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Presents a study that analyzed the effects of treatment with remote oxygen-containing plasma on electrochemically etched porous silicon semiconductor wafers. Examination of the photoluminescence intensity of plasma-treated film wafers; Determination of the surface chemical composition of the film; Evaluation of the infrared measurements of the samples.

Presents a study which eamines x-ray diffraction (XRD) results that will be useful to understand and explain the main effects on the TiN barrier integrity due to the annealing temperature, the air exposure, the ARC layer, the TiN thickness and the substrate. Formation of phases at Al alloy TiN interface; Discussion and results of the study; Discussion on circuit problems.

Focuses on a study concerning the effect of oxygen plasma exposure on the contact metallization of titanium and nitrogen. Discussion of the barrier of titanium and nitrogen in oxygen plasma; Application of elastic recoil detection measurements; Effect of thermal stress and capacitor polysilicon.

Focuses on silicon nitride films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Application of positron annihilation spectroscopy combined with Auger electron depth profiling; Measurement of the electric field induced in the silicon substrate; Electric field in the substrate required to fit the slope of the S parameter spectrum.

Presents a study which characterized reactively evaporated titanium nitride layers for diffusion barrier applications in silicon devices. Experimental details; Results; Discussion.

Examines the stress evolution of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide films by increasing the annealing temperature. Preparation of the films; Infrared absorption analysis; Information on the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis.

Presents a study which prepared hydrogenated amorphous a-Si[cubx]C[sub1-x]:H films with various compositions using a radio frequency glow discharge decomposition of a silane and methane mixture diluted in argon. Details on the deposition of the silicon carbide (SiC) film; Characterization of the films; Preparation and characterization of x-ray SiC membranes.

Presents a study that produced thin TiN layers by reactive evaporation combined with rapid thermal annealing. Stoichiometry of the TiN layers; Properties of TiN for microelectronic technology; Description of elastic recoil detection.

The use of plasma assistance is shown to enhance the optoelectronic properties (i.e., transparency, free carrier density, and conductivity) of indium tin oxide (ITO) deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering by promoting the incorporation of oxygen in substoichiometric oxide films during magnetron sputtering. The authors demonstrate that subplantation of oxygen ions (O2+ and O+), i.e., their implantation to depths of several nanometers below the growth surface, is the primary pathway by which radio frequency plasma assistance at the substrate surface enhances oxygen incorporation during reactive magnetron sputtering of ITO. These conclusions are supported independently by elastic recoil detection measurements of ITO films in the time-of-flight regime and Monte Carlo TRIDYN simulations of oxygen ion bombardment in the reactive low-pressure plasma environment. The findings indicate that subplantation plays a crucial role in improving the optoelectronic properties of O-deficient ITO films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The etching characteristics of indium zinc oxide (IZO) films were investigated using a high-density plasma in Ar, Ar/Cl2, and Ar/CH4/H2 chemistries. The IZO layers were deposited by means of rf magnetron sputtering, in which the target composition and growth temperature were varied to selectively tune the film properties. X-ray diffraction, elastic recoil detection, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy were used to determine the crystallization quality, atomic density, and composition of the as-deposited IZO films. As the In/(In+Zn) composition ratio in the IZO layer increases, the etch yield in Ar and Ar/Cl2 plasmas remains fairly constant, indicating that the etching dynamic is essentially independent of the film properties. In sharp contrast, a strong increase of the IZO etch yield with the In/(In+Zn) fraction is observed in Ar/CH4/H2 plasma due to the preferential desorption of the group-III etch products. By comparing these experimental data to the predictions of a simple rate model accounting for preferential desorption effects, it is concluded that the balance between etching and polymer deposition in the Ar/CH4/H2 plasma plays an important role in the evolution of the IZO etch rate with the In concentration fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines photosensitivity in phosphorus-doped silica glass and optical waveguides. Use of argon fluoride excimer laser to irradiate the silica; Demonstration of a single mode planar glass waveguide laser; Measurement of thermal stability of the photosensitivity.