Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Magnesium oxide – Industrial applications'

This master thesis report evaluatesthe lubricating effect of graphene (G)and graphene oxide (GO). Thesematerials have been added, in particlecondition, in Ag-based slidingcontacts and lubricating greases. Thework focuses on the tribologicalevaluation of these materials,especially friction, wear and contactresistance analyses. The friction andwear behaviors of Ag-based contactscontaining of a wide concentrationrange of graphene and graphene oxideare tested against pure silver using atest load of 2 and 10 N at a constantspeed of 5 cm/s. It was revealed thatsmall amounts of G and GO are able tosignificantly reduce the frictioncoefficient and wear rate. Contactresistance measurements revealed thatresults similar to pure Ag can beachieved with G content up to 10vol%.Possible mechanisms, which maycontribute to this tribologicalbehavior are the Ag-C interactions andthe lubricating nature of graphene.Friction tests with G and GOcontaining lubricating greases showinconsistent results, and both greasesand corresponding test methods forevaluation require furtheroptimization. The overall, promising,tribological behavior of G and GOholds for the implementation invarious industrial applications. Thereis no doubt that these kinds ofmaterials can play an important rolein ABBs future work. This masterthesis report shows yet anotherapplication area for theseextraordinary materials.

A new reactor and a novel in-situ sampling technique were developed for the study of the synthesis of CeO2 powders produced from dissolved cerium nitrate salts. The reactor minimized particle recirculation and provided a highly symmetric and undisturbed plasma flow suitable for the analysis of the phenomena affecting the formation of CeO2 powders. The sampling probe provided in-situ sampling of in-flight CeO2 particles and allowed continuous sampling without cross contamination. The sampled particles were collected using a wet collection system composed of a mist atomizer acting as a scrubber and a custom-made spray chamber. The entire collection system is portable and it was tested in the particle range of 20 nm to 100 mum. This information provided a picture of how CeO2 particles were formed. A numerical simulation of different plasma operating parameters using Fluent was presented. A comprehensive droplet-to-particle formation mechanism was deduced based on calorimetry, thermodynamics of CeO2 formation, numerical simulations and collected particles. The effect of adding water soluble fuels (alanine and glycine) to the original cerium nitrate solutions was investigated. Fuel addition decreased the temperature of CeO2 formation by acting as a local heat source as a result of fuel auto-ignition. The addition of fuel caused "particle size discrimination", and a single mode particle size distribution centered between 50-140 nm was achieved along the centerline of the reactor.
Also, heat and mass transfer effects were numerically investigated in evaporating solution droplets (20-40 mum in diameter) containing dissolved hexahydrated cerium nitrate in a stationary rf Ar-O2 thermal plasma. This model was developed to study the evaporation of a solution droplet surrounded by a porous crust in a stagnant rf Ar-O2 thermal plasma under reduced pressure. It considered a three phase system: a liquid core of dissolved Ce(NO 3)3.6H2O in water, a dry porous crust of homogeneously precipitated spherical crystals of equal size, and an Ar-O2 plasma under reduced pressure. The impact of different plasma operating parameters on the temperature and dissolved solid content profiles in the droplet was studied, i.e. surrounding plasma temperature, initial salt content and droplet size, plasma gas composition, and system pressure. Temperature and composition dependant thermophysical properties were used. The model was solved in a moving boundary frame using an ALE approach and considering Stefan flow. It provided the necessary information to understand the droplet to particle transformation steps in regions where in-flight probing was unfeasible, i.e. torch zone.

This thesis describes applications of advanced multinuclear solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments to the characterisation of industrially-relevant catalyst materials. Experiments on γ-Al₂O₃ introduce the use of solid-state NMR spectroscopy for the investigation of disordered solids. The existence of Al(V) sites on the surface of this material is demonstrated, showing that removal of adsorbed H₂O may facilitate a rearrangement effect in γ-Al₂O₃ that promotes the formation of these Al environments. A range of aluminium oxide-based supported metal catalysts has been investigated. Studies of these systems by ¹H and ²⁷Al solid-state NMR spectroscopy indicate that a metal-support interaction (MSI) exists between surface cobalt oxide crystallites and the γ-Al₂O₃ support, and is strongest for materials containing small, well dispersed Co oxide crystallites. It is shown that the hygroscopic nature of γ-Al₂O₃ allows the extent of the MSI to be visualised by ¹H MAS NMR, by observing the extent of the proton-metal oxide interaction resulting from the presence of adventitious adsorbed H₂O. The surface/bulk chemistry of Co spinel aluminate materials is also investigated. ¹H, ²⁹Si, ²⁷Al and ¹⁷O solid-state NMR techniques are used to gain insight into the structural nature of silicated alumina catalysts. The combination of isotopic enrichment and dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) surface-enhanced NMR spectroscopy can provide a definitive and fully quantitative description of the surface structure of Si-γ-Al₂O₃ (1.5 wt% Si), and the role of adventitious surface water is highlighted. Analysis of silicated aluminas prepared by “sequential grafting” and “single shot” approaches shows that silica growth on γ-Al₂O₃ follows two distinct morphologies. ¹⁷O gas exchange enrichment is also shown to be successful in facilitating ¹⁷O solid-state NMR studies of these materials. It is demonstrated that double (²⁹Si and ¹⁷O) enrichment of Si-γ-Al₂O₃ (1.5 wt% Si) can facilitate access to ²⁹Si-¹⁷O 2D correlation experiments, even at low silica loading. An exploratory investigation of Ti-alumina model catalysts has also been carried out using ¹H, ²⁷Al and ¹⁷O solid-state NMR spectroscopy. These studies indicate that Ti-γ-Al₂O₃ and Ti-Al M50 may be structurally distinct materials.

Depuis 2005, la miniaturisation des composants mémoires, qui, auparavant, suivait la loi de Moore, a ralenti. Ceci a conduit les chercheurs à multiplier les approches pour continuer à améliorer les dispositifs mémoires. Parmi ces approches, la piste des composants ferroélectriques semble très prometteuse. En 2011, une équipe du NamLab, à Dresde, en Allemagne, a découvert que le HfO2 dopé Si pouvait devenir ferroélectrique, avec une couche isolante de seulement 10 nm, ce qui résout le problème de compatibilité avec l’industrie CMOS des matériaux de structure pérovskite. Depuis, d’autres dopants ont été découverts. Cependant, de nouveaux problèmes freinent désormais l’apparition sur le marché des dispositifs ferroélectriques à base de HfO2. Comprendre les mécanismes qui régissent les propriétés ferroélectriques de ces matériaux est alors devenu un enjeu industriel majeur. Dans ce manuscrit, nous étudions le (Hf,Zr)O2 (HZO), et nous employons une technique peu utilisée pour élaborer ce type de matériau : la pulvérisation cathodique magnétron. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’établir des relations entre les conditions de croissance des différents matériaux et les propriétés électriques, de comprendre les mécanismes qui les régissent, ainsi que de rendre viable les dispositifs mémoires. Lors de l’élaboration de condensateurs, nous démontrons que des propriétés cristallochimiques particulières sont indispensables pour obtenir la ferroélectricité, et de nouvelles propriétés du HZO sont découvertes. Ensuite, nous cherchons à dépasser l’état de l’art. Par pulvérisation, nous obtenons parmi les meilleurs résultats au monde. Les tests industriels d’endurance et de rétention sont poussés au-delà de ce qui avait été fait auparavant dans la littérature. En particulier, l’influence des conditions de contraintes électriques y est décrite en détail, et nous mettons en évidence la présence d’une relaxation au cours des différents tests pouvant s’avérer problématique pour l’avènement d’applications industriels. Ce problème ne semble jamais avoir été clairement identifié auparavant
Since 2005, the scaling of memory devices, which used to follow Moore's law, slowed down. This lead researchers to conduct multiple approaches in order to keep improving memory devices. Among these approaches, the pathway on ferroelectric components seems very promising. In 2011, a research team from the NamLab in Dresden, Germany, discovered that Si-doped HfO2 could become ferroelectric with an insulating layer of only 10 nm, which resolves the compatibility issue of perovskite-structured materials with CMOS industry. Since then, other dopants have been investigated. However, new issues are now slowing down the emergence of HfO2-based ferroelectric devices on the market. Understanding the mechanisms behind the ferroelectric properties of these materials has, therefore, become a major industrial issue. In this manuscript, we study (Hf,Zr)O2 (HZO), and we perform an under-utilized technique to elaborate this kind of material: magnetron sputtering. The goal of this thesis is to establish connections between the growth conditions of this material and the electrical properties, to understand the mechanisms behind them, as well as to make the memory devices viable. During the fabrication of the capacitors, we demonstrate that the particular cristallochemical properties are essential to obtain ferroelectricity, and that novel HZO properties are discovered. Afterwards, we seek to cross the state of the art. The results we obtain by sputtering are among the best in the world. The industrial endurance and retention tests are pushed beyond what has been done in the literature so far. Particularly, the influence of electrical stress conditions is thoroughly detailed, and we put to evidence the presence of a relaxation during the different tests that could turn out to become problematic for the emergence of industrial applications. It does not seem that this problem has been identified beforehand

A Proteína Verde Fluorescente recombinante, GFPuv, é um sistema marcador atrativo pois, sua presença pode ser visualizada através da intensidade de fluorescência emitida, sem o uso de substratos ou meios complexos. Sendo uma molécula estável à presença de substâncias orgânicas, temperaturas acima de 70°C e ampla faixa de pH, é um potencial Indicador Biológico (IH) para diversas aplicações. A estabilidade térmica da GFPuv, foi avaliada pela medida da perda de intensidade de fluorescência, expressa em valores D (min), tempo de exposição necessário para redução de 90% da intensidade de fluorescência inicial da GFPuv. GFPuv (3,5-9,0 µg/mL), expressa por E. coli e isolada por extração de Partição em Três Fases (TPP) e purificação por Cromatografia de Interação Hidrofóbica (IDC), foi diluída nas soluções parenterais preparadas em tampão (10 mM cada: Tris-EDTA, pH 8; Fosfato, pH 6 e 7, e Acetato, pH 5) e em água para injeção, WFI; pH = 6,70±0,40), e expostas a temperaturas de 25°C e ao intervalo entre 80°C e 100°C. A 95°C, os valores D para a GFPuv em soluções de 1,5% a 50% de glicose variaram de: (i) 1,63 (±0,23) min em acetato pH 5; (ii) 2,64 ± 0,26 min em WFI; (iii) 2,50 ± 0,18 min em fosfato pH 6; (iv) 3,24 ± 0,28 min em fosfato pH 7 e, (v) 2,89 ± 0,44 min em Tris-EDTA pH 8. Cloreto de sódio associado aos tampões proporcionou influência positiva na estabilidade da GFPuv, sendo que em soluções de Tris-EDTA, a adição de 15-20% de NaCl dobrou a estabilidade térmica da GFPuv (valores D de 65,79 min e 18,12 min a 80 °C e 85°C) em relação à solução sem cloreto de sódio. Nos processos de esterilização por óxido de etileno (45°C-60°C), a GFPuv pode ser utilizada como IB para monitorar a distribuição de gás dentro da câmara, pois, apresentou variação na concentração remanescente de até 80%, após processamento, estabelecendo áreas distintas dentro da câmara. No tratamento em autoclave, a GFPuv em solução apresentou resistência térmica em solução de fosfato pH 7,0 (valor F = 2,53 min (± 0,12)). Quando expressa por esporos de Bacillus subtilis, a intensidade de fluorescência emitida por esporos sobreviventes se manteve. A estabilidade térmica da GFPuv atestou sua potencialidade como indicador biológico fluorescente da garantia da eficácia de tratamento de soluções e materiais expostos ao calor.
The recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein, GFPuv is an attractive system marker due to its ability to emit fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet light, without use of substrates or complex environment. Being a stable molecule even in the presence of organic substances, temperatures above 70°C and wide range of pH, it is a potential Biological Indicator, BI, for many applications, including thermal processes. GFPuv thermal stability was evaluated by the loss of fluorescence intensity expressed in decimal reduction time (D-value, min), the exposure time required to reduce 90% of the GFPuv initial fluorescence intensity. GFPuv (3.5-9.0 µg/mL), expressed by E. coli and isolated by Three Phases Partitioning, TPP extraction with Hidrophobic Interaction Chromatography, HIC, was diluted in buffered solutions (each 10 mM: Tris-EDTA, pH 8; phosphate, pH 6 and 7, and acetate, pH 5) and in water for injection, WFI; pH = 6.70 (± 0.40), and exposed to temperatures of 25°C and between 80°C and 95°C. At 95°C, the D-value for GFPuv in 1.5%-50% glucose, ranged from: (i) 1.63 ± 0.23 min in acetate pH 5; (ii) 2.64 ± 0.26 min in WFI; (iii) 2.50 ± 0.18 min in phosphate, pH 6; (iv) 3.24 ± 0.28 min in phosphate, pH 7, (v) 2.89 ± 0.44 min in Tris-EDTA, pH 8. Sodium cloride provided a positive influence over GFPuv stability. In Tris-EDTA solutions, the addition of 15% and 20% of NaCl doubled the thermal stability of GFPuv (D = 65.79 min and D = 18.12 min at 80°C, and 85°C, respectively, in relation to the solutions without NaCl. For ethylene oxide sterilization processes (45°C-60°C), GFPuv can be used as biological indicator to monitor gas distribution into the chamber. After processing, the protein concentration varied by 80%, showing distinct areas into the chamber. In autoclave, GFPuv in solution showed thermal resistance in phosphate pH 7.0 solution (F-value = 2.53 (± 0.12) min. When expressed by Bacillus subtilis spores, the fluorescence intensity was kept constant after thermal processing. The thermal stability of GFPuv provides the basis for its potential utility as a fluorescent biological indicator to assess the efficacy of the treatment of liquids and materials exposed to steam.

Magnesium hydroxide, a stable flame retardant, can be obtained by mining or by the hydration of magnesium oxide. In this study, the effect of different hydrating agents on the pH of the hydrating solution, rate of hydration of MgO to Mg(OH)2 and product surface area were studied as a function of the temperature of hydration. Ammonium chloride, magnesium acetate, magnesium nitrate, nitric acid, acetic acid, water, magnesium chloride, sodium acetate and hydrochloric acid were used as hydrating agents. The hydration experiments were carried out in a water bath between 30 - 80 oC for 30 minutes. Dried MgO samples were introduced to the hydrating solution and the slurry was stirred at a constant speed. At the end of each experiment, the slurry was vacuum filtered, washed with water, dried at 200 oC and hand ground. The products were then characterized by TGA, XRF, XRD and BET surface area analyses. There was not a significant difference in the hydration behaviour of the hydrating agents up to 50 oC, where less than 10 % of magnesium hydroxide was formed. When compared to the hydration in water, all the hydrating agents with the exception of sodium acetate showed a significant increase in the degree of hydration. Sodium acetate formed the lowest amount of magnesium hydroxide, ranging between 1.2 and 12.2 % magnesium hydroxide. Hydrations performed in hydrochloric acid and magnesium nitrate formed the largest percentage (11.8 %) of magnesium hydroxide at 60 oC. Magnesium acetate, magnesium nitrate, magnesium chloride and hydrochloric acid seemed to be the most effective hydrating agents at 70 oC with the percentage magnesium hydroxide being formed ranging between 20.0 and 23.9 %. The amount of hydroxide formed doubled at 80 oC, with the largest percentage (56.7 %) formed from the hydration in magnesium acetate. The hydration reaction seemed to be dependent upon the presence of Mg2+ and acetate ions. It seemed that magnesium oxide hydration is a dissolution-precipitation process controlled by the dissolution of magnesium oxide. The results have also indicated that the pH and temperature of the hydrating solution strongly influence the degree of hydration.
Chemistry
M.Sc. (Chemistry)

碩士
長庚大學
化工與材料工程學系
99
The objectives of this research are to preare the ceramic targets of aluminum-doped magnesium zinc oxid (AMZO) by solid-state reactions and the thin films of AMZO by RF magnetron sputtering. In addition, the effects of the amount of alumina and magnesium dopant in the AMZO targets as well as other sputtering parameters on the electrical, optical, and structural properties of AMZO thin films was also investigated. Finally, AMZO thin film would be applied for CIGS solar cell. In the result, the Zn0.94Mg0.06O with 1 wt% Al2O3 at different sintering temperature exhibit the same hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure. The lowest resistivity of 6.2×10-3 Ω-cm was abtained for the sintering of AMZO target at temperature of 1400℃ and less than 5% weight loss. It was also found that the AMZO ceramic targets with different Al2O3 or Mg contents at sintering temperature of 1400℃ excludes the possibility of ant extra phases. In conclusion, the resistivity and the relative density of the target by AMZO target were 2.6 x 10-3 Ω-cm and 98.46%, respectively. The best performance of the electricity could achieve under the hybrid amount of Al2O3 and the sintered temperature were 3 wt% and 1400 ℃, respectively. Following the application by the AMZO target, the thin films were prepared by RF sputtering system and subtract temperature, power and working pressure were be discussed of the thin film were studied. Compared to the performance of AMZO thin film, the resistivity, mobility concentration, mobility, average transmittance (400 -1200 nm ) and band gap were 1.7 x 10-3 Ω-cm, 3.25 x 1020 cm-3, 11.3 cm2/Vs, 93.1% and 3.68 eV, respectively, under the subtract temperature, power, working pressure and deposited minutes were 320℃, 80 W, 9 mtorr and 15 min, respectively. By implying the AMZO target with different amounts of Al2O3 wt%, compared to the electricity and the optic properties of the AMZO thin film, the best resistivity, mobility concentration, mobility, average transmittance ( 400 -1200 nm ) and band gap were 7.61 x 10-4 Ω-cm, 5.01 x 1020 cm-3, 16.4 cm2/Vs, 91.5% and 3.7 eV, respectively, by the AMZO target with 2 wt% Al2O3：Zn0.98Mg0.02O.

碩士
長庚大學
化工與材料工程學系
100
The preparation of transparent conductive gallium-doped magnesium zinc oxide (GMZO) thin films with good near infrared transmission by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering using a single GMZO ceramic target was explored In addition, the different of GMZO target conditions on the structural, electrical and optical properties on the RF-sputtered GMZO thin films was also investigated and sputtering processes prepared optimization GMZO transparent conductive film application in the CIGS solar cells. Then, the window on the component layer (buffer layer / intrinsic layer / transparent conductive layer) was optimized to increase the optical transmittance by the optical simulation software, increasing the efficiency of photoelectric conversion in the CIGS solar cells. This study results show that the ceramic target in GMZO, that in the amount of 3 wt% Ga2O3 and amount of 2 at% Mg doped with hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure, the lowest resistivity of 1.2×10-3 Ω cm and the weight loss is less than 5% conditions was held at sintering conditions of a positive argon pressure of 50 kPa and the sintering temperature of 1400 ° C The preparation of the GMZO transparent thin film by RF magnetron sputtering method use to the above-mentioned preparation GMZO ceramic target, that was investigated the structure, electrical and optical properties. The sputtering process conditions on GMZO transparent conductive film structure has not changed much, their preferred orientations are (002) direction, and all belong to the ZnO wurtzite structure. Transparent conductive GMZO thin films with resistivity as low as 2.89 x10-4 Ω cm with a higher carrier concentration of 11.8 x1021 cm-3 and electron mobility of 18.2 cm2/ Vs, good near infrared transmittance (>89%) and bandgap value of about 3.73 eV were successfully prepared on glass substrates by single cathode RF magnetron sputtering using a GMZO ceramic target with the composition of 95 % Zn0.98Mg0.02O and 5 wt% Ga2O3 without post deposition annealing. The preparation of the window layer antireflection coating design and application to CIGS solar cell by using optical simulation software (Film Star) was explored. Finally, Anti-reflective coating was optimized and applied in window layer of CIGS solar cell. Experimental results show that the window layer penetration to enhance short-circuit current and the photoelectric conversion efficiency of CIGS solar photoelectric conversion element of the phenomenon of both increased. The maximum conversion efficiency was 8.22%,and short-circuit current increased 38 percent.

In transformers used in the electrical industry, a coating, such as magnesium oxide or magnesia (MgO), is needed to coat the magnetic ferrite core, such as silicon steel. The coating is to provide electrical insulation of the layers of the ferrite core material, in order to reduce its heat dissipation loss. The coating also separate the layers of the coiled materials to prevent their sticking or welding during high temperature uses.

The goal of this thesis is to perform a modeling study to understand the mechanical, thermodynamic, magnetic and thermal properties of pure and M-doped (M stands for Mn, Co, or Ni) magnesia, thus providing a theoretical understanding of the application of this group of coating materials for transformer applications.

The study has the following sections. The first section is focused on the mechanical properties of pure magnesia. Using density functional theory (DFT) based calculations, the computed Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, bulk modulus, and compressibility are 228.80 GPa, 0.2397, 146.52 GPa, and 0.00682, respectively, which are in good agreement with the literature data. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the computed Young’s modulus is 229 GPa. Using discrete element model (DEM) approach, the bending deformation of magnesia is simulated. Finally, using finite element model (FEM), micro-hardness indentation of magnesia is simulated, and the computed Brinell hardness is 16.1 HB, and Vickers hardness is 16 GPa.

The second section is on the thermodynamic and physical properties of pure and doped magnesia. Using DFT based simulations, the temperature-dependent thermodynamic properties, such as free energy, enthalpy, entropy, heat capacity at constant volume, and Debye temperature of magnesia, are computed. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) spectra of M-doped magnesia are simulated, at the doping level of 1.5%, 3%, 6% and 12%, respectively. The simulated XRD data show that peaks shift to higher angles as the doping level increases.

The third section is on the magnetic properties of pure and doped magnesia. Using DFT based simulations, the calculated magnetic moments increase with the doping level, with Mn as the highest, followed by Co and Ni. This is due to the fact that Mn has more unpaired electrons than Co and Ni.

The fourth section is on the thermal properties of the pure magnesia. Using the Reverse Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics (RNEMD) method, the computed thermal conductivity of magnesia is 34.63 W/m/K, which is in agreement with the literature data of 33.0 W/m/K at 400 K.

碩士
長庚大學
化工與材料工程學系
101
Magnesium zinc oxide (MgxZn1-xO ) thin films were prepared by RF- magnetron sputtering and attempted to used as buffer layer and intrinsic layer in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells. The effects of substrate temperature, sputtering power, working pressure, and oxygen flow rate on the structural, electrical and optical properties of Mg0.02Zn0.98O thin films were also investigated. Mg0.02Zn0.98O thin films with resistivity as low as 2.96 ×103 Ω-cm were obtained at the deposition condition of substrate temperature 150 ℃, sputtering power 40 W, working pressure 3 mtorr, pure Ar atmosphere with Ar flow arte being 10 sccm. By increasing the oxygen flow rate in the working gas, the resistivity of Mg0.02Zn0.98O thin films was found to increase. By using Mg0.02Zn0.98O thin films deposited without substrate being heated to replace CdS as buffer layer (CIGS/Mg0.02Zn0.98O/i-ZnO/GMZO) or ZnO as intrinsic layer (CIGS/CdS/Mg0.02Zn0.98O/GMZO), the photovoltaic conversion efficiencies of the CIGS solar cells were, respectively, 1.618% and 1.693%, which were better than that of the CIGS solar cells (1.363%) with the structure of CIGS/Mg0.02Zn0.98O/GMZO. However, by replacing Mg0.02Zn0.98O with Mg0.05Zn0.95O, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the CIGS solar cells with the structure of CIGS/Mg0.05Zn0.95O/GMZO improved to 3.513%.

Since metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices have been adopted into integrated circuits, the endless demands for higher performance and lower power consumption have been a primary challenge and a technology-driver in the semiconductor electronics. The invention of complementary MOS (CMOS) technology in the 1980s, and the introduction of voltage and physical dimension scaling in the 1990s would be good examples to keep up with the everlasting demands. In the 2000s, technology continuously evolves and seeks for more power efficiency ways such as high-k dielectrics, metal gate electrodes, strained substrates, and high mobility channel materials. As a gate dielectric, silicon dioxide (SiO₂), most widely used in CMOS integrated circuits, has many prominent advantages, including a high quality interface (e.g. Dit ~ low 1010 cm-2eV-1), a good thermal stability in contact with silicon (Si), a large energy bandgap and the large energy band offsets in reference to Si, and a high quality dielectric itself. As the thickness of SiO₂ keeps shrinking, however, SiO₂ is facing its physical limitations from the viewpoint of gate dielectric leakage currents and reliability requirements. High-k dielectric materials have attracted extensive attention in the last decade due to their great potential for maintaining further down-scaling in equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and a low dielectric leakage current. HfO₂ has been considered as one of the most promising candidates because of a high dielectric constant (k ~ 20-25), a large energy band gap (~ 6 eV) and the large band offsets (> 1.5 eV), and a good thermal stability. To enhance carrier mobility, strained substrates and high mobility channel materials have attracted a great deal of attention, thus III-V compound semiconductor substrates have emerged as one of possible candidates, in spite of several technical barriers, being believed as barriers so far. The absence of high quality and thermodynamically stable native oxide, like SiO₂ on Si, has been one such hurdle to implement MOS systems on III-V substrates. However, recently, there have been a number of remarkable improvements on MOS applications on them, inspiring more vigorous research activities. In this research, HfO2-based MOS capacitors and metal-oxidesemiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) with a thin germanium (Ge) interfacial passivation layer (IPL) on III-V compound substrates were investigated. It was found that a thin Ge IPL could effectively passivate the surface of III-V substrate, consequently providing a high quality interface and an excellent gate oxide scalability. N-channel MOSFETs on GaAs, InGaAs, and InP substrates were successfully demonstrated and a minimum EOT of ~ 9 Å from MOS capacitors was achieved. This research has begun with GaAs substrate, and then expanded to InGaAs, InP, InAs, and InSb substrates, which eventually helped to understand the role of a Ge IPL and to guide future research direction. Overall, MOS devices on III-V substrates with an HfO₂ gate dielectric and a Ge IPL have demonstrated feasibility and potential for further investigations.
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Oxygen hole-doping effects on a spin-chain system, Ca[subscript 2+chi]Y[2-chi]Cu₅O[subscript 10-delta](CaYCuO) are reported. CaYCuO is a good specimen to study the magnetic properties of the CuO₂ chain at the ground state because it has no complex structure other than the chain and it has hole dopability up to the formal copper valence number of +2.4. Specifically, we can dope holes into the CuO₂ chain by substituting Ca²⁺ for Y³⁺ or by utilizing oxygen deficiency. After a systematic study of the two methods to dope holes, we found that oxygen doping makes a more critical change in magnetic ordering in the chain than the replacement of Ca²⁺. Oxygen deficiency effects of the chain on the magnetic properties were explained using a mean field theory. A new relation for the effective hole doping was found as p = x - [alpha delta], where a = 3/2(x - [delta]) - 1/4. We study the anisotropy of magnetic properties of single crystal Li-cathode material (LiFePO₄) for g-factor, Curie-Weiss temperature, and effective moment. Magnetic properties Au/SiO₂ coated [gamma]-Fe₂O₃ are compared with pure [gamma]-Fe₂O₃ finding a decrease in the blocking temperature and the irreversible temperature for the coated nanoparticles.
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Silicon based 3D fin structure is believed to be the potential future of current semiconductor technology. However, there are significant challenges still exist in realizing a manufacturable fin based process. In this work, we have studied the effects of hydrogen anneal on the structural and electrical characteristics of silicon fin based devices: tri-gate, finFET to name a few. H₂ anneal is shown to play a major role in structural integrity and manufacturability of 3D fin structure which is the most critical feature for these types of devices. Both the temperature and the pressure of H₂ anneal can result in significant alteration of fin height and shape as well as electrical characteristics. Optimum H₂ anneal is required in order to improve carrier mobility and device reliability as shown in this work. A new hard-mask based process was developed to retain H₂ anneal related benefit while eliminating detrimental effects such as reduction of device drive current due to fin height reduction. We have also demonstrated a novel 1T-1C pseudo Static Random Access Memory (1T-1C pseudo SRAM) memory cell using low cost conventional tri-gate process by utilizing selective H₂ anneal and other clever process techniques. TCAD-based simulation was also provided to show its competitive advantage over other types of static and dynamic memories in 45nm and beyond technologies. A high gain bipolar based on silicon fin process flow was proposed for the first time that can be used in BiCMOS technology suitable for low cost mixed signal and RF products. TCAD-based simulation results proved the concept with gain as high 100 for a NPN device using single additional mask. Overall, this work has shown that several novel process techniques and selective use of optimum H₂ anneal can lead to various high performance and low cost devices and memory cells those are much better than the devices using current conventional 3D fin based process techniques.
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