Yi-Chao Wang

Near-infrared femtosecond laser-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) was crystallized by femtosecond laser annealing (FLA) using a near-infrared (λ≈800nm) ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser system. The intense ultrashort laser pulses lead to efficient nonlinear photoenergy absorption and the generation of very dense photoexcited plasma in irradiated materials, enabling nonlinear melting on transparent silicon materials. We studied the structural characteristics of recrystallized films and found that FLA assisted by spatial scanning of laser strip spot constitutes superlateral epitaxy that can crystallize a-Si films with largest grains of ∼800nm, requiring laser fluence as low as ∼45mJ∕cm2, and low laser shots. Moreover, the optimal annealing conditions are observed with a significant laser-fluence window (∼30%).

Characterization and Comparison of GaAs/AlGaAs Uni-Traveling Carrier and Separated-Transport-Recombination Photodiode Based High-Power Sub-THz Photonic Transmitters

We describe in detail the characterization of two high-power photonic transmitters based on two different kinds of high-power photodiodes, one a GaAs/AlGaAs based uni-traveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) and the other a separated- transport-recombination photodiode (STR-PD). The diodes operate under optical pulse excitation at the 800 nm wavelength. Both PDs have the same total depletion layer thickness (same theoretical RC-limited bandwidth) and are monolithically integrated with the same broadband micro-machined circular disk monopole antennas to radiate strong sub-THz pulses. However the STR-PD based transmitter exhibits very different dynamic and static performance from that of the UTC-PD based transmitter due to the existence of a low-temperature-grown GaAs (LTG-GaAs) based recombination center inside the active region, and the much thinner thickness of effective depletion layer. Under optical pulse excitation (~ 480 pJ/pulse), the STR-PD based transmitter exhibits a much lower maximum averaged output photocurrent (1.2 mA versus 0.3 mA) than that of the UTC-PD transmitter, although the radiated electrical pulse-width and maximum peak-power, which are measured by the same THz time-domain spectroscopic (TDS) system, of both devices are comparable. These results indicate that although the recombination center in the STR-PD degrades its DC responsivity, it effectively improves the high-speed and output power performance of the device and eliminates the DC component of the photocurrent, which should minimize device-heating problem during high-power operation. The radiated waveforms of both devices under intense optical pulse illumination also exhibit excellent linearity and strong bias dependent magnitude. This suggests their suitability for application as photonic emitters and possibly as a data modulator in sub-THz impulse-radio communication systems.

Nonvolatile memory with switching interfacial polar structures of nano Si-in-mesoporous silica

We show an artificially engineered electret with Si nanocrystals embedded in mesoporous silica for nonvolatile memory. We attribute the polarization to from polar layers lying at the interfaces between one-side bonded Si nanocrystals and mesoporous silica matrix. Under external field, the Si nanocrystals could be displaced in the porechannels causing displaced charge distributions and therefore a field-controllable electric polarization. Nonvolatile memory is demonstrated with a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor.

Near-infrared femtosecond laser crystallized poly-Si thin film transistors.

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film transistors (TFTs) fabricated by near-infrared femtosecond laser annealing (FLA) are demonstrated. The FLA-annealed poly-Si channels exhibit low tail-state, deep-state, and midgap-state densities of grain traps. Characteristics such as field-effect mobility, threshold voltage, and subthreshold slope for FLA-annealed poly-TFTs are comparable to those of conventional approaches. A wide process window for annealing laser fluences was confirmed by examining the changes in electrical parameters for transistors with various channel dimensions.

THz time-domain spectroscopic studies of a ferroelectric liquid crystal in the SmA* and SmC* phases

We report complex refractive indices of a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) ZLI-4654-000 from 0.3 to 3.0 THz by THz time-domain Spectroscopy. Extraordinary and ordinary refractive indices of this FLC in the SmA* phase (67.9°C) as well as the SmC* phase (58.1°C) are determined. The birefringence of the FLC varies with frequency but is comparable to its value in the visible, 0.13, while the imaginary indices of refraction in both phases are ≤ 0.06. Absorption bands are found for ordinary waves in both phases and e-waves in SmA* phases.

Dopant profile engineering by near-infrared femtosecond laser activation

Femtosecond laser annealing (FLA) was employed for activation of phosphorus (P)- and boron (B)-implanted silicons with negligible dopant diffusion. Preamorphizing implantation is not required. We found that the dopant profiles in FLA-activated samples essentially duplicate those of as-implanted ones even for junctions as deep as 100nm below the surface. The measured sheet resistances and activation efficiencies of P- and B-implanted samples were in the range of 100–400Ω∕◻ and 28%–35%, respectively. Moreover, thermal-energy-assisted dopant diffusion by heating was observed for substrate temperature as low as 100°C. The shallow activated-depth feature associated with FLA reduces the separation between end-of-range defects and high-concentration portion of dopants. This generates a steep interstitial gradient responsible for observed B and P uphill diffusions at a depth of about 60nm below the surface.

Near-infrared femtosecond laser-processed thin-film transistor

Near-infrared (800 nm wavelength) femtosecond laser annealing (FLA) is employed on crystallization and activation of amorphous Si regions of thin film transistors (TFT). The transfer, and output characteristics for FLA-processed TFTs show promising performances.

Near-Infrared Femtosecond Laser activation of shallow B and P doped layers

Femtosecond Ti: sapphire laser was employed for ultrashallow junction formation in the dopant activation process. Activation of both p-type and n-type dopants were studied, and only very short diffusion length was observed after activation process.