Remote Oxygen Plasma Treatment Research Articles

Performance enhancement of Ge/Si avalanche photodetector by specific sidewall passivation using remote oxygen plasma treatment

We report an obvious improvement in the performance of a separated absorption charger-layer multiplication Ge/Si avalanche photodetector, achieved by passivating the sidewalls with a low-temperature remote oxygen plasma (ROP) treatment. The dangling bonds on the Ge surface can be efficiently passivated by the formation of an ideal Ge/GeO2 interface. With ROP passivation, the leakage current of the device shows a three- to fourfold decrease at 300 K, resulting in a dark current (I dark) of 3.5 × 10−6 A at 90% avalanche voltage (V br) and 3.4 × 10−7 A at punch-through voltage (V puhch-through) for the 26 μm-diameter device. A reduction of over tenfold is demonstrated at 200 K and the passivation mechanism is revealed. In addition, a multiplication gain of 94 is obtained under 1550 nm illumination. The device with ROP passivation shows an improved gain bandwidth product of 190 GHz. The enhanced high-frequency response of the device with ROP passivation can be attributed to the alleviation of the retarding effect caused by the interface state on the sidewalls. Without using a trans-impedance amplifier, an opening eye diagram at 28 Gbps is demonstrated, indicating reliable device transmission performance.

Analysis of the Impact of Remote Oxygen Plasma Treatment on the Surface Chemistry and Electrochemical Properties of Graphite Felt Electrodes for Redox Flow Batteries

The effects of a remote oxygen plasma (ROP) treatment on the surface of commercial graphite felts were investigated and compared against a conventional thermal treatment. In contrast to methodologies where...

Thermal conductivity of ultrathin BaTiO3 films grown by plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition

We report the first measurements of the room temperature thermal conductivity of ultrathin (12 and 24 nm) barium titanate (BaTiO3) films prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). The measured thermal conductivities of as-deposited films are relatively low as compared to values reported previously. We further investigate the effects of a post-deposition remote oxygen plasma treatment on the crystallinity and thermal conductivity of our PEALD BaTiO3 films. We find that the thermal conductivity slightly decreases with increasing duration of plasma treatment, which is most likely due to increased phonon scattering at interfaces between amorphous and crystalline phases within the films.

High-performance multilayer WSe2 field-effect transistors with carrier type control

In this study, high-performance multilayer WSe2 field-effect transistor (FET) devices with carrier type control are demonstrated via thickness modulation and a remote oxygen plasma surface treatment. Carrier type control in multilayer WSe2 FET devices with Cr/Au contacts is initially demonstrated by modulating the WSe2 thickness. The carrier type evolves with increasing WSe2 channel thickness, being p-type, ambipolar, and n-type at thicknesses 5 nm, respectively. The thickness-dependent carrier type is attributed to changes in the bandgap of WSe2 as a function of the thickness and the carrier band offsets relative to the metal contacts. Furthermore, we present a strong hole carrier doping effect via remote oxygen plasma treatment. It non-degenerately converts n-type characteristics into p-type and enhances field-effect hole mobility by three orders of magnitude. This work demonstrates progress towards the realization of high-performance multilayer WSe2 FETs with carrier type control, potentially extendable to other transition metal dichalcogenides, for future electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Control of Photoactivity over Polycrystalline Anatase TiO2 Thin Films via Surface Potential

The utility of thin-film TiO2 for photocatalysis would be greatly improved if the spatial variation of the electronic band edges near the surface could be engineered a priori to control the current of photogenerated minority carriers. The present work demonstrates such a concept. In particular, remote oxygen plasma treatment of polycrystalline anatase TiO2 with specified majority carrier concentration is employed in the test case of methylene blue photodegradation. The photoreaction rate varies by up to 35% in concert with a 0.4 eV change in built-in surface potential measured by photoelectron spectroscopy. The correlation between these changes agrees quantitatively with a photodiode–photocurrent model. The plasma treatment affects concentration of charged native defects within the first few atomic layers of the surface, most likely by lowering the concentration of oxygen vacancies within surface crystallites. In tandem, the position in the deep bulk is controlled via engineering the defect concentration at grain boundaries, thus illustrating the coordinated use of multiple defect engineering practices in polycrystalline material to accomplish quantitative manipulation of band bending and corresponding photocurrent.

High Energy Density Capacitor By Plasma-Treated ALD BaTiO3 Thin Films

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a modified chemical vapor (CVD) deposition tool, which is suitable for depositing high quality thin films or locally modifying the surface properties. Due to its advantages such as conformality, low pin-hole density, and the easiness of composition/doping control, ALD can used for engineering wide variety of thin film devices. Crystallizing and densifying thin films to increase their relative permittivities are critical issues in fabricating high information density dynamic random access memory (DRAM) capacitors. The high process temperature (> 600 ° C) is usually necessary for thin film crystallization and densification, which could be detrimental to other components of DRAM. In this manuscript, we report a simple and novel method to simultaneously increase the dielectric constant and decrease the leakage current density of atomic layer deposited BaTiO3 thin films using post-deposition remote oxygen plasma treatment while keeping the process temperature low (250 °C). The dielectric constant increases from 53 (as-deposited) to 122 (plasma-treated) and the leakage current density decreases by one order of magnitude. The dielectric constant of the plasma-treated BaTiO3 film is one of the highest values ever reported for ultra-thin (5 nm thick) films. We ascribe such improvements to the crystallization and densification of the film induced by high-energy ion bombardments on the film surface during the plasma treatment. We think that plasma-induced crystallization presented in this work may have an immediate impact on fabricating and manufacturing DRAM capacitors due to its simplicity and compatibility with industrial standard thin film processes [1]. Acknowledgment We thank Manufacturing Technology Center, Samsung Electronics for financial support References [1] J. An, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 6 (13), pp 10656–10660 (2014)

Plasma processing for crystallization and densification of atomic layer deposition BaTiO3 thin films.

High-k, low leakage thin films are crucial components for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) capacitors with high storage density and a long storage lifetime. In this work, we demonstrate a method to increase the dielectric constant and decrease the leakage current density of atomic layer deposited BaTiO3 thin films at low process temperature (250 °C) using postdeposition remote oxygen plasma treatment. The dielectric constant increased from 51 (as-deposited) to 122 (plasma-treated), and the leakage current density decreased by 1 order of magnitude. We ascribe such improvements to the crystallization and densification of the film induced by high-energy ion bombardments on the film surface during the plasma treatment. Plasma-induced crystallization presented in this work may have an immediate impact on fabricating and manufacturing DRAM capacitors due to its simplicity and compatibility with industrial standard thin film processes.

Surface designing of carbon fabric polymer composites with nano and micron sized PTFE particles

The new technique to tailor carbon fabric-polyethersulphone (CF-PES) composite surface with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nano particles; to improve wear performance has been reported. Cold remote nitrogen oxygen plasma (CRNOP) treatment was employed to alter the CF surface to promote fiber/matrix adhesion and further; inter laminar shear strength and wear performance of the composites. The atomic force microscopy and high resolution transmission microscopy; studies confirms the topographical modification on the fiber surface due to CRNOP treatment. The dipper ridges and perforations introduced on the fiber surface were analyzed with field emission scanning electron microscopy. The PTFE particles film formation on the worn composite surface was supportively analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray techniques. The topographical smoothening and rolling effect during the wearing of surface designed composites with PTFE nano particles; endorse to enhance its sliding wear properties and life.

Studies for Wear Property Correlation for Carbon Fabric-Reinforced PES Composites

Polyethersulfone (PES) composites were developed with carbon fabric (CF). Cold remote nitrogen oxygen plasma (CRNOP) treatment was employed to the CF to incorporate functional groups and promote fiber–matrix adhesion. This study includes the effect of PES melt flow index (MFI) on the wettability of CF and its influence on fretting wear performance. Evaluations of fretting wear properties of composites led to the conclusion that the CRNOP treatment proved beneficial to enhance performance properties significantly. Polymer MFI and treatment to CF proved to be the decisive parameters for controlling performance of composites apart from operating parameters. Perforations on the treated carbon fiber, evidently observed by FESEM, improved the fiber–matrix adhesion, and hence the performance properties. Artificial neuron network (ANN) was used for prediction of the wear behavior of composites.

Defects at oxygen plasma cleaned ZnO polar surfaces

Depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (DRCLS) reveals the evolution of surface and near surface defects at polar surfaces with remote oxygen plasma (ROP) treatment. Furthermore, this evolution exhibits significant differences that depend on surface polarity. ROP decreased the predominant 2.5 eV defect emission related to oxygen vacancies on the O face, while creating a new 2.1 eV defect emission on the Zn face that increases with ROP time. The surface-located 2.1 eV emission correlates with carrier profiles from capacitance-voltage measurements and a shift of the E3 trap to higher binding energy from deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). This result suggests that ROP generates Zn vacancies on the Zn face which act as compensating acceptors at the surface and in the near surface region. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) shows no polarity dependence due to impurities. We conclude that the near-surface deep level optical emissions and free carrier densities of ZnO depend strongly on the ROP modulation of native defects related to Zn or O vacancies.

Pattern Stamping Using Exfoliation for Heterogeneous Integration

In this work, an alternative method of hybrid pattern stamping for heterogeneous integration based on the low thermal budget smart-cutTM technique was investigated. Thanks to enhanced surface activation by remote oxygen plasma treatment prior to bonding, the thermal budget for that experiment has been maintained below 400°C while ensuring high bond strength and single crystalline Si and Ge pattern stamping. The bonded interface was characterized by means of advanced imaging techniques.

Abrasive wear studies on composites of PEEK and PES with modified surface of carbon fabric

Carbon fabric (CF) being inert towards the matrix, the quality of its adhesion with the matrix is poor and hence, needs treatment to enhance fiber–matrix bonding. In this paper, cold remote nitrogen oxygen plasma (CRNOP) treatment to CF was employed to improve fiber–matrix adhesion. Composites were developed using CF with polyethersulphone (PES) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) matrices. Performance enhancement due to CF treatment was quantified by improvement in mechanical and wear resistance ( W R ) properties. A fairly good linearity was observed for specific wear rate ( K 0×ILSS) as a function of a factor ( μP/ E).

Influence of cold remote nitrogen oxygen plasma treatment on carbon fabric and its composites with specialty polymers

The parameters controlling performance of a fiber-reinforced polymer composite are type of matrix and fibers, their amount, aspect ratio, fiber orientation with respect to loading direction, fiber–matrix interface, and processing technique. In the case of carbon fiber reinforcement, fiber–matrix interface has always been a serious concern, because of chemical inertness of carbon fibers toward matrix and hence efforts are continued to enhance the fiber–matrix adhesion. A recent technique of cold remote nitrogen oxygen plasma was employed for surface treatment of carbon fabric (CF) to enhance its chemical reactivity and mechanical interaction toward matrix material. Untreated and plasma treated CF were used as bidirectional reinforcement for developing high performance composites with various specialty polymer matrices such as Polyetherimide, Polyethersulfone, and Polyetheretherketone. Treated CF reinforced composites showed appreciable improvement in most of the mechanical properties, which varied with type of plasma, its dozing and matrix used. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy confirmed improvement in O/C and N/C ratio indicating inclusion of Oxygen and Nitrogen on the surfaces of fibers due to plasma treatment, which was responsible for enhanced adhesion. Similarly, Fourier Transform Infrared–Attenuated Total Reflectance Spectroscopy indicated presence of ether, carboxylic, and carbonyl functional groups on the plasma-treated surface of fibers. Raman spectroscopy indicated slight distortion in graphitic structure of treated CF. Scanning Electron Microscopy also indicated changes in the topography of treated CF, indicating enhanced mechanical interlocking with matrix.

Improvement in SiO2 Film Properties Formed by Sputtering Method at 150 °C

The quantity of hysteresis phenomena in capacitance response for metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with 100-nm-thick SiO2 films formed by the sputtering method was reduced by remote oxygen plasma treatment followed by high-pressure H2O vapor heat treatment at 150 °C. In order to determine the quantity of hysteresis phenomena in capacitance response, we defined hysteresis charge as the difference in fixed oxide charge density for round bias voltage application. As-fabricated MOS capacitor samples had a high density of hysteresis charges of 1.0×1012 cm-2. The density of hysteresis charge was not decreased by 4.7×105-Pa-H2O-vapor heat treatment at 150 °C for 3 h. On the other hand, it was markedly reduced to 1.0×1011 cm-2 by 13.56-MHz-radio frequency remote oxygen plasma treatment at 300 W and 150 °C followed by 4.7×105-Pa-H2O-vapor heat treatment at 150 °C for 3 h. Hysteresis phenomena are probably caused by a temporal electron charging up of SiO2 films.

Surface traps in vapor-phase-grown bulk ZnO studied by deep level transient spectroscopy

Deep level transient spectroscopy, current-voltage, and capacitance-voltage measurements are used to study interface traps in metal-on-bulk-ZnO Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). c-axis-oriented ZnO samples were cut from two different vapor-phase-grown crystals, and Au- and Pd-SBDs were formed on their (0001) surfaces after remote oxygen-plasma treatment. As compared to Au-SBDs, the Pd-SBDs demonstrated higher reverse-bias leakage current and forward-bias current evidently due to higher carrier concentrations, which might have been caused by hydrogen in-diffusion through the thin Pd metal. The dominant traps included the well-known bulk traps E3 (0.27 eV) and E4 (0.49 eV). In addition, a surface-related trap, Es (0.49 eV), is observed but only in the Pd-SBDs, not in the Au-SBDs. Trap Es is located at depths less than about 95 nm and shows an electron capture behavior indicative of extended defects. A possible correspondence between trap Es and the well-known 2.45 eV green band is suggested by depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy on the same samples, which reveals an increase in the intensity of this band within ∼100 nm of the Pd/ZnO interface.

Polysilazane Precursor Used for Formation of Oxidized Insulator

ABSTRACTWe report on SiO2 film formation using Polysilazane precursor treated with remote oxygen plasma and high-pressure H2O vapor heating. Polysilazane precursor films with a thickness of 130 nm were formed on silicon substrates by spin coating method. They were annealed at 350°C in remote oxygen plasma at a pressure of 2.0×10−2 Pa and a 13.56×106 Hz radio frequency power of 300 W for 3h followed by 1.3×106-Pa-H2O vapor heating at 260°C for 3 h. Polysilazane precursor films were entirely oxidized by high-pressure H2O vapor heat treatment, and the density of Si-N bonding and Si-H bonding in Polysilazane precursor films were effectively dissociated by the combination of high-pressure H2O vapor heat treatment with remote oxygen plasma treatment. While MOS(Metal-Oxide-semiconductor) capacitors fabricated only by high-pressure H2O vapor heat treatment had a high specific dielectric constant of 6.1, a fixed oxide charge density of 1.3×1012 cm−2 and a density of interface trap of 5.4×1011 cm−2eV−1, the remote oxygen plasma treatment followed by high-pressure H2O vapor heat treatment allowed us to reduce them to 4.1 and 1.6×1011 cm−2, 4.2×1010 cm−2eV−1, respectively.

Surface modification of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) film by remote oxygen plasma

Surface modification of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) (PEEK) film surfaces by oxygen plasma treatment was investigated. Two procedures, the direct plasma treatment and the remote oxygen plasma treatment, were used as oxygen plasma treatments, and the efficiency of the hydrophilic modification was discussed. The direct and remote oxygen plasma treatments lead to degradation of the PEEK film as well as hydrophilic surface modification. The degradation disturbs the surface modification. The remote oxygen plasma treatment rather than the direct oxygen plasma is suitable for the hydrophilic surface modification of the PEEK film. The remote oxygen plasma treatment at 10 W for 60 s forms predominantly C—O groups rather than C=O groups as an oxygen-containing group on the PEEK surface and gives a highly hydrophilic surface with a contact angle of 44 degrees. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polm Sci 68:271–279, 1998

Surface modification of aromatic polyamide film by remote oxygen plasma

Surface modification of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) film by a remote oxygen plasma treatment has been investigated from a viewpoint of comparison with a direct oxygen plasma treatment. We call the modification procedure in a space far away from the oxygen plasma zone “the remote oxygen plasma treatment,” and the modification procedure in a space just in the oxygen plasma zone (a conventional oxygen plasma treatment) “the direct oxygen plasma treatment.” In a space far away from the plasma zone, oxygen radicals rather than electrons and oxygen ions are predominant, and the PPTA film can be modified by the remote oxygen plasma treatment into a hydrophilic surface without heavy degradation of the PPTA film. The PPTA film surfaces modified by the remote oxygen plasma treatment were analyzed with contact angle measurement, scanning microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 831–840, 1997

Surface modification of aromatic polyamide film by remote oxygen plasma

Surface modification of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) film by a remote oxygen plasma treatment has been investigated from a viewpoint of comparison with a direct oxygen plasma treatment. We call the modification procedure in a space far away from the oxygen plasma zone “the remote oxygen plasma treatment,” and the modification procedure in a space just in the oxygen plasma zone (a conventional oxygen plasma treatment) “the direct oxygen plasma treatment.” In a space far away from the plasma zone, oxygen radicals rather than electrons and oxygen ions are predominant, and the PPTA film can be modified by the remote oxygen plasma treatment into a hydrophilic surface without heavy degradation of the PPTA film. The PPTA film surfaces modified by the remote oxygen plasma treatment were analyzed with contact angle measurement, scanning microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 831–840, 1997

Secondary ion mass spectrometry time of flight and in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of polymer surface modifications by a remote oxygen plasma treatment

Surface modifications induced by a remote oxygen microwave plasma on three different polymers (LDPE, PS, PMMA) have been extensively investigated in situ by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and, after transfer in atmosphere, by time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF SIMS). By a direct transfer from the plasma chamber to the XPS spectrometer the chemical functionalities introduced on the surface of the polymeric substrate are identified and quantitatively determined. Furthermore, high resolution molecular analysis by TOF SIMS allows a better understanding of the chemical changes induced by the oxygen plasma. The information gathered from the two techniques permits us to propose oxidation mechanisms of the polymer surfaces. The relative density of ground state atomic oxygen O (3P) in the remote discharge is shown to be of fundamental importance for the initiation of the oxidation. This species is responsible for the formation of radicals from which are further produced highly oxidized functionalities (O—C=O, O2C=O). Specific sites of oxidation for the three polymers and a depolymerization mechanism for PMMA are evidenced by TOF SIMS analysis.