Electron transport in n-doped Si/SiGe quantum cascade structures

An electron transport model in n-Si/SiGe quantum cascade or superlattice structures is described. The model uses the electronic structure calculated within the effective-mass complex-energy framework, separately for perpendicular (Xz) and in-plane (Xxy) valleys, the degeneracy of which is lifted by strain, and additionally by size quantization....

Subthreshold channels at the edges of nanoscale triple-gate silicon transistors

The authors investigate the subthreshold behavior of triple-gate silicon field-effect transistors by low-temperature transport experiments. These three-dimensional nanoscale devices consist of a lithographically defined silicon nanowire surrounded by a gate with an active region as small as a few tens of nanometers down to 50×60×35?nm3....

A method for the destruction and analysis of biogenic silicon in two Antarctic diatom species: Thalassiosira sp and Chaetoceros brevis

(100)-textured self-assembled square-shaped polycrystalline silicon grains by multiple shot excimer laser crystallization

Strong preference for (100) surface and in-plane orientations has been observed in polycrystalline silicon film on SiO2 after crystallization with multiple excimer laser pulses. Laser induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) is developed in the film, constructing self-assembled square-shaped grains. The clear texture can be observed in a...

Charge deep-level transient spectroscopy study of high-energy-electron-beam-irradiated hydrogenated amorphous silicon

We present a study of changes in the defect density of states in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) due to high-energy electron irradiation using charged deep-level transient spectroscopy. It was found that defect states near the conduction band were removed, while in other band gap regions the defect-state density increased. A similar...

Influence of trap states on dynamic properties of single grain silicon thin film transistors

The transient properties of single grain–thin film transistors (SG-TFTs) with high electron mobility have been studied. Overshoot current induced by trap states has been observed in most of the devices. A method of ac measurements has been used to investigate the trap processes. Both transient and ac measurements show that the response of some...

Determination of in-depth density profiles of multilayer structures

We developed and demonstrate an analysis method in which we calibrate the intensity scale of cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using Cu K? reflectometry. This results in quantitative in-depth density profiles of multilayer structures. Only three free parameters are needed to obtain the calibrated profiles, corresponding to...

Electronic structure and lattice relaxations in quantum confined Pb films

Epitaxial films that are only several atoms layers thick exhibit interesting properties associated with quantum confinement. The electrons form standing waves, just like a violin string, clamped at both ends. In ultrathin lead films, this so-called `quantum size effect' (QSE) alters the physical properties of the film (such as the resistivity,...

Polymeric amorphous carbon as p-type window within amorphous silicon solar cells

Amorphous carbon (a-C) has been shown to be intrinsically p-type, and polymeric a-C (PAC) possesses a wide Tauc band gap of 2.6 eV. We have replaced the p-type amorphous silicon carbide layer of a standard amorphous silicon solar cell with an intrinsic ultrathin layer of PAC. The thickness of the p layer had to be reduced from 9 to 2.5 nm in...

CMOS-based Integrated Wavefront Sensor

This thesis addresses the design, implementation and performance of an integrated Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor suitable for real-time operation and compatible with a standard technology. A wavefront sensor can be used for the detection of distortions in the profile of a light beam or of an optical component.With such a sensor, one can, for...

Stimulated terahertz emission from group-V donors in silicon under intracenter photoexcitation

Frequency-tunable radiation from the free electron laser FELIX was used to excite neutral phosphorus and bismuth donors embedded in bulk monocrystalline silicon. Lasing at terahertz frequencies has been observed at liquid helium temperature while resonant pumping of odd parity impurity states. The threshold was about two orders of magnitude...

Enhanced tunneling across nanometer-scale metal–semiconductor interfaces

We have measured electrical transport across epitaxial, nanometer-sized metal–semiconductor interfaces by contacting CoSi2 islands grown on Si(111) with the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. The conductance per unit area was found to increase with decreasing diode area. Indeed, the zero-bias conductance was found to be ? 104 times larger...