Low-temperature Growth Research Articles

Uncooled Mid-Infrared Sensing Enabled by Chip-Integrated Low-Temperature-Grown 2D PdTe2 Dirac Semimetal.

Next-generation mid-infrared (MIR) imaging chips demand free-cooling capability and high-level integration. The rising two-dimensional (2D) semimetals with excellent infrared (IR) photoresponses are compliant with these requirements. However, challenges remain in scalable growth and substrate-dependence for on-chip integration. Here, we demonstrate the inch-level 2D palladium ditelluride (PdTe2) Dirac semimetal using a low-temperature self-stitched epitaxy (SSE) approach. The low formation energy between two precursors facilitates low-temperature multiple-point nucleation (∼300 °C), growing up, and merging, resulting in self-stitching of PdTe2 domains into a continuous film, which is highly compatible with back-end-of-line (BEOL) technology. The uncooled on-chip PdTe2/Si Schottky junction-based photodetector exhibits an ultrabroadband photoresponse of up to 10.6 μm with a large specific detectivity. Furthermore, the highly integrated device array demonstrates high-resolution room-temperature imaging capability, and the device can serve as an optical data receiver for IR optical communication. This study paves the way toward low-temperature growth of 2D semimetals for uncooled MIR sensing.

Prospectives for AlN electronics and optoelectronics and the important role of alternative synthesis

Future applications for emerging AlN semiconductor electronics and optoelectronics are facilitated by emerging doping technologies enabled by low temperature, non-equilibrium epitaxy. Defect and impurity compensation can be reduced by controlling the surface chemistry with reducing compensating vacancy concentrations being a key driver for lower temperature growth. Contrary to common understanding, low temperature, metal-rich vacuum processes are shown to have higher diffusion lengths than high temperature nitrogen-rich methods. This feature can be utilized to inhibit silicon-DX center formation without compromises in crystal quality. First principles calculations identify the valence split-off band as the dominant hole band contributing to impurity band formation (as opposed to the heavy and light hole bands in other nitrides). This anomalous band structure causes an impurity band to form at dopant concentrations similar to GaN even though AlN has a deeper isolated acceptor energy and results in hole mobilities that are substantially higher than possible in GaN. AlN hole concentrations of ∼4.4 × 1018 cm−3 and 0.045 Ω cm resistivity and electron concentrations of ∼6 × 1018 cm−3 and ∼0.02 Ω cm resistivity are shown and offer substantial promise for future generations of AlN bipolar electronic and optical devices.

Bacterial adaptation to cold: Conservation of a short J-domain co-chaperone and its protein partners in environmental proteobacteria.

Bacterial genomes are a huge reservoir of genes encoding J-domain protein co-chaperones that recruit the molecular chaperone DnaK to assist protein substrates involved in survival, adaptation, or fitness. The atc operon of the aquatic mesophilic bacterium Shewanella oneidensis encodes the proteins AtcJ, AtcA, AtcB, and AtcC, and all of them, except AtcA, are required for growth at low temperatures. AtcJ is a short J-domain protein that interacts with DnaK, but also with AtcC through its 21 amino acid C-terminal domain. This interaction network is critical for cold growth. Here, we show that AtcJ represents a subfamily of short J-domain proteins that (i) are found in several environmental, mostly aquatic, β- or ɣ-proteobacteria and (ii) contain a conserved PX7 W motif in their C-terminal extension. Using a combination of NMR, biochemical and genetic approaches, we show that the hydrophobic nature of the tryptophan of the S. oneidensis AtcJ PX7 W motif determines the strong AtcJ-AtcC interaction essential for cold growth. The AtcJ homologues are encoded by operons containing at least the S. oneidensis atcA, atcB, and atcC homologues. These findings suggest a conserved network of DnaK and Atc proteins necessary for low-temperature growth and, given the variation in the atc operons, possibly for other biological functions.

Demonstration of a 4.32 μ m cutoff InAsSbBi nBn photodetector, a lattice-matched random alloy III–V solution for mid-wave infrared sensing

InAsSbBi nBn photodetectors are demonstrated that are lattice-matched to the underlying GaSb substrate with a 4.32 μm wavelength cutoff at 150 K that is 0.3 μm longer than that of lattice-matched InAsSb at this temperature reflecting a 0.5% Bi mole fraction in the InAsSbBi active region. A low growth temperature was utilized to facilitate the incorporation of Bi, resulting in a minority carrier lifetime on the order of 24 ns in the InAsSbBi active region. Nevertheless, the detectors exhibit a quantum efficiency of 17% at 3.3 μm wavelength with a dark current density of 50 μA/cm2 at 150 K and −0.4 V bias and the strong photoresponse turn-on characteristic of a random alloy at 4.32 μm wavelength and 150 K. A shot noise-equivalent irradiance analysis indicates that this detectors' dark-current-limited noise-equivalent irradiance of 1012 cm−2 s−1 is two orders of magnitude greater than the Rule 07 expectation for this cutoff, and dark-current-limited shot noise-equivalent irradiance performance transitions to photon-limited at 1.7 × 1015 photons/cm2 s.

Low-temperature growth of MoS2 on polymer and thin glass substrates for flexible electronics.

Recent advances in two-dimensional semiconductors, particularly molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), have enabled the fabrication of flexible electronic devices with outstanding mechanical flexibility. Previous approaches typically involved the synthesis of MoS2 on a rigid substrate at a high temperature followed by the transfer to a flexible substrate onto which the device is fabricated. A recurring drawback with this methodology is the fact that flexible substrates have a lower melting temperature than the MoS2 growth process, and that the transfer process degrades the electronic properties of MoS2. Here we report a strategy for directly synthesizing high-quality and high-crystallinity MoS2 monolayers on polymers and ultrathin glass substrates (thickness ~30 µm) at ~150 °C using metal-organic chemical vapour deposition. By avoiding the transfer process, the MoS2 quality is preserved. On flexible field-effect transistors, we achieve a mobility of 9.1 cm2 V-1 s-1 and a positive threshold voltage of +5 V, which is essential for reducing device power consumption. Moreover, under bending conditions, our logic circuits exhibit stable operation while phototransistors can detect light over a wide range of wavelengths from 405 nm to 904 nm.

RF loss reduction by a carbon-regulated Si substrate engineering in GaN-based HEMT buffer stacks

A carbon-regulated Si substrate engineering has been adopted to reduce the RF loss of GaN-based HEMT buffer stacks. By implanting the substrate with high-dose carbon, undersaturation of Si self-interstitials is formed, and the self-interstitial-assisted aluminum diffusion into the Si substrate during the growth can be significantly suppressed. Consequently, the formation of parasitic conductive channel is suppressed, and the RF loss of the buffer stacks can be reduced. By combining the substrate engineering with low-temperature growth, the RF loss of the buffer stacks is reduced to as low as 0.13 dB/mm at 10 GHz. In addition, the crystal quality of the buffer stacks grown on the regulated substrates does not degrade. This work shows a great potential for fabrication of high-quality and low-loss GaN-on-Si RF devices.

Comparison of genetic variations between high- and low-risk Listeria monocytogenes isolates using whole-genome de novo sequencing.

In this study, genetic variations and characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from enoki mushrooms (23), smoked ducks (7), and processed ground meat products (30) were examined with respect to hemolysis, virulence genes, growth patterns, and heat resistance. The isolates that showed the highest pathogenicity and the lowest pathogenicity were analyzed to obtain the whole-genome sequence, and the sequences were further analyzed to identify genetic variations in virulence, low-temperature growth-related, and heat resistance-related factors. All isolates had β-hemolysis and virulence genes (actA, hlyA, inlA, inlB, and plcB). At low temperatures, isolates with high growth (L. monocytogenes strains SMFM 201803 SD 1-1, SMFM 201803 SD 4-2, and SMFM 201804 SD 5-3) and low growth (L. monocytogenes strains SMFM 2019-FV43, SMFM 2019-FV42, and SMFM 2020-BT30) were selected. Among them, L. monocytogenes SMFM 201804 SD 5-3 showed the highest resistance at 60°C and 70°C. The strains SMFM 201804 SD 5-3 (high-risk) and SMFM 2019-FV43 (low-risk) harbored 45 virulence genes; 41 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were identified between these two isolates. A comparison of 26 genes related to low-temperature growth revealed 18 SNVs between these two isolates; a comparison of the 21 genes related to heat resistance revealed 16 SNVs. These results indicate that the differences in the pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes SMFM 201804 SD 5-3 and L. monocytogenes SMFM 2019-FV43 are associated with the SNVs identified in virulence genes, low-temperature growth-related genes, and heat resistance-related genes.

Back-End-of-Line Compatible Large-Area Molybdenum Disulfide Grown on Flexible Substrate: Enabling High-Performance Low-Power Memristor Applications.

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) in flexible technology can offer large-area scalability and high-density integration with a low power consumption. However, incorporating large-area TMDs in a flexible platform is lacking in state-of-the-art data storage technology owing to the high process temperature of TMDs. Low-temperature growth of TMDs can bridge mass production in flexible technology and reduce the complexity of the transferring process. Here, we introduce a crossbar memory array enabled by low-temperature (250 °C) plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposited MoS2 directly grown on a flexible substrate. The low-temperature sulfurization induces nanograins of MoS2 with multiple grain boundaries, allowing the path for charge particles, which leads to the formation of conducting filaments. The back-end-of-line compatible MoS2-based crossbar memristors exhibit robust resistance switching (RS) behavior with a high on/off current ratio of approximately ∼105, excellent endurance (>350 cycles), retention (>200000 s), and low operating voltage (∼±0.5 V). Furthermore, the MoS2 synthesized at low temperature on a flexible substrate facilitates RS characteristics demonstrated under strain states and exhibits excellent RS performance. Thus, the use of direct-grown MoS2 on a polyimide (PI) substrate for high-performance cross-bar memristors can transform emerging flexible electronics.

Bismuth-assisted low-temperature growth of flexible GaSb thin films by multi-cathode RF magnetron sputtering

Bismuth-assisted low-temperature growth of flexible GaSb thin films by multi-cathode RF magnetron sputtering

Low-temperature aqueous growth of SDS-stabilized CuO electrocatalyst for ranitidine monitoring in pharmaceuticals

Low-temperature aqueous growth of SDS-stabilized CuO electrocatalyst for ranitidine monitoring in pharmaceuticals

Theoretical insight on the optical centred electrical properties of guanidinium isophthalate NLO crystal for electro-optic Q switches

Guanidinium isophthalate single crystals with dimensions 16 × 4 x 2 mm3 were prepared by the low temperature solvent evaporation method and growth kinetics with interfacial tension was discussed to bring out the growth parameters of guanidinium isophthalate single crystals. The harvested single crystals were utilized for various characterization studies like powder X-ray diffraction, optical transmission, photoluminescence, laser damage study and optical limiting studies. The visualization of varying potential regions on the surfaces to quantify short contacts were generated by Hirshfeld surface analysis. 2D fingerprint plots were analyzed, in which H ….H contact was found to be the most significant with 54.1%. Growth kinetics of the crystalline material was studied to reveal the nucleation process. Crystal samples prepared with reference to the solubility data were found to be free of inclusions and cracks and had maximum transmittance in the complete visible region. The electronic disorder of the crystal sample was reported in the form of Urbach energy. The PL spectra with the emission intensity provide the emission characteristic of the title compound. The major fundamental optical limit for a crystal material is experimentally measured and presented in the picosecond regime. Thus the present work contributes to the understanding of growth, structural, optical and electronic characteristics of the title guanidinium isophthalate single crystals for the fabrication of electro-optic devices in photonic industry.

Groundwater–rock interactions in crystalline rocks: evidence from SIMS oxygen isotope data

AbstractThe diffusive exchange of dissolved material between fluid flowing in a fracture and the enclosing wallrocks (rock matrix diffusion) has been proposed as a mechanism by which radionuclides derived from a radioactive waste repository may be removed from groundwater and incorporated into the geosphere. To test the effectiveness of diffusive exchange in igneous and metamorphic rocks, we have carried out an investigation of veins formed at low temperatures (<100°C), comparing the oxygen isotopic composition of vein calcite with that of secondary calcite in the wallrocks. Two examples of veins from the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, Cumbria, and one from the Mountsorrel Granodiorite, Leicestershire, UK, have remarkably similar vein calcite compositions, ca. +20‰(SMOW) or greater, substantially heavier than the probable compositions of the host rocks, and these vein calcite compositions are inferred to reflect the infiltrating fluid and the temperature of vein formation. Calcites from the wallrocks are similar to those in veins, with little evidence for exchange with the wallrocks. The results support existing models for this type of vein which suggest low-temperature growth from formation brines originally linked to Permian or Triassic evaporites. The results are consistent with flow through fractures being attenuated through a damage zone adjacent to the fracture and provide no evidence of diffusional exchange with pore waters from wallrocks.

Low-Temperature Growth of 2D-MoS2 Thin Films by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition Using a New Molybdenum Precursor and Applicability to Gas Sensors

Low-Temperature Growth of 2D-MoS₂ Thin Films by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition Using a New Molybdenum Precursor and Applicability to Gas Sensors

Metal-induced lateral crystallization of germanium thin films

Recent advances in polycrystalline Ge layers formed through solid-phase crystallization have demonstrated carrier mobilities superior to those of single-crystal Si. In this study, we thoroughly examined the phenomenon of metal-induced lateral crystallization in Ge, a topic that had garnered significant attention in Si research and had shown promise in improving the performance of thin-film transistors. Of the 24 metals tested (Au, In, Bi, Pb, Ga, Ag, Al, Sn, Zn, Sb, Fe, Nb, Mg, Mn, Co, Cr, Mo, Zr, Cu, Ni, Pd, Ta, Ti, and W), 20 were found to promote the low-temperature (<400 °C) lateral growth of Ge layers on glass. Based on the reaction type (eutectic or compound), reaction temperatures, diffusion coefficients, and domain matching analyzed using a materials informatics method, the growth morphology was categorized into three types: alloy, dendrite, and uniform. The knowledge of metal-induced growth obtained in this study has broad implications for a variety of materials and holds potential for developing the next generation thin-film devices with common and inexpensive substrates.

Employing Ion-Beam Sputter Deposited TiO2 Buffer Layers for VO2-Related Devices

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is considered to be the most promising material for thermochromic smart windows due to its insulator-to-metal transition causing an abrupt change of transmittance near ambient temperature. TiO2 buffer layers are expected to have a beneficial impact on the growth and performance of the functional VO2 thin film, as they may induce crystallinity at lower growth temperatures and act as a barrier layer for ion diffusion from glass substrates. However, a systematic evaluation of TiO2 buffer layers of different phases and thicknesses to assess potentially competing impacts is still lacking. Here, we grow TiO2 buffer layers by ion-beam sputter deposition (IBSD) at different substrate temperatures to obtain amorphous TiO2 as well as crystalline TiO2 in the anatase and rutile phase, respectively. We investigate the buffer layers themselves and shed light on how these buffer layers influence the performance of the functional VO2 layer grown on top by combining experimental and theoretical means. We find that the VO2||TiO2 interface is the most crucial part of the multilayer structure with an urgent need for minimum roughness. The two types of crystalline TiO2 buffers yield similar results in terms of optical performance; however, we find that only rutile buffer layers significantly relieve the growth conditions needed.

A Low-Temperature Growth Mechanism for Chalcogenide Perovskites

Chalcogenide perovskites have attracted increasing research attention in recent years due to their promise of unique optoelectronic properties combined with stability. However, the synthesis and processing of these materials has been constrained by the need for high temperatures and/or long reaction times. In this work, we address the open question of a low-temperature growth mechanism for BaZrS3. Ultimately, a liquid-assisted growth mechanism for BaZrS3 using molten BaS3 as a flux is demonstrated at temperatures ≥540 °C in as little as 5 min. The role of Zr-precursor reactivity and S(g.) on the growth mechanism and the formation of Ba3Zr2S7 is discussed, in addition to the purification of resulting products using a straightforward H2O wash. The extension of this growth mechanism to other Ba-based chalcogenides is shown, including BaHfS3, BaNbS3, and BaTiS3. In addition, an alternative vapor-transport growth mechanism is presented using S2Cl2 for the growth of BaZrS3 at temperatures as low as 500 °C in at least 3 h. These results demonstrate the feasibility of scalable processing for the formation of chalcogenide perovskite thin-films.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Ultra-Thin Crystalline Electron Channels for Heterointerface Polarization at Two-Dimensional Metal-Semiconductor Heterojunctions

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has emerged as a promising technology for the development of the next generation of low-power semiconductor electronics. The wafer-scaled growth of two-dimensional (2D) crystalline nanostructures is a fundamental step toward the development of advanced nanofabrication technologies. Ga2O3 is an ultra-wide bandgap metal oxide semiconductor for application in electronic devices. The polymorphous Ga2O3 with its unique electronic characteristics and doping capabilities is a functional option for heterointerface engineering at metal-semiconductor 2D heterojunctions for application in nanofabrication technology. Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) enabled the deposition of ultra-thin nanostructures at low-growth temperatures. The present study used the PE-ALD process for the deposition of atomically thin crystalline ß-Ga2O3 films for heterointerface engineering at 2D metal-semiconductor heterojunctions. Via the control of plasma gas composition and ALD temperature, the wafer-scaled deposition of ~5.0 nm thick crystalline ß-Ga2O3 at Au/Ga2O3-TiO2 heterointerfaces was achieved. Material characterization techniques showed the effects of plasma composition and ALD temperature on the properties and structure of Ga2O3 films. The following study on the electronic characteristics of Au/Ga2O3-TiO2 2D heterojunctions confirmed the tunability of this metal/semiconductor polarized junction, which works as functional electron channel layer developed based on tunable p-n junctions at 2D metal/semiconductor interfaces.

Corundum-structured AlCrNbTi oxide film grown using high-energy early-arriving ion irradiation in high-power impulse magnetron sputtering

Multicomponent or high-entropy oxide films are of interest due to their remarkable structure and properties. Here, energetic ion irradiation is utilized for controlling the phase formation and structure of AlCrNbTi oxide at growth temperature of 500°C. The ion acceleration is achieved by using a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge, accompanied by a 10 μs-long synchronized substrate bias (Usync), to minimize the surface charging effect and accelerate early-arriving ions, mainly Al+, O+, Ar2+, and Al2+. By increasing the magnitude of Usync from −100 V to −500 V, the film structure changes from amorphous to single-phase corundum, followed by the formation of high-number-density stacking faults (or nanotwins) at Usync = −500 V. This approach paves the way to tailor the high-temperature-phase and defect formation of oxide films at low growth temperature, with prospects for use in protective-coating and dielectric applications.

High-fidelity moulding growth and cross-section shaping of ultrathin monocrystalline silicon nanowires

Catalytic growth of ultrathin silicon nanowires (SiNWs) provides ideal 1D channel materials for the construction of high-performance field effect transistors, where the diameter, uniformity and crystalline qualities are of utmost importance. In this work, a high-fidelity moulding growth of orderly ultrathin monocrystalline SiNWs, with diameter of 17±2nm, has been accomplished within tightly confined nanogrooves. A continuous and deterministic groove-width-transition or squeezing strategy has also been developed to accomplish an effective cross-section tailoring of the as-grown SiNW channels, while enabling a close-to-unity growth filling rate within the guiding grooves. Finally, a size-dependent adatom-searching model is proposed to explain how a monocrystalline SiNWs can be obtained even at such a low growth temperature of < 350 ℃. These results indicate a feasible catalytic growth fabrication route to implement monolithic 3D integration of advanced in-memory-computing and neuromorphic electronics.

Molecular-Vapor-Assisted Low-Temperature Growth of Graphene Nanoribbons

Conventional on-surface synthesis under ultrahigh vacuum deposition has been used to synthesize various types of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). The dehydrogenation reaction from a prepolymer to GNR requires catalysis with a metal substrate at high temperatures, which suffers from undesired side reactions that decompose introduced functional substituents during conversion to GNRs. To overcome these drawbacks, we have developed a new method, molecular-vapor-assisted low-temperature growth (MVLTG), based on a massive excess of gaseous hydrogen-accepting molecules (2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) or oxygen) relative to the prepolymer on the metal surface. MVLTG reduces the GNR growth temperature of prepolymers with the Z-type precursor, 4′,5″-dibromo-1,1′:2′,1′:2″-quaterphenyl from 500 °C, used in conventional thermal annealing, to 350 °C. To investigate the reaction mechanism of MVLTG, a kinetic study using Raman spectroscopy to obtain GNR yields as a function of the hydrogen acceptor concentration and time was in good agreement with a simulation based on the gas-2D solid-state reaction model. These studies suggest a successful “Scholl reaction” in the gas phase, in which gaseous hydrogen acceptors (DDQ and oxygen) efficiently extract hydrogens from prepolymers at lower temperatures, converting them into GNRs. Additionally, MVLTG successfully promoted dehydrogenation reactions of prepolymers made from functionalized precursors of 4′,5″-dibromo-4-butoxy-1,1′:2′,1″:2″,1″′-quaterphenyl or 4′,5″-dibromo-4-butoxy-1,1′:2′,1″:2″,1‴:4‴,1″-quinquephenyl, suppressing decomposition of substituents. MVLTG not only realizes a new class of GNRs but also enables unprecedented on-surface synthesis.