Molecular beam epitaxy device applications

Thin semiconductor films (and other nanostructured materials) are widely used in many applications and, especially, in microelectronics. Current technological trends toward ultimate miniaturization of microelectronic devices require films as thin as less than 5 nm, that is, containing only several atomic layers [1]. Experimental deposition methods have been described in detail in recent reviews [2-7]. Common thin-film deposition techniques are subdivided into two main categories physical deposition and chemical deposition. Physical deposition techniques, such as evaporation, molecular beam epitaxy, or sputtering, involve no chemical surface reactions. In chemical deposition techniques, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and its most important version, atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical precursors are used to obtain chemical substances or their components deposited on the surface. 

The Advantage of Molecular-Beam Epitaxy for Device Applications... 

Ultrathin Films. The demand for artificial materials or so-called designer solids is increasing. Many applications such as solid state lasers and new generations of transistors require ever finer structuring of materials. It is very common for the properties of devices based on heterostructures to depend on the quality of the interfaces. The structures can be grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Transmission electron microscopy... 

This work reports the development of a polymeric/sol-gel route for the deposition of silicon carbide and silicon oxycarbide thin films for applications such as heat-, corrosion-, and wear-resistant coatings, coatings on fibers for controlling the interaction with the matrix in ceramic matrix composites, or films in electronic and optoelectronic devices. This method, in which the pre-ceramic films are converted to a ceramic coating either by a conventional high temperature annealing or by ion irradiation, is alternative to conventional methods such as chemical or physical vapor deposition (CVD, PVD), molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, plasma spray, or laser ablation, which are not always practical or cost efficient. 

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