Formation of niobium oxynitrides by rapid thermal processing (RTP)

The potential of rapid thermal processing (RTP) for the preparation of thin films of niobium oxynitrides was investigated. The 200 and 500 nm niobium films were deposited via sputtering on oxidized silicon(1 0 0)- and on sapphire(1 −1 0 2)-substrates. At first, oxidation of niobium films in molecular oxygen and then nitridation in ammonia using an RTP-system was performed. The films were characterized before and after the oxidation and nitridation processes by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The influence of the two different substrates, amorphous SiO₂ and single crystalline sapphire on the reactivity of the niobium films was studied in dependence of temperature, time of reaction and film thickness. The existence of niobium oxynitride formation was verified for some of the films. In some of the experiments, crack formation in the films or even delamination of the Nb-films from the substrates was observed.     

Higher order symmetrizer and application to an unusual transport equation

We study a class of stationary transport equation with nonlocal low-order tems We obtain the existence and uniqueness of a solution in sobolev spaces     

求解复杂湍流的非线性涡黏性系数模型和代数应力模型

非线性涡黏性系数模型和代数应力模型联系了线性涡黏性系数湍流模型和完整的微分 雷诺应力模型.随着它们受到日益关注,其形式也越来越多样化.本篇综述的目的是对这些模 型加以总结并比较它们之间的共同点及不同之处,指出它们与完整微分雷诺应力模型之间的 关系,以及相对于线性涡黏性系数模型而言它们在预报流场上所具有的优势.     

Oxidation and nitridation of niobium films by rapid thermal processing

The oxidation and nitridation processes of niobium films in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) – system were investigated. 200 and 500 nm niobium films were deposited via sputtering on sapphire-(1-102)-substrate. At first niobium films were oxidized in molecular oxygen at temperatures ranging from 350 to 500 °C and for times of 1, 2 and 5 min and then nitridated in ammonia at 1000 °C for 1 min using an RTP system. For characterisation of the niobium films complementary analytical methods were used: X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase analysis, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for determining the elemental depth profiles of the films, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for characterisation of the surface morphology of the films. The influence of the substrate, single crystalline sapphire, on the reactivity of the niobium films was studied in dependence of temperature, time of reaction and film thickness. The possibility of existence of niobium oxynitride phase was investigated. According to XRD and SIMS data, there is evidence that an oxynitride phase is formed after oxidation and subsequent nitridation in the bulk of some Nb films. In some of the experiments crack formation in the films or even delamination of the Nb films from the substrates was observed.     

Nitridation of niobium oxide films by rapid thermal processing

The possibility of forming niobium oxynitride through the nitridation of niobium oxide films in molecular nitrogen by rapid thermal processing (RTP) was investigated. Niobium films 200 and 500 nm thick were deposited via sputtering onto Si(100) wafers covered with a thermally grown SiO₂ layer 100 nm thick. These as-deposited films exhibited distinct texture effects. They were processed in two steps using an RTP system. The as-deposited niobium films were first oxidized under an oxygen atmosphere at 450 °C for various periods of time and subsequently nitridated under a nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C for 1 min. Investigations of the oxidized films showed that samples where the start of niobium pentoxide formation was detected at the surface and the film bulk still consisted of a substoichiometric NbO_x phase exhibited distinctly lower surface roughness and microcrack densities than samples where complete oxidation of the film to Nb₂O₅ had occurred. The niobium oxide phases formed at the Nb/substrate interface also showed distinct texture. Zones of niobium oxide phases like NbO and NbO₂, which did not exist in the initial oxidized films, were formed during the nitridation. This is attributed to a “snow-plough effect” produced by the diffusion of nitrogen into the film, which pushes the oxygen deeper into the film bulk. These oxide phases, in particular the NbO₂ zone, act as barriers to the in-diffusion of nitrogen and also inhibit the outdiffusion of oxygen from the SiO₂ substrate layer. Nitridation of the partially oxidized niobium films in molecular nitrogen leads to the formation of various niobium oxide and nitride phases, but no indication of niobium oxynitride formation was found. Figure Schematic representation of the phase distribution in 200 nm Nb film on SiO₂/Si substrate after two steps annealing using an RTP system. The plot below represents the SIMS depth profiles of the nitridated sample with the phase assignment     

Nitridation of Niobium Pentoxide Films in Ammonia by Rapid Thermal Processing

The feasibility of niobium oxynitride formation through nitridation of niobium pentoxide films in ammonia by rapid thermal processing (RTP) was investigated. Niobium films 200 and 500 nm thick were deposited by sputtering on Si(100) wafers covered by a 100 nm thick thermally grown SiO₂ layer. These as‐deposited films exhibited distinct texture effects. They were processed in three steps using an RTP system. The as‐deposited niobium films were first nitridated in an ammonia atmosphere at 1000 °C for 1 min and then oxidised in molecular oxygen at temperatures ranging from 400 to 600 °C. Those samples in which a single Nb₂O₅ phase was determined after oxidation were additionally nitridated in ammonia at 1000 °C for 1 min. Investigations show that surface roughness of the samples after oxidation of niobium films first nitridated in ammonia is lower than after direct oxidation of as‐deposited films in oxygen, although the niobium pentoxide phase formed after annealing was the same in both cases. We explain this result as being due to the large expansion of the niobium lattice during the direct oxidation of the niobium film in molecular oxygen and also to the high oxidation rate of the as‐deposited niobium film in oxygen. By incorporation of oxygen in the crystal lattice of niobium and rapid formation of niobium pentoxide, substantial intrinsic stress was built up in the film, frequently resulting in delamination of the film from the substrate. Nitrogen hinders the diffusion of oxygen in nitridated films, which leads to a decrease of the oxidation rate and thus slower formation of Nb₂O₅. Nitridation of the completely oxidised niobium films in ammonia leads to the formation of niobium oxynitride and niobium nitride phases.     

Determination of electron affinity of carbonyl radicals by means of negative ion mass spectrometry

Appearance energies of [M-H](-) ions from carbonyl compounds R-CO-R' (R,R' = H, CH(3), NH(2), OH) have been measured by means of negative ion mass spectrometry in resonant electron capture mode. Values of electron affinity of the corresponding radicals, CH(2)&dbond;C(X)O, NH&dbond;C(X)O and O&dbond;C(X)O, have been determined. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The multi-functional aspect of scanning holographic microscopy: a review(Invited Paper)

Recent developments in scanning holographic microscopy that offer the prospects of new quantitative tools and imaging modalities in bio, micro, and nano sciences are reviewed. The versatility of the method is emphasized. Scanning holography can operate in an incoherent mode for fluorescence imaging, in a coherent mode for quantitative phase imaging, or in a tomographic mode for axial sectioning and rejection of the out-of-focus haze. Possible applications are illustrated with examples, and future prospects ...     

Primitive Illumination Systems for Families of Convex Bodies in the Plane

Let F= {C₁,C₂,...,C} be a family of ndisjoint convex bodies in the plane. We say that a set Vof exterior light sources illuminates F, if for every boundary point of any member of Fthere is a point in Vsuch that is visible from ,i.e. the open line segment joining and is disjoint from F. An illumination system Vis called primitive if no proper subset of Villuminates F. Let p_max(F) denote the maximum number of points forming a primitive illumination system for F, and letp_max(n) denote the minimum of F) taken over all families Fconsisting of ndisjoint convex bodies in the plane. The aim of this paper is to investigate the quantities p_max(F) and p_max(n).