Impact of Native Defects in the High Dielectric Constant Oxide HfSiO_4 on MOS Device Performance

Native dejects in HfSiO4 are investigated by first principles calculations. Transition levels of native detects can be accurately described by employing the nonlocal HSE06 hybrid functional. This methodology overcomes the band gap problem in traditional functionals. By band alignments among the Si, GaAs and HfSiO4. we are able to determine the position of defect levels in Si and GaAs relative to the HfSiO4 band gap. We evaluate the. possibility of these defects acting as fixed charge. Native defects lead to the change of valence and conduction band offsets. Gate leakage current is evaluated by the band offset. In addition, we also investigate diffusions of native defects, and discuss how they affect the MOS device performance.

Effect of carrier gases on the entrainment defects within AZ91 alloy castings

An entrainment defect(also known as a double oxide film defect or bifilm) acts a void containing an entrapped gas when submerged into a light-alloy melt, thus reducing the quality and reproducibility of the final castings. Previous publications, carried out with Al-alloy castings, reported that this trapped gas could be subsequently consumed by the reaction with the surrounding melt, thus reducing the void volume and negative effect of entrainment defects. Compared with Al-alloys, the entrapped gas within Mg-alloy might be more efficiently consumed due to the relatively high reactivity of magnesium. However, research into the entrainment defects within Mg alloys has been significantly limited. In the present work, AZ91 alloy castings were produced under different carrier gas atmospheres(i.e., SF6/CO2, SF6/air).The evolution processes of the entrainment defects contained in AZ91 alloy were suggested according to the microstructure inspections and thermodynamic calculations. The defects formed in the different atmospheres have a similar sandwich-like structure, but their oxide films contained different combinations of compounds. The use of carrier gases, which were associated with different entrained-gas consumption rates, affected the reproducibility of AZ91 castings.

Formation and Removement Mechanism of Haze Defects on（111）p－type Silicon Wafers

The haze defects on p-type (111) silicon wafers were investigated by means of chemical etching, Fouriertransform infra-red microscopy (FTIR), spreading resistance measurement. secondary ion mass spectroscopy(SLMS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer(EDX). The haze defects are the precipitates of silicide of metal impurities (Fe, Ni) on the wafer surface.The formation of haze defects can efficiently be inhibited by utilizing the technology of fast neutronirradiation combined with the internal gettering (IG), and then, the formation and removement mechanismof the haze defects have been discussed in this paper.

Investigation of degradation and recovery characteristics of NBTI in 28-nm high-k metal gate process

Degradation induced by the negative bias temperature instability(NBTI)can be attributed to three mutually uncoupled physical mechanisms,i.e.,the generation of interface traps(ΔV_(IT)),hole trapping in pre-existing gate oxide defects(ΔV_(HT)),and the generation of gate oxide defects(ΔV_(OT)).In this work,the characteristic of NBTI for p-type MOSFET fabricated by using a 28-nm high-k metal gate(HKMG)process is thoroughly studied.The experimental results show that the degradation is enhanced at a larger stress bias and higher temperature.The effects of the three underlying subcomponents are evaluated by using the comprehensive models.It is found that the generation of interface traps dominates the NBTI degradation during long-time NBTI stress.Moreover,the NBTI parameters of the power-law time exponent and temperature activation energy as well as the gate oxide field acceleration are extracted.The dependence of operating lifetime on stress bias and temperature is also discussed.It is observed that NBTI lifetime significantly decreases as the stress increases.Furthermore,the decrease of charges related to interface traps and hole detrapping in pre-existing gate oxide defects are used to explain the recovery mechanism after stress.

Role of Double Oxide Film Defects in the Formation of Gas Porosity in Commercial Purity and Sr-containing Al Alloys

The role of double oxide film （bifilm） defects in the formation of gas porosity in commercial purity and Srcontaining AI alloys was investigated by means of a reduced pressure test （RPT） technique. The liquid metal was poured from a height into a crucible to introduce oxide defects into the melt. The melt was then subjected to different ＂hydrogen addition＂ and ＂holding in liquid state＂ regimes before RPT samples were taken. The RPT samples were then characterized by determining their porosity parameters and examining the internal surfaces of the pores formed in them by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated oxide defects as the initiation sites for the growth of gas porosity, both in commercial purity and Sr-containing AI alloys. The results also rejected reduction of the surface tension of the melt, increase in the volumetric shrinkage and reduction in interdendritic feeding as the possible causes of an increase in the porosity content of the AI castings modified with strontium. The change in the composition of the oxide layers of double oxide film defects was suggested to be responsible for this behaviour.

Defects-Driven Ferromagnetism in Undoped Dilute Magnetic Oxides:A Review

In the past several decades, dilute magnetic semiconductors, particularly the dilute magnetic oxides have evolved into an important branch of materials science due to their potential application in spintronic devices combining of properties of semiconductors and ferromagnets. In spite of a major effort devoted to the mechanism of ferromagnetism with a high Curie temperature in these materials, it still remains the most controversial research topic, especially given the unexpected do ferromagnetism in a series of undoped wide-band-gap oxides films or nanostructures. Recently, an abundance of research has shown the critical role of various defects in the origin and control of spontaneous magnetic ordering, but contradicting views from intertwined theoretical calculations and experiments require more in-depth systematic research. In our previous work, considerable efforts have been focused on two major oxides, i.e. ZnO and Zr02. This review will present a summary of current experimental status of this defect-driven ferromag- netism in dilute magnetic oxides （DMOs）.

Effect of Double Oxide Film Defects on Mechanical Properties of As-Cast C95800 Alloy

The morphology of double oxide film defects and their influence on the tensile mechanical properties of a commercial Cu-Al （C95800） alloy were investigated in this study. Plane castings were produced with two types of pouting systems, and their tensile properties were measured and then analyzed by means of Weibull statistics method. The fracture surfaces of the tensile specimens were examined using scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. A large amount of double oxide film defects were observed on the tensile fractured specimens of the topfilled plane castings, and their chemical composition is identified to be Al2O3. Weibull statistics analyses showed that the double oxide film defects significantly reduce mechanical properties of the castings investigated. Furthermore, the ultimate tensile strength is more obviously deteriorated by double oxide film defects than elongation.

Layered sphere-shaped TiO_2 capped with gold nanoparticles on structural defects and their catalysis of formaldehyde oxidation

We describe here a one-step method for the synthesis of Au/TiO2 nanosphere materials,which were formed by layered deposition of multiple anatase TiO2 nanosheets.The Au nanoparticles were stabilized by structural defects in each TiO2 nanosheet,including crystal steps and edges,thereby fixing the Au-TiO2 perimeter interface.Reactant transfer occurred along the gaps between these TiO2 nanosheet layers and in contact with catalytically active sites at the Au-TiO2 interface.The doped Au induced the formation of oxygen vacancies in the Au-TiO2 interface.Such vacancies are essential for generating active oxygen species（-＊O^-） on the TiO2 surface and Ti^3＋ ions in bulk TiO2.These ions can then form Ti^3＋-O^--Ti^4＋species,which are known to enhance the catalytic activity of formaldehyde（HCHO） oxidation.These studies on structural and oxygen vacancy defects in Au/TiO2 samples provide a theoretical foundation for the catalytic mechanism of HCHO oxidation on oxide-supported Au materials.

Trivalent Ni oxidation controlled through regulating lithium content to minimize perovskite interfacial recombination

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells,one of the most promising photovoltaic devices,have made great progress in their efficiency and preparation technology.In this study,uniform,highly conductive Li_(n)NiO_(x)(0≤n≤1;0<x≤3)films were prepared by electrochemical deposition for a range of Li concentration.Photovoltaic performance for the perovskite solar cells was enhanced through incorporation of the ion pair of Ni^(3+)-Ni^(2+) as the interfacial passivation.Depending on the amount of lithium doping,controlled interfacial oxidation was induced by Ni^(3+).The Li_(0.32)NiO_(x)inhibited charge recombination,reduced the defect density,and enhanced the photocurrent density.A maximum power conversion efficiency of 20.44%was obtained by Li_(0.32)NiO_(x).Further,in the long-term,in-air stabilities of unencapsulated Li_(n)-NiO_(x) perovskite solar cells were demonstrated.