Hong Koo Kim

Refractive transmission of light and beam shapingwith metallic nano-optic lenses

We have performed finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) analysis of optical transmission through a nanoslit array structure formed on a metal layer with tapered film thickness. The analysis result shows refractive transmission of light through the nanoslit array, opening up the possibility of creating metallic lenses that resemble glass lenses in their shape. Metallic lenses with curved surfaces are designed such that each nanoslit element transmits light with phase retardation controlled by the metal thickness in the aperture region. The FDTD analysis result demonstrates a focusing or collimating function of convex-shaped metal lenses.

Ultraviolet detection with ultrathin ZnO epitaxial films treated with oxygen plasma

We have investigated the effects of oxygen plasma treatment on the UV detection properties of ultrathin (∼20-nm-thick) ZnO epitaxial films. Highly epitaxial ZnO films grown on sapphire were exposed to oxygen-radical-rich, inductively coupled plasma, and then their UV detection properties were characterized at 325 nm wavelength using a photoconductor structure. The oxygen plasma treatment is found to dramatically enhance the UV detection properties of ZnO, reducing the decay time constant (to below 50 μs) and increasing the on/off ratio of photocurrent (to over 1000) with high UV responsivity (1–10 A/W). This result, in conjunction with the microstructural and electrical characterization results, indicates that the plasma treatment efficiently suppresses the chemisorption sites (primarily the oxygen deficiency sites) on surface and also the oxygen vacancies in ZnO, therefore results in major reduction of the chemisorption effects and the dark current, respectively.

Epitaxial growth of ZnO films on Si substrates using an epitaxial GaN buffer

We report on epitaxial growth of ZnO films on Si(111) substrates using an epitaxial GaN buffer layer. A rf magnetron sputtering process has been developed and utilized in growing epitaxial GaN buffers on Si, and then ZnO films on the GaN-buffered Si substrates. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that both the ZnO and GaN films are of a monocrystalline wurtzite structure with an epitaxial relationship of ZnO[0001]//GaN[0001]//Si[111] along the growth direction and ZnO[112_01]//GaN[112_0]//Si[11_0] along the in-plane direction. The successful growth of epitaxial ZnO/GaN films on Si demonstrates the feasibility and promise of integrating various functional devices on the same substrate.

Role of surface plasmons in the optical interaction in metallic gratings with narrow slits

We report an experimental study of the transmission of light through narrow slits in metallic gratings (Ag layer thickness of 100–400 nm, grating period of 370 or 780 nm, and slit width of 30–100 nm). Peak transmission of ∼60% is observed for TM polarization at a wavelength redshifted from the point of surface plasmon (SP) resonance at the metal/substrate interface. At the transmission minima, the angular dependence of reflection shows a sharp peak with minimum loss of optical power. Two types of surface plasmon excitation are found responsible for the observed transmission dips: (1) the SP resonance along the planes that comprise either the metal/air or metal/substrate interfaces and (2) the SP resonance localized along the surface that encloses each metal island separated by slits.

Growth of ordered, single-domain, alumina nanopore arrays with holographically patterned aluminum films

Highly-ordered, single-domain (∼cm2), alumina nanopore arrays with controlled symmetry were obtained by anodizing prepatterned aluminum films that were deposited on silica substrates. Holographic lithography, in conjunction with a conformal deposition process, was utilized to form nanoscale corrugations on aluminum film surface prior to anodization. Both the order and symmetry of pore arrays were found to be well controlled and guided by the periodic surface corrugations from the initial stage of pore growth. Ordered nanopore arrays grown on foreign substrates are promising as a host or template for forming various nanodevices and their on-chip integration.

Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor with a vacuum channel

High-speed electronic devices rely on short carrier transport times, which are usually achieved by decreasing the channel length and/or increasing the carrier velocity. Ideally, the carriers enter into a ballistic transport regime in which they are not scattered. However, it is difficult to achieve ballistic transport in a solid-state medium because the high electric fields used to increase the carrier velocity also increase scattering. Vacuum is an ideal medium for ballistic transport, but vacuum electronic devices commonly suffer from low emission currents and high operating voltages. Here, we report the fabrication of a low-voltage field-effect transistor with a vertical vacuum channel (channel length of ~20 nm) etched into a metal-oxide-semiconductor substrate. We measure a transconductance of 20 nS µm(-1), an on/off ratio of 500 and a turn-on gate voltage of 0.5 V under ambient conditions. Coulombic repulsion in the two-dimensional electron system at the interface between the oxide and the metal or the semiconductor reduces the energy barrier to electron emission, leading to a high emission current density (~1 × 10(5) A cm(-2)) under a bias of only 1 V. The emission of two-dimensional electron systems into vacuum channels could enable a new class of low-power, high-speed transistors.

Femtosecond microscopy of localized and propagating surface plasmons in silver gratings

Localized and propagating surface plasmons excited with 10 fs, 400 nm laser pulses in silver gratings are imaged with a sub-wavelength spatial resolution. Microscopic images of two-photon photoemission from the nanostructured silver surface representing nonlinear maps of surface plasmon fields are recorded with a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM). Tuning the laser wavelength into the resonance of a silver grating enhances the emission from the propagating mode and attenuates that from the localized modes. Time-resolved interferometric PEEM movies taken at 330 as/frame intervals reveal the dynamics of the oscillation and dephasing of individual localized surface plasmons.

Growth of highly oriented Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 films on MgO-buffered oxidized Si substrates and its application to ferroelectric nonvolatile memory field-effect transistors

We have grown highly oriented lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 or PZT] films on oxidized silicon substrates using a thin MgO buffer layer (7–70 nm thick). Ferroelectric nonvolatile memory field-effect transistors (FETs) were successfully fabricated using the metal/PZT/MgO/SiO2/Si structure in conjunction with radio-frequency sputter deposition of PZT and MgO films. The fabricated devices show excellent performance in ferroelectric polarization switching and memory retention. The results indicate that a thin MgO buffer serves well not only as a template layer for the growth of oriented PZT films on amorphous substrates, but also as a diffusion barrier between a ferroelectric and a substrate during device fabrication, protecting the SiO2/Si interface and the FET channel region.

Lead–zirconate–titanate-based metal/ferroelectric/insulator/semiconductor structure for nonvolatile memories

We have investigated the structural and electrical properties of the metal/ferroelectric/insulator/semiconductor (MFIS) structure that incorporates a MgO/SiO2 insulating buffer between a ferroelectric layer and Si substrate. Highly oriented lead–zirconate–titanate [Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, or PZT] films were grown on the MgO-buffered oxidized silicon substrates with a rf magnetron sputtering technique. The x-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis results show that a MgO buffer serves well not only as a template layer for growing oriented PZT films on an amorphous surface but also as a diffusion barrier between PZT and Si substrates. The memory window of the MFIS structure was characterized with a capacitance-versus-voltage method. Numerical analyses were also carried out to simulate the MFIS capacitor characteristics. In this simulation, the PZT films were assumed to have a two-layer structure in which the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of an initial layer are significantly weaker ...

Thermally stable ZnO films deposited on GaAs substrates with a SiO2 thin buffer layer

SiO2 thin films (1000‐A thick) were sputter deposited on GaAs substrates as a buffer layer in order to alleviate a thermal mismatching problem between ZnO films and GaAs substrates. Thermal stability of sputter‐deposited ZnO films (0.5–2.0 μm thick) was tested on such a buffered GaAs substrate with a postdeposition heat treatment at 430 °C for 10 min, which is similar to a standard ohmic contact alloying condition. The films sustained the heat treatment well, not showing any crumbling, which has usually been a problem when a ZnO film is deposited directly on a GaAs substrate. The postdeposition anneal treatment also dramatically enhances c‐axis orientation of the ZnO films and relieves intrinsic stress almost completely. These improvements are attributed to a reduction of grain boundaries and voids with the anneal treatment as supported by the scanning electron microscopy and x‐ray diffraction measurement results.