The reactor is suitable to deposit uniform and pinhole free thin polymeric films with conformality over 95%. Conformal films with thickness as low as 200 Å have been deposited on silicon, glass, and quartz substrates, as well as silicon oxide, silicon nitrate, and aluminum films. Deposited films had variations in thickness of 3 to 5% over an area of 8 inches in diameter. Thin films deposited on silicon substrates under varying levels of RF power were scanned using the AFM technique. The measurements show increasing surface roughness of the scanned samples as the RF power increases.     

Iron silicide root formation in carbon nanotubes grown by microwave PECVD

Aligned carbon nanotubes have been grown using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The carbon nanotubes are nucleated from iron catalyst particles which, during growth, remain adherent to the silicon substrates. By analysis with high-resolution electron microscopy, we observe iron silicide roots penetrating into the silicon substrate at the interface of the catalyst particles and the substrate, thus providing strong adhesion of the carbon nanotubes onto the substrate. The iron silicide roots assist in the attachment of the catalyst particles to the substrate and play a role in the evolution of the catalyst particle morphology and resulting base growth mode. Carbon nanotubes grown by microwave PECVD could exhibit superior electrical and thermal transport properties over other PECVD processes, so an understanding of the growth mechanism is important for utilization in device applications.     

Influence of Pressure on SiNx:H Film by LF-PECVD

Hydrogenated silicon nitride films as an effective antireflection and passivation coating of silicon solar cell were prepared on p-type polished silicon substrate (1.0 Ωcm) by direct LF-PECVD (low frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) of Centrotherm. The preferable passivation effect was obtained and the refractive index was in the range of 2.017-2.082. The refractive index of the hydrogenated silicon nitride films became larger with the increase of the pressure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to study the pressure influence on the film structural properties. The results highlighted highhydrogen bond and high Si-N bonds density in the film, which were greatly influenced by the pressure. The passivation effect of the films was influenced by the Si dangling bonds density. Finally the effective minority liftetime degradation with time was shown and discussed by considering the relationship between the structural properties and passivation.     

Angular and local spectroscopic analysis to probe the vertical alignment of N-doped well-separated carbon nanotubes

Vertically aligned well-separated N-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on a silicon substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Angular near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) was used to investigate the vertical alignment of as-grown CNTs. In addition, both individual tubes and tube bundles were characterized by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Simultaneous analysis of both spectroscopic techniques provides information on chemical environment, orbital orientation between carbon and heteroatoms, and local curvature effects. We demonstrate the utility of NEXAFS as an in situ probe of CNTs.     

Surface Characterisation of Silicon Based MEMS

Polysilicon Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are the subject of intensive researches. Surface chemistry and topography of a MEMS test structure fabricated at Sandia National Laboratory, USA, were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atom-ic force microscopy(AFM). XPS C1, and Si2p spectra from the polysilicon components, silicon nitride sub-strate and a reference silicon wafer were compared. The results confirm the presence of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the MEMS surface. An island-like morphology was found on both polysilicon and sili-con nitride surfaces of the MEMS. The islands take the form of caps, being up to 0. 5 μm in diameter and 20 nm in height. It is concluded that the co-existence of columnar growth and equiaxed growth during the low pressure chemical vapor deposition(LPCVD) of these layers leads to the observed morphology and the is-lands are caps to the columnar structures.     

掺硼p型非晶硅薄膜的制备及光学性能的表征

以高氢稀释的硅烷(SiH₄ )为反应气体,硼烷(B₂H₆)为掺杂气体,利用RF-PECVD方法,在玻璃衬底上制备出掺硼的氢化非晶硅(a-Si:H)薄膜,研究了硼掺杂量对氢化非晶硅(a-Si:H)薄膜的光学性能的影响.利用NKD-7000 W光学薄膜分析系统测试薄膜的透射谱和反射谱,并利用该系统的软件拟合得出薄膜的折射率、消光系数、吸收系数等光学性能参数,利用Tauc法计算掺硼的非晶硅薄膜的光学带隙.实验结果表明,随着硼掺杂量的增加,掺杂非晶硅薄膜样品在同一波长处的折射率先增大后减小,而且每一样品均随着入射光波长的增加而减小,在波长500 nm处的折射率均达到4.3以上;薄膜的消光系数和吸收系数随着硼掺杂量的增大而增大,在500 nm处的吸收系数可高达1.5×10⁵cm^-1.在实验的硼掺杂范围内,光学带隙从1.81 eV变化到1.71 eV.     

Electrodeposition Carbon Nitride Films from Organic Solutions

Since the theoretical predictions of the hypothetical β-C₃N₄ compound may have extraordinary physical and chemical properties^[1], A variety of deposition techniques have been developed to investigate the synthesis of the novel material. The synthesis of carbon nitride has become an area of intense interest in materials science and great progress has been made^[2]. However, the methods used to this task are all vapor deposition techniques or solid state preparation methods. Synthesis of crystalline β-C₃N₄ with chemical stoichiometry content of nitrogen is very difficult. The use of appropriately designed molecular and low enough synthesis temperatures to insure kinetic control of reaction products appears to be a promising direction.     

Quantum-Chemical Study of Silicon Halide Adducts with Nitrogen-containing Donors: III. Energy Effects of Ammonolysis and Complex-Formation Reactions in Silicon Tetrahalide-Ammonia Systems

Thermodynamic characteristics of hydrogen halide elimination from SiX4-NH3 systems were calculated by the B3LYP density functional method. The role of adducts and oligomeric forms of compounds containing Si-N bonds, as intermediates in the chemical vapor deposition of silicon nitride, was considered. It was shown experimentally that the reaction between silicon tetrachloride and ammonia in nonaqueous solvents involves ammonolysis.     

Enhanced stability of Cu-BTC MOF via perfluorohexane plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a leading class of porous materials for a wide variety of applications, but many of them have been shown to be unstable toward water. Cu-BTC (1,3,5 benzenetricarboxylic acid, BTC) was treated with a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of perfluorohexane creating a hydrophobic form of Cu-BTC. It was found that the treated Cu-BTC could withstand high humidity and even submersion in water much better than unperturbed Cu-BTC. Through Monte Carlo simulations it was found that perfluorohexane sites itself in such a way within Cu-BTC as to prevent the formation of water clusters, hence preventing the decomposition of Cu-BTC by water. This PECVD of perfluorohexane could be exploited to widen the scope of practical applications of Cu-BTC and other MOFs.     

Plasma-enhanced synthesis of thin fluoropolymer layers with low Raman and fluorescence backgrounds

Radio-frequency (RF) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) provides a promising way to deposit extremely hydrophobic, highly adherent nanometer- to micrometer-thick films with thermal stability, a low coefficient of friction, a low dielectric constant, and a low value of surface energy. We describe the synthesis of these fluorinated thin films using hexafluoropropene as starting material and discuss their properties. These coatings, applied to stainless steel, provide ideal substrates for Raman spectroscopy, when extremely low backgrounds are required. Raman spectroscopy measurements of a low-concentration protein film are used to demonstrate sensitivity and level of detectability.     

ALD resist formed by vapor-deposited self-assembled monolayers

A new process of applying molecular resists to block HfO2 and Pt atomic layer deposition has been investigated. Monolayer films are formed from octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) or tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyltrichlorosilane (FOTS) and water vapor on native silicon oxide surfaces and from 1-octadecene on hydrogen-passivated silicon surfaces through a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicates that surfaces blocked by these monolayer resists can prevent atomic layer deposition of both HfO2 and Pt successfully. Time-dependent studies show that the ODTS monolayers continue to improve in blocking ability for as long as 48 h of formation time, and infrared spectroscopy measurements confirm an evolution of packing order over these time scales.     

Large-scale synthesis and structure of boron nitride sub-micron spherical particles

A novel method, combining chemical vapor deposition and pyrolysis of trimethoxyborane under ammonia atmosphere, has been developed to synthesize spherical boron nitride particles with a uniform diameter distribution from 50 to 400 nm; chemical composition and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses indicate that the sub-micron boron nitride particles exhibit a slightly distorted arrangement of the shell layers.     

Production and characterization of nitrided CVD-SiC films

Silicon Carbide (SiC) and SiC with free silicon [SiC(Si)] thin films were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using a CH₃SiCl₃-H₂-Ar gas mixture at a temperature of 1223 K. Afterwards these layers were gas nitrided in an ammonia-hydrogen-argon mixture at 1273 K. The solid product is an extremely thin film of silicon nitride on SiC or SiC(Si)-basic layers. These ultra thin silicon nitride films were investigated by glow discharge optical spectroscopy (GDOS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The thickness of the layers was determined to a maximum value of 30 nm.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday