Picosecond carrier dynamics induced by coupling of wavefunctions in a Si-nanodisk array fabricated by neutral beam etching using bio-nano-templates

The picosecond carrier dynamics in a closely packed Si-nanodisk (Si-ND) array with ultrathin potential barrier fabricated by neutral beam etching using bio-nano-templates was investigated by time-resolved photoluminescence (PL). The PL decay curves were analyzed as a function of photon energy by the global fitting method. We show three spectral components with different decay times, where the systematic energy differences of the spectral peaks are clarified: 2.03 eV for the fastest decaying component with a decay time τ = 40 ps, 2.02 eV for τ = 300 ps, and 2.00 eV for τ = 1.6 ns. These energy separations ranging from 10 to 30 meV among the emissive states can be attributed to the coupling of wavefunctions of carriers between neighboring NDs

A New Experimental Approach to Evaluate Plasma-induced Damage in Microcantilever

Plasma  etching,  during  micro-fabrication  processing  is  indispensable  for  fabricating  MEMS  structures.  During  the plasma  processes,  two  major matters,  charged  ions  and  vacuum–ultraviolet  (VUV)  irradiation  damage,  take  charge  of reliability  degradation.  The  charged  ions  induce  unwanted  sidewall  etching,  generally  called  as  “notching”,  which causes  degradation  in  brittle  strength.  Furthermore,  the  VUV  irradiation  gives  rise  to  crystal  defects  on  the  etching surface.  To  overcome  the  problem,  neutral  beam  etching  (NBE),  which  use  neutral  particles  without  the  VUV irradiation,  has  been  developed.  In  order  to  evaluate  the  effect  of  the  NBE  quantitatively,  we  measured  the  resonance property of a micro-cantilever before and after NBE treatment. The thickness of damage layer (δ) times the imaginary part  of  the  complex  Young's  modulus  (Eds)  were  then  compared,  which  is  a  parameter  of  surface  damage.  Although plasma processes  make the initial surface of cantilevers damaged during their fabrication, the removal of that damage by NBE was confirmed as the reduction in δEds. NBE will realize a damage-free surface for microstructures

A New Experimental Approach to Evaluate Plasma-induced Damage in Microcantilever

Plasma  etching,  during  micro-fabrication  processing  is  indispensable  for  fabricating  MEMS  structures.  During  the plasma  processes,  two  major matters,  charged  ions  and  vacuum–ultraviolet  (VUV)  irradiation  damage,  take  charge  of reliability  degradation.  The  charged  ions  induce  unwanted  sidewall  etching,  generally  called  as  “notching”,  which causes  degradation  in  brittle  strength.  Furthermore,  the  VUV  irradiation  gives  rise  to  crystal  defects  on  the  etching surface.  To  overcome  the  problem,  neutral  beam  etching  (NBE),  which  use  neutral  particles  without  the  VUV irradiation,  has  been  developed.  In  order  to  evaluate  the  effect  of  the  NBE  quantitatively,  we  measured  the  resonance property of a micro-cantilever before and after NBE treatment. The thickness of damage layer (δ) times the imaginary part  of  the  complex  Young's  modulus  (Eds)  were  then  compared,  which  is  a  parameter  of  surface  damage.  Although plasma processes  make the initial surface of cantilevers damaged during their fabrication, the removal of that damage by NBE was confirmed as the reduction in δEds. NBE will realize a damage-free surface for microstructures.Keywords: cantilever, neutral beam etching, surface los

Feature profile evolution in plasma processing using on-wafer monitoring system

This book provides for the first time a good understanding of the etching profile technologies that do not disturb the plasma. Three types of sensors are introduced: on-wafer UV sensors, on-wafer charge-up sensors and on-wafer sheath-shape sensors in the plasma processing and prediction system of real etching profiles based on monitoring data. Readers are made familiar with these sensors, which can measure real plasma process surface conditions such as defect generations due to UV-irradiation, ion flight direction due to charge-up voltage in high-aspect ratio structures and ion sheath conditions at the plasma/surface interface. The plasma etching profile realistically predicted by a computer simulation based on output data from these sensors is described

Neutral oxygen beam treated ZnO-based resistive switching memory device

The room-temperature oxidation process allows irradiation with neutral oxygen particles onto the resistive layer that leads to the absorption of oxygen by the surface of the ZnO layer. The irradiation is effective in controlling the defect concentrations; thus, the ON and OFF resistances of devices can be significantly increased. These characteristics promote the occurrence of resistive switching at much lower current compliance as well as induce switching behavior in very thin ZnO films with thicknesses of 14–42 nm. The thickness dependence of the transformation from filamentary to homogeneous switching was also studied using the neutral beam technique, and the underlying mechanism is discussed