We evaluated the effects of the edge degradation of diamonds in terms of their cutting ability from the viewpoint of mechanical, chemical and chemical-mechanical wear in chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) systems for high-volume manufacturing. The results showed that both micro-chipping on the cutting edges of diamonds caused by a mechanical shock test and the rounding off of the sharp edges of diamonds in a marathon wear test degraded the pad cut rate, while no adverse effects on the cutting ability were observed during an acidic slurry immersion test. We also examined in situ coefficient of friction (COF) monitoring for use in identifying the tribology of the pad conditioning. Furthermore, we demonstrated the usefulness of measuring the height ratio of the asperity called “top surface area (TSA) ratio” as an appropriate topographical parameter to study the dependence of COF during conditioning on the decay of the tungsten removal rate. We presented a clear correlation between the pad cut rate degradation and the TSA ratio after CMP in order to elucidate an increase in the conditioning COF related to truncation of the asperity tip by wear and plastic deformation.

The scaling of BEOL interconnect technology in ULSI circuitry requires the integration of Cu wiring with ultra-low K (ULK) dielectrics. We present the results of a study of the interaction between different-stoichiometry Ta(N)/Cu barrier processes and porous ULK dielectrics (k=2.4) at 32nm groundrules Auger and diffraction analysis of blanket wafers was used to benchmark two different stoichiometries of TaN barrier deposited using commercially-available ionized PVD sources. Comparison TEM and EDX/EELS images indicates that barrier oxidation is occurring in the low nitrogen-content Ta(N) barrier, which is absent at the higher stoichiometry. These differences are further manifested in defect-density analysis of patterned wafers comparing the two processes. These results illustrate the critical importance the TaN barrier properties play in enabling the integration of Cu/ULK interconnects at 32nm at beyond.

Hydrotalcite-like compounds (HLC's) are a type of ionic lamellar solids with divalent and trivalent metal cations, and exchangeable inorganic and organic anions in the interlamellar space. Interest in HLC arises from the wide applications, where thermal, structural and textural properties and as well as sorption capacity are the properties interested in. HLC are used to removal dangerous metallic anionic, such as Chromium (VI). In this study, Mg/Al - HLC's were synthesized by sol-gel method. Effect of Mg/Al was probed to show the effect on their structure, morphology, physical properties and sorption capacity. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, textural analysis and thermal analysis. Sorption profiles were investigated using batch method at initial concentration different to was determinate model and kinetic sorption capacity such as maximum removal capacity to equilibrium. Was find values of 428 and 127 mg chromates/g HLC's to Mg/Al = 2 and 7 respectively, equivalent to 125 and 57 mg of chromium /g HLC's in la little time of one minute.

LiFePO4/graphene-oxide (GNO) composites were prepared by co-precipitation method. Their structure and morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. A low content of GNO can be uniformly dispersed in the matrix of LiFePO4 nano particles, while at a higher content, GNO will aggregate severely and has a negative effect on the electrochemical performance of LiFePO4. Further heat treatment can improve the crystallinity of LiFePO4, and improve the electrochemical performance of LiFePO4 with a relatively low content of GNO.

Using a statistical model for the effects of decoherence [1], we show that in linear tight-binding samples ohmic conductance (resistance proportional to length) is reached for any finite density p of decoherence sites, if the chemical potential μ of the contacts is within a conducting band. If μ is outside a band, or if due to disorder, no bands form, for high decoherence densities p>p* still ohmic conductance is reached, where p* is a critical decoherence density. For p<p* , the sample resistance increases exponentially with the length.

Neutron radiography is a powerful tool for the investigation of the hydrogen uptake of zirconium alloys. It is fast, fully quantitative, non-destructive and provides a spatial resolution of 30 μm. The non-destructive character of neutron radiography provides the possibility of in-situ investigations. The paper describes the calibration of the method and delivers results of ex-situ measurements of the hydrogen concentration distribution after steam oxidation, as well as in-situ experiments of hydrogen diffusion in β-Zr and in-situ investigations of the hydrogen uptake during steam oxidation.

The effect of using SiO2 capping layer during Al implant activation anneal on the performance of 4H-SiC P-i-N diodes has been investigated. Two sets of 4H-SiC pin diode samples, one with SiO2 cap and another with graphite cap, were annealed under high temperatures of 1500°C for activation after Al implantation at 650°C to form the p-type active region and the JTE region. The surface stoichiometry of annealed SiC was examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Various material and device parameters including surface roughness, sheet resistance, minimum forward leakage current and maximum breakdown voltage have been extracted for comparison. The results show that SiO2 cap effectively protects the SiC surface during high temperature implant annealing.

This study shows for the first time, the correlation between the microstructural properties (chemical composition and its homogeneity) and the thermoelectric properties for p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 electroplated films (10-15 μm thickness). High microstructural quality of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 electroplated films (a close to stoichiometry chemical composition with its high homogeneity elements distribution) was achieved by using an additive in the plating solution (sodium ligninsulfonate) as a surfactant agent. A fine-grained microstructure of 280 nm to 1μm has been observed for these materials, which half that of the plated films without a surfactant. The thermoelectric properties of electrodeposited Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 films obtained without microstructural optimisation, show modest Seebeck coefficient values of 20-120 μm/K, electrodeposited film with an optimised microstructure exhibits very high values of Seebeck coefficient of 220-300 μm/K.

NaLu1-xYbx(WO4)2 films have been prepared by spin coating of sol-gel precursor solutions and thermal annealing between 400 and 800 °C. Films obtained on sapphire have a dense and transparent ceramic microstructure and photoluminescence properties similar to those of single crystals with same composition. The application of these films as laser media is envisaged.

For graphene FETs, asymmetry in the drain current transfer characteristics has been observed. It has been proposed that asymmetry is due to additional resistances from p-n transition regions along the channel [1,2]. Calculations of the additional resistance have been received attention for small p-n transition lengths [3,4]. In this paper, we analyze the resistance of graphene FETs with p-n junctions when transition lengths are long compared with energy and momentum relaxation lengths, as is found in many experimental FETs. We employ a two dimensional device simulator to determine the electric field and channel conductivity variations in the vicinity of the FET gate, assuming rapid electron/hole equilibration. The simulations show added resistances in the range of 50-500 Ω μm p-n junction. We also extract the additional p-n resistance ΔR from experimental results by plots of Vd/Id vs. 1/|Vg-Vt|. Values of ΔR of order 450 Ω μm were extracted from FET results reported in [2]. Epitaxial graphene FETs fabricated on a SiC substrate [5] gives additional resistance of 620 Ωum. Both results are in reasonable agreement with the simulations.

The physically-based device simulator Atlas of Silvaco with parameters modified for graphene was used to obtain carrier distributions. A graphene FET on SiO2 substrate with a global back gate and 0.3μm gate/drain and gate/source gaps was studied. The carrier density in the gap region was controlled by back gate bias (Vbg) while the channel region under the top gate was modulated by top and back gate simultaneously. A long channel device at Vds=10mV was used to minimize the lateral electric field effect.

From the simulated carrier distribution, we can obtain the resistivity along the channel by ρ=1/[qμ(n+p)]. Mobility is assumed to be equal for electrons and holes, and depends on carrier concentration Ns, μ=μ0 (N0/Ns)1/2 where N0 and μ0 are intrinsic carrier concentration and peak mobility, respectively. Under positive Vbg, the graphene layer becomes n-type in the gap region and channel region. Proper top gate bias (Vg) may be applied to make channel region intrinsic, p-type or n-type. Therefore, various configurations along the channel such as npn or nnn structures may be created. In the p-n transition region, the total number of carriers reduces to N0 and resistivity shows a peak. The additional resistance of a p-n junction can be calculated by integrating the difference of the resistivity vs. channel position for the nnn and npn structures. The integrated resistance value is impacted by the peak height and peak width. The peak height is controlled by Vg-Vt; the resistivity reaches a maximum at the threshold condition, where the electron and hole densities reach their intrinsic levels. The peak width is also controlled by Vg, via fringing field of the gate.

Physical and mathematical modeling of jet-bath interactions in electric arc furnaces represent valuable tools to obtain a better fundamental understanding of oxygen gas injection into the furnace. In this work, a 3D mathematical model is developed based on the two phase approach called Volume of Fluid (VOF), which is able to predict free surface deformations and it is coded in the commercial fluid dynamics software FLUENTTM. Validation of the mathematical model is achieved by measurements on a transparent water physical model. Measurements of free surface depressions through a high velocity camera and velocity patterns are recorded through a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) Technique. Flow patterns and depression geometry are identified and characterized as function of process parameters like distance from nozzle to bath, gas flow rate and impingement angle of the gas jet into the bath. A reasonable agreement is found between simulated and experimental results.

6201 aluminum alloy is mostly used in electrical conductors for overhead transmission lines due to its excellent mechanical and electrical properties besides to an excellent corrosion resistance. This alloy is heat treatable and the thermal treatment is performed with the objective of obtain the optimal properties for its application. In this work it was studied the effect of different deformation grades, time variation of natural aging as well as the time and temperature of artificial aging on the evolution of mechanical and electrical properties. It was found that solution treated wires at 560°C by 4h, 14 days natural aged, 92% cold deformed and artificial aged at 165°C by 7h, reach a tensile stress of 326 MPa and an electrical conductivity of 57.2%IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard).

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) ZnO film as seed layer for growing aligned ZnO nanorods arrays is demonstrated. The effects of the deposition temperature and film thickness to the morphology of the ZnO nanorods are studied. The ALD is found to have its advantage over the conventional dip-coating method when being applied to three-dimensional (3D) substrates, as exemplified by the macroporous Si adn CNT arrays. As one example, the CNT-ZnO 3D hybrid nanostructures are obtained which might be useful for energy-related applications.

Magnesium (Mg) alloys can be use as biodegradable medical devices, eliminating the need for a second operation for implant removal. An important feature on biomedical devices is to avoid the bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation that cause most of the implant-failures. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences on bacterial adhesion and biofilm development on Magnesium alloys (Mg-Al-Zn) modified by different transition metals; Tantalum, Niobium and Titanium. Nine oral bacterial strains (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans serotipe b, Actinomyces israelii, Campylobacter rectus, Eikenella corrodens, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Parvimonas micra, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Streptococcus sanguinis) were incubated on the different alloys and commercial medical grade stainless steel (AISI 316L) was used as a control. The initial bacterial adhesion was determined after 24 hours using a counting plate technique and the subsequent biofilm development at 1, 3, 7 days was studied using the Scanning Electron Microscopy. Significant differences were determined using t-test. The results showed that on the magnesium-alloys, the number of bacteria attached after 24 hours was two orders of magnitude lower than the stainless steel. On the other hand, bacterial colonies were not observed by electron microscopy in any of the days of incubation, even though in the control surface clear colonies and biofilm development were observed. This study showed that magnesium alloys inhibits the bacterial adhesion and the subsequent biofilm development.

The growth of GaN-QDs by radio frequency plasma assisted molecular beam deposition (RF-MBD) on thin SiO2 films for non-volatile memories (NVM) applications is demonstrated. Thermal budget modification during the deposition allows tuning of the size and density of the QDs. Preliminary electrical characterization of GaN-QD MOS devices reveals efficient electron injection at very low voltages from the Si accumulation layer to the QDs. The observed limitation in hole injection relates adequately to the energy band diagram of the structure.

Epitaxial GaAs layers had been grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition at 620°C on Ge(100) susbtrates. The surface roughness of the GaAs is greater than that of GaAs bulk wafers and epilayer morphology is influenced by miscut of the Ge substrate. The GaAs/Ge interface is of good quality and devoid of misfit dislocations and antisite defects. However, Ge diffusion into GaAs occurred during epitaxy and resulted in auto-doping. ZrO2 was deposited by magnetron sputtering onto the epi-GaAs. Capacitance voltage measurements show that the TaN/ZrO2/epi-GaAs capacitor has an interfacical with more defects than a ZrO2/bulk GaAs interface. An improved interface with smaller frequency dispersion can be formed by atomic layer deposition of the high-k dielectric layer onto the epi-GaAs.

We report the synthesis and properties of two different hydrogels based on N-isopropylacrylamide/acrylic acid and copolymers of oligo-ethylene glycol methacrylates incorporating N-Aza crown ethers. Both hydrogels show rapid response to environmental stimuli and their size can be tuned by pH and temperature. Swollen states lead to high adsorption of water and high contact surface area with ions whereas in the collapsed state the material releases water and the ions not selectively retained by the polymer.

Preliminary autoradiography tests show that these materials strongly bind 90Sr and both pH and temperature can be used to fine tune binding selectivity. This results in such materials being promising candidates for use as smart scavenging agents for radioactive decontamination.

Brazing is a unique method to permanently join a wide range of materials without oxidation. It has wide commercial application in fabricating components. This paper discusses results regarding the brazing process of 304 stainless steel. The experimental brazing is carried out using a nickel-based (Ni-11Cr-3.5Si-2.25B-3.5Fe) filler alloy. In this process, boron and silicon are incorporated to reduce the melting point, however they form hard and brittle intermetallic compounds with nickel (eutectic phases) which are detrimental to the mechanical properties of brazed joints. This investigation deals with the effects of holding time and brazing temperature on the microstructure of joint and base metal, intermetallic phases formation within the brazed joint as well as measurement of the tensile strength. The results show that a maximum tensile strength of 464 MPa is obtained at 1120°C and 4 h holding time. The shortest holding times will make boron diffuse insufficiently and generate a great deal of brittle boride components.

Gate-voltage dependent Hall coefficient R H is measured in high-mobility field-effect transistors of solution-crystallized and vapor-deposited 2,7-dioctylbenzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene. The value of R H evolves with density of accumulated charge Q, precisely satisfying the free-electron formula R H = 1/Q near room temperature. The result indicates that the intrinsic charge transport inside the grains is band-like in the high-mobility organic-semiconductor thin films that are of significant interest in industry. At lower temperature, even Hall-effect mobility averaged over the whole polycrystalline film decreases due to the presence of carrier-trapping levels at the grain boundaries, while the free-electron-like transport is preserved in the grains. With the separated description of the inter- and intra-grain charge transport, it is demonstrated that the reduction of mobility with decreasing temperature often shown in organic thin-film transistors does not necessarily mean mere hopping transport.

Admittance spectroscopy measurement has been performed on NiOx thin films with various oxygen compositions (x=1.0-1.2) in order to characterize localized defect levels. The activation energy and concentration of localized defect levels in NiOx films with low oxygen composition (x≤1.07) are 120-170 meV and lower than 2×1019 cm-3, respectively. From I-V measurement of the Pt/NiOx/Pt structures, samples with high oxygen composition (x≥1.10) did not show resistance switching operation, while samples with low oxygen composition (x≤1.07) did. The best oxygen composition of NiOx thin films turned out to be 1.07 in order to realize repeatable and stable resistance switching operation.