Film Failure in Multilayer Systems for Semiconductor Devices


Researchers at MIT, Yonsei University (Seoul, Korea) just published this technical paper titled "Interfacial Delamination at Multilayer Thin Films in Semiconductor Devices." According to the abstract "In this work, the effect of thermomechanical stress on the failure of multilayered thin films on Si substrates was studied using analytical calculations and various thermomechanical tests." ... » read more

Highly efficient modulation doping: A path toward superior organic thermoelectric devices


New academic paper from TU Dresden. Abstract "We investigate the charge and thermoelectric transport in modulation-doped large-area rubrene thin-film crystals with different crystal phases. We show that modulation doping allows achieving superior doping efficiencies even for high doping densities, when conventional bulk doping runs into the reserve regime. Modulation-doped orthorhombic rubr... » read more

Flat-surface-assisted and self-regulated oxidation resistance of Cu(111)


Abstract "Oxidation can deteriorate the properties of copper that are critical for its use, particularly in the semiconductor industry and electro-optics applications. This has prompted numerous studies exploring copper oxidation and possible passivation strategies. In situ observations have, for example, shown that oxidation involves stepped surfaces: Cu2O growth occurs on flat surfaces as a ... » read more

Making BaZrS3 Chalcogenide Perovskite Thin Films by Molecular Beam Epitaxy


Abstract: We demonstrate the making of BaZrS3 thin films by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). BaZrS3 forms in the orthorhombic distorted-perovskite structure with corner-sharing ZrS6 octahedra. The single-step MBE process results in films smooth on the atomic scale, with near-perfect BaZrS3 stoichiometry and an atomically-sharp interface with the LaAlO3 substrate. The films grow epitaxially via tw... » read more

Sputtered transparent electrodes for optoelectronic devices: Induced damage and mitigation strategies


Abstract: Summary "Transparent electrodes and metal contacts deposited by magnetron sputtering find applications in numerous state-of-the-art optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells and light-emitting diodes. However, the deposition of such thin films may damage underlying sensitive device layers due to plasma emission and particle impact. Inserting a buffer layer to shield against such da... » read more

Reducing Rework In CMP: An Enhanced Machine Learning-Based Hybrid Metrology Approach


By Vamsi Velidandla, John Hauck, Zhuo Chen, Joshua Frederick, and Zhihui Jiao The semiconductor industry is constantly marching toward thinner films and complex geometries with smaller dimensions, as well as newer materials. The number of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) steps has increased and, with it, a greater need for within-wafer uniformity and wafer-to-wafer control of the thin... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 15


Graphite films for cooling electronics Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) developed a way to make a carbon material well suited to dissipating heat in electronic devices. Graphite films are frequently used for heat management. "However, the method used to make these graphite films, using polymer as a source material, is complex and very energy intensiv... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Aug. 10


Flexible electrodes for thin films Researchers from the University of Queensland and ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (University of Melbourne) developed a material for flexible, recyclable, transparent electrodes that could be used in things like solar panels, touchscreens, and smart windows. Eser Akinoglu of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science said, "The performance... » read more

The Chemistry Of Semiconductors


At each new process node, the chemistry of chip manufacturing has become much more complex than at previous nodes. But at 5nm and below, it's going to get orders of magnitude more complex. For the first few decades, the chemistry of chips was largely shielded from view for most of the industry. Caustic gases were relatively well understood because they are a potential health hazard, but the ... » read more

Thin Film Characterization For Advanced Patterning


Authors: Zhimin Zhu; Xianggui Ye; Sean Simmons; Catherine Frank; Tim Limmer; James Lamb Brewer Science, Inc. (United States) A variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometer (VASE) is an essential tool for measuring the thickness of a thin film, as well as its n and k optical parameters. However, for films thinner than 10 nm, precise measurement is very challenging. In this paper, the root cause... » read more

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