Electronic structure and electrical characterisation of semiconductor heterostructures

It is well known that the microstructural consequences of the ion implantation of semiconductor heterostructures can be severe: amorphisation of the damaged region is possible, and layer intermixing can result both from the original damage process and from the enhancement of the diffusion coefficients for the constituents of the original composition profile. A very large number of variables are involved (the atomic mass of the target, the mass and energy of the implant species, the flux and the total dose, the substrate temperature etc.) so that experimental data are needed despite the existence of relatively well developed models for the implantation process. A major difficulty is that conventional techniques (e.g. electron energy loss spectroscopy) have inadequate resolution for the quantification of any changes in the composition profile of fine scale multilayers. However we have demonstrated that the measurement of 002 dark field intensities in transmission electron microscope images of GaAs / AlxGa1_xAs heterostructures can allow the measurement of the local Al / Ga ratio.

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EELS Measurement of the Local Electronic Structure of Copper Atoms Segregated to Aluminum Grain Boundaries

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100164179 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 342-343

Author(s):

S.J. Splinter ◽

J. Bruley ◽

P.E. Batson ◽

D.A. Smith ◽

R. Rosenberg

Keyword(s):

Electronic Structure ◽

Grain Boundaries ◽

Boundary Segregation ◽

Thin Layers ◽

Nominal Composition ◽

Spatially Resolved ◽

Service Lifetime ◽

Heat Treated ◽

Probe Size ◽

Local Electronic Structure

It has long been known that the addition of Cu to Al interconnects improves the resistance to electromigration failure. It is generally accepted that this improvement is the result of Cu segregation to Al grain boundaries. The exact mechanism by which segregated Cu increases service lifetime is not understood, although it has been suggested that the formation of thin layers of θ-CuA12 (or some metastable substoichiometric precursor, θ’ or θ”) at the boundaries may be necessary. This paper reports measurements of the local electronic structure of Cu atoms segregated to Al grain boundaries using spatially resolved EELS in a UHV STEM. It is shown that segregated Cu exists in a chemical environment similar to that of Cu atoms in bulk θ-phase precipitates.Films of 100 nm thickness and nominal composition Al-2.5wt%Cu were deposited by sputtering from alloy targets onto NaCl substrates. The samples were solution heat treated at 748K for 30 min and aged at 523K for 4 h to promote equilibrium grain boundary segregation. EELS measurements were made using a Gatan 666 PEELS spectrometer interfaced to a VG HB501 STEM operating at 100 keV. The probe size was estimated to be 1 nm FWHM. Grain boundaries with the narrowest projected width were chosen for analysis. EDX measurements of Cu segregation were made using a VG HB603 STEM.

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Electronic structure studies of conducting polymers by electron energy-loss spectroscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100163265 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 160-161

Author(s):

J. Fink

Keyword(s):

Electronic Structure ◽

Conducting Polymers ◽

Conjugated Polymers ◽

Electron Acceptors ◽

Electron Donors ◽

Light Emitting ◽

One Dimensional ◽

New Class ◽

Electrical Conductivities ◽

Electron Energy Loss

Conducting polymers comprises a new class of materials achieving electrical conductivities which rival those of the best metals. The parent compounds (conjugated polymers) are quasi-one-dimensional semiconductors. These polymers can be doped by electron acceptors or electron donors. The prototype of these materials is polyacetylene (PA). There are various other conjugated polymers such as polyparaphenylene, polyphenylenevinylene, polypoyrrole or polythiophene. The doped systems, i.e. the conducting polymers, have intersting potential technological applications such as replacement of conventional metals in electronic shielding and antistatic equipment, rechargable batteries, and flexible light emitting diodes.Although these systems have been investigated almost 20 years, the electronic structure of the doped metallic systems is not clear and even the reason for the gap in undoped semiconducting systems is under discussion.

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Electronic Structure and Magnetism of Inorganic Compounds

10.1039/9781847555922 ◽

1973 ◽

Keyword(s):

Electronic Structure ◽

Inorganic Compounds

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Electronic Structure and Magnetism of Inorganic Compounds

10.1039/9781847555977 ◽

1982 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Electronic Structure ◽

Inorganic Compounds

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