ABSTRACT
(Si)GeSn is an emerging group IV alloy system offering new exciting properties, with great potential for low power electronics due to the fundamental direct band gap and prospects as high mobility material. In this Article, we present a systematic study of HfO2/TaN high-k/metal gate stacks on (Si)GeSn ternary alloys and low temperature processes for large scale integration of Sn based alloys. Our investigations indicate that SiGeSn ternaries show enhanced thermal stability compared to GeSn binaries, allowing the use of the existing Si technology. Despite the multielemental interface and large Sn content of up to 14 atom %, the HfO2/(Si)GeSn capacitors show small frequency dispersion and stretch-out. The formed TaN/HfO2/(Si)GeSn capacitors present a low leakage current of 2 × 10(-8) A/cm(2) at -1 V and a high breakdown field of â¼8 MV/cm. For large Sn content SiGeSn/GeSn direct band gap heterostructures, process temperatures below 350 °C are required for integration. We developed an atomic vapor deposition process for TaN metal gate on HfO2 high-k dielectric and validated it by resistivity as well as temperature and frequency dependent capacitance-voltage measurements of capacitors on SiGeSn and GeSn. The densities of interface traps are deduced to be in the low 10(12) cm(-2) eV(-1) range and do not depend on the Sn-concentration. The new processes developed here are compatible with (Si)GeSn integration in large scale applications.
ABSTRACT
In this work the effect of multivalency on the stability of NIR-absorbing HAuNSs and AuNRs functionalized by mono-, bi- and tridentate polyethyleneglycol (PEG) thiol ligands is reported. Comparison of commercially-available monodentate and self-synthesized bi- and tridentate methoxy terminated thiol-polyethyleneglycol ligands having molecular weights of around 5000 Da shows the stability increase of HAuNSs and AuNRs for bi- and tridentate ligands, attributed to the multivalency of the ligands. The stability was explored according to three different aspects: (1) stability towards competition reactions with the strong binding ligand dithiothreitol, (2) resistance towards oxidative Au dissolution with potassium cyanide, and (3) colloidal stability, tested by the addition of NaCl. Our PEGylation approach leads to AuNRs where the CTAB concentration is below the detection limit of the performed analytical methods, which is vital for any clinical applications. Furthermore, we found strikingly high biocompatibility after PEGylation for both particle types whereby we observed no significant difference in cytotoxicity comparing the mono-, bi- and tridentate PEGylated species.
ABSTRACT
Rare earth oxides are promising candidates for future integration into nano-electronics. A key property of these oxides is their ability to form silicates in order to replace the interfacial layer in Si-based complementary metal-oxide field effect transistors. In this work a detailed study of lanthanum lutetium oxide based gate stacks is presented. Special attention is given to the silicate formation at temperatures typical for CMOS processing. The experimental analysis is based on hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy complemented by standard laboratory experiments as Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Homogenously distributed La silicate and Lu silicate at the Si interface are proven to form already during gate oxide deposition. During the thermal treatment Si atoms diffuse through the oxide layer towards the TiN metal gate. This mechanism is identified to be promoted via Lu-O bonds, whereby the diffusion of La was found to be less important.
ABSTRACT
Redox-based memristive switching has been observed in many binary transition metal oxides and related compounds. Since, on the one hand, many recent reports utilize TiO(2) for their studies of the memristive phenomenon and, on the other hand, there is a long history of the electronic structure and the crystallographic structure of TiO(2) under the impact of reduction and oxidation processes, we selected this material as a prototypical material to provide deeper insight into the mechanisms behind memristive switching. In part I, we briefly outline the results of the historical and recent studies of electroforming and resistive switching of TiO(2)-based cells. We describe the (tiny) stoichiometrical range for TiO(2 - x) as a homogeneous compound, the aggregation of point defects (oxygen vacancies) into extended defects, and the formation of the various Magnéli phases. Furthermore, we discuss the driving forces for these solid-state reactions from the thermodynamical point of view. In part II, we provide new experimental details about the hierarchical transformation of TiO(2) single crystals into Magnéli phases, and vice versa, under the influence of chemical, electrical and thermal gradients, on the basis of the macroscopic and nanoscopic measurements. Those include thermogravimetry, high-temperature x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-temperature conductivity measurements, as well as low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and LC-AFM (atomic force microscope equipped with a conducting tip) studies. Conclusions are drawn concerning the relevant parameters that need to be controlled in order to tailor the memristive properties.
