Claudia Fleischmann

Enabling the high-performance InGaAs/Ge CMOS: a common gate stack solution

To address the integration of the high-mobility Ge/III-V MOSFET, a common gate stack (CGS) solution is proposed for the first time and demonstrated on Ge and InGaAs channels with combined hole and electron field-effect mobility values up to 400cm2/eV-s and 1300cm2/eV-s. Based on the duality found on the InGaAs/Ge MOS system, this approach aims to integrate the InGaAs/Ge MOSFET processes for high performance CMOS applications with an emphasis on progressive EOT scaling.

Characterization of semiconductor materials using synchrotron radiation-based near-field infrared microscopy and nano-FTIR spectroscopy

We describe the application of scattering-type near-field optical microscopy to characterize various semiconducting materials using the electron storage ring Metrology Light Source (MLS) as a broadband synchrotron radiation source. For verifying high-resolution imaging and nano-FTIR spectroscopy we performed scans across nanoscale Si-based surface structures. The obtained results demonstrate that a spatial resolution below 40 nm can be achieved, despite the use of a radiation source with an extremely broad emission spectrum. This approach allows not only for the collection of optical information but also enables the acquisition of near-field spectral data in the mid-infrared range. The high sensitivity for spectroscopic material discrimination using synchrotron radiation is presented by recording near-field spectra from thin films composed of different materials used in semiconductor technology, such as SiO2, SiC, SixNy, and TiO2.

Relaxor Ferroelectricity and Magnetoelectric Coupling in ZnO–Co Nanocomposite Thin Films: Beyond Multiferroic Composites

ZnO-Co nanocomposite thin films are synthesized by combination of pulsed laser deposition of ZnO and Co ion implantation. Both superparamagnetism and relaxor ferroelectricity as well as magnetoelectric coupling in the nanocomposites have been demonstrated. The unexpected relaxor ferroelectricity is believed to be the result of the local lattice distortion induced by the incorporation of the Co nanoparticles. Magnetoelectric coupling can be attributed to the interaction between the electric dipole moments and the magnetic moments, which are both induced by the incorporation of Co. The introduced ZnO-Co nanocomposite thin films are different from conventional strain-mediated multiferroic composites.

The influence of interface roughness on the magnetic properties of exchange biased CoO/Fe thin films

We have investigated the correlation between magnetic and structural properties in exchange coupled polycrystalline CoO/Fe thin films. It has been found that an increase in interface roughness increases the exchange bias field as well as the coercivity. The magnetization reversal mechanism is also influenced by the interfacial morphology. Smooth interfaces are characterized by an asymmetric hysteresis loop, which is associated with domain wall motion for the first magnetization reversal after field cooling and spin rotation in all subsequent reversals. This asymmetry diminishes as the interface roughness increases, i.e., all magnetization reversals are dominated by spin rotation. Moreover, we have observed that the blocking temperature decreases with increasing interface roughness. We also report on a logarithmic time dependence of the magnetization which is different for both branches of the hysteresis loop of smooth CoO/Fe bilayers.

Towards Passivation of Ge(100) Surfaces by Sulfur Adsorption from a (NH4)2S Solution: A Combined NEXAFS, STM and LEED Study

Using x-ray absorption spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy and low-energy electron diffraction we have studied the surface chemistry and atomic structure of the sulfur passivation layer formed on Ge( 100) surfaces upon treatment in an aqueous (NH 4 ) 2 S solution at room temperature. This treatment was shown to yield incomplete sulfur coverage (<1 monolayer) and residual Ge oxides regardless of the time the substrates are immersed in the solution. Scanning tunneling microscopy images of the surface structure of the passivation layer reveal the coexistence of locally ordered and large disordered areas, attributed to S-Ge and O-Ge bonds, respectively. The passivated surfaces exhibit a pronounced (1×1) electron diffraction pattern. The formation of the passivation layer appears to be dependent on the state of the Ge surface prior to sulfidation, i.e. on the presence of surface oxides, which hamper the formation of a long-range ordered sulfur monolayer.

Impact of ammonium sulfide solution on electronic properties and ambient stability of germanium surfaces: towards Ge-based microelectronic devices

The monolayer adsorption of sulfur on Ge(100) surfaces from aqueous (NH4)2S solution is an approach to saturate, i.e., to passivate broken surface bonds and hence to reduce the electrical and chemical activity of this semiconductor surface. Despite its importance in view of developing Ge-based microelectronic devices, we still lack a fundamental understanding of how this treatment modifies the electrical and chemical properties of the Ge surface. In this study, the electronic properties and ambient stability of sulfurized p-type Ge surfaces are investigated using a variety of complementary spectroscopic techniques. Based on these results we evaluate the degree of electrical and chemical passivation that can be achieved by sulfur adsorption from (NH4)2S solution. We find that sulfur atoms chemically bind to Ge surface atoms within the first few seconds after immersion in solution. Saturation is achieved after approximately 30 s at a maximum sulfur coverage below half of a monolayer. The Ge–S bonds have a partial ionic character, causing depletion of the majority charge carriers near the surface. The band gap measured at the surface exhibits a lower density of surface states compared to the clean Ge surface, indicating that the S/Ge surface is electrically passivated. The Ge–S bonds are preserved upon moderate exposure to ambient conditions (ca. 2 hours), but a small fraction of the sulfur is oxidized. The steady increase of the oxygen coverage with increasing exposure time suggests a growth of Ge oxides, indicating limited resistance of the sulfurized Ge surfaces to oxidizing conditions.

Sn diffusion during Ni germanide growth on Ge1-xSnx

We report on the redistribution of Sn during Ni germanide formation on Ge1–xSnx/〈Ge(100)〉 and its influence on the thin film growth and properties. These results show that the reaction involves the formation of Ni5Ge3 and NiGe. Sn redistributes homogenously in both phases, in which the Sn/Ge ratio retains the ratio of the as-deposited Ge1–xSnx film. Sn continues to diffuse after full NiGe formation and segregates in two regions: (1) at the interface between the germanide and Ge1–xSnx and (2) at the surface, which has major implications for the thin film and contact properties.

On the interplay between relaxation, defect formation, and atomic Sn distribution in Ge(1−x)Sn(x) unraveled with atom probe tomography

Ge(1−x)Sn(x) has received a lot of interest for opto-electronic applications and for strain engineering in advanced complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, because it enables engineering of the band gap and inducing strain in the alloy. To target a reliable technology for mass application in microelectronic devices, the physical problem to be addressed is to unravel the complex relationship between strain relaxation (as induced by the growth of large layer thicknesses or a thermal anneal) and defect formation, and/or stable Sn-cluster formation. In this paper, we study the onset of Sn-cluster formation and its link to strain relaxation using Atom Probe Tomography (APT). To this end, we also propose a modification of the core-linkage [Stephenson et al., Microsc. Microanal. 13, 448 (2007)] cluster analysis method, to overcome the challenges of limited detection efficiency and lateral resolution of APT, and the quantitative assessment for very small clusters (<40 atoms) embedded in a random distr...

Thermal stability and relaxation mechanisms in compressively strained Ge0.94Sn0.06 thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Strained Ge1-xSnx thin films have recently attracted a lot of attention as promising high mobility or light emitting materials for future micro- and optoelectronic devices. While they can be grown nowadays with high crystal quality, the mechanism by which strain energy is relieved upon thermal treatments remains speculative. To this end, we investigated the evolution (and the interplay) of composition, strain, and morphology of strained Ge0.94Sn0.06 films with temperature. We observed a diffusion-driven formation of Sn-enriched islands (and their self-organization) as well as surface depressions (pits), resulting in phase separation and (local) reduction in strain energy, respectively. Remarkably, these compositional and morphological instabilities were found to be the dominating mechanisms to relieve energy, implying that the relaxation via misfit generation and propagation is not intrinsic to compressively strained Ge0.94Sn0.06 films grown by molecular beam epitaxy.

S-Passivation of the Ge Gate Stack Using (NH4)2S

The last decennia, a lot of effort has been made to introduce new channel materials in a Si process flow. High mobility materials such as Ge need a good gate stack passivation in order to ensure optimal MOSFET operation. Several routes for passivating the Ge gate stack have been explored in the last years. We present here the S-passivation of the Ge gate stack: (NH4)2S is used to create a S-terminated Ge surface. In this paper the S-treatment is discussed. The S-terminated Ge surface is not chemically passive but can still react with air. After gate oxide deposition, the Ge-S bonds are preserved and an adequate passivation is found for pMOS operation.