Si3N4在h-AlN上的晶体化与AlN/Si3N4纳米多层膜的超硬效应

采用反应磁控溅射法制备了一系列具有不同Si3N4层厚度的AlN/Si3N4纳米多层膜,利用X射线衍射仪、高分辨透射电子显微镜和微力学探针表征了多层膜的微结构和力学性能.研究了Si3N4层在AlN/Si3N4纳米多层膜中的晶化现象及其对多层膜生长结构与力学性能的影响.结果表明,在六方纤锌矿结构的晶体AlN调制层的模板作用下,通常溅射条件下以非晶态存在的Si3N4层在其厚度小于约1nm时被强制晶化为结构与AlN相同的赝形晶体,AlN/Si3N4纳米多层膜形成共格外延生长的结构,相应地,多层膜产生硬度升高的超硬效应.Si3N4随层厚的进一步增加又转变为非晶态,多层膜的共格生长结构因而受到破坏,其硬度也随之降低.分析认为,AlN/Si3N4纳米多层膜超硬效应的产生与多层膜共格外延生长所形成的拉压交变应力场导致的两调制层模量差的增大有关.     

Si3N4的晶体化和ZrN/Si3N4纳米多层膜的超硬效应

研究了Si3N4层在ZrN/Si3N4纳米多层膜中的晶化现象及其对多层膜微结构与力学性能的影响.一系列不同Si3N4层厚度的ZrN/Si3N4纳米多层膜通过反应磁控溅射法制备.利用X射线衍射仪、高分辨透射电子显微镜和微力学探针表征了多层膜的微结构和力学性能.结果表明,由于受到ZrN调制层晶体结构的模板作用,溅射条件下以非晶态存在的Si3N4层在其厚度小于0.9 nm时被强制晶化为NaCl结构的赝晶体,ZrN/Si3N4纳米多层膜形成共格外延生长的柱状晶,并相应地产生硬度升高的超硬效应.Si3N4随层厚的进一步增加又转变为非晶态,多层膜的共格生长结构因而受到破坏,其硬度也随之降低.     

AIN/Si3N4 纳米多层膜的外延生长与力学性能

采用射频磁控溅射方法制备单层AlN,Si3N4薄膜和不同调制周期的AlN/S3N4纳米多层膜.采用X射线衍射仪、高分辨透射电子显微镜和纳米压痕仪对薄膜进行表征.结果发现,多层膜中Si3N4层的晶体结构和多层膜的硬度依赖于Si3N4层的厚度.当AlN层厚度为4.0 nm、Si3N4层厚度为0.4nm时,AlN和Si3N4层共格外延生长,多层膜形成穿过若干个调制周期的柱状晶结构,产生硬度升高的超硬效应.随着Si3N4层厚的增加,Si3N4层逐步形成非晶并阻断了多层膜的共格外延生长,多层膜的硬度迅速降低,超硬效应消失.采用材料热力学和弹性力学计算了Si3N4层由晶态向非晶转变的临界厚度.探讨了AlN/Si3N4纳米多层膜出现超硬效应的机理.     

Microstructure and oxidation behaviour of SiC fibre-reinforced Si3N4-AlN-Al2O3-Y2O3 matrix composites

A series of SiC fibre-reinforced Si₃N₄-AlN-Al₂O₃-Y₂O₃ matrix composites with different matrix compositions are fabricated by slurry infiltration followed by hot pressing at 1600°C for 30 min. The diffusion of yttrium and aluminium into fibres is apparent during the high temperature processing. All the as-processed composites show fracture with fibre pull-out. After heat treatment in air at 1000°C for 60 min, composites with minimal Y₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ in the matrix composition demonstrate the fracture behaviour with most extensive fibre pull-out. Composites with the highest aluminium and yttrium oxide content form an yttrium–aluminium–garnet phase and an aluminosilicate glassy phase. The latter phase provides an oxygen diffusion path, resulting in the removal of the carbon-rich interphase by oxidation. This results in catastrophic fracture without fibre pull-out after heat treatment of the composite in air.     

Use of chlorinated carbon and silicon precursors for epitaxial growth of 4H‐SiC at very high growth rates

A possibility to apply the advantages of chlorinated carbon precursors, which had been previously used in low‐temperature epitaxial growth of 4H‐SiC, to achieve very high growth rates at higher growth temperatures was investigated. Silicon tetrachloride was used as the silicon precursor to suppress gas‐phase homogeneous nucleation. The temperature increase from 1300 °C (which is the temperature of the previously reported low‐temperature halo‐carbon epitaxial growth) to 1600 °C enabled an increase of the precursor flow rates and consequently of the growth rate from 5 to more than 100 μm/h without morphology degradation. High quality of the epilayers was confirmed by low‐temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy and time‐resolved luminescence. No evidences of homogeneous nucleation were detected, however, liquid Si droplet formation on the epilayer surface seems to remain a bottleneck at very high growth rate. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Excimer-laser ablation and micro-patterning of ceramic Si3N4

3 N₄ has been investigated. The ablation threshold in air, Φ_th, is around 0.3±0.1 J/cm² with ArF- and 0.9±0.2 J/cm² with KrF-laser radiation. With fluences Φ_th<Φ<4 J/cm² the irradiated surface is either very flat or it exhibits a cone-type structure, depending on the number of laser pulses employed. With fluences of 5 to 10 J/cm², the sample surface becomes very smooth, much smoother than the original mechanically polished surface. Pores, scratches, and cracks observed on the non-irradiated surface are absent within the illuminated area. In this regime, the ablation rates are typically 0.1 to 0.2 μm/pulse. Received: 10 April 1997/Accepted: 11 April 1997     

Formation of CrSi2 nanoislands on Si(111)7 × 7 and epitaxial growth of silicon overlayers in Si(111)/CrSi2 nanocrystallites/Si heterostructures

Low-energy electron diffraction and differential reflectance spectroscopy are used to study the self-formation of chromium disilicide (CrSi₂) nanoislands on a Si(111) surface. The semiconductor properties of the islands show up even early in chromium deposition at a substrate temperature of 500°C, and the two-dimensional growth changes to the three-dimensional one when the thickness of the chromium layer exceeds 0.06 nm. The maximal density of the islands and their sizes are determined. The MBE growth of silicon over the CrSi₂ nanoislands is investigated, an optimal growth temperature is determined, and 50-nm-thick atomically smooth silicon films are obtained. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy combined with the ion etching of the specimens with embedded nanocrystallites demonstrates the formation of the valence band, indicating the crystalline structure of the CrSi₂. Multilayer epitaxial structures with embedded CrSi₂ nanocrystallites are grown.     

Solid phase epitaxial growth of Si on Si---Sb surface phases for the formation of δ-doped layers and δiδi-superlattices

The SPE growth of Si on Si---Sb surface phases has been studied by LEED and AES techniques. The surface phases studied were the disordered Si(100)---Sb and the ordered one. Both surface phases have an Sb coverage of about one monolayer. Structures with single δ-doped layers and a δiδi-superlattice have been grown. The structural perfection of the grown Si films has been characterized on the basis of LEED data. The peculiarities of the annealing behaviour of Si films thinner than 10 nm have been detected.     

Robust design of Si/Si3N4 high contrast grating mirror for mid-infrared VCSEL application

A Si/Si₃N₄ high contrast grating mirror has been designed for a VCSEL integration in mid-infrared (λ = 2.65?μm). The use of an optimization algorithm which maximizes a VCSEL mirror quality factor allowed the adjustment of the grating parameters while keeping large and shallow grating pattern. The robustness with respect to fabrication error has been enhanced thanks to a precise study of the grating dimension tolerances. The final mirror exhibits large high reflectivity bandwidth with a polarization selectivity and several percent of tolerance on the grating dimensions.     

Energetics of Ge nucleation on SiO2 and implications for selective epitaxial growth

We have measured the time evolution of Ge nucleation density on SiO₂ over a temperature range of 673–973 K and deposition rates from 5.1 × 10¹³ atoms/cm² s (5 ML/min) to 6.9 × 10¹⁴ atoms/cm² s (65 ML/min) during molecular beam epitaxy. The governing equations from mean-field theory that describe surface energetics and saturation nucleation density are used to determine the size and binding energy of the critical Ge nucleus and the activation energy for Ge surface diffusion on SiO₂. The critical nucleus size is found to be a single Ge atom over substrate temperatures from 673 to 773 K, whereas a three-atom nucleus is found to be the critical size over substrate temperatures from 773 to 973 K. We have previously reported 0.44 ± 0.03 eV for the Ge desorption activation energy from SiO₂. This value, in conjunction with the saturation nucleation density as a function of substrate temperature, is used to determine that the activation energy for surface diffusion is 0.24 ± 0.05 eV, and the binding energy of the three-atom nucleus is 3.7 ± 0.1 eV. The values of the activation energy for desorption and surface diffusion are in good agreement with previous experiments of metals and semiconductors on insulating substrates. The small desorption and surface diffusion activation barriers predict that selective growth occurring on window-patterned samples is by direct impingement of Ge onto Si and ready desorption of Ge from SiO₂. This prediction is confirmed by the small integral condensation coefficient for Ge on SiO₂ and two key observations of nucleation behavior on the window-patterned samples. The first observation is the lack of nucleation exclusion zones around the windows, and second is the independence of the random Ge nucleation density on patterned versus unpatterned oxide surfaces. We also present the Ge nucleation density as a function of substrate temperature and deposition rate to demarcate selective growth conditions for Ge on Si with a window-patterned SiO₂ mask.     

STM observation of pit formation and evolution during the epitaxial growth of Si on Si(001) surface

Pit formation and surface morphological evolution in Si(001) homoepitaxy are investigated by using scanning tunneling microscopy. Anti-phase boundary is found to give rise to initial generation of pits bound by bunched D B steps. The terraces break up and are reduced to a critical nucleus size with pit formation. Due to anisotropic kinetics, a downhill bias diffusion current, which is larger along the dimer rows through the centre area of the terrace than through the area close to the edge, leads to the prevalence of pits bound by {101} facets. Subsequent annealing results in a shape transition from {101}-faceted pits to multi-faceted pits.     

Simulation of range profiles for boron implantation into SiO2/Si and Si3N4/SiO2/Si targets

The simple method of profile combination is shown to be applicable to the simulation of boron profiles in SiO₂/Si and Si₃N₄/Si layered targets. This is demonstrated by comparison with range distributions calculated by more sophisticated theoretical methods, i.e. TRIM Monte Carlo simulations and the algorithm of Christel et al., and with experimental data. The method of profile combination can also be applied to layered targets with a crystalline silicon substrate.     

Density functional theory study on the structure and properties of Si3N4 clusters

The hybrid density functional theory B3LYP with basis sets 6-31G＊ has been used to study on the equilibrium geometries and electronic structures of possible isomers of Si3N4 clusters. 24 possible isomers are obtained. The most stable isomer of Si3N4 is a 3D structure with 7 Si-N bonds and 2 N-N bonds that could beformed by 3 quadrangles. The bond properties of the most stable isomer was analyzed by using natural bond orbital method （NBO）, the results suggest that the charges on Si and N atoms in Si-N bonds are quite large, so theinteraction of N-Si atoms in Si3N4 cluster is of strongly electric interaction. The primary IR and Raman vibrational frequency located at 1033.40 cm^-1, 473.63 cm^-1 respectively. The polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities of the most stable isomer are also analyzed.     

Density functional theory study on the structure and properties of Si3N4clusters

The hybrid density functional theory B3LYP with basis sets 6-31G· has been used to study on the equilibrium geometries and electronic structures of possible isomers of Si3N4 clusters. 24 possible isomers are obtained. The most stable isomer of Si3N4 is a 3D structure with 7 Si-N bonds and 2 N-N bonds that could be formed by 3 quadrangles. The bond properties of the most stable isomer was analyzed by using natural bond orbital method (NBO), the results suggest that the charges on Si and N atoms in Si-N bonds are quite large, so the interaction of N-Si atoms in Si3N4 cluster is of strongly electric interaction. The primary IR and Raman vibrational frequency located at 1033.40 cm-1, 473.63 cm-1 respectively. The polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities of the most stable isomer are also analyzed.     

Si3N4团簇结构与性质的密度泛函理论研究

用杂化密度泛函B3LYP在6-31G*的水平上研究了Si3N4团簇可能结构的平衡几何构型和电子结构,得到了24个可能的异构体.Si3N4团簇的最稳定结构是由7个Si—N键和2个N—N键形成的3个四边形构成的三维结构.用自然键轨道方法(NBO)分析了成键性质,结果表明,Si—N键中的Si、N原子的净电荷较大,说明Si—N键中Si、N原子的相互作用主要是电相互作用.最强的IR和Raman峰分别位于1033.40 cm-1,473.63 cm-1处.并且讨论了最稳定结构的极化率和超极化率.