Atomic-layer deposited thulium oxide as a passivation layer on germanium

A comprehensive study of atomic-layer deposited thulium oxide (Tm2O3) on germanium has been conducted using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vacuum ultra-violet variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The valence band offset is found to be 3.05 ± 0.2 eV for Tm2O3/p-Ge from the Tm 4d centroid and Ge 3p3/2 charge-corrected XPS core-level spectra taken at different sputtering times of a single bulk thulium oxide sample. A negligible downward band bending of ∼0.12 eV is observed during progressive differential charging of Tm 4d peaks. The optical band gap is estimated from the absorption edge and found to be 5.77 eV with an apparent Urbach tail signifying band gap tailing at ∼5.3 eV. The latter has been correlated to HRTEM and electron diffraction results corroborating the polycrystalline nature of the Tm2O3 films. The Tm2O3/Ge interface is found to be rather atomically abrupt with sub-nanometer thickness. In addition, the band line-up of reference GeO2/n-Ge stacks obtained by thermal oxidation has been discussed and derived. The observed low reactivity of thulium oxide on germanium as well as the high effective barriers for holes (∼3 eV) and electrons (∼2 eV) identify Tm2O3 as a strong contender for interfacial layer engineering in future generations of scaled high-κ gate stacks on Ge

Interface Engineering Routes for a Future CMOS Ge-based Technology

We present an overview study of two germanium interface engineering routes, firstly a germanate formation via La2O3 and Y2O3, and secondly a barrier layer approach using Al2O3 and Tm2O3. The interfacial composition, uniformity, thickness, band gap, crystallinity, absorption features and valence band offset are determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultra violet variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The correlation of these results with electrical characterization data make a case for Ge interface engineering with rare-earth inclusion as a viable route to achieve high performance Ge CMOS.</jats:p

New organizational forms in emerging economies: bridging the gap between agribusiness management and international development

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Emerald via the DOI in this recordPurpose: This editorial article introduces and analyzes a variety of new organizational forms that rapidly emerged in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe in the latest two decades. Among the others, these include: business model partnerships, business platforms, incubators and hubs, public–private partnerships, agribusiness companies' foundations and spin-offs, short supply chains, community-supported agriculture and other community self-organizing experiences. Building upon the recent literature and the five selected papers in this special issue, the authors discuss what is novel in these organizations and why, when and how they emerge and evolve over time. Design/methodology/approach: The authors identify three elements that, when considered together, explain and predict the emergence and evolution of these new organizational forms: institutions, strategies and learning processes. Findings: The authors demonstrate that societal actors seeking to (re)design these new organizational forms need to consider these three elements to combine the pursuit of their interests of their own constituencies with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Originality/value: Taking stock from the literature, the authors invite future research on new organizational forms to take explicitly the pursuit of the SDGs into consideration; to build upon a process ontology; and to deeply reflect on our positionality of scientists studying and sometimes engaging in these organizations

Harnessing Wicked Problems in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships

Despite the burgeoning literature on the governance and impact of cross-sector partnerships in the past two decades, the debate on how and when these collaborative arrangements address globally relevant problems and contribute to systemic change remains open. Building upon the notion of wicked problems and the literature on governing such wicked problems, this paper defines harnessing problems in multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) as the approach of taking into account the nature of the problem and of organizing governance processes accordingly. The paper develops an innovative analytical framework that conceptualizes MSPs in terms of three governance processes (deliberation, decision-making and enforce-ment) harnessing three key dimensions of wicked problems (knowledge uncertainty, value conflict and dynamic complexity). The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil provides an illustrative case study on how this analytical framework describes and explains organizational change in partnerships from a problem-based perspective. The framework can be used to better understand and predict the complex relationships between MSP governance processes, systemic change and societal problems, but also as a guiding tool in (re-)organizing governance processes to continuously re-assess the problems over time and address them accordingly

Old mine dumps recovery: an environmental and techno-economical challenge.

The paper discusses from a techno-economical point of view the possibilities offered by the combined mineralurgical and metallurgical treatment of mining residues as a methodology for the reclamation of abandoned mine areas. The proposed methodology permits to achieve better results in the case of: original minerals high residual concentration grades; possible recovery of the rare earth minerals often associated with the main ore; presence of a homogeneous mining domain along with a metallurgical district in which the production cycle could be carried out locally. Last but not least, other favorable circumstances are represented by the fact that tailings were originated in the last century during which mining technologies were not well developed, leaving a certain amount of useful minerals still to be recovered. The proper setting of the mineralurgical processes aimed at obtaining both a commercial concentrate and a non-polluting residue proved to be of fundamental importance in the remediation processes

Visual impact evaluation of mines and quarries: the updated Lvi method

The article deals with the evaluation of the visual impact arising from quarrying, mining and civil engineering works that involve extensive surface excavation. An indirect method has been formerly proposed to quantify the Level of visual impact (Lvi) based on the two physical variables that define the magnitude of change in a natural landscape: the solid angle subtended by the visible alteration from a given viewpoint (Ωv) and the chromatic contrast between the alteration and the surrounding landscape (ΔEμ). These two objective variables are determined by elaborating the digital images of the landscape under investigation, taken from the most representative viewpoints. The Lvi indicator has proven to be highly correlated with the judgement values expressed by potential observers and thus may represent a valuable operative tool in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures, both for the proponent of new projects and for the governmental authorities in charge of decision-making. This article describes a further development of the Lvi method, which aims at improving the repeatability of the impact evaluation by eliminating some critical issues related to the definition of both the excavation limits and the natural comparison surfaces representing the natural landscape. To that end, the original calculation code has been implemented with two image segmentation algorithms, which objectively designate the areas within the picture to be used for the automatic calculation of the impact level Lvi. The updated code has been validated against the original Lvi method, thus confirming the suitability of the revised methodology to represent the perception of potential observers