Existence Of Interfacial Layer Research Articles

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions: current status and future prospect as a universal memory

The semiconductor industry is actively looking for an all-encompassing memory solution that incorporates the advantageous aspects of current technology. This features non-volatility, like that of Flash memory, high scalability, like that of both Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and Flash, quick operation, like that of Static RAM (SRAM), and durability, like that of both DRAM and SRAM. Ferroelectric thin films, which have electrically switchable bi-stable polarization, are one prospective technology that has the potential to revolutionize memory storage. However, due to difficulties with scalability and dependable industrial manufacturing, Ferro-Electric (FE) memory technology has not been able to effectively compete with DRAM and Flash. Research in this area has accelerated after the recent discovery of resistive switching in ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs). For FTJs to be successful, it is important to overcome some obstacles, such as preserving bi-stability in ferroelectric thin films over the critical thickness. Additionally, the existence of interfacial layers, sometimes known as a “dead layer”, between the electrode and the film can affect its characteristics. The article gives an overview of semiconductor memories with an emphasis on emerging technologies having the potential for future applications. It then goes into detail on the benefits of FTJ and its non-destructive reading capacity. The article also discusses the potential uses for FTJs in resistive switching while acknowledging their drawbacks and constraints.

Thermal conductivity of nanofluids formed by carbon flurooxide mesoparticles

Mesoparticles with characteristic sizes larger than all known molecules and smaller than usual nanoparticles can easily penetrate inside living cells. Thus, they appear to be especially promising for cancer theranostic application. However, presence of mesoparticles can strongly perturb physico-chemical properties of the biological media in which they are incorporated, it is crucial to know a magnitude of such perturbations. For example, thermal properties of liquid solutions with dispersed mesoparticles are crucial for development of theranostic approaches based on photoacoustic effect. In this paper, thermal transport in nanofluids formed by carbon flurooxide (CFO) mesoparticles is reported. A significant non-linear enhancement of the thermal conductivity of the nanofluids (up to 85%, in comparison with initial basic liquids) depending on volume fraction of the dispersed CFO mesoparticles was found. It was revealed that the thermal conductivity rise can be explained by existence of interfacial layers between the mesoparticles and the hosting liquids.

Generation mechanism of interfacial layer and its effect on Fe-Cr-Ni/Al-Si-Cu-Ni-Mg composite performance

Fe-Cr-Ni/Al-Si-Cu-Ni-Mg composite was taken as the experimental material. The chemical composition of interfacial layer was tested. The generation mechanism and influence of interfacial layer on the composite were analyzed. The results indicated that the generation of interfacial layer is sensitive to temperature. Interfacial layer will generate rapidly when temperature reaches 500 °C or above. The interfacial layer is mainly composed of Al, Si, Cu, Fe, and Cr, element Ni distributes at the outward of the interfacial layer for the precipitate of Ni later than Si and Cu, and there is almost no diffusion of Ni during the solution treatment. During heat treatment process, unequal quantity changing of metal atom results in disperse or concentrated vacancies or holes near the matrix. The existence of interfacial layer will induce a decrease of compression strength and plasticity at room temperature and an increase of strength at higher temperature comparing with composite without interfacial layer.

Physical and electrical properties of thermal oxidized Sm2O3 gate oxide thin film on Si substrate: Influence of oxidation durations

Growth of 150nm Sm2O3 films by sputtered pure samarium metal film on silicon substrates and followed by thermal oxidation process in oxygen ambient at 700°C through various oxidation durations (5min, 10min, 15min and 20min) has been carried out. The crystallinity of Sm2O3 film and existence of interfacial layer have been evaluated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and Raman analysis. Crystallite size and microstrain of Sm2O3 were estimated by Williamson–Hall plot analysis. Calculated crystallite size of Sm2O3 from Scherrer equation has similar trend with the value from Williamson–Hall plot. The presence of interfacial layer is supported by composition line scan by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. The surface roughness and surface topography of Sm2O3 film were examined by atomic force microscopy analysis. The electrical characterization revealed that 15min of oxidation durations with smoothest surface has highest breakdown voltage, lowest leakage current density and highest barrier height value.

Thickness Dependence of Electrical Properties in Poly(<i>vinylidene Fluoride Trifluoroethylene</i>) Copolymer Thin Films

The effect of the thickness on the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer thin films were investigated. The results show that the dielectric constant and tunability increase while the coercive field decreases with increasing film thickness. The film thickness also affects both the reversible and irreversible Raleigh parameters in the ac field dependence of dielectric constant. The observed phenomenon can be explained by the existence of interfacial layers between electrodes and film. No obvious thickness-dependent microstructure and ferroelectric transition temperature was observed.

The effect of etching interfacial layers on the absolute photonic band gap in two-dimensional photonic crystals

The photonic band structures of two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals with etched interfacial layers between air rods and the background dielectric is studied theoretically. The effect of etching interfacial layers on absolute photonic band gap (PBG) is analyzed quantitatively. Numerical calculations are carried out based on Maxwell's equations and the plane-wave expansion method. It is shown that the physical property of interfacial layers influence the absolute PBG, and the existence of interfacial layers cannot enlarge the largest absolute PBG of an ideal case without interfacial layers.

Electrical properties of a Ba1−xKxBiO3/Nb-doped SrTiO3 Schottky junction

Current-voltage properties for a Ba1−xKxBiO3/Nb-doped SrTiO3 (0.01 wt%) Schottky junction have been measured and investigated over a temperature range from 5.3 to 300 K. Excellent rectification properties of the junction were observed, with high reproducibility. The barrier height V60 decreased and the ideality factor n increased with decreasing temperature. The modified Richardson plot of saturation current density showed a straight-line dependence. These results may be explained by the existence of interfacial layer or the inhomogeneity of the Schottky barrier height.