CHF3 Dual-Frequency Capacitively Coupled Plasma by Optical Emission Spectroscopy

We investigate the intermediate gas phase in the CHFs 13.56 MHz/2 MHz dual-frequency capacitively couple plasma （CCP） for the SiCOH low dielectric constant （low-k） film etching, and the effect of 2MHz power on radicals concentration. The major dissociation reactions of CHF3 in 13.56MHz CCP are the low dissociation bond energy reactions, which lead to the low F and high CF2 concentrations. The addition of 2MHz power can raise the probability of high dissociation bond energy reactions and lead to the increase of F concentration while keeping the CF2 concentration almost a constant, which is of advantage to the SiCOH low-k films etching. The radical spatial uniformity is dependent on the power coupling of two sources. The increase of 2 MHz power leads to a poor uniformity, however, the uniformity can be improved by increasing 13.56 MHz power.     

Model of workpiece erosion for electrical discharge machining process

The previously published step-wise model (SWM) of cold electrodes erosion of electric arc heaters (EAHs) was modified for the calculation of workpiece removal rate (WRR) in electrical discharge machining (EDM) process. Modified model applies both relations the step-wise erosion model and the point heat source erosion model and takes into account the discharge current, the discharge pulse/pause time and thermophysical properties of machined material. The results of calculations show a reasonable agreement with data obtained experimentally by different authors about different materials and conditions.     

Ultrafast laser ablation for restoration of heritage objects

Powerful ultrafast laser pulses have a unique capability to ablate material from the surface without heat propagation into the bulk due to the non-linear nature of the laser-surface interaction. This quality offers a new application of ultrafast lasers for restoration of objects of art and heritage artefacts. We discuss the laser-based cleaning methods used in art restoration, analyse the potential advantages and challenges of using ultrafast laser pulses, and present new encouraging results on using ultrafast lasers in the field of heritage conservation.     

Etching of SiC by energetic F2: Molecular dynamics simulation

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate F₂ continuously bombarding silicon carbide (SiC) surfaces with energies in the range of 50-200 eV at normal incidence and room temperature. The Tersoff-Brenner form potential was used. The simulation results show that the uptake of F atoms, the etch yields of C and Si from the initial substrate, and the surface structure profile are sensitive to the incident energy. Like occurrence in Si etching, steady-state etching is observed and an F-containing reaction layer is formed through which Si and C atoms are removed. A carbon-rich surface layer after bombarding by F₂ is observed which is in good agreement with experiments. In the reaction layer, SiF in SiF₂ species are dominant; with increasing incident energy, the total fraction of SiF and SiF₂ increases, while the amount of SiF₃ and SiF₄ decreases. Finally, etching mechanisms are discussed.     

Hydrocarbon film growth by energetic CH3 molecule impact on SiC (0 0 1) surface

Classic molecular dynamics (MD) calculations were performed to investigate the deposition of thin hydrocarbon film. SiC (1 0 0) surfaces were bombarded with energetic CH₃ molecules at impact energies ranging from 50 to 150 eV. The simulated results show that the deposition yield of H atoms decreases with increasing incident energy, which is in good agreement with experiments. During the initial stages, with breaking Si-C bonds in SiC by CH₃ impacting, H atoms preferentially reacts with resulting Si to form Si-H bond. The C/H ratio in the grown films increases with increasing incident energy. In the grown films, CH species are dominant. For 50 eV, H-Csp3 bond is dominant. With increasing energy to 200 eV, the atomic density of H-Csp2 bond increases.     

Novel hydrophobic/hydrophilic patterning process by photocatalytic Ag nucleation on TiO2 thin film and electroless Cu deposition

A hydrophobic/super-hydrophilic pattern was prepared on a TiO₂ thin film by a new fabrication process. The process consists of five key steps: (1) photocatalytic reduction of Ag⁺ to Ag (nucleation), (2) electroless Cu deposition, (3) oxidation of Cu to CuO, (4) deposition of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), and (5) photocatalytic decomposition of selected areas of the SAM. A hydrophobic/super-hydrophilic pattern with 500-μm² hydrophilic areas was obtained in this process. It is particularly noteworthy that a UV irradiation time of only 1 s was sufficient for the nucleation step in the patterning process.     

Surface modification of titanium by nano-TiO2/HA bioceramic coating

A nano-TiO₂/hydroxyapatite composite bioceramic coating was developed and applied to the surfaces of pure titanium discs by the sol-gel method. A TiO₂ anatase bioceramic coating was utilized in the inner layer, which could adhere tightly to the titanium substrate. A porous hydroxyapatite (HA) bioceramic coating was utilized in the outer layer, which has higher solubility and better short-term bioactivity. Conventional HA coatings and commercially pure titanium were used as controls. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize the crystallization, surface morphology, and thickness of the coatings. The bioactivities of the coatings were evaluated by in vitro osteoblast cultures. Results showed that the nano-TiO₂/HA composite bioceramic coating exhibited good crystallization and homogeneous, nano-scale surface morphology. In addition, the nano-TiO₂/HA coating adhered tightly to the substrate, and the in vitro osteoblast cultures exhibited satisfactory bioactivity.     

Compact, Low Threshold Nd^3＋：YVO4 Self-Raman Laser at 1178 nm

A compact low-threshold Raman laser at 1178 nm is experimentally realized by using a diode-end-pumped actively Q-switched Nd^3＋ ：YVO4 self-Raman laser. The threshold is 370mW at a pulse repetition frequency of S kHz. The maximum Raman laser output is 182 m W with the pulse duration smaller than 20 ns at a pulse repetition frequency of 30kHz with 1.8 W incident power. The optical efficiency from the incident power to the Raman laser is 10% and the slope efficiency is 13.5%.     

Theoretical investigation on thermal lensing effects of Yb:KY(WO4)2 in diode-pumped lasers

Based on the features of laser diode end-pumped lasers, a thermal model of Yb:KY(WO₄)₂(Yb:KYW) with square cross-section was established. Considering the heat transfer on side faces, the anisotropic of thermal conductivity and the latest reports about thermo-optic coefficient, thermal expansion coefficient and thermal conductivity, temperature distribution, end-pumped face distortion and thermal lens focal length of Yb:KYW were more precisely obtained using finite difference method to solve Poisson equation in a rectangular Cartesian coordinate for the first time. At the pump power of 14 W, the highest temperature located at the center of end-pumped face was 243.8 °C, the highest distortion was 0.28 μm, and the thermal lens focal length was 5.4 cm along z-axis and −4.9 cm along x-axis. The results show that thermal lensing effects in the b-cut Yb:KYW were mainly determined by the anisotropic thermal expansion of Yb:KYW, and further present thermal lensing effects become weaker after considering the heat transfer. This work is significant for compensating the thermal lensing effect and improving the resonator stability of diode-pumped anisotropy crystal lasers.     

Realization of controllable etching for ZnO film by NH4Cl aqueous solution and its influence on optical and electrical properties

ZnO films were deposited on c-plane Al₂O₃ substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The etching treatments for as-grown ZnO films were performed in NH₄Cl aqueous solution as a function of NH₄Cl concentration and etching time. It was found that NH₄Cl solution is an appropriate candidate for ZnO wet etching because of its controllable and moderate etching rate. The influence of etching treatment on the morphology, optical and electrical properties of the ZnO films has been investigated systematically by means of X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscope, photoluminescence and Hall effect. The results indicated that the surface morphology and optical properties of the films were highly influenced by etching treatment.     

Surface Erosion of GaN Bombarded by Highly Charged 208Pbq+-Ions

Surface change of gallium nitride specimens after bombardment by highly charged Pbq^＋-ions （q = 25, 35） at room temperature is studied by means of atomic force microscopy. The experimental results reveal that the surface of GaN specimens is significantly etched and erased. An unambiguous step-up is observed. The erosion depth not only strongly depends on the charge state of ions, but also is related to the incident angle of Pbq^＋-ions and the ion dose. The erosion depth of the specimens in 60° incidence （tilted incidence） is significantly deeper than that of the normal incidence. The erosion behaviour of specimens has little dependence on the kinetic energy of ion （Ek = 360, 700 keV）. On the other hand, surface roughness of the irradiated area is obviously decreased due to erosion compared with the un-irradiated area. A fiat terrace is formed.     

Synthesis and fine patterning of organic-inorganic composite SiO2-Al2O3 thick films

Organic-inorganic composite SiO₂-Al₂O₃ films have been prepared by sol-gel using methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane and aluminum sec-butoxide as the precursors. By introduction of organic groups into the inorganic backbone, the smooth and crack-free films could be readily achieved by a one-step dip-coating process, with the thickness up to 4.6 μm after being post-baked at 200 °C for 2 h. The films presented in an amorphous phase with an acceptable chemical homogeneity. Owing to the formation of chelate rings, the gel films showed a strong photosensitivity to ultraviolet light at 325 nm. The uniform fine patterns of SiO₂-Al₂O₃ thick films could be well defined by ultraviolet light imprinting simply using a mask. These performances of SiO₂-Al₂O₃ films indicate the potential for integrated optical systems.     

High Efficient C6H12 Raman Laser Enhanced by DCM Fluorescence

We report the first-order Stokes output （wavelength of 627.6 nm） from C6H12 enhanced by DCM dye fluorescence with high energy conversion efficiency of 47.9%, quantum conversion efficiency of 56.5%. To our knowledge, it is the highest conversion efficiency of stimulated Raman scattering obtained from liquid Raman laser. A 532nm frequency doubled Nd：YAG laser with 8 Hz repetition rate is employed as the pump source, and the enhancement medium is DCM dye solution in ethanol. The conversion efficiencies at various pump energies and various pump repetition rates are measured and analysed. The enhancement mechanism of SRS together with its potential application is discussed.     

Ultra-Thin Silicon Carbon Nitride Film: a Promising Protective Coating for Read/Write Heads in Magnetic Storage Devices

Ultra-thin amorphous Si C-N films, down to 2nm, have been synthesized by MW-ECR plasma enhanced unbalanced magnetron sputtering. The friction coefficient of the film is only 0.11, determined in dry friction tests against the GCr15 ball at a load of 400mN for 20min. The films exhibit good protection against corrosion when they are immersed in a more severe corrosion environment of 0. 1 mol/L oxalic acid for 12 h compared to the usual conditions （0.05 mol/L, 4min） used in current computer industries. These good properties can be attributed to the smooth, dense and pore free structure of the film. These indicate that the Si-C-N film synthesized by the present technique may be a promising protective coating for read/write heads and other magnetic storage devices.     

Ferromagnetic resonance studies in Co/SiO2 multilayers

The uniaxial in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropies of [Co/SiO₂] × 10 multilayers have been studied by ferromagnetic resonance, magnetometry and transmission electron microscopy. The surface and volume anisotropy constants are in the range of values typical for multilayers with Co and transition metals of the iron group. The influence of the intermixed Co-SiO₂ region is discussed.     

Analysis and Determination of Refractive Index Profiles of O^2＋ Ion-Implanted LiNbO3 Planar Waveguide Using Etching and Ellipsometry Techniques

The refractive index profiles of 3 MeV O^2＋ ion-implanted planar waveguides in lithium niobate are reconstructed based on etching and ellipsometry techniques. SRIM2003 code is used to simulate the damage distribution in waveguide. It is demonstrated that the index profile of this kind of waveguide, extending to several micrometres in depth, can be determined by etching in combination with following ellipsometric measurements. A good agreement is found between the simulated damage distributions in waveguide and the index profiles based on experimental data, and the width of refractive index barrier is wider than the result of SRIM2003.     

Superconducting Transition Temperature and Metal--Semiconductor Transition Temperature in YBa2Cu4O8/La0.67Ca0.33MnO3/YBa2Cu4O8 Trilayer Films

YBa₂Cu₄O₈/La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃/YBa₂Cu₄O₈(YBCO/LCMO/YBCO) trilayer films were prepared by magnetron facing-target sputtering. For the first time, the oscillatory behaviour of superconducting transition temperature T_c,ON with the thickness of LCMO (d_L) has been observed. The strongest nonmonotonic information in the T_c,ON--d_L curves appears clearly when d_L is larger than the critical thickness d_L^CR. The metal--semiconductor transition temperature can only be detected at d_L>d_L^CR. The dependence on the ferromagnetic spacer layer in YBCO/LCMO/YBCO systems suggests strongly the interplay of ferromagnetic and superconducting couplings.     

Room-Temperature Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching of InP Using Cl2/N2 and Cl2/CH4/H2

We optimize the room-temperature etching of InP using Cl2/CH4/H2 and Cl2/N2 inductively coupled plasma reactive ions. A design of experiment is used in the optimization. The results, in terms of etch rate, surface roughness and etched profile, are presented. These Cl2-based recipes do not require substrate heating and thus can be more cost effectively and widely applied. The Cl2/CH4/H2 process is able to give a higher etch rate （about 850 nm/min） and cleaner surface with less polymer formation compared to the conventional CH4/H2 process. The Cl2/N2 process produces even higher etch rate （as high as 2μm/rain）, but rougher surface with slight sidewall undercut. The Cl2/N2 process also has no polymer formation due to the absence of methane gas. Both the processes give very good selectivity to the silicon dioxide （SiO2） etch mask. The selectivity of InP to the oxide mask （up to 55：1） for the Cl2/N2 process is one of the highest reported so far. The etched structures possess reasonably good sidewall verticality and surface quality comparable to that obtained under elevated temperature condition （〉 200℃）.     

Laser surface alloying of Ni-plated steel with CO2 laser

Laser surface alloying of low carbon steel electroplated with thin (10 μm) Ni using an 850 W CW CO₂ laser is reported for the first time. Fe-Ni binary alloys of different concentrations are formed by varying laser traverse speed from 0.5 to 5 m/min. The phase transformation from α to α + γ is discussed as a function of Ni contents. Development of microstructure in the modified zone is analysed in terms of solidification rate and Ni concentration. A three-fold increase in the microhardness of the binary alloy is observed. Formation of homogenous, adherent and crack free surface alloys is reported.     

Structural and Optical Properties of Nanocrystal In2O3 Films by Thermal Oxidation of In2S3 Films

In₂S₃ nanocrystalline films are prepared on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis technique using indium chloride and thiourea as precursors. The deposition is carried out at 350°C on glass substrates. The films are then annealed for two hour at 200, 400, 600, and 800°C in O₂ flow. This process allows the transformation of nanocrystal In₂O₃ films from In₂S₃ films and the reaction completes at 600°C. These results indicate that the In₂O₃ film prepared by this simple thermal oxidation method is a promising candidate for electro-optical and photovoltaic devices.