Cleaning Step Research Articles

A Novel Way for Efficient and Safe Posterior Fossa Relaxation: The Extradural Opening of the Cisterna Magna in Retrosigmoid Craniotomy.

Cerebrospinal fluid drainage is a common practice to provide brain relaxation during intradural surgery. In retrosigmoid approaches, cerebrospinal fluid can be drained from the cisterna magna to provide brain relaxation in the posterior fossa. To our knowledge, most techniques to achieve cerebrospinal fluid release concern intradural opening of the cisterns. We describe a novel way for the extradural opening of the cisterna magna in retrosigmoid surgery that avoids direct cerebellar contact. Patients elected for surgical treatment of cerebellopontine angle tumors are positioned supine with a roll under the ipsilateral shoulder and the head turned to the contralateral side. After performing a retrosigmoid craniotomy, the surgical microscope is tilted, and the foramen magnum is approached extradurally. A horizontal dural slit is made at the level of the cisterna magna, and cerebrospinal fluid is drained without having direct cerebellar contact. After brain relaxation, the intradural surgery can proceed as usual. This slight adaptation for a very common practice avoids the need for direct cerebellar retraction when approaching the cisterna magna to drain cerebrospinal fluid. It is a clean and easy step to perform, that we believe improves surgical efficacy and could potentially diminish cerebellar harm because it obviates the need for intradural opening of the cisterna magna.

A New Integration Scheme to Prevent Chemical Attack on Floating Polysilicon Gate of Non-Volatile Memory

Silicon pitting has been observed on floating gate polysilicon layer of embedded non-volatile memory(e-NVM) process due to chemical attack caused by HBr residual interacting with moisture. This paper successfully demonstrates a new integration scheme for a robust floating gate process against silicon attack for embedded stacked/split gate non-volatile memory process. Firstly, CF4 was introduced into floating gate polysilicon etch recipe to replace HBr, which has been CMOS gate polysilicon etch gas in traditional logic process due to the advantage of higher selectivity despite the disadvantage of low vaporability, for better or cleaner process control. Secondly, an additional plasma removal stripping (PRS) clean step was added before chemical removal stripping (CRS) to give better etch by-product cleaning, even though there is no photoresist and lithography involved on the poly blanket etch for the better etch by-product cleaning. This new scheme has been verified using inline optical inspection defect-scan to prove the sufficient process margin for better mass production control that came from improved manufacturing Queue-time margin (longer waiting time) between dry-etch step, CRS step, and subsequent downstream process steps. Keywords—Flash Memory, NVM, Floating Gate, HBr, Plasma Etching, Q-time, Chemical Attack, Silicon Pitting

A comparative analysis of particulate bovine bone substitutes for oral regeneration: a narrative review.

Particulate bovine bone substitutes (BS) are commonly used in oral regeneration. However, more literature is needed focusing on comparative analyses among various particulate bovine BS. This study evaluates pre-clinical and clinical data of different particulate bovine BS in oral regeneration. A narrative review was conducted by screening the PubMed database Included in the review were pre-clinical and clinical studies until 2024 comparing a minimum of two distinct particulate bovine BS. In addition to examining general data concerning manufacturing and treatment processes, biological safety, physical and chemical characteristics, and graft resorption, particular emphasis was placed on assessing pre-clinical and clinical data related to ridge preservation, sinus floor elevation, peri-implant defects, and various forms of alveolar ridge augmentation utilizing particulate bovine BS. Various treatment temperatures ranging from 300 to 1,250°C and the employment of chemical cleaning steps were identified for the manufacturing process of particulate bovine BS deemed to possess biosecurity. A notable heterogeneity was observed in the physical and chemical characteristics of particulate bovine BS, with minimal or negligible graft resorption. Variations were evident in particle and pore sizes and the porosity of particulate bovine BS. Pre-clinical assessments noted a marginal inclination towards favorable outcomes for particulate bovine BS subjected to higher treatment temperatures. However, clinical data are insufficient. No distinctions were observed regarding ridge preservation, while slight advantages were noted for high-temperature treated particulate bovine BS in sinus floor elevation. Subtle variances in both pre-clinical and clinical outcomes were observed in across various particulate bovine BS. Due to inadequate data, numerous considerations related to diverse particulate bovine BS, including peri-implant defects, must be more conclusive. Additional clinical studies are imperative to address these knowledge gaps effectively.

Pore structure and N/F bifunctional groups in hierarchical porous carbons via spontaneous silica etching for enhanced capacitive deionization performance

This study presents a novel, one-step synthesis of nitrogen and fluorine bifunctional hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) for capacitive deionization (CDI). The method involves co-gelation of silica and polyvinylidene fluoride, followed by pyrolysis for efficient silica removal. This method eliminates the need for toxic solvents and extensive cleaning steps. Optimized HPCs exhibit a high surface area (1464.71 m2/g) with abundant mesopores. Electrochemical analysis reveals a specific capacitance of 179.5F/g. In the CDI process using 500 mg/L NaCl solution, the HPCs demonstrate exceptional performance with a high salt adsorption capacity (24.61 mg/g) and a fast average adsorption rate (3.69 mg/g/min). This performance is attributed to the combined effects of the hierarchical pore structure facilitating rapid ion adsorption and the N/F bifunctional groups enhancing electrosorption ability. This work offers a one-step, solvent-free method for synthesizing HPCs with superior desalination performance and demonstrates the synergistic effect of pore structure and N/F bifunctional groups.

A New Integration Scheme to Prevent Chemical Attack on Floating Polysilicon Gate of Non-Volatile Memory

—Silicon pitting has been observed on floating gate polysilicon layer of embedded non-volatile memory(e-NVM) process due to chemical attack caused by HBr residual interacting with moisture. This paper successfully demonstrates a new integration scheme for a robust floating gate process against silicon attack for embedded stacked/split gate non-volatile memory process. Firstly, CF4 was introduced into floating gate polysilicon etch recipe to replace HBr, which has been CMOS gate polysilicon etch gas in traditional logic process due to the advantage of higher selectivity despite the disadvantage of low vaporability, for better or cleaner process control. Secondly, an additional plasma removal stripping (PRS) clean step was added before chemical removal stripping (CRS) to give better etch by-product cleaning, even though there is no photoresist and lithography involved on the poly blanket etch for the better etch by-product cleaning. This new scheme has been verified using inline optical inspection defect-scan to prove the sufficient process margin for better mass production control that came from improved manufacturing Queue-time margin (longer waiting time) between dry-etch step, CRS step, and subsequent downstream process steps.

Piezoelectric and elastic properties of Al0.60Sc0.40N thin films deposited on patterned metal electrodes

Sc-doped aluminum nitride (AlScN) allows for piezoelectric devices with large electromechanical coupling and the benefits increase with larger Sc doping in the film. However, with a larger Sc concentration, the process window narrows, and it is necessary to fine-tune the deposition parameters to achieve a good film. In this paper, we investigate depositions of highly doped AlScN (40% Sc) on unpatterned and patterned metal layers, to show how it is possible to maintain a good film quality on a metal electrode. We find how high-temperature deposition of the metal improves the AlScN film quality, how the gas mixture allows to reduce defects, and how film quality changes with thickness. We show that extreme care must be taken in the apparently trivial step of photoresist cleaning. Finally, we extract the mechanical, electrical, and piezoelectric properties of our optimized layer from a batch of fabricated resonators, obtaining a 5× improvement of piezoelectric coupling compared to undoped AlN and a 1.5× improvement from 32% doped AlScN.

Ordered silicon nanocone fabrication by using pseudo-Bosch process and maskless etching

Nanocone arrays are widely employed for applications such as antireflection structures and field emission devices. Silicon nanocones are typically obtained by an etching process, but the profile is hard to attain because anisotropic dry etching generally gives vertical or only slightly tapered sidewall profiles, and isotropic dry plasma etching gives curved sidewalls. In this work, we report the fabrication of cone structures by using masked etching followed by maskless etching techniques. The silicon structure is first etched using fluorine-based plasma under the protection of a hard metal mask, with a tapered or vertical sidewall profile. The mask is then removed, and maskless etching with an optimized nonswitching pseudo-Bosch recipe is applied to achieve the cone structure with a sharp apex. The gas flow ratio of C4F8 and SF6 is significantly increased from 38:22 (which creates a vertical profile) to 56:4, creating a taper angle of approximately 80°. After subsequent maskless etching, the sidewall taper angle is decreased to 74°, and the structure is sharpened to give a pointed apex. The effect of an oxygen cleaning step is also studied. With the introduction of periodic oxygen plasma cleaning steps, both the etch rate and surface smoothness are greatly improved. Lastly, it was found that the aspect ratio-dependent etching effect becomes prominent for dense patterns of cone arrays, with a greatly reduced etch depth at a 600 nm pitch array compared to a 1200 nm pitch array.

Quantification and cultivation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) from various urban water environments: A comprehensive analysis of precondition methods and sample characteristics

Substantial evidence suggests that all types of water, such as drinking water, wastewater, surface water, and groundwater, can be potential sources of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Thus, it is critical to thoroughly investigate all possible preconditioning methods to enhance the recovery of H. pylori, improve the reproducibility of subsequent detection, and optimize the suitability for various water types and different detection purposes. In this study, we proposed and evaluated five distinct preconditioning methods for treating water samples collected from multiple urban water environments, aiming to maximize the quantitative qPCR readouts and achieve effective selective cultivation. According to the experimental results, when using the qPCR technique to examine WWTP influent, effluent, septic tank, and wetland water samples, the significance of having a preliminary cleaning step becomes more evident as it can profoundly influence qPCR detection results. In contrast, the simple, straightforward membrane filtration method could perform best when isolating and culturing H. pylori from all water samples. Upon examining the cultivation and qPCR results obtained from groundwater samples, the presence of infectious H. pylori (potentially other pathogens) in aquifers must represent a pressing environmental emergency demanding immediate attention. Furthermore, we believe groundwater can be used as a medium to reflect the H. pylori prevalence in a highly populated community due to its straightforward analytical matrix, consistent detection performance, and minimal interferences from human activities, temperature, precipitation, and other environmental fluctuations.

Geographic And Taxonomic Occurrence R-based Scrubbing (gatoRs): An R package and workflow for processing biodiversity data.

Digitized biodiversity data offer extensive information; however, obtaining and processing biodiversity data can be daunting. Complexities arise during data cleaning, such as identifying and removing problematic records. To address these issues, we created the R package Geographic And Taxonomic Occurrence R-based Scrubbing (gatoRs). The gatoRs workflow includes functions that streamline downloading records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio). We also created functions to clean downloaded specimen records. Unlike previous R packages, gatoRs accounts for differences in download structure between GBIF and iDigBio and allows for user control via interactive cleaning steps. Our pipeline enables the scientific community to process biodiversity data efficiently and is accessible to the R coding novice. We anticipate that gatoRs will be useful for both established and beginning users. Furthermore, we expect our package will facilitate the introduction of biodiversity-related concepts into the classroom via the use of herbarium specimens.

Design and Implementation of Foreign Language Recognition and Translation APP Based on Artificial Intelligence

Globalization has created the demand for cross-language communication, which has promoted the development of machine translation applications (APPs) based on artificial intelligence (AI) for foreign language recognition and translation. The purpose of this study is to develop and implement a mobile application program that can accurately identify and translate foreign languages. APP adopts advanced artificial intelligence technology, uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to identify the text in images, and uses neural network architecture based on transformer for machine translation. In the data preprocessing stage, text cleaning, word segmentation and other preprocessing steps are performed to create accurate translation input. A translation model is trained on a large bilingual mapping data set to learn the mapping knowledge relationship between the source language and the target language. After a series of tests and experiments, the application of foreign language identification and translation shows the high accuracy and speed of multilingual input and output. The accuracy of this application is 0.9, and the maximum delay is only 180 milliseconds. Although there is still room for improvement in the background of professional fields or complex scenes, this application is an effective tool for cross-language communication. Future work should focus on further optimizing translation models, improving the accuracy of translation for specific domain terms, and enhancing the personalized service capabilities of the APP.

(Invited) Formation and Characterization of Fe-Silicide Nanodots for Optoelectronic Application

Light emission from group-IV based nanostructures has been attracting much attention in the field of Si-based photonics because of its potential to combine photonic processing with electronic processing on a single chip [1]. Among various Fe-silicides, semiconducting β-FeSi2 shows light emission in the near-infrared region [2, 3] and is one of promising materials in optoelectronic application from viewpoints of tuning emission energy and improving luminous efficiency by means of quantized structures. In this work, we focus on low temperature formation of β-FeSi2 nanodots (NDs) over ~1011 cm-2 in areal density on SiO2 and the characterization of light emission properties of β–FeSi2 NDs.After conventional wet-chemical cleaning steps of p-type Si(100) substrates, a ~300-nm-thick SiO2 layer was grown at 1000°C in dry O2 and followed by dipping shortly in a dilute HF solution to make uniform surface termination with Si-OH bonds. After that, Fe films in the thickness range from 1.0 to 3.0 nm were formed on the OH-terminate SiO2 layer by electron beam evaporation without any extra heating. And then, the Fe–films were exposed to remote plasma of pure H2 (H2-RP) at 400°C to form highly-dense Fe-NDs [4]. Subsequently, so-prepared Fe-NDs were exposed to pure SiH4 at 400°C while controlling the amount of SiH4 exposure by duration and pressure.AFM images taken after exposure of Fe-films to H2-RP confirm the high-density formation of well-defined NDs. In the cases of H2-RP exposure of 1.3-nm-thick and 3.0-nm-thick Fe-films, the areal dot densities as high as ~1.1 × 1011 and ~1.3 × 1011 cm−2 were obtained, respectively, in which the average dot-heights of self-assembled Fe-NDs were determined to be ~5.3 and ~10.9 nm, respectively, by fitting a log-normal function to each measured size distribution. Notice that AFM images taken after SiH4 exposure show almost no change in the areal dot density while a slight increase in the average dot height. From cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images, we have also verified the formation of distorted-spherical shape NDs with a lattice spacing of ~0.18 nm associated with β-FeSi2. And the result is well consistent with the chemical composition of NDs after SiH4 exposure as evaluated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, with 976 nm light excitation using a semiconductor laser, the NDs after the SiH4 exposure show stable photoluminescence (PL) signals in the energy region from ~0.7 to ~0.9 eV even at room temperature. On the other hand, no PL signals were detected from the NDs before the SiH4 exposure and after Ar anneal at 400°C. Also, when the size of the Fe-silicide NDs was increased from ~5.3 to ~10.9 nm in average dot height by increasing the initial Fe-film thickness, a distinct red-shift in PL was clearly observed. Thus, the observed PL can be interpreted in terms of radiative recombination of photogenerated carriers through quantized states of β-FeSi2 NDs. These results indicate that SiH4 exposure to Fe-NDs formed on SiO2 is a very promising technique for the low-temperature fabrication of luminescent FeSi2 NDs.AcknowledgementThis work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) 21H04559 of MEXT Japan, and the Cooperative Research Project Program of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University.

Indirect nanoscale characterization of polymer photoresist wetting using ultra-high frequency acoustic waves

The wetting of surfaces with patterns in the order of a hundred nanometers is often a complex phenomenon to analyze and control. In the semiconductor industry, whether it is during the surface cleaning steps or the deposition of the protective mask (photosensitive liquid resin that is then cross-linked), the conformity of the deposit of the liquid layer on the patterned surface must be perfect or else the functionality of the targeted electronic component will be compromised. Thus, understanding the surface wetting of these liquids allows the implementation of optimized processes. In this paper, we present a method of indirect wetting characterization of a photoresist based on ultra-high frequency (# GHz) acoustic waves. This resin is a commercial product called GKR 4602 (belonging to the KrF series of positive photoresists), which is coated in two different ways: either directly onto the surface of a patterned silicon wafer, or after application of a solvent, Propylene Glycol Ethyl Ether (PGEE), which then acts as a pre-wetting layer. The patterned wafer, playing the role of electrical insulation (Deep Trench Isolation, DTI) are 200 nm wide, deep trenches with a high aspect ratio (> 50). The originality of this paper lies in the validation of the acoustic characterization by direct observation of the wetting of the cross-linked resin. To do so, we used a FIB (Focused Ion Beam) microscope which allowed us to make cuts and capture localized images of the wetting state of the photoresist. Moreover, all the results obtained (resins and patterned silicon surfaces) are directly from the microelectronics industry (STMicroelectronics), showing that our method is fully compatible with an industrial approach.

A decade of urban fires: Portuguese events between 2013 and 2022

This study describes a dataset containing urban fire events that took place in mainland Portugal between 2013 and 2022. The Regulation n.º3317-A/2018, established by the Portuguese National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil, ANEPC), defines the Operations Management System (Sistema de Gestão de Operações, SGO). Among other attributions, this system allows to manage the lyfe-cycle of the urban fire events, from ignition to extinction, through the Operations Decision Support System (Sistema de Apoio à Decisão Operacional, SADO). This system supports the systematic collection of a minimum set of data on each event. All instances included in the dataset were retrieved from SADO. To make the data suitable for analytic purposes, several pre-processing actions were taken, including the steps of data transformation and cleaning. The dataset was further validated by a set of technical procedures aiming to verify both data correctness and utility. The final dataset provides the most recent multi-year record of Portuguese urban fires including 27 variables on 72641 events.

Enhancing H2 production rate in PGM-free photoelectrochemical cells by glycerol photo-oxidation

The photo-oxidation of glycerol was carried out by using TiO2 NTs photoanodes and Ni foam as the cathode for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. The photoanodes were prepared by anodizing Ti foils and titanium felt and then annealed under air exposure. They were tested in acidic aqueous solution without and with the addition of glycerol. When glycerol was present, the hydrogen production rate increased and allowed the simultaneous production of high value added partial oxidation compounds, i.e. 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and glyceraldehyde (GA). The highest H2 evolution and partial oxidation compounds production rates were obtained by using home prepared TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) synthesized on Ti fiber felt as the photoanode with an irradiated area of 90 cm2. These photoanodes were found to be highly stable both from a mechanical and a chemical point of view, so they can be reused after a simple cleaning step.

Evaluation of two detergent-disinfectants and a detergent on a Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm formed within Tygon tubes

Transmission of infections via contaminated endoscopes is a common problem. Manual cleaning, using at least a detergent, is an important step in endoscope processing and should be performed as soon as possible to avoid drying of organic residues that might interfere with high-level disinfection and promote biofilm formation. To assess the efficacy of two detergent-disinfectants, enzymatic and non-enzymatic, and of an enzymatic detergent used during the manual cleaning against a Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm. A 24h biofilm statically formed in a Tygon tube was exposed to detergent-disinfectants at 20°C and 35°C for 10mn, and to enzymatic detergent at 45°C for 60mn. The logarithmic reduction in bacteria in the Tygon tube and the number of bacteria in the product supernatant were calculated. Biofilm formation was reproducible between assays. After exposure to detergent-disinfectants, the logarithmic reduction was between 6.32 and 6.71 log10cfu/cm2 in the Tygon tubes. No bacteria were found in their supernatants. Results in the detergent-disinfectant group were not affected by the exposure temperature or the addition of enzymes. No decrease in the bacterial load was observed in the Tygon tubes after exposure to the enzymatic detergent. Bacteria were found in its supernatant. These results show the importance of the choice of products used duringthemanual cleaning phase. They also show the potential benefit of combining detergent and disinfectant activity to decrease the bacterial load during the manual cleaning step of endoscope processing.

Contribution of farms to the microbiota in the swine value chain

Introduction: A thorough understanding of the microbial ecology within the swine value chain is essential to develop new strategies to optimize the microbiological quality of pork products. To our knowledge, no study to date has followed the microbiota through the value chain from live farm animals to the cuts of meat obtained for market. The objective of this study is to evaluate how the microbiota of pigs and their environment influence the microbial composition of samples collected throughout the value chain, including the meat plant and meat cuts.Method and results: Results from 16S rDNA sequencing, short-chain fatty acid concentrations and metabolomic analysis of pig feces revealed that the microbiota from two farms with differing sanitary statuses were distinctive. The total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae counts from samples collected at the meat plant after the pre-operation cleaning and disinfection steps were at or around the detection limit and the pigs from the selected farms were the first to be slaughtered on each shipment days. The bacterial counts of individual samples collected at the meat plant did not vary significantly between the farms. Alpha diversity results indicate that as we move through the steps in the value chain, there is a clear reduction in the diversity of the microbiota. A beta diversity analysis revealed a more distinct microbiota at the farms compared to the meat plant which change and became more uniform as samples were taken towards the end of the value chain. The source tracker analysis showed that only 12.92% of the microbiota in shoulder samples originated from the farms and 81% of the bacteria detected on the dressed carcasses were of unknown origin.Discussion: Overall, the results suggest that with the current level of microbial control at farms, it is possible to obtain pork products with similar microbiological quality from different farms. However, broader studies are required to determine the impact of the sanitary status of the herd on the final products.

Testing of a new Yb:YAG fiber laser system for the removal of graphic vandalism from marble

Graphic vandalism causes detrimental effects on architectural stone surfaces. Among the cleaning methods developed in the last decades, laser cleaning showed considerable effectiveness but the available equipment still lacks full adaptability for the use on site, while the cleaning process is time-consuming for the site work requirements. In this paper, the feasibility of a fiber laser operating at 1064 nm (Yb:YAG) at high repetition rate (kHz) for the removal of vandal graffiti from marble is investigated, as it is potentially suitable for cleaning of large surfaces. Indeed, this device exploits a scan system covering a wider area than that of solid state lasers, while maintaining excellent portability. Evaluation of the cleaning procedure on a selection of spray paints and felt-tip permanent markers applied on marble mock-ups is carried out with a multimodal approach (optical microscopy combined with surface pattern reconstruction, colour monitoring, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy in external reflection and ATR mode, Thin Layer Chromatography, Raman spectroscopy, thermal monitoring, scanning electron microscopy). Ablation and thermal effects are observed varying the laser setting and the type of paint layer, with repetition rate showing a strong impact on the type of interaction. Overall, best cleaning procedures are achieved for the thinning of the black marker and the removal of the black spray paint. Some residues on the best results were observed, suggesting that the laser needs to be integrated with a second step of chemical cleaning. This study, focused on graffiti removal, shows that fiber laser can be a useful tool for cleaning of large monumental surfaces.Graphical

SiC Electrochemical Sensor Validation for Alzheimer Aβ42 Antigen Detection.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with only late-stage detection; thus, diagnosis is made when it is no longer possible to treat the disease, only its symptoms. Consequently, this often leads to caregivers who are the patient's relatives, which adversely impacts the workforce along with severely diminishing the quality of life for all involved. It is, therefore, highly desirable to develop a fast, effective and reliable sensor to enable early-stage detection in an attempt to reverse disease progression. This research validates the detection of amyloid-beta 42 (Aβ42) using a Silicon Carbide (SiC) electrode, a fact that is unprecedented in the literature. Aβ42 is considered a reliable biomarker for AD detection, as reported in previous studies. To validate the detection with a SiC-based electrochemical sensor, a gold (Au) electrode-based electrochemical sensor was used as a control. The same cleaning, functionalization and Aβ1-28 antibody immobilization steps were used on both electrodes. Sensor validation was carried out by means of Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) aiming to detect an 0.5 µg·mL-1 Aβ42 concentration in 0.1 M buffer solution as a proof of concept. A repeatable peak directly related to the presence of Aβ42 was observed, indicating that a fast SiC-based electrochemical sensor was constructed and may prove to be a useful approach for the early detection of AD.

Systematic Review Studi Islam: A Bibliometrics Analysis (1941-2022)

Islamic Studies is an academic and multidisciplinary field that studies the Islamic religion, history, theology, culture, law, thought, religious practice, and social issues related to Islam and identifies key research topics and analyses their evolution over time. Bibliometric analysis has been applied in this article: we retrieved 948 academic articles related to Islamic Studies from Scopus after some data cleaning and preparation steps. The R package "Bibliometrics" was mainly used to analyze this content. Our study has two parts, and the performance analysis contains five categories (Annual Scientific Production, Most Relevant Sources, Most Productive Authors, Most Cited Publications, and Most Relevant Keywords). Science mapping includes country collaboration analysis and thematic analysis. We highlighted our thematic analysis by splitting the entire bibliographic dataset. This study is one of the most comprehensive bibliometric reanalyzing Islamic studies-related studies so far. We explain how the results will benefit the understanding of current academic research interests on essential themes of Islamic studies.

Sidewall Modification Process for Trench Silicon Power Devices

In this study, trench sidewall modification processes were designed to improve profile uniformity and thereby enhance the electrical performance of silicon power devices in large-scale production. The effects of trench sidewall modification on the morphology, structure and electrical properties were studied. Plasma-induced damage in etching processes was also observed and briefly explained. Straight and smooth sidewall profiles were achieved through adjusting the SF6/CHF3 proportion in a combined etchant gas flow in the main etching procedure. By comparing HRSEM images from different etching protocols, it was evident that an enhanced CHF3 flow formed a proper passivation of the sidewall, eliminating the ion damages that are common in current main etch steps. To address the impurities introduced from the etchant gas and improve the gate oxide uniformity, further steps of depolymerization were applied in a plasma asher chamber, followed by wet clean steps. In the meantime, the plasma-induced charge accumulation effect was reduced by UV curing. Improved trench sidewall profiles and the gate oxide uniformity contributed to a lower leakage current between the gate and source terminals, leading to an overall yield enhancement of device properties in large-scale silicon wafer fabrication.