Comparison between atomic layer epitaxy grown and molecular beam epitaxy grown CdTe/MnTe superlattices: a structural and optical study

Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) is investigated for the growth of CdTe/MnTe superlattices. A systematic structural characterization (X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy), together with a magneto-optical study (reflectivity and photoluminescence), demonstrate that: for MnTe ALE, all deposited Mn atoms are incorporated, so that no autoregulated growth mode can be obtained, in contrast with CdTe ALE, atomic layer epitaxy allows well-controlled CdTe/MnTe superlattices to be achieved but does not prevent the exchange between Cd and Mn atoms which occurs at the interfaces between CdTe and MnTe, as observed in CdTe/MnTe superlattices grown by conventional molecular beam epitaxy.     

Removal of GaN film over AlGaN with inductively coupled BCl3/Ar atomic layer etch

Atomic layer etching(ALE)of thin film GaN(0001)is reported in detail using sequential surface modification by BCl₃ adsorption and removal of the modified surface layer by low energy Ar plasma exposure in a reactive ion etching system.The estimated etching rate of GaN is~0.74 nm/cycle.The GaN is removed from the surface of AlGaN after 135 cycles.To study the mechanism of the etching,the detailed characterization and analyses are carried out,including scanning electron microscope(SEM),x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and atomic force microscope(AFM).It is found that in the presence of GaCl_x after surface modification by BCl₃,the GaCl_x disappears after having exposed to low energy Ar plasma,which effectively exhibits the mechanism of atomic layer etch.This technique enables a uniform and reproducible fabrication process for enhancement-mode high electron mobility transistors with a p-GaN gate.     

Atomic layer epitaxy of AlP and (AlP)n(GaP)n superlattice using ethyldimethylamine alane as a new aluminum source

Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) of AlP was realized using ethyldimethylamine alane (EDMAAl) as a new Al source. Self-limiting growth of AlP took place at one and two monolayers per ALE cycle. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy revealed that the amounts of incorporated impurities (carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) in ALE-grown AlP layers was greatly suppressed by using the new Al source, to nearly the same levels as in high-quality MOVPE-grown layers. We also achieved the successful ALE growth of (AlP)_n(GaP)_n short-period superlattices (SLs), taking advantage of the overlapping temperature windows of ALE-GaP and ALE-AlP. X-ray diffraction measurements showed reasonably good interface abruptness of SLs as low as 3. The PL emission peak from SLs involving Al-containing layers was observed in ALE growth for the first time.     

Effect of deposition period on structural and optical properties of InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots formed by InAs/GaAs short-period superlattices

Structural and optical properties of In_0.5Ga_0.5As/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown at 510 °C by atomic layer molecular beam epitaxy technique are studied as a function of n repeated deposition of 1-ML-thick InAs and 1-ML-thick GaAs. Cross-sectional images reveal that the QDs are formed by single large QDs rather than closely stacked InAs QDs and their shape is trapezoidal. In the image, existence of wetting layers is not clear. In 300 K-photoluminescence (PL) spectra of InGaAs QDs (n=5), 4 peaks are resolved. Origin of each peak transition is discussed. Finally, it was found that the PL linewidths of atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) QDs were weakly sensitive to cryostat temperatures (16–300 K). This is attributed to the nature of ALE QDs; higher uniformity and weaker wetting effect compared to SK QDs.     

MOCVD激光诱导选择原子层外延(LALE)生长室的研究

本文对MOCVD激光诱导选择原子层外延进行了研究,设计并制作了一种激光诱导原子层外延生长室结构,该系统能实现低温MOCVD生产,可形成稳定的层流,易于生长均匀的外延层,通过激光诱导可实现选择性的原子层外延.     

原子层外延及其进展

近十年来发展起来的原子层外延技术(ALE)实际上是对现有气相外延技术(蒸发、沉积、分子束外延、氯化物外延和MOCVL)的一种改进.它以固体衬底表面的化学反应为基础.因此用ALE方法可以获得精确膜厚、符合化学比、高化学稳定性和结构完整而均匀的化合物薄膜.本综述介绍了ALE的工作原理、特点及其进展概况.指出,ALE方法除了用于研制成功性能优良的太面积薄膜电致发光显示器以外,近年来还在单晶衬底上生长出突变异质结、多量子阱结构和超晶格,从而为研究低维数半导体薄层结构提供了一个媒介.     

脉冲激励下超音速混合层涡结构的演化机理

采用大涡模拟方法对脉冲激励作用下的超音速混合层流场进行数值模拟,所得结果清晰展示了流场中涡结构的独特生长机理.基于涡核位置提取方法,对超音速混合层流场中涡结构的空间尺寸和瞬时对流速度等动态特性进行了定量计算.通过分析流场中涡结构的动态特性在不同频率脉冲激励下的变化,揭示出受脉冲激励超音速混合层流场中涡结构的演化机理:涡结构的生长不再是依靠相邻涡-涡结构之间的配对与融合,而是通过涡核外围的一串小涡旋结构被依次吸进涡核来实现,且受激励流场中各个涡结构的空间尺寸变化较小;流场中的涡结构数量与脉冲频率成正比例关系,而涡结构的空间尺寸与脉冲频率成反比例关系;涡结构的平均对流速度随脉冲频率的增大而减小.针对受脉冲激励超音速混合层,给出了能够表征涡结构特性与脉冲激励参数之间关系的方程式,即受激励流场中涡结构的平均对流速度与脉冲周期的乘积近似等于流场中涡结构的空间尺寸(涡结构平均直径).     

气相沉积技术在原子制造领域的发展与应用

随着未来信息器件朝着更小尺寸、更低功耗和更高性能方向的发展,构建器件的材料尺寸将进一步缩小.传统的"自上而下"技术在信息器件发展到纳米量级时遇到瓶颈,而气相沉积技术由于其能在原子尺度构筑纳米结构引起极大关注,被认为是最有潜力突破现有制造极限进而在原子尺度构造、搭建物质形态的"自下而上"方法.本文重点讨论适用于低维材料的...     

Growth mechanism of atomic-layer-deposited Ti Al C metal gate based on TiCl_4 and TMA precursors

TiAlC metal gate for the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor(MOSFET) is grown by the atomic layer deposition method using TiCl_4 and Al(CH_3)_3(TMA) as precursors. It is found that the major product of the TiCl_4 and TMA reaction is TiAlC, and the components of C and Al are found to increase with higher growth temperature. The reaction mechanism is investigated by using x-ray photoemission spectroscopy(XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), and scanning electron microscope(SEM). The reaction mechanism is as follows. Ti is generated through the reduction of TiCl_4 by TMA. The reductive behavior of TMA involves the formation of ethane. The Ti from the reduction of TiCl_4 by TMA reacts with ethane easily forming heterogenetic TiCH_2, TiCH=CH_2 and TiC fragments. In addition,TMA thermally decomposes, driving Al into the Ti C film and leading to TiAlC formation. With the growth temperature increasing, TMA decomposes more severely, resulting in more C and Al in the TiAlC film. Thus, the film composition can be controlled by the growth temperature to a certain extent.     

Use of atomic layer deposition to improve the stability of silver substrates for in situ,high‐temperature SERS measurements

A method to stabilize silver surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates for in situ, high‐temperature applications is demonstrated. Silver island films grown by thermal evaporation were coated with a thin layer (from 2.5 to 5 nm) of alumina by atomic layer deposition (ALD), which protects and stabilizes the SERS‐active substrate without eliminating the Raman enhancement. The temporal stability of the alumina‐coated silver island films was examined by measurement of the Raman intensity of rhodamine 6G molecules deposited onto bare and alumina‐coated silver substrates over the course of 34 days. The coated substrates showed almost no change in SERS enhancement, while the uncoated substrates exhibited a significant decrease in Raman intensity. To demonstrate the feasibility of the alumina‐coated silver substrate as a probe of adsorbates and reactions at elevated temperatures, an in situ SERS measurement of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate on bare and alumina‐coated silver was performed at temperatures ranging from 25 to 400 °C. ALD deposition of an ultrathin alumina layer significantly improved the thermal stability of the SERS substrate, thus enabling in situ detection of the dehydration of the calcium nitrate tetrahydrate at an elevated temperature. Despite some loss of Raman signal, the coated substrate exhibited greater thermal stability compared to the uncoated substrate. These experiments show that ALD can be used to synthesize stable SERS substrates capable of measuring adsorbates and processes at high temperature. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

利用原子层外延方法制备的ZnS:Er3+薄膜的交流电致发光特性

采用原子层外延方法(ALE)制备了ZnS:Er3+交流电致发光(ACEL)薄膜,得到了明亮的绿色EL。发现了随Er3+离子浓度增加,对应于4F9/2→4I15/2跃迁的谱线强度增加甚至超过2H11/2→4I15/2跃迁的谱线强度。通过对EL衰减的分析,发现了绿红比随外加电压的变化关系以及EL光谱与温度的关系。在Er3+离子浓度较高时,Er3+离子之间发生明显的能量传递。提出了Er3+离子间的交叉驰豫模型并计算了交叉弛豫速率,同拟合衰减曲线得到的值相比,两者符合得较好。     

TiO2/SnO2 electron transport double layers with ultrathin SnO2 for efficient planar perovskite solar cells

The electron transport layer (ETL) plays an important role on the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Developing double ETL is a promising strategy to take the advantages of different ETL materials and avoid their drawbacks. Here, an ultrathin SnO₂ layer of ～ 5 nm deposited by atomic layer deposit (ALD) was used to construct a TiO₂/SnO₂ double ETL, improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 18.02% to 21.13%. The ultrathin SnO₂ layer enhances the electrical conductivity of the double layer ETLs and improves band alignment at the ETL/perovskite interface, promoting charge extraction and transfer. The ultrathin SnO₂ layer also passivates the ETL/perovskite interface, suppressing nonradiative recombination. The double ETL achieves outstanding stability compared with PSCs with TiO₂ only ETL. The PSCs with double ETL retains 85% of its initial PCE after 900 hours illumination. Our work demonstrates the prospects of using ultrathin metal oxide to construct double ETL for high-performance PSCs.     

Hydrogen-induced metallization of the 3C-SiC(0 0 1)-(3 × 2) surface

A surprising metallization of the SiC(0 0 1)-(3 × 2) surface induced by hydrogen adsorption was discovered in recent experiments. The effect was ascribed to dangling bonds created on the third layer of the surface system by H adsorption and stabilized by steric hindrance. We have investigated the surface metallization by density functional calculations. Our total-energy minimizations show that dangling bonds on the third layer are very unstable. Instead, H adatoms form angular Si-H-Si bonds on the third layer after the asymmetric dimers on the top layer have been saturated by H forming monohydrides. The novel Si-H-Si bonds on the third layer give rise to a metallic surface, indeed. But the mechanism for metallization is very different from the one suggested originally. Likewise, H atoms can also occupy bridge positions in angular Si-H-Si bonds on the second layer and induce metallization, as well. In addition to monohydrides on the top-layer dimers, we have also investigated dihydride surfaces with additional H on the second and/or third layer. The dihydride surface structure with H adsorbed on both the second and third layers is energetically most favorable and is also metallic. In all three cases the new Si-H-Si bonds are the origin of the surface metallization while its nature is somewhat more intricate, as will be discussed.     

Review on Atomic Layer Deposition and Applications of Oxide Thin Films

Atomic layer deposition technique is able to grow conformal thin films over high aspect ratio structures. This article reviews the various aspects of oxides grown by this method including applications in photovoltaics and memristors. The main focus of this review is to concentrate on the oxides grown by atomic layer deposition and their growth mechanisms. The oxides deposited using atomic layer deposition are also likely to find application in memristor, an emerging field in the non volatile memories design with the ability to retain data and memory states even in power-off condition. The use of this technique to obtain oxides in surface modification of nanostructures gives the significance of these materials.     

Low-temperature plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of large area HfS_2 nanocrystal thin films

Hafnium disulfide(HfS2) is a promising two-dimensional material for scaling electronic devices due to its higher carrier mobility, in which the combination of two-dimensional materials with traditional semiconductors in the framework of CMOS-compatible technology is necessary. We reported on the deposition of HfS2 nanocrystals by remote plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition at low temperature using Hf(N(CH3)(C2H5))4 and H2S as the reaction precursors. Selflimiting reaction behavior was observed at the deposition temperatures ranging from 150℃ to 350℃, and the film thickness increased linearly with the growth cycles. The uniform HfS2 nanocrystal thin films were obtained with the size of nanocrystal grain up to 27 nm. It was demonstrated that higher deposition temperature could enlarge the grain size and improve the HfS2 crystallinity, while causing crystallization of the mixed HfO2 above 450℃. These results suggested that atomic layer deposition is a low-temperature route to synthesize high quality HfS2 nanocrystals for electronic device or electrochemical applications.     

基于气液混合层的吸附气体稳定性机理

实验表明溶解在水中的气体会在疏水表面吸附和集聚,学界普遍认为其有"纳米气泡"和"微气饼"两种存在形式.对于这两种形式,经典理论无法解释其稳定存在.本文采用分子动力学方法对气体吸附和积聚过程进行模拟,结果显示吸附气体表层覆盖着气液混合层,对该混合层的形状和特性进行分析和研究,发现该气液混合层具有较高的粘度并且对气体的扩散...     

Nano peel-off fabrication pattern with polymer overcoat layer on glassy carbon electrodes for Pt electrodeposition

This article describes a new technique for fabricating an electrocatalyst model in which the particle size and interparticle distance are controlled independently. We designed a uniform insulating polymer layer as a mask on an electroconductive glassy carbon substrate and then peeled off a part of the layer in nano-sized dots by scratching the overcoat layer using an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever. Pt particles electrodeposited only on the peeled off area of the glassy carbon. To peel-off a small area on the glassy carbon, a 29 ± 2 nm thick insulating polymer overcoat layer and a cantilever operating area of 10 nm × 10 nm were used, and the smallest peel-off area obtained was 30 nm × 30 nm. Thereafter, we performed the peel-off procedure on the polymer overcoat layer of the glassy carbon substrate having a cantilever operating area of 80 nm × 80 nm. Pt deposition of 100–150 nm in diameter was successfully achieved by adjusting the interparticle distance.     

Characteristics and properties of metal aluminum thin films prepared by electron cyclotron resonance plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition technology

Metal aluminum (Al) thin films are prepared by 2450 MHz electron cyclotron resonance plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition on glass and p-Si substrates using trimethylaluminum as the precursor and hydrogen as the reductive gas. We focus our attention on the plasma source for the thin-film preparation and annealing of the as-deposited films relative to the surface square resistivity. The square resistivity of as-deposited Al films is greatly reduced after annealing and almost reaches the value of bulk metal. Through chemical and structural analysis, we conclude that the square resistivity is determined by neither the contaminant concentration nor the surface morphology, but by both the crystallinity and crystal size in this process.     

Dielectrophoretic behavior of a single cell when manipulated by optoelectronic tweezers: A study based on COMSOL ALE simulations

Optoelectronic tweezers uses optically induced dielectrophoretic (DEP) force for manipulating cells in aqueous solution, which has shown potential applications in biology and tissue engineering among other possibilities. To effectively design the optoelectronic tweezers (OETs) chip, detailed knowledge about the behavior of cells in response to DEP force in an aqueous layer is needed. In this paper, the trajectories of an SMMC-77721 cell, simulated as a rigid dielectric sphere, in the induced electric field of optical trapping are studied using both an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method and a particle-tracing method (PTM) available within the COMSOL multiphysics software platform. Because the ALE method involves solving the distorted electric field around the cell and taking a full account of the Maxwell stress tensor (MST), it is expected to provide more accurate predictions about the spherical cell velocity than PTM that involves dipole moment approximation. Our ALE results show noticeably greater cell velocity than that predicted by the classical DEP expression based on dipole moment approximation. The ALE model can help gain new insights for analyzing cell motions in aqueous solution under sophisticated optical spot patterns.     

基于多孔氧化铝和单原子沉积技术的颜色调控方法研究

本文通过建立多孔氧化铝(porous alumina,PA)的物理模型及理论分析,提出与发展了一种基于PA和单原子沉积(atomic layer deposition,ALD)技术的颜色调控新方法.以实验制备的PA样品为原型,对孔径相同、孔中心距相同但孔深不同的一系列PA模板进行了颜色调控的仿真,揭示了调控色随孔深变化的规律;通过控制在草酸溶液中的阳极氧化时间,实验制备出平均孔径40 nm、平均孔中心距100 nm、孔深分别为296 nm和373 nm的两个PA样品;之后采用ALD技术在它们表面均沉积一层 关键词： 多孔氧化铝 颜色调控 单原子沉积