K. Beltsios

Charge storage and interface states effects in Si-nanocrystal memory obtained using low-energy Si^ implantation and annealing

Thin SiO2 oxides implanted by very-low-energy (1 keV) Si ions and subsequently annealed are explored with regards to their potential as active elements of memory devices. Charge storage effects as a function of Si fluence are investigated through capacitance and channel current measurements. Capacitance–voltage and source–drain current versus gate voltage characteristics of devices implanted with a dose of 1×1016 cm−2 or lower exhibit clear hysteresis characteristics at low electric field. The observed fluence dependence of the device electrical properties is interpreted in terms of the implanted oxide structure.

Alginate fibers as photocatalyst immobilizing agents applied in hybrid photocatalytic/ultrafiltration water treatment processes.

Ca alginate polymer fibers were developed to effectively disperse and stabilize an efficient photocatalyst such as AEROXIDE(®) TiO(2) P25 in their matrix. The biopolymer/TiO(2) fibers were prepared and tested either in the hydrogel non-porous form or in the highly porous aerogel form prepared by sc-CO(2) drying. Batch photocatalytic experiments showed that the porous, Ca alginate/TiO(2) fibers, exhibited high efficiency for the removal of methyl orange (MO) from polluted water. In addition, their high porosity and surface area led to high MO degradation rate which was faster than that observed not only for their non-porous analogs but also of the bulk P25 TiO(2) powder. Specifically, 90% removal for 20 μM MO was achieved within 220 min for the porous sc-CO(2) dried fibers while for their non-porous analogs at 325 min. The corresponding value (at 60 μM MO) for the porous sc-CO(2) dried fibers was 140 min over 240 min for the AEROXIDE(®) TiO(2) P25 as documented in the literature. Furthermore the composite alginate/photocatalyst porous fibers were combined with TiO(2) membranes in a continuous flow, hybrid photocatalytic/ultrafiltration water treatment process that led to a three fold enhancement of the MO removal efficiency at 400 ml of 20 μM MO total treated volume and to dilution rather than condensation in the membrane retentate as commonly observed in filtration processes. Furthermore the permeability of the photocatalytic membrane was enhanced in the presence of the fibers by almost 20%. This performance is achieved with 26 cm(2) and 31 cm(2) of membrane and stabilized photocatalyst surfaces respectively and in this context there is plenty of room for the up-scaling of both membranes and fibers and the achievement of much higher water yields since the methods applied for the development of the involved materials (CVD and dry-wet phase inversion in a spinning set-up) are easily up-scalable and are not expected to add significant cost to the proposed water treatment process.

Room-temperature single-electron charging phenomena in large-area nanocrystal memory obtained by low-energy ion beam synthesis

We investigated the dependence of implantation dose on the charge storage characteristics of large-area n-channel metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors with 1-keV Si+-implanted gate oxides. Gate bias and time-dependent source–drain current measurements are reported. Devices implanted with 1×1016 cm−2 Si dose exhibit a continuous (trap-like) charge storage process under both static and dynamic conditions. In contrast, for 2×1016 cm−2 implanted devices, electrons are stored in Si nanocrystals in discrete units at low gate voltages, as revealed by a periodic staircase plateau of the source–drain current with a low gate voltage sweep rate, and the step-like decrease of the time-dependent monitoring of the channel current. These observations of room-temperature single-electron storage effects support the pursuit of large-area devices operating on the basis of Coulomb blockade phenomena.

Combined elemental analysis of ancient glass beads by means of ion beam, portable XRF, and EPMA techniques

Ion beam analysis (IBA)- and X-ray fluorescence (XRF)-based techniques have been well adopted in cultural-heritage-related analytical studies covering a wide range of diagnostic role, i.e., from screening purposes up to full quantitative characterization. In this work, a systematic research was carried out towards the identification and evaluation of the advantages and the limitations of laboratory-based (IBA, electron probe microanalyzer) and portable (milli-XRF and micro-XRF) techniques. The study focused on the analysis of an Archaic glass bead collection recently excavated from the city of Thebes (mainland, Greece), in order to suggest an optimized and synergistic analytical methodology for similar studies and to assess the reliability of the quantification procedure of analyses conducted in particular by portable XRF spectrometers. All the employed analytical techniques and methodologies proved efficient to provide in a consistent way characterization of the glass bead composition, with analytical range and sensitivity depending on the particular technique. The obtained compositional data suggest a solid basis for the understanding of the main technological features related to the raw major and minor materials utilized for the manufacture of the Thebian ancient glass bead collection.

Formation of 2-D arrays of semiconductor nanocrystals or semiconductor-rich nanolayers by very low-energy Si or Ge ion implantation in silicon oxide films

Abstract The structure evolution of annealed low-energy Si- or Ge-implanted thin and thick SiO2 layers is studied. The majority of Si (or Ge) species is restricted within a 3–4 nm thick layer. Si is able to separate and crystallize more easily than Ge. The glass transition temperature of the as-implanted structure has a significant effect on the progress of phase transformations accompanying annealing.

MOS memory devices based on silicon nanocrystal arrays fabricated by very low energy ion implantation

Abstract The electrical characteristics of Si nanocrystal-based MOS memory devices are studied. The nanocrystals are fabricated into 8-nm thin oxide by very low energy Si + implantation at different doses and subsequent annealing. TEM work suggests that Si nanocrystals develop at a density, size and perfection that vary strongly with the implanted dose and these structural features are found compatible with the device transfer characteristics.

Effects of annealing conditions on charge storage of Si nanocrystal memory devices obtained by low-energy ion beam synthesis

The structural and electrical characteristics of thin silicon dioxide layers with embedded Si nanocrystals are reported fabricated by low-energy silicon implantation and with subsequent annealing in inert and diluted oxygen. Thermal treatment in diluted oxygen increases the thickness of the control oxide, does not affect significantly the size of the nanocrystals, and improves the integrity of the oxide. As a result, strong charge storage effects at low gate voltages and enhanced charge retention times are observed through electrical measurements of MOS capacitors. These results indicate that a combination of low-energy silicon implants and annealing in diluted oxygen permits the fabrication of low-voltage nonvolatile memory devices.

A Vycor® Membrane with Reduced Size Surface Pores I. Preparation and Characterization

Vycor® membranes are surface-modified by a crosslinked commercial silicone which is subsequently subjected to oxygen plasma and converted to silica dioxide. Samples are examined by integral gas permeability of helium, nitrogen, methane and carbon dioxide, differential permeability of carbon dioxide and relative permeability of helium gas vs. water vapor. The modified surface is found to contain large micropores as well as a population of small nanopores. The new membrane may be appropriate for applications such as gas/vapor separations, reverse osmosis and the low molecular weight end of nanofiltration.

Thermal and mechanical analysis of photoresist and silylated photoresist films : application to AZ 5214 TM

Combined thermal and mechanical analysis of spun-on photoresist, and silylated photoresist films after each lithographic step was done using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA). For reacting photoresist systems the DSC method is excellent for determination of both the baking-temperature ranges in which the reactions take place, and the heat of reaction. For calculation of the glass transition temperature (Tg), and mechanical deformation of resists however, TMA proves most appropriate. This methodology was applied for a commercial photoresist AZ 5214™ to determine the thermally or melamine induced crosslinking temperature regions, the Tg of crosslinked samples, and to show that wet HMCTS (Hexamethyl-Cyclo-Tri-Silazane) silylated films have higher Tg values than the original photoresist.

Simple solution routes for targeted carbonate phases and intricate carbonate and silicate morphologies.

This work deals with the preparation of ceramic phases similar to those encountered in natural biocomposites through relatively fast and low-cost aqueous routes and various simple reactants and additives such as urea, commercial gelatin and hexamethyldiamine. In addition to the crystallographic (or amorphous) character of targeted phases (calcite, vaterite, aragonite, silica and silicates) particle morphology is also of interest and among others, we have obtained fractions of particles in the form of nanofibrilar calcite networks, calcium silicate doughnuts and Gordian knots, and diatom-like perforated silica cylinders.