Surface semiconductor

In corrosion, adsorbates react directly with the substrate atoms to fomi new chemical species. The products may desorb from the surface (volatilization reaction) or may remain adsorbed in fonning a corrosion layer. Corrosion reactions have many industrial applications, such as dry etching of semiconductor surfaces. An example of a volatilization reaction is the etching of Si by fluorine [43]. In this case, fluorine reacts with the Si surface to fonn SiF gas. Note that the crystallinity of the remaining surface is also severely disrupted by this reaction. An example of corrosion layer fonnation is the oxidation of Fe metal to fonn mst. In this case, none of the products are volatile, but the crystallinity of the surface is dismpted as the bulk oxide fonns. Corrosion and etching reactions are discussed in more detail in section A3.10 and section C2.9. 

There are many other experiments in which surface atoms have been purposely moved, removed or chemically modified with a scanning probe tip. For example, atoms on a surface have been induced to move via interaction with the large electric field associated with an STM tip [78]. A scaiming force microscope has been used to create three-dimensional nanostructures by pushing adsorbed particles with the tip [79]. In addition, the electrons that are tunnelling from an STM tip to the sample can be used as sources of electrons for stimulated desorption [80]. The tuimelling electrons have also been used to promote dissociation of adsorbed O2 molecules on metal or semiconductor surfaces [81, 82]. 

McGilp J F 1995 Optical characterisation of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces Prog. Surf. Sc/. 49 1-106... 

Figure Bl.22.4. Differential IR absorption spectra from a metal-oxide silicon field-effect transistor (MOSFET) as a fiinction of gate voltage (or inversion layer density, n, which is the parameter reported in the figure). Clear peaks are seen in these spectra for the 0-1, 0-2 and 0-3 inter-electric-field subband transitions that develop for charge carriers when confined to a narrow (<100 A) region near the oxide-semiconductor interface. The inset shows a schematic representation of the attenuated total reflection (ATR) arrangement used in these experiments. These data provide an example of the use of ATR IR spectroscopy for the probing of electronic states in semiconductor surfaces [44]-...

Photoelectrochemistry may be used as an in situ teclmique for the characterization of surface films fonned on metal electrodes during corrosion. Analysis of the spectra allows the identification of semiconductor surface phases and the characterization of their thickness and electronic properties. 

It should be mentioned that as well as for metals the passivation of semiconductors (particularly on Si, GaAs, InP) is also a subject of intense investigation. However, the goal is mostly not the suppression of corrosion but either the fonnation of a dielectric layer that can be exploited for devices (MIS stmctures) or the minimization of interface states (dangling bonds) on the semiconductor surface [63, 64]. 

Simpson W C and Yarmoff J A 1996 Fundamental studies of halogen reactions with lll-V semiconductor surfaces Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem. 47 527-54... 

The excellence of a properly formed Si02—Si interface and the difficulty of passivating other semiconductor surfaces has been one of the most important factors in the development of the worldwide market for siUcon-based semiconductors. MOSFETs are typically produced on (100) siUcon surfaces. Fewer surface states appear at this Si—Si02 interface, which has the fewest broken bonds. A widely used model for the thermal oxidation of sihcon has been developed (31). Nevertheless, despite many years of extensive research, the Si—Si02 interface is not yet fully understood. 

Many different materials can be used to spatially mask an implant on the semiconductor surface. Such masks include photoresist, dielectrics, and metals. In order to be an effective implant mask the material should be thick enough to prevent the implant from penetrating the mask and entering the sample. A minimum thickness for stopping 99.99% of the ions in the masking material is + 3.72Ai p (168). 

Metals for Schottl Contacts. Good Schottky contacts on semiconductor surfaces should not have any interaction with the semiconductor as is common in ohmic contacts. Schottky contacts have clean, abmpt metal—semiconductor interfaces that present rectifying contacts to electron or hole conduction. Schottky contacts are usuaHy not intentionaHy annealed, although in some circumstances the contacts need to be able to withstand high temperature processing and maintain good Schottky behavior. 

Dielectric Deposition Systems. The most common techniques used for dielectric deposition include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sputtering, and spin-on films. In a CVD system thermal or plasma energy is used to decompose source molecules on the semiconductor surface (189). In plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), typical source gases include silane, SiH, and nitrous oxide, N2O, for deposition of siUcon nitride. The most common CVD films used are siUcon dioxide, siUcon nitride, and siUcon oxynitrides. 

A number of dielectric films are deposited by the spin-on technique. In this case the film s constituent molecules are dissolved in a solvent to form a hquid. After spinning the Hquid over a semiconductor surface the solvent is driven off with a baking step, leaving behind the thin dielectric film. Common films include polyimide and benzocyclobutene (BCB). The deposition process for these films is simple, making it attractive for a manufacturing process. 

Organosulfur Adsorbates on Metal and Semiconductor Surfaces. Sulfur compounds (qv) and selenium compounds (qv) have a strong affinity for transition metal surfaces (206—211). The number of reported surface-active organosulfur compounds that form monolayers on gold includes di- -alkyl sulfide (212,213), di- -alkyl disulfides (108), thiophenols (214,215), mercaptopyridines (216), mercaptoanilines (217), thiophenes (217), cysteines (218,219), xanthates (220), thiocarbaminates (220), thiocarbamates (221), thioureas (222), mercaptoimidazoles (223—225), and alkaneselenoles (226) (Fig. 11). However, the most studied, and probably most understood, SAM is that of alkanethiolates on Au(lll) surfaces. 

Sample requirements Usually single crystal conductor or semiconductor surfaces... 

The degree of surface cleanliness or even ordering can be determined by REELS, especially from the intense VEELS signals. The relative intensity of the surface and bulk plasmon peaks is often more sensitive to surface contamination than AES, especially for elements like Al, which have intense plasmon peaks. Semiconductor surfaces often have surface states due to dangling bonds that are unique to each crystal orientation, which have been used in the case of Si and GaAs to follow in situ the formation of metal contacts and to resolve such issues as Fermi-level pinning and its role in Schottky barrier heights. 

Because of the minimization of the number of dangling bonds semiconductor surfaces often show large displacements of the surface atoms from their bulk lattice positions. As a consequence these surfaces are also very open and the agreement is more in the range of 7 p factor values of approximately 0.2. Determination of the structure of semiconductor surfaces is reviewed in a recent article by Kahn [2.275]. 

A SSIMS spectrum, like any other mass spectrum, consists of a series of peaks of dif ferent intensity (i. e. ion current) occurring at certain mass numbers. The masses can be allocated on the basis of atomic or molecular mass-to-charge ratio. Many of the more prominent secondary ions from metal and semiconductor surfaces are singly charged atomic ions, which makes allocation of mass numbers slightly easier. Masses can be identified as arising either from the substrate material itself from deliberately introduced molecular or other species on the surface, or from contaminations and impurities on the surface. Complications in allocation often arise from isotopic effects. Although some elements have only one principal isotope, for many others the natural isotopic abundance can make identification difficult. 

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