A primarily software based Fourier Deep Level Transient Spectroscope (FDLTS) is built. The raw capacitance transient is acquired and digitized using capacitance meter HP4280A whereas the signal analysis is done using a customized software module. The software module calculates both the conventional DLTS spectrum and the Fourier DLTS spectrum. This home-made FDLTS set up was compared to a commercial conventional box-car DLTS system (Sula Technology's DLTS) as well as to a commercial Fourier DLTS system (Bio-rad) and it was found to be either equivalent to the commercial systems or even better in some respects. In one case, Fourier analysis using the home-made setup, led to the detection of a trap completely undetected by the commercial conventional DLTS. The FDLTS system together with the commercial conventional DLTS were used to study possible gold contamination in an industrial process. The study was accomplished by comparing conventional and Fourier DLTS spectra and corresponding calculated trap properties using Schottky barrier diodes fabricated on the suspect wafers and an intentionally gold diffused reference sample wafer. During the investigation minority carrier emission in DLTS using Schottky barrier diodes was observed. The study revealed the presence of some possible gold-like contamination which trapped minority carriers (i.e. electrons) in p type silicon. / Graduation date: 2003

Organic thin films prepared from long-chain organothiols have been self-assembled on gold surfaces and their chemistry and structural properties studied by physical, electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. The mechanism of charge transfer across these organic thin films was of particular interest and was studied by combined spectroscopic and electrochelllical methods. The influences of chain length, terminal functional group I and sol vent on the electrochemical kinetics were studied. Evidence of a kinetic barrier to charge transfer pointed to a charge-diffusion mechanism across the organic thin films. An Infrared Reflection-Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS) method was developed to monitor the titration of acid functionalized films. The method compared favorably with the currently-used goniometry method because the IRRAS method was faster, less prone to operator bias, and provided structural information. / Ph. D.