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The allotropic affinity for bulk silicon and unique electronic and optical properties make silicene a promising candidate for future high-performance devices compatible with mature complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. However, silicene's outstanding properties are not preserved on its most prominent growth templates, due to strong substrate interactions and hybridization effects. In this letter, we report the optical properties of silicene epitaxially grown on Au(111). A novel in situ passivation methodology with few-layer hexagonal boron nitride enables detailed ex situ characterization at ambient conditions via μ-Raman spectroscopy and reflectance measurements. The optical properties of silicene on Au(111) appeared to be in accordance with the characteristics predicted theoretically for freestanding silicene, allowing the conclusion that its prominent electronic properties are preserved. The absorption features are, however, modified by many-body effects induced by the Au substrate due to an increased screening of electron-hole interactions.

Many of graphene’s remarkable properties arise from its linear dispersion of the electronic states, forming a Dirac cone at the K points of the Brillouin zone. Silicene, the 2D allotrope of silicon, is also predicted to show a similar electronic band structure, with the addition of a tunable bandgap, induced by spin–orbit coupling. Because of these outstanding electronic properties, silicene is considered as a promising building block for next-generation electronic devices. Recently, it has been shown that silicene grown on Au(111) still possesses a Dirac cone, despite the interaction with the substrate. Here, to fully characterize the structure of this 2D material, we investigate the vibrational spectrum of a monolayer silicene grown on Au(111) by polarized Raman spectroscopy. To enable a detailed ex situ investigation, we passivated the silicene on Au(111) by encapsulating it under few layers hBN or graphene flakes. The observed spectrum is characterized by vibrational modes that are strongly red-shifted with respect to the ones expected for freestanding silicene. By comparing low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) patterns and Raman results with first-principles calculations, we show that the vibrational modes indicate a highly (>7%) biaxially strained silicene phase., This work was funded by the Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF), Austria (Project P29244-N27). We also acknowledge financial support by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO) under Grant FEDER-MAT2017-90024-P and the Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence Program under Grant CEX2019-000917-S, and by the Generalitat de Catalunya under Grant 2017 SGR 1506. The project i-LINK action LINKA20047 funded by CSIC is also acknowledged for financial support. R.R. acknowledges useful discussions with Mariusz Krawiec. CzechNanoLab Project LM2018110 funded by MEYS CR is gratefully acknowledged for the financial support of the measurements at CEITEC Nano Research Infrastructure. K.W. and T.T. acknowledge support from the Elemental Strategy Initiative conducted by the MEXT, Japan, Grant JPMXP0112101001, JSPS KAKENHI Grant JP20H00354, and the CREST(JPMJCR15F3), JST.

The stabilization of silicene at ambient conditions is essential for its characterization, future processing, and device integration. Here, we demonstrate in situ encapsulation of silicene on Ag(111) by exfoliated few-layer graphene (FLG) flakes, allowing subsequent Raman analysis under ambient conditions. Raman spectroscopy measurements proved that FLG capping serves as an effective passivation, preventing degradation of silicene for up to 48 h. The acquired data are consistent with former in situ Raman measurements, showing two characteristic peaks, located at 216 and 515 cm–1. Polarization-dependent measurements allowed to identify the two modes as A and E, demonstrating that the symmetry properties of silicene are unaltered by the capping process.

All-oxide solar cells based on electrodeposited p -type Cu 2 O absorber and atomic layer deposited n -type ZnMgO are investigated. The introduced solar cell architecture is free of precious metals that are usually employed as electrodes in Cu 2 O solar cells and is composed almost exclusively of oxide layers. Firstly, a detailed investigation is made on the potentiostatic electrodeposition of the absorber layer on the sputtered, highly conductive and reflective Cr/ITO (ITO: tin-doped indium oxide) electrode. The focus is set on adjusting the deposition parameters to obtain Cu 2 O layers, which are void-free and with large grains. A multi-textured film is obtained with prominent (111), (200) and (220) reflections. The absorber has a bandgap of 1.93 eV and a rough, antireflective surface. Next, the n -type ZnMgO layer has been investigated and a linear relation of the optical bandgap (3.2–3.9 eV) versus Mg content was found. The valence band maximum levels have been extracted from X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the band alignment of the Cu 2 O/ZnMgO was evaluated. Solar cells employing ZnMgO films with ~10 at% Mg show best photovoltaic performance, whereas for larger Mg contents a dramatic decrease of the performance takes place, presumably due to excessive, deep-level defects, leading to tunnel recombination. Best cells show short circuit current density of 6.8 mA/cm 2 , open circuit voltage of 550 mV, fill factor of 45% and power conversion efficiency of 1.67%.

The electrical and optical properties of low-dimensional nanostructures depend critically on size and geometry and may differ distinctly from those of their bulk counterparts. In particular, ultrathin semiconducting layers as well as nanowires have already proven the feasibility to realize and study quantum size effects enabling novel ultrascaled devices. Further, plasmonic metal nanostructures attracted recently a lot of attention because of appealing near-field-mediated enhancement effects. Thus, combining metal and semiconducting constituents in quasi one-dimensional heterostructures will pave the way for ultrascaled systems and high-performance devices with exceptional electrical, optical, and plasmonic functionality. This Letter reports on the sophisticated fabrication and structural properties of axial and radial Al-Ge and Al-Si nanowire heterostructures, synthesized by a thermally induced exchange reaction of single-crystalline Ge-Si core-shell nanowires and Al pads. This enables a self-aligned metallic contact formation to Ge segments beyond lithographic limitations as well as ultrathin semiconducting layers wrapped around monocrystalline Al core nanowires. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and μ-Raman measurements proved the composition and perfect crystallinity of these metal-semiconductor nanowire heterostructures. This exemplary selective replacement of Ge by Al represents a general approach for the elaboration of radial and axial metal-semiconductor heterostructures in various Ge-semiconductor heterostructures.

The realization of an efficient, silicon-based light source with nanoscale dimensions may be the missing link to overcome the physical limitations of electrical signaling. Therefore, the generation of hot-carriers to increase the transition possibilities within the band structure has shown promising results to cope with the inefficient light emission of indirect semiconductors. Here, we present the electroluminescent properties of NiSi2/silicon/NiSi2 nanowire heterostructures, operated at high electric fields. These hot carrier electroluminescent devices show highly reproducible, super- and sub-bandgap emission of light, covering the visible spectrum and extending toward the near infrared regime. A pronounced peak, centered in the blue visible region at 2.6 eV is assigned to phonon-assisted interband recombination of hot carriers. Spectral components at energies lower than 2.3 eV are linearly polarized along the nanowire axis and mainly attributed to intraband transitions.

Metal Oxide Semiconductor capacitors are investigated, employing ALD grown Y 2 O 3 as gate dielectric, and n-type (1 0 0) germanium as channel substrate. The effect of post deposition annealing (PDA) in oxygen and forming gas atmosphere using a thin catalytically acting platinum (Pt)-layer on the Y 2 O 3 /Ge interface is electrically analyzed for buffered hydrofluoric (BHF) and thermally pre-treated Ge-surfaces. The Pt-assisted PDA ensures even for BHF pre-treated samples very low values for the interface trap density D it of 1.55 × 10 11 eV −1 cm −2 and low leakage current densities J of −9 A/cm 2 outperforming conventional PDA treatments. The interfacial formation of GeO 2 and yttrium germanate after PDA is proven by using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy measurements.

Focused electron beam induced etching (FEBIE) with chlorine as etching agent has been used to geometrically shape and to electrically modify semiconductor nanodevices. Selected sections of monocrystalline nanowires were modified directly without the requirement for a photomask or a resist layer. FEBIE as a subtractive nanofabrication technology allows to locally etch active semiconductor devices made of Si or Ge. In this work, chlorine is used as the etchant gas to thin germanium channel structures fabricated by standard photolithography. For effective material removal a sufficiently high electron influence is essential to avoid the pitfalls of this method. Topography and conductivity of FEBIE-modified structures prior and after the etching process was studied by AFM and by electrical I–V characteristics. The presented work demonstrates the potential of Cl-based FEBIE for device prototyping and electrical trimming of future Ge-based nanodevices.

We report an experimental study on quasi-one-dimensional Al–Ge–Al nanowire (NW) heterostructures featuring unmatched photoconductive gains exceeding 107 and responsivities as high as 10 A/μW in the visible wavelength regime. Our observations are attributed to the presence of GeOx related hole-trapping states at the NW surface and can be described by a photogating effect in accordance with previous studies on low-dimensional nanostructures. Utilizing an ultrascaled photodetector device operating in the quantum ballistic transport regime at room temperature we demonstrate for the first time that individual current channels can be addressed directly by laser irradiation. The resulting quantization of the photocurrent represents the ultimate limit of photodetectors, allowing for advanced concepts including highly resolved imaging, light effect transistors and single photon detectors with practically zero off-state current.

The regeneration of nerves of the peripheral nervous system after injuries is a complex process. This study presents a novel in vitro neurite regeneration concept to investigate the regeneration of neurons and their processes with different concentrations of neurotrophic factors. The core part of the concept is a transparent microfluidic neurite isolation (NI) device affixed on top of a microelectrode array (MEA), providing a fast and easy way to assess both the growth and the electrical activity of neurites. The NI-MEA isolates neurites from the culture with microchannels that serve as guidance tubes, equipped with microelectrodes. Thus, the NI-MEA allows neurite growth, as observed by microscopy, to be correlated with neurite electrical activity, as measured by electrophysiological recordings. To demonstrate proof of concept of neurite regeneration, we cultured cells from the superior cervical ganglion of postnatal mice under different concentrations of nerve growth factor (NGF). During the regeneration process, we observed an increase in the number of neurites entering the microchannels along with an increase in spike activity recorded by the microelectrodes in the microchannels. We also observed a concentration-dependent effect of neurotrophic factor on the excitability of the growing neurites, with neurites bathed in 20 ng/ml NGF exhibiting enhanced early growth. Thus, our neurite regeneration concept with the NI-MEA device allows further study of neurotrophic factors and reduces the requirement for in vivo experiments on the regeneration of peripheral nerves after injury. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

To advance existing in vitro cell impedance spectroscopy and improve reliability of impedimetric sensors for cell analysis, we have electrically insulated interdigitated microelectrodes using the high-k biomaterial zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). We report the smallest passivation thickness to electrode distance ratio of 10−3 using atomic layer deposition resulting in electrically insulated metal oxide films of 15 nm thickness. For the first time the influence of the insulation on sensor performance is experimentally and theoretically analyzed using numerical simulations. In addition an equivalent electrical circuit model was established and validated using non-linear least square fitting. Results of the computational simulations revealed improved electrical current distribution across the electrically insulated interdigitated electrode structures in comparison to open (not passivated) electrodes. Furthermore, we found linear decrease of current density in z-direction within 5 μm distance from the sensor surface in the presence of ZrO2 nanocoatings is ideally suited to assess confluent cell layers. Final practical application of the ZrO2 nanolayer passivated impedimetric sensors is demonstrated for nanotoxicological investigations, where sensitivity and repeatability are crucial parameters for cell analysis. Results of our study show that the reproducible and standardizable deposition of a uniform metal oxide nanocoating improves current density distributions, has no performance drawbacks compared to open sensors and enables sensitive detection of protein-coating effects on cytotoxic silica nanoparticles. The presented novel sensor design allows for the integration of alternative electrode materials such as aluminum enabling cost-effective fabrication of large-volume sensor arrays.

A versatile synthetic protocol toward a series of various substituted triphenylamine derivatives serving as building blocks for organic electronic materials was developed. Key steps during synthesis were either Ullmann condensations or nucleophilic aromatic substitutions giving rise to structural modification of triphenylamines and their electronic nature. In turn, these scaffolds were exemplarily attached to a dendritic tris(2-thienyl)benzene core affording star shaped organic semiconducting materials which were characterized regarding their photo-physical, electro-chemical and thermal properties. A strong influence of the substituent's nature on both photo-physical and morphological thin film characteristic of star shaped target compounds was observed. The applicability of these materials in organic electronic devices was demonstrated in an organic field effect transistor configuration yielding a hole mobility of nearly 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1. The performance of the materials can be correlated to the substituents applied.

FIB technologies possess a unique ability to form topographies that are difficult or impossible to generate with binary etching through typical photo-lithography. The ability to arbitrarily vary the spatial dose distribution and therefore the amount of milling opens possibilities for the production of a wide range of functional structures with applications in biology, chemistry, and optics. However in practice, the realization of these goals is made difficult by the angular dependence of the sputtering yield and redeposition effects that vary as the topography evolves. An inverse modeling algorithm that optimizes dose profiles, defined as the superposition of time invariant pixel dose profiles (determined from the beam parameters and pixel dwell times), is presented. The response of the target to a set of pixel dwell times in modeled by numerical continuum simulations utilizing 1st and 2nd order sputtering and redeposition, the resulting surfaces are evaluated with respect to a target topography in an error minimization routine. Two algorithms for the parameterization of pixel dwell times are presented, a direct pixel dwell time method, and an abstracted method that uses a refineable piecewise linear cage function to generate pixel dwell times from a minimal number of parameters. The cage function method demonstrates great flexibility and efficiency as compared to the direct fitting method with performance enhancements exceeding ∼10× as compared to direct fitting for medium to large simulation sets. Furthermore, the refineable nature of the cage function enables solutions to adapt to the desired target function. The optimization algorithm, although working with stationary dose profiles, is demonstrated to be applicable also outside the quasi-static approximation. Experimental data confirms the viability of the solutions for 5 × 7 μm deep lens like structures defined by 90 pixel dwell times.

Conductance quantization at room temperature is a key requirement for the utilizing of ballistic transport for, e.g., high-performance, low-power dissipating transistors operating at the upper limit of “on”-state conductance or multivalued logic gates. So far, studying conductance quantization has been restricted to high-mobility materials at ultralow temperatures and requires sophisticated nanostructure formation techniques and precise lithography for contact formation. Utilizing a thermally induced exchange reaction between single-crystalline Ge nanowires and Al pads, we achieved monolithic Al–Ge–Al NW heterostructures with ultrasmall Ge segments contacted by self-aligned quasi one-dimensional crystalline Al leads. By integration in electrostatically modulated back-gated field-effect transistors, we demonstrate the first experimental observation of room temperature quantum ballistic transport in Ge, favorable for integration in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor platform technology.

This work presents a highly effective approach for the chemical purification of directly written 2D and 3D gold nanostructures suitable for plasmonics, biomolecule immobilisation, and nanoelectronics. Gold nano- and microstructures can be fabricated by one-step direct-write lithography process using focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID). Typically, as-deposited gold nanostructures suffer from a low Au content and unacceptably high carbon contamination. We show that the undesirable carbon contamination can be diminished using a two-step process – a combination of optimized deposition followed by appropriate postdeposition cleaning. Starting from the common metal-organic precursor Me2-Au-tfac, it is demonstrated that the Au content in pristine FEBID nanostructures can be increased from 30 atom % to as much as 72 atom %, depending on the sustained electron beam dose. As a second step, oxygen-plasma treatment is established to further enhance the Au content in the structures, while preserving their morphology to a high degree. This two-step process represents a simple, feasible and high-throughput method for direct writing of purer gold nanostructures that can enable their future use for demanding applications.

Direct integration of high-mobility III–V compound semiconductors with existing Si-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processing platforms presents the main challenge to increasing the CMOS performance and the scaling trend. Silicon hetero-nanowires with integrated III–V segments are one of the most promising candidates for advanced nano-optoelectronics, as first demonstrated using molecular beam epitaxy techniques. Here we demonstrate a novel route for InAs/Si hybrid nanowire fabrication via millisecond range liquid-phase epitaxy regrowth using sequential ion beam implantation and flash-lamp annealing. We show that such highly mismatched systems can be monolithically integrated within a single nanowire. Optical and microstructural investigations confirm the high quality hetero-nanowire fabrication coupled with the formation of atomically sharp interfaces between Si and InAs segments. Such hybrid systems open new routes for future high-speed and multifunctional nanoelectronic devices on a single chip. Open image in new window

Magnetic materials synthesized on the nanometer‐scale level are essential for several applications, such as spintronics and magnetologic. As a successful nanofabrication approach, focused electron beam‐induced deposition (FEBID) stands out as a direct‐write technique. FEBID uses an electron beam to locally induce a CVD process, avoiding the use of masks and resists. In this work, Fe–based nanostructures are synthesized on Si(100) by FEBID, starting from iron pentacarbonyl. A systematic variation of FEBID parameters is performed, to study their influence on the geometry and composition of the deposit. Based on the results, specific deposition conditions are suggested for magneto‐logic applications and fabrication of large structures.

Among various multi‐metal combinations, Au‐Fe nanoalloys are envisaged as prospective materials for data storage applications. Here we report on the first successful achievement of Au‐Fe nanoalloys using focused electron beam‐induced deposition (FEBID), exploiting the possibility of directly writing nanostructures at nanometer resolution. Gaseous organometallic precursors are injected simultaneously into the deposition chamber to co‐deposit Fe and Au within the same nanostructure. Fabricated nanostructures show a spatially uniform elemental ratio of iron to gold that can be tailored by experimental conditions.

Focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) is a novel direct-writing technique to produce noble metal nanostructures. In this work, FEBID has been employed for the first time to fabricate metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs). Experimental parameters such as precursor temperature, substrate temperature and the (de)focus of the electron beam have been optimized to deposit electrode structures of a relatively large area within a short timeframe. Using FEBID, gold electrodes have been deposited on top of an atomic layer deposited (ALD) dielectric aluminum oxide layer. Chemical composition of the produced structures has been studied using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Current–voltage (I–V) measurements have confirmed the conductivity of FEBID gold nanowires (NWs). Measured capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics of FEBID-fabricated MOSCAP prototypes resemble the typical C–V characteristics of conventionally fabricated MOSCAPs, thus confirming the functionality of our FEBID devices. Illustration of a MOS capacitor fabricated by FEBID.

The capability to control matter down to the nanoscale level in combination with the novel magnetic properties of nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention in the last few decades due to their applications in magnetic sensing, hard disc data storage and logic devices. Therefore, many efforts have been devoted to the implementation of both nanofabrication methods as well as characterization of magnetic nanoelements. In this study, Fe-based nanostructures have been synthesized on Si(100) by focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) utilizing iron pentacarbonyl as precursor. The so obtained nanostructures exhibit a remarkably high iron content (Fe > 80 at.%), expected to give rise to a ferromagnetic behaviour. For that reason, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) analyses were performed on the obtained FEBID Fe nanostructures. Moreover, object oriented micromagnetic framework (OOMMF) magnetic simulations have been executed to study the influence of the geometry on the magnetic properties of iron single-domain nanowires. FEBID is a mask-less nanofabrication method based on the injection of precursor gas molecules in proximity of the deposition area where their decomposition is locally induced by a focused electron beam.

Various metal oxides are probed as extrinsic thin tunnel barriers in Semiconductor Insulator Semiconductor solar cells. Namely Al2O3, ZrO2, Y2O3, and La2O3 thin films are in between n-type ZnO:Al (AZO) and p-type Si substrates by means of Atomic Layer Deposition. Low reverse dark current–density as low as 3×10−7 A/cm2, a fill factor up to 71.3%, and open-circuit voltage as high as 527 mV are obtained, achieving conversion efficiency of 8% for the rare earth oxide La2O3. ZrO2 and notably Al2O3 show drawbacks in performance suggesting an adverse reactivity with AZO as also indicated by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy., Highlights • New approach to form the tunnel barrier in SIS solar cells by metal oxides in combination with AZO. • Comparative XPS analysis of the chemical stability of La2O3, Y2O3, ZrO2, and Al2O3 during the ALD of AZO. • For La2O3, an effective conversion efficiency of 8% is achieved for cells with 1.4 cm2 active area.

Controlling the morphology, electronic properties, and growth direction of nanowires (NWs) is an important aspect regarding their integration into devices on technologically relevant scales. Using the vapor-solid-solid (VSS) approach, with Ni as a catalyst and octachlorotrisilane (Si(3)Cl(8), OCTS) as a precursor, we achieved epitaxial growth of rectangular-shaped Si-NWs, which may have important implications for electronic mobility and light scattering in NW devices. The process parameters were adjusted to form cubic α-NiSi(2) particles which further act as the shaping element leading to prismatic Si-NWs. Along with the uncommon shape, also different crystallographic growth directions, namely, [100] and [110], were observed on the very same sample. The growth orientations were determined by analysis of the NWs' azimuths on the Si (111) substrates as well as by detailed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) investigations.

Single-crystal Al nanowires (NWs) were fabricated by thermally induced substitution of vapor-liquid-solid grown Ge NWs by Al. The resistivity of the crystalline Al (c-Al) NWs was determined to be ρ = (131 ± 27) × 10(-9) Ω m, i.e. approximately five times higher than for bulk Al, but they withstand remarkably high current densities of up to 1.78 × 10(12) A m(-2) before they ultimately melt due to Joule heating. The maximum current density before failure correlates with the NW diameter, with thinner NWs tolerating significantly higher current densities due to efficient heat dissipation and the reduced lattice heating in structures smaller than the electron-phonon scattering length. The outstanding current-carrying capacity of the c-Al NWs clearly exceeds those of common conductors and surpasses requirements for metallization of future high-performance devices. The linear temperature coefficient of the resistance of c-Al NWs appeared to be lower than for bulk Al and a transition to a superconducting state in c-Al NWs was observed at a temperature of 1.46 K.

This work introduces an additive direct-write nanofabrication technique for producing extremely conductive gold nanostructures from a commercial metalorganic precursor. Gold content of 91 atomic % (at. %) was achieved by using water as an oxidative enhancer during direct-write deposition. A model was developed based on the deposition rate and the chemical composition and it explains the surface processes that lead to the increases in gold purity and deposition yield. Co-injection of an oxidative enhancer enabled Focused Electron Beam Induced Deposition (FEBID)—a maskless, resistless deposition method for three dimensional (3D) nanostructures—to directly yield pure gold in a single process step, without post-deposition purification. Gold nanowires displayed resistivity down to 8.8 μΩ cm. This is the highest conductivity achieved so far from FEBID and it opens the possibility of applications in nanoelectronics, such as direct-write contacts to nanomaterials. The increased gold deposition yield and the ultralow carbon level will facilitate future applications such as the fabrication of 3D nanostructures in nanoplasmonics and biomolecule immobilization.

In this letter, we demonstrate the formation of unique Ga/GaAs/Si nanowire heterostructures, which were successfully implemented in nanoscale light-emitting devices with visible room temperature electroluminescence. Based on our recent approach for the integration of InAs/Si heterostructures into Si nanowires by ion implantation and flash lamp annealing, we developed a routine that has proven to be suitable for the monolithic integration of GaAs nanocrystallite segments into the core of silicon nanowires. The formation of a Ga segment adjacent to longer GaAs nanocrystallites resulted in Schottky-diode-like I/V characteristics with distinct electroluminescence originating from the GaAs nanocrystallite for the nanowire device operated in the reverse breakdown regime. The observed electroluminescence was ascribed to radiative band-to-band recombinations resulting in distinct emission peaks and a low contribution due to intraband transition, which were also observed under forward bias. Simulations of the obtained nanowire heterostructure confirmed the proposed impact ionization process responsible for hot carrier luminescence. This approach may enable a new route for on-chip photonic devices used for light emission or detection purposes.

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) has the unique capability to replicate 3D patterns in one single step. However, to exploit this feature high quality, 3D patterned NIL stamps are required. While grayscale electron-beam lithography suffers from resolution limitations due to proximity effects, focused ion beam (FIB) milling and gas assisted etching is inherently slow. We introduce a new 3D patterning process based on FIB implantation and subsequent reactive ion etching (RIE) for NIL stamp fabrication. The presented process is more than 100 times faster than FIB milling. We demonstrate NIL stamps with complex 3D patterns and resolutions down to 50nm fabricated with this process.

Highlights ► Ge surface passivation by scalable multilayer of La2O3/ZrO2. ► LaxGeyOz interfacial layers thickness controllable by oxidation time. ► Forming gas annealing improves Dit down to 3 × 1011 eV−1 cm−2 in presence of LaxGeyOz interlayer. ► Trade-off between interface trap density and equivalent oxide thickness., The paper addresses the passivation of Germanium surfaces by using layered La2O3/ZrO2 high-k dielectrics deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition to be applied in Ge-based MOSFET devices. Improved electrical properties of these multilayered gate stacks exposed to oxidizing and reducing ambient during thermal post treatment in presence of thin Pt cap layers are demonstrated. The results suggest the formation of thin intermixed LaxGeyOz interfacial layers with thicknesses controllable by oxidation time. This formation is further investigated by XPS, EDX/EELS and TEM analysis. An additional reduction annealing treatment further improves the electrical properties of the gate dielectrics in contact with the Ge substrate. As a result low interface trap densities on (1 0 0) Ge down to 3 × 1011 eV−1 cm−2 are demonstrated. The formation of the high-k LaxGeyOz layer is in agreement with the oxide densification theory and may explain the improved interface trap densities. The scaling potential of the respective layered gate dielectrics used in Ge-based MOS-based device structures to EOT of 1.2 nm or below is discussed. A trade-off between improved interface trap density and a lowered equivalent oxide thickness is found.

Perchlorinated polysilanes were synthesized by polymerization of tetrachlorosilane under cold plasma conditions with hydrogen as a reducing agent. Subsequent selective cleavage of the resulting polymer yielded oligochlorosilanes SinCl2n+2 (n = 2, 3) from which the octachlorotrisilane (n = 3, Cl8Si3, OCTS) was used as a novel precursor for the synthesis of single-crystalline Si nanowires (NW) by the well-established vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. By adding doping agents, specifically BBr3 and PCl3, we achieved highly p- and n-type doped Si-NWs by means of atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). These as grown NWs were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as electrical measurements of the NWs integrated in four-terminal and back-gated MOSFET modules. The intrinsic NWs appeared to be highly crystalline, with a preferred growth direction of [111] and a specific resistivity of ρ = 6 kΩ·cm. The doped NWs appeared to be [112] oriented with a specific resistivity of ρ = 198 mΩ·cm for p-type Si-NWs and ρ = 2.7 mΩ·cm for n-doped Si-NWs, revealing excellent dopant activation.

Porous, organically modified silica-based mixed oxides were prepared in a two-step process. First, a mixture of tetraethoxysilane, bis(triethoxysilyl)dipropylamine and, optionally, 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene was treated with metal chlorides (ZrCl4, TiCl4, or AlCl3), and no water or water-based catalyst was added to the sols. After film formation, the materials were exposed to ambient humidity to achieve hydrolytic condensation of residual groups. Materials with wormhole-like ordered porosity and uniform mesopores were obtained with metal proportions up to about 20 %. According to XPS measurements, the metals are homogenously distributed in the silica matrix.

La2O3 grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and thermally grown GeO2 are used to establish effective electrical surface passivations on n-type (1 0 0)-Ge substrates for high-k ZrO2 dielectrics, grown by ALD at 250 °C substrate temperature. The electrical characterization of MOS capacitors indicates an impact of the Ge-surface passivation on the interfacial trap density and the frequency dependent capacitance in the inversion regime. Lower interface trap densities can be obtained for GeO2 based passivation even though a chemical decomposition of the oxidation states occur during the ALD of ZrO2. As a consequence the formation of a ZrGeOx compound inside the ZrO2 matrix and a decline of the interfacial GeO2 are observed. The La2O3 passivation provides a stable amorphous lanthanum germanate phase at the Ge interface but also traces of Zr germanate are indicated by X-ray-Photoelectron-Spectroscopy and Transmission-Electron-Microscopy.

In this article, we report a new method for micro/nano fluidic channel fabrication by focused ion beams (FIB) utilizing the redeposition flux, or what we will refer to in this paper as SRM (sputter-redeposition method). Sputtered particles are byproduct of sputter process whereas it limits the focused ion beam (FIB) process. However, the sputtered particles can be useful in the fabrication of certain shapes of structures. The objective of this article is the demonstration of active utilization of the sputtered particles. A micro/nano-fluidic channel fabrication is demonstrated for the topic. As an application, in the fluidic channel fabrication we demonstrate two-step process; trench formation and automatic sealing in the micro-/nanometer range. This method channels from hundreds to tens of nanometers wide can be fabricated by using silicon as a channel substrate. The shape and dimensions of the channel cross-section are readily changed by varying the process parameters. This control of redeposition technique is advantageous because of the accuracy and simplicity of the process compare to other fluidic channel fabrication process.

Schottky barrier SOI-MOSFETs incorporating a La(2)O(3)/ZrO(2) high-k dielectric stack deposited by atomic layer deposition are investigated. As the La precursor tris(N,N'-diisopropylformamidinato) lanthanum is used. As a mid-gap metal gate electrode TiN capped with W is applied. Processing parameters are optimized to issue a minimal overall thermal budget and an improved device performance. As a result, the overall thermal load was kept as low as 350, 400 or 500 °C. Excellent drive current properties, low interface trap densities of 1.9 × 10(11) eV(-1) cm(-2), a low subthreshold slope of 70-80 mV/decade, and an I(ON)/I(OFF) current ratio greater than 2 × 10(6) are obtained.

Dielectric thin films of La2O3/ZrO2 deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) are investigated to be employed in Ge Schottky barrier p-MOSFETs. La2O3 is used as a thin passivation layer and is capped by atomic-layer-deposited ZrO2 as a gate dielectric. As the gate contact TiN capped by W is applied, midgap-level trap densities of ~ 3-4 × 1012 eV-1 cm-2 and subtreshold slopes down to 115-120 mV/dec are achieved. The devices show negative threshold voltages of -0.5 to -0.6 V, as well as peak hole mobility values of ~ 50-75 cm2/V · s. Equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) is reduced to 0.96 nm upon postmetallization annealing without degrading the interface properties. The results show the scaling potential of the ALD La2O3 interlayer capped with ZrO2 gate dielectrics for the integration into sub-1-nm EOT Ge p-MOSFET devices.

A novel method for cleaning a high vacuum chamber is presented. This method is based on concurrent in situ high-energetic UV light activation of contaminants located in the residual gas and at the vacuum chamber surfaces as well as the in situ generation of highly reactive ozone. Ozone oxidizes the contaminants to volatile species. Investigations by energy-dispersive x-ray analysis of residual gas depositions and mass-spectroscopy measurements of the residual gas in the vacuum chamber identify the contaminant species as hydrocarbons. After a cleaning period of 8 h, a decrease in measured chamber contamination by about 90% could be achieved according to atomic force microscope analysis. Mass spectroscopy measurements using a residual gas analyzer indicate the creation of volatile, carbonaceous species during the cleaning process.

We investigated the impact of the process temperature on the habits, forms and crystal structure of VO2 nanocrystals grown by a vapor-transport method on (0001) quartz substrates. Four distinct growth regimes were discerned: orthorhombic nanowires, sheets, hemispheres, and nanowires with a monoclinic structure. The nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). I/V characterization of individual nanowires was enabled by Ti/Au contact formation via electron beam lithography and lift-off techniques. The expected metal–insulator transition (MIT) was found in monoclinic VO2 nanowires.

In this paper we demonstrate that under ultrahigh strain conditions p-type single crystal silicon nanowires possess an anomalous piezoresistance effect. The measurements were performed on vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) grown Si nanowires, monolithically integrated in a microelectro-mechanical loading module. The special setup enables the application of pure uniaxial tensile strain along the111growth direction of individual, 100 nm thick Si nanowires while simultaneously measuring the resistance of the nanowires. For low strain levels (nanowire elongation less than 0.8%), our measurements revealed the expected positive piezoresistance effect, whereas for ultrahigh strain levels a transition to anomalous negative piezoresistance was observed. For the maximum tensile strain of 3.5%, the resistance of the Si nanowires decreased by a factor of 10. Even at these high strain amplitudes, no fatigue failures are observed for several hundred loading cycles. The ability to fabricate single-crystal nanowires that are widely free of structural defects will it make possible to apply high strain without fracturing to other materials as well, therefore in any application where crystallinity and strain are important, the idea of making nanowires should be of a high value.

The impact of the ZrO2/La2O3 film thickness ratio and the post deposition annealing in the temperature range between 400 °C and 600 °C on the electrical properties of ultrathin ZrO2/La2O3 high-k dielectrics grown by atomic layer deposition on (1 0 0) germanium is investigated. As-deposited stacks have a relative dielectric constant of 24 which is increased to a value of 35 after annealing at 500 °C due to the stabilization of tetragonal/cubic ZrO2 phases. This effect depends on the absolute thickness of ZrO2 within the dielectric stack and is limited due to possible interfacial reactions at the oxide/Ge interface. We show that adequate processing leads to very high-k dielectrics with EOT values below 1 nm, leakage current densities in the range of 0.01 A/cm2, and interface trap densities in the range of 2–5 × 1012 eV−1 cm−2.

In this work we report on the formation, of copper-germanide/germanium nanowire (NW) heterostructures with atomically sharp interfaces. The copper-germanide (Cu3Ge) formation process is enabled by a chemical reaction between metallic Cu pads and vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) grown Ge-NWs. The atomic scale aligned formation of the Cu3Ge segments is controlled by in situ SEM monitoring at 310 °C thereby enabling length control of the intrinsic Ge-NW down to a few nm. The single crystal Cu3Ge/Ge/Cu3Ge heterostructures were used to fabricate Ω-gated Ge-NW field effect transistors with Schottky Cu3Ge source/drain contacts. Temperature dependent I/V measurements revealed the metallic properties of the Cu3Ge contacts with a maximum current carrier density of 5 × 107 A/cm2. Prior to the gate deposition the intrinsic Ge-NW was modified with a focussed Ga+ ion beam. According to the thermoionic emission theory we determined an effective Schottky barrier height reduction from 218 meV to about 115 meV due to Ga+ implantation.

In this work, the influence of the tip-geometry and an unusual low frequency behavior in scanning capacitance microscopy is investigated experimentally and theoretically on metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) and Schottky type junctions on gallium–arsenide (GaAs). Using a two-dimensional model we find that on Schottky type junctions the electric field around the tip is screened by the surface states and that the essential parameters entering the capacitance versus voltage C(V) characteristics are the doping level and the contact area only. On a MOS-type junction, the electric field from the tip penetrates into the semiconductor and the tip geometry effects are much larger. C(V) spectra are fitted to the experimental data and allowed a quantitative determination of doping levels, oxide thickness, and contact area without moreover calibration measurements. Furthermore, we show that the natural surface depletion field on GaAs generates a permanent minority carrier accumulation around the tip–apex. In contrast to thermally generated minority carriers in the space charge region of a large area device, the minority carrier distribution around the SCM tip–apex is detected up to much higher excitation frequencies. An analytic approach to estimate the transition frequency between the low and high frequency regime is also given.

International audience; In this letter we demonstrate the feasibility of a germanium nanowire light emitting diode as a reasonable approach for downscaling of CMOS compatible light sources. We show room-temperature direct bandgap electroluminescence from axial p-n junction nanowire devices. The electron population in the Γ valley, necessary for direct bandgap emission, is achieved by high injection current densities. Carrier temperature is consistently found to be higher than the lattice temperature, indicating inhibited carrier cooling in small diameter wires. Strong polarization of the emission parallel to the nanowire axis is observed and attributed to dielectric contrast phenomena.

Low platinum-germanide-Schottky barrier diodes are fabricated via the incorporation of dopants by diffusion. A phosphorous spin-on-dopant resist is used for the formation of a highly doped surface layer in a rapid thermal annealing process, prior to the formation of platinum-germanide Schottky barrier diodes. For rapid diffusion processes above 580 {degree sign}C ohmic contact behavior is found while evidence is given for a lowered effective Schottky-barrier height.

We demonstrate the applicability of atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 and ZrO2 on InAlN/GaN-materials by means of Metal Oxide Semiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistors (MOS-HEMTs). We investigate the impact of various surface pre-treatment methods, as well as the impact of in-situ pre-treatment by ALD on the electrical characteristics to evaluate insulation quality and thermal stability of the gate oxide stack, threshold voltage and interface traps. We show that by using the right surface pre-treatment as well as by using an adapted ALD pulsing scheme, one can obtain clearly improved MOS-HEMT performance concerning reduced gate leakage currents, suppressed current collapse effects, and increased drain currents

Dielectric stacks of aluminium oxide and zirconium oxide grown by atomic layer deposition at low temperatures between 110 °C and 200 °C from trimethylaluminum/water and tetrakis-(diethylamino)zirconium/water, respectively, are investigated regarding their applicability in Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) devices. We characterize the dielectric stacks regarding their electrical qualification in MOS devices and their thermodynamical behaviour, and refer these results to layer structure and morphology. As a result, we can show that the deposition of the stacks at low temperatures (110 °C to 150 °C) in combination with reductive/oxidative post-deposition annealing lead to amorphous dielectrics with remarkably high permittivity, with very low leakage currents in the range of 10− 7 A/cm2, and excellent capacitance-voltage characteristics.