Reliability Characterization of Moisture-Induced Degradation of Low-K Dielectric Behavior for Advanced Interconnects

1999 ◽  
Vol 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Ionescu ◽  
F. Mondon ◽  
D. Blachier ◽  
Y. Morand ◽  
G. Reimbold
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Diffusion ◽  
Diffusion Path ◽  
Moisture Stress ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Dielectric Behavior ◽  
Electrical Measurements ◽  
Metal Structures ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Low K

AbstractThis paper reports degradation characteristics of low-k dielectric (FOX) in multi-level metal structures (comb-type capacitors) submitted to moisture stress. A large increase of leakage current (>105) and capacitance (up to ×3) is observed after moisture stress when only FOX is used as lateral dielectric, while moderate degradation takes place when an oxide liner is placed between FOX and metal lines. Enhanced moisture induced degradation is found on previously probed dices with respect to virgin devices. Systematic electrical measurements, combined with SEM analysis, are performed to find out the moisture diffusion path. When contact pads are damaged by previous probing (owing to the mechanical weakness of FOX in the pad stack), they provide a direct entry path for enhanced humidity intake. Humidity is also shown to enter through wafer border. Using a SiO2 liner combined with FOX improves considerably the resistance to moisture degradation.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of a new cold-active protease from psychrotrophic bacteria of Western Himalayan glacial soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saleem Farooq ◽  
Ruqeya Nazir ◽  
Shabir Ahmad Ganai ◽  
Bashir Ahmad Ganai
Keyword(s):  
Specific Activity ◽  
Temperature Range ◽  
Psychrotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Cold Active ◽  
Active Protease ◽  
Quantitative Screening ◽  
First Time ◽  
Low K

AbstractAs an approach to the exploration of cold-active enzymes, in this study, we isolated a cold-active protease produced by psychrotrophic bacteria from glacial soils of Thajwas Glacier, Himalayas. The isolated strain BO1, identified as Bacillus pumilus, grew well within a temperature range of 4–30 °C. After its qualitative and quantitative screening, the cold-active protease (Apr-BO1) was purified. The Apr-BO1 had a molecular mass of 38 kDa and showed maximum (37.02 U/mg) specific activity at 20 °C, with casein as substrate. It was stable and active between the temperature range of 5–35 °C and pH 6.0–12.0, with an optimum temperature of 20 °C at pH 9.0. The Apr-BO1 had low Km value of 1.0 mg/ml and Vmax 10.0 µmol/ml/min. Moreover, it displayed better tolerance to organic solvents, surfactants, metal ions and reducing agents than most alkaline proteases. The results exhibited that it effectively removed the stains even in a cold wash and could be considered a decent detergent additive. Furthermore, through protein modelling, the structure of this protease was generated from template, subtilisin E of Bacillus subtilis (PDB ID: 3WHI), and different methods checked its quality. For the first time, this study reported the protein sequence for psychrotrophic Apr-BO1 and brought forth its novelty among other cold-active proteases.

scholarly journals Full characterization of ultrathin 5-nm low- k dielectric bilayers: Influence of dopants and surfaces on the mechanical properties

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis D. Frazer ◽  
Joshua L. Knobloch ◽  
Jorge N. Hernández-Charpak ◽  
Kathleen M. Hoogeboom-Pot ◽  
Damiano Nardi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Full Characterization ◽  
Low K

scholarly journals Mineralogical and Microstructure Analysis for Characterization and Provenance of Ceramic Artifacts from Late Helladic Kastrouli Settlement, Delphi (Central Greece)

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Vayia Xanthopoulou ◽  
Ioannis Iliopoulos ◽  
Ioannis Liritzis
Keyword(s):  
Raw Materials ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Petrographic Analysis ◽  
Ceramic Assemblage ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Central Greece ◽  
High Calcium ◽  
Local Geology

The present study deals with the characterization of a ceramic assemblage from the Late Mycenaean (Late Helladic III) settlement of Kastrouli, at Desfina near Delphi, Central Greece using various analytical techniques. Kastrouli is located in a strategic position supervising the Mesokampos plateau and the entire peninsula and is related to other nearby coeval settlements. In total 40 ceramic sherds and 8 clay raw materials were analyzed through mineralogical, petrographic and microstructural techniques. Experimental briquettes (DS) made from clayey raw materials collected in the vicinity of Kastrouli, were fired under temperatures (900 and 1050 °C) in oxidizing conditions for comparison with the ancient ceramics. The petrographic analysis performed on thin sections prepared from the sherds has permitted the identification of six main fabric groups and a couple of loners. The aplastic inclusions recognized in all fabric groups but one confirmed the local provenance since they are related to the local geology. Fresh fractures of representative sherds were further examined under a scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDS) helping us to classify them into calcareous (CaO > 6%) and non-calcareous (CaO < 6%) samples (low and high calcium was noted in earlier pXRF data). Here, the ceramic sherds with broad calcium separation are explored on a one-to-one comparison on the basis of detailed mineralogical microstructure. Moreover, their microstructure was studied, aiming to estimate their vitrification stage. The mineralogy of all studied samples was determined by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), permitting us to test the validity of the firing temperatures revealed by the SEM analysis. The results obtained through the various analytical techniques employed are jointly assessed in order to reveal potters’ technological choices.

scholarly journals Characterization of Moisture Diffusion in Cured Concrete Slabs at Early Ages

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Zhang ◽  
Hongduo Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Moisture Diffusion ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Concrete Slabs ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Water Curing ◽  
Early Age Concrete

The objective of this paper is to investigate the characterization of moisture diffusion inside early-age concrete slabs subjected to curing. Time-dependent relative humidity (RH) distributions of three mixture proportions subjected to three different curing methods (i.e., air curing, water curing, and membrane-forming compounds curing) and sealed condition were measured for 28 days. A one-dimensional nonlinear moisture diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) based on Fick’s second law, which incorporates the effect of curing in the Dirichlet boundary condition using a concept of curing factor, is developed to simulate the diffusion process. Model parameters are calibrated by a genetic algorithm (GA). Experimental results show that the RH reducing rate inside concrete under air curing is greater than the rates under membrane-forming compound curing and water curing. It is shown that the effect of water-to-cement (w/c) ratio on self-desiccation is significant. Lower w/c ratio tends to result in larger RH reduction. RH reduction considering both effect of diffusion and self-desiccation in early-age concrete is not sensitive to w/c ratio, but to curing method. Comparison between model simulation and experimental results indicates that the improved model is able to reflect the effect of curing on moisture diffusion in early-age concrete slabs.

The Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Cadmium Sulphide Nanocrystallites and their Thin Films

2014 ◽  
Vol 875-877 ◽  
pp. 228-231
Author(s):  
Shafique Ahmed Arain ◽  
Christopher Wilkins ◽  
Hafiz Badaruddin
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Vapour Deposition ◽  
Hexagonal Phase ◽  
Chemical Vapour ◽  
Cadmium Sulphide ◽  
Spherical Shape ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Diethyl Dithiocarbamate ◽  
Lower Temperature

Diethyl dithiocarbamate [Cd (S2CN Et2)2] complex is used to deposit the cadmium sulphide thin film at much lower temperature by Aerosol Assisted Chemical Vapour deposition (AACVD) and same precursor is used to synthesize the nanocrystals in Oleylamine at elevated temperature. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that precursor [Cd (S2CN Et2)2] decomposes in the single stage, losing 62% of total weight. Deposition of thin films at 300°C and 400°C showed the growth of CdS clusters which were made of granular crystallites. These results are confirmed by SEM analysis. Thermolysis of the precursor in oleylamine at 240°C gave the nanoparticles most of them are monodispersed spherical shape, few having mono and dipod structures. TEM images confirm the structures. XRD results show the thin films and nanoparticles have hexagonal phase of CdS.

UHV CAFM characterization of high-k dielectrics: Effect of the technique resolution on the pre- and post-breakdown electrical measurements

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (9-11) ◽  
pp. 1312-1315 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lanza ◽  
M. Porti ◽  
M. Nafría ◽  
X. Aymerich ◽  
E. Whittaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Measurements ◽  
High K

A novel multi-level interconnect scheme with air as low K inter-metal dielectric for ultradeep submicron application

2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung-Hui Chen ◽  
Yean-Kuen Fang ◽  
Chun-Sheng Lin ◽  
Chih-Wei Yang ◽  
Jang-Cheng Hsieh
Keyword(s):  
Multi Level ◽  
Low K

Film Characterization of Ultra Low-k Dielectrics Modified by UV Curing with Different Wavelength Bands

2006 ◽  
Vol 914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masazumi Matsuura ◽  
Kinya Goto ◽  
Noriko Miura ◽  
Shinobu Hashii ◽  
Koyu Asai
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Motion ◽  
Uv Curing ◽  
Lattice Relaxation ◽  
Lattice Relaxation Time ◽  
Spin Lattice Relaxation ◽  
Raman Analysis ◽  
Spin Lattice ◽  
Ft Ir ◽  
Low K

AbstractThis paper describes film characterization of Ultra Low-k (ULK) dielectrics modified by UV curing with different wavelength bands. We have demonstrated UV hardening of ULK-SiOC (k=2.65) with two types of UV bulbs (UV-X and UV-Y) and the UV modifications of ULK-SiOC film properties are characterized by using FT-IR spectroscopy, 29Si Solid-state NMR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. FT-IR and NMR analyses reveal that UV-Y curing is preferable for UV curing modification of ULK-SiOC. UV-Y curing increases Q mode peak in NMR, resulting in the enhanced Si-O crosslinking, while UV-X curing increases TH mode and TOR mode peaks. Spin lattice relaxation time T1 for 29Si is decreased with UV curing. This result indicates that UV curing enhances molecular motion in Si-O network. Raman analysis shows that UV curing increases amorphous carbon groups, which corresponds to the enhanced molecular motion in Si-O network.

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