On the gate capacitance of MOS structures of kane-type semiconductors under magnetic quantization

An attempt is made to formulate the gate capacitance of MOS structures of Kane-type semiconductors under magnetic quantization, without any approximations of weak or strong electric field limits, on the basis of the fourth-order effective mass theory and taking into account the interactions of the conduction, light-hole, heavy-hole, and split-off bands. It is found, taking n-channel Hg_1–x Cd _x Te as an example, that the gate capacitance exhibits spiky oscillations with changing magnetic field, which is in qualitative agreement with experimental observations, reported elsewhere, in MOS structures of the same semiconductor. The corresponding results for n-channel inversion layers on parabolic semiconductors are also obtained from the expressions derived.     

Effect of a quantizing magnetic field on the capacitance of MOS structures of small-gap semiconductors

An attempt is made to investigate the effect of a quantizing magnetic field on the capacitance of MOS structures of small-gap semiconductors havingn-channel inversion layers under the weak electric-field limit. It is found, takingn-channel InSb as an example, that both the MOS and surface capacitances show spiky oscillations with changing magnetic field. It is further observed that the sharpness and the depths of the spikes increase with increasing magnetic field whereas the depths are found to decrease with increasing thickness of the insulating layer. On leave of absence from the Department of Physics, Patna University, Patna, India     

Dissipative structures in laminar semiconductors

A laminar electron semiconductor consisting of two branches is considered: passive (with a single-valued homogeneous current-voltage characteristic (CVC), and active (with an S-shaped overheated CVC). The self-consistent nonlinear problem is solved about seeking the dissipative structures (DS), the electron temperature strata and current filaments, that occur in the sandwich under consideration. The system bifurcation characteristics are found. The appearance of DS on the CVC of each of the branches and the specimen as a whole is studied.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 10, pp. 63–70, October, 1985.The author is grateful to F. G. Bass, Yu. G. Gurevich, and V. S. Bochkov for discussing the results of the research.     

Surface photovoltage measurement in MOS structures

A method for the dc surface photovoltage measurement in MOS capacitors is proposed. Results of surface-photovoltage measurements performed for two kinds of MOS structures on p-type silicon substrates are presented. Comparison of them with results obtained form C-V characteristics exhibits a satisfactory conformity. Two groups of surface states beginning at E _t ¹ = E_v + 0.25 eV and E _t ² = E_c – 0.30 eV in the oxide-silicon interface of the investigated structures had been found.     

Trap centers in Au-implanted MOS structures

Trap centers in the Si-SiO₂ interface region of MOS structures doped by ion implantation of gold have been investigated using constant capacitance deep level transient spectroscopy (CC-DLTS). Gold doses of 10¹²–3 × 10¹³ cm^–2 were implanted into the back surface of the wafers and were then redistributed during a diffusion anneal for 30 min at 1100° or 900° C. Three Au-related trap levels have been observed in the interface region, which were attributed to the Au-donor (E _v +0.35 eV), the Au-acceptor (E _v +0.53 eV), and the Au-Fe complex (E _v +0.45 eV). The trap concentration profiles show that the Si-SiO₂ interface affects the Au concentration in a depth range of 1 m from the interface and that gettering of Au occurs at the interface. The interface state density is independent of the Au concentration at the interface even for concentrations of 10¹⁵ cm^–3.     

Poole-Frenkel effect in chalcogenide semiconductors with various crystalline structures

The results of investigation of electrical conductivity of a large group of chalcogenide semiconductors having the layered, cubic, and orthorhombic structures in strong electric fields up to 10⁵ V/cm are presented. The revealed increase in electrical conductivity σ in strong electric fields has been explained by the Frenkel thermionic ionization. This has made it possible, along with other parameters (for example, activation energy and trap concentration, charge-carrier mean free path, permittivity), to evaluate the concentration and mobility of charge carriers in semiconductors under study. It has been shown that in strong electric fields in semiconductors, when the thermionic ionization of the traps occurs, their permittivity ?, which is caused by the electron polarization, is determined by the simple formula ? = n ², where n is the refractive index of light.     

Relaxation into tunnel induced nonequilibrium states in metal-oxide semiconductor structures

The relaxation of a metal-oxide semiconductor structure from deep depletion towards a tunnel-induced non-equilibrium steady state is addressed in this work. A simple model was constructed, taking into account thermal generation, tunneling of both types of carriers and impact ionization. Experimental results obtained on p-and n-type Si substrates and oxides thinner than 6.5 nm are shown to be well fitted by the proposed model. A map describing the possible behavior patterns for a structure with given oxide thickness and effective generation velocity is presented. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 862–864 (May 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Reproduced here with stylistic changes by the Translation Editor.     

Single-electron quantum dots in silicon MOS structures

We present experimental results for two types of quantum dots, which are embedded within a silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor structure. Evidence is found for single-electron charging at low temperature, and for an asymmetric shape of the dot. First results of simulations of these dots are presented. Received: 14 April 2000 / Accepted: 17 April 2000 / Published online: 6 September 2000     

Electroluminescence of silicon nanocrystals in MOS structures

We have studied the structural, electrical and optical properties of MOS devices, where the dielectric layer consists of a substoichiometric SiO_x (x<2) thin film deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. After deposition the samples were annealed at high temperature (>1000 °C) to induce the separation of the Si and the SiO₂ phases with the formation of Si nanocrystals embedded in the insulating matrix. We observed at room temperature a quite intense electroluminescence (EL) signal with a peak at ∼850 nm. The EL peak position is very similar to that observed in photoluminescence in the very same device, demonstrating that the observed EL is due to electron–hole recombination in the Si nanocrystals and not to defects. The effects of the Si concentration in the SiO_x layer and of the annealing temperature on the electrical and optical properties of these devices are also reported and discussed. In particular, it is shown that by increasing the Si content in the SiO_x layer the operating voltage of the device decreases and the total efficiency of emission increases. These data are reported and their implications discussed. Received: 31 August 2001 / Accepted: 3 September 2001 / Published online: 17 October 2001     

Point,linear and extended defect structures in nonstoichiometric rutile

TiO_2-x crystals (0 < x ≤ 0.0035) prepared at 1323 K and given controlled thermomechanica treatment were examined by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Crystallographic shear planes (CSP) were not present in non-deformed specimens quenched from 1323 K but appeared, mostly as closely-spaced pairs, in slowly-cooled or deformed and reduced specimens. Lateral and longitudinal disorder in the fine structure of the CSP, which was strongly dependent upon cooling rate was observed. Platelet defects, approximately parallel to {100}, formed at about 400–600°C. Defects intermediate in size between point defects and CSP were also discovered. In situ observations revealed some details of the mechanisms of formation and dissolution of CSP and platelets.

New interstitial cation structural models were derived using the above observations and electrostatic energy arguments. Linear defects, consisting of two face-shared pairs of octahedra containing trivalent cations are proposed. These have very much lower formation and migration energies than the traditional model. Diffusion mechanisms were derived which allow the linear defects to aggregate and readily form pairs of CSP or platelets without the necessity to nucleate dislocation loops.     

Photoelectric properties of magnetically sensitive MOS structures

The photoelectric properties of MOS structures having compensation regions near the field electrode have been studied experimentally. It is shown that the presence of such regions can lead to the appearance of a number of features in the integrated photoelectric properties: the presence of a large photovoltage signal in enhancement, dependence of the form of the photovoltage frequency dependence on the intensity of the light flux, and distortion of the shape of the photovoltage signal in inversion. The presence of compensation regions can be established using measurements of the distribution of the photovoltage over the area of the structure and measurements of the voltage dependence of the phase of the integrated photovoltage signal. The increase or decrease of the photovoltage signal in enhancement after exposure to a weak magnetic field is due to the rearrangement of the impurity-defect structure in the near-surface layer of the semiconductor, leading to the appearance of compensated semiconductor regions near the field electrode. Tomsk State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 82–87, May, 1998.     

Influence of Ro radiation upon ion-implanted MOS structures

The interaction of Ro radiation with defects in ion-implanted MOS structures is studied using the method of thermally stimulated charge release and C/V method. It is shown that preliminary treatment with Ro radiation decreases the temperature of thermal annealing of the radiation defects introduced by ion-implantation up to 450°C.     

Metal/metal-oxide/metal etalon structures grown by pulsed laser deposition

Multilayered metal/metal-oxide/metal structures are fabricated by pulsed laser deposition in alternating non-reactive and reactive oxidising conditions, by using pure metal targets. The variety of metals used includes tantalum, zinc and indium. Further to the well-known interferometric, etalon, optical behaviour the structures feature additional activation properties owing to the nanoscopic nature of the oxide materials incorporated. PACS 81.15.Fg; 78.67.Pt; 42.25.Hz     

Photoelectric spectroscopy of oxide states with MOS structures atT=79 K

AtT=79 K illumination effects with visible and UV light on the drain current were studied forn-channel enhancement-type MOS transistors. The results show that the response of photoelectric measurements is due to electron excitation from oxide states into the silicon surface layer (positive changes of drain current). The oxide states lying near the bottom of the silicon dioxide conduction band are distributed in energy. Oxide states having captured a hole can be discharged by electrons excited from the silicon conduction or valence band (negative changes of drain current) in combination with a tunneling process.     

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy on MOS structures with very thin oxide films

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy at 4.2 K was used to investigate the defect structure of MOS capacitors with very thin SiO₂ films. Samples were degeneratelyP-andB-doped Si substrates, oxidized in O₂ at 600°C and provided with evaporated Pb, Au, In, Al or Mg electrodes. The observed peaks in the second derivative of theI-U characteristic were assigned to the excitation of phonons and of vibrational modes of the dopants and impurities. The results were found to correlate with infrared data. In addition, a distinct effect of Si/SiO₂ interface states on the characteristic was found.     

Interface states and impurities in MOS structures with very thin tunneling barriers

Electron tunneling spectroscopy was used to investigate MOS junctions with very thin silicon oxide or silicon oxynitride layers (2–5 nm) as tunneling barriers. For the tunneling measurements at 4.2 K highly degenerate P-doped (3×10²⁰ cm^-3) Si substrates, oxidized in dry oxygen at 600°C were used. Silicon oxynitride layers were prepared by plasma nitridation in an NH₃ discharge. As gate electrodes evaporated films of Al, Au or Pb were utilized. Changes in the tunneling conductivity were attributed to changes in the density of interface states, caused by hydrogen annealing or by high field stress. The results indicate a correlation between the generation of interface states and the removal of Si-H configurations. Vibrational modes of phonons, dopants and impurities were detected by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy.     

Silicon dioxide and the chalcogenide semiconductors; similarities and differences

The purpose of this article is to examine current hypotheses about the optical and electrical properties of the amorphous chalcogenide semiconductors, and to examine whether they can be extended to explain some of the properties of amorphous silicon dioxide. For the selenides and tellurides we assume the validity of the model of ‘charged dangling bonds’ introduced by Street and Mott. Absorption of light by these defects leads to photoluminescence with a large Stokes shift; formation of an electron-hole pair far from a defect, on the other hand, leads to radiationless recombination. In enquiring why this is so, we examine the nature of excitons in non-crystalline systems, and the mechanism of self-trapping both of excitons and of free carriers in crystalline and non-crystalline materials. Self-trapping by the V _K-type mechanism, if it occurs, takes place after a certain delay for a free hole or exciton, but not for one bound at a defect, so that free-exciton absorption bands are narrower than those from bound excitons at defects. The radiationless recombination of a free or bound exciton normally occurs through the mechanism first considered by Dexter et al., if more energy than ～1 eV is emitted.

In SiO₂ electrons are exceptionally mobile, but on the basis of work by Hughes, we think that holes are self-trapped after a delay, and can then move by polaron-type hopping. We propose that the first absorption peak (at 10.2 eV) in the optical spectrum is due to an optically allowed exciton, which recombines by the Dexter mechanism, but only after a delay of a type proposed here. The delay allows a comparatively narrow absorption peak, of width given by that of the exciton band. The absorption peak due to a Na⁺ ion linked to a non-bridging oxygen atom is considerably broader because it is due to a bound exciton. We estimate the band-gap in SiO₂ to be about 10.6 eV and also the position of the centre of gravity of the level due to a Na⁺ ion with a non-bridging oxygen atom to be ～1.5 eV above the valence band of SiO₂, less than usually supposed.

Finally, we examine the nature of the positive and negative charges which occur in SiO₂ grown thermally on silicon; these are responsible for Anderson localization of electrons in the inversion layer, and for the ‘slow states’ of silicon technology. We tentatively conclude that they are non-bridging oxygen atoms and that these, like dangling bonds in chalcogenides, are normally positively and negatively charged. We examine their positions in the gap and the activation energies of charging and discharging.     

Lineshape distortions in fir cyclotron resonance of MOS structures

Cyclotron resonance lineshape distortions which include appreciable shifts in the peak position have been observed in far infrared laser transmission measurements of MOS structures. Experimental studies and a complete theoretical treatment show that these distortions arise from multiple interference effects in plane parallel sample substrates and from partial circular polarization of long wavelength coherent radiation owing to the light pipe optics.