92 research outputs found
The SrTiO displacive transition revisited by Coherent X-ray Diffraction
We present a Coherent X-ray Diffraction study of the antiferrodistortive
displacive transition of SrTiO, a prototypical example of a phase
transition for which the critical fluctuations exhibit two length scales and
two time scales. From the microbeam x-ray coherent diffraction patterns, we
show that the broad (short-length scale) and the narrow (long-length scale)
components can be spatially disentangled, due to 100 m-scale spatial
variations of the latter. Moreover, both components exhibit a speckle pattern,
which is static on a 10 mn time-scale. This gives evidence that the
narrow component corresponds to static ordered domains. We interpret the
speckles in the broad component as due to a very slow dynamical process,
corresponding to the well-known \emph{central} peak seen in inelastic neutron
scattering.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted in PR
Surface composition of BaTiO3/SrTiO3(001) films grown by atomic oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy
We have investigated the growth of BaTiO3 thin films deposited on pure and 1%
Nb-doped SrTiO3(001) single crystals using atomic oxygen assisted molecular
beam epitaxy (AO-MBE) and dedicated Ba and Ti Knudsen cells. Thicknesses up to
30 nm were investigated for various layer compositions. We demonstrate 2D
growth and epitaxial single crystalline BaTiO3 layers up to 10 nm before
additional 3D features appear; lattice parameter relaxation occurs during the
first few nanometers and is completed at {\guillemotright}10 nm. The presence
of a Ba oxide rich top layer that probably favors 2D growth is evidenced for
well crystallized layers. We show that the Ba oxide rich top layer can be
removed by chemical etching. The present work stresses the importance of
stoichiometry and surface composition of BaTiO3 layers, especially in view of
their integration in devices.Comment: In press in J. Appl. Phy
Direct strain and elastic energy evaluation in rolled-up semiconductor tubes by x-ray micro-diffraction
We depict the use of x-ray diffraction as a tool to directly probe the strain
status in rolled-up semiconductor tubes. By employing continuum elasticity
theory and a simple model we are able to simulate quantitatively the strain
relaxation in perfect crystalline III-V semiconductor bi- and multilayers as
well as in rolled-up layers with dislocations. The reduction in the local
elastic energy is evaluated for each case. Limitations of the technique and
theoretical model are discussed in detail.Comment: 32 pages (single column), 9 figures, 39 reference
Formation and preferential orientation of Au-free Al/Ti-based ohmic contacts on different hexagonal nitride-based heterostructures
Wide-bandgap nitride semiconductors are currently in development for high-power electronic applications. Compositional layered heterostructures of such nitrides result in a high polarization field at the interface, enabling a higher electron mobility, a higher power density, and a higher conversion efficiency. Further optimization of such GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistors can be achieved by evolving from a top AlxGa1−xN barrier toward AlN or even InyAl1−yN. An ongoing challenge in using such hexagonal nitride semiconductors is the formation of a low-resistive, Au-free, ohmic contact far below 1Ωmm. In this paper, we investigate the formation of ohmic contacts by Ti–Al–TiN-based metalization as a function of different annealing temperatures (up to 950∘C), Ti–Al ratios (from 15 up to 35 at. %) and nitride barrier composition (AlxGa1−xN, GaN, AlN, and InyAl1−yN). Contacts processed on AlxGa1–x/GaN, and AlN/GaN heterostructures result in low contact resistance of, respectively, 0.30 and 0.55Ωmm, whereas the same contact stack on InyAl1−yN results in resistance values of 1.7Ωmm. The observed solid-phase reaction of such Ti–Al–TiN stacks were found to be identical for all investigated barrier compositions (e.g., AlxGa1−xN , GaN, AlN, and InyAl1−yN), including the preferential grain alignment to the epitaxial nitride layer. The best performing ohmic contacts are formed when the bottom Ti-layer is totally consumed and when an epitaxially-aligned metal layer is present, either epitaxial Al (for a contact which is relatively Al-rich and annealed to a temperature below 660∘C) or ternary Ti2AlN (for a relatively Ti-rich contact annealed up to 850∘C). The observation that the solid-phase reaction is identical on all investigated nitrides suggests that a further decrease of the contact resistance will be largely dependent on an optimization of the nitride barriers themselves
Imaging the displacement field within epitaxial nanostructures by coherent diffraction: a feasibility study
International audienceWe investigate the feasibility of applying coherent diffraction imaging to highly strained epitaxial nanocrystals using finite-element simulations of SiGe islands as input in standard phase retrieval algorithms. We discuss the specific problems arising from both epitaxial and highly strained systems and we propose different methods to overcome these difficulties. Finally, we describe a coherent microdiffraction experimental setup using extremely focused x-ray beams to perform experiments on individual nanostructures
X-ray Nanodiffraction on a Single SiGe Quantum Dot inside a Functioning Field-Effect Transistor
For advanced electronic, optoelectronic, or mechanical nanoscale devices a detailed understanding of their structural properties and in particular the strain state within their active region is of utmost importance. We demonstrate that X-ray nanodiffraction represents an excellent tool to investigate the internal structure of such devices in a nondestructive way by using a focused synchotron X-ray beam with a diameter of 400 nm. We show results on the strain fields in and around a single SiGe island, which serves as stressor for the Si-channel in a fully functioning Si-metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor
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