Vertically aligned Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) were grown in the pores of Anodized Aluminum Oxide (AAO) templates and investigated for resistive sensor applications. High Sensitivity of 23% to low concentration (100 ppm) of ammonia was observed. An equivalent circuit model was developed to understand the current flow path in the resistive sensor. This helped us in achieving high sensitivities through amorphous carbon (a-C) layer thickness tailoring by employing post-growth processing techniques like plasma etching. A simulation model in MATLAB was developed to calculate the device resistance and the change in the sensitivity as a function of device parameters. The steady state response and transient response of the model to the number of ammonia molecules and its adsorption rate were studied. Effects of oxygen plasma, argon plasma and water plasma etch on thinning of the a-C layer were studied. In order to enhance the sensitivity, the top and bottom a-C layers were replaced by a more conductive metal layer. This also helped in understanding the current flow in the device and in the estimation of the resistivity of the a-C layer.

abstract: Cubic boron nitride (c-BN) has potential for electronic applications as an electron emitter and serving as a base material for diodes, transistors, etc. However, there has been limited research on c-BN reported, and many of the electronic properties of c-BN and c-BN interfaces have yet to be reported. This dissertation focused on probing thin film c-BN deposited via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) with in situ photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). PES measurements were used to characterize the electronic properties of c-BN films and interfaces with vacuum and diamond. First, the interface between c-BN and vacuum were characterized with ultraviolet PES (UPS). UPS measurements indicated that as-deposited c-BN, H2 plasma treated c-BN, and annealed c-BN post H2 plasma treatment exhibited negative electron affinity surfaces. A dipole model suggested dipoles from H-terminated N surface sites were found to be responsible for the NEA surface. Then, Si was introduced into c-BN films to realize n-type doped c-BN. The valence structure and work function of c-BN:Si films were characterized with XPS and UPS measurements. Measurements were unable to confirm n-type character, and it is concluded that silicon nitride formation was the primary effect for the observations. Finally, XPS measurements were employed to measure the band offsets at the c-BN/diamond interface. Measurements indicated the valence band maximum (VBM) of c-BN was positioned ~0.8 eV above the VBM of diamond. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Physics 2016

No description available.

Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) is a promising material for Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs) offering potentially higher mobilities and improved stability over hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). The slow growth rate of nc-Si:H can be overcome by using pulsed Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD). Pulsed PECVD also reduces powder particle formation in the plasma and provides added degrees of freedom for process optimization. Unlike high frequency PECVD, pulsed PECVD can be scaled to deposit films over large areas with no reduction in performance. For this thesis, silicon thin films were deposited by the pulsed PECVD technique at a temperature of 150 ??C and TFTs were made using this material. Radio Frequency (RF) power and silane (SiH₄) flow rate were varied in order to study the effect of different levels of crystallinity on the film. Raman spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), electrical conductivity, Hall mobility, optical band gap, and stability under light-soaking were measured using films of two different thicknesses, 50 nm and 300 nm. From the Raman data we see that the 50 nm films deposited with high hydrogen dilution are mostly amorphous, indicating the presence of a thick incubation layer. The 300nm samples deposited with hydrogen dilution, on the other hand, showed very high crystallinity and conductivity, except for 300-2 which was surprisingly, mostly amorphous. AFM and XRD measurements were also performed to confirm the Raman data and get an estimate for the crystallite grain size in the 300 nm samples. The conductivity was measured for all films, and the Hall mobility and carrier concentration was measured for one of the 300 nm films. The thin samples which are mostly amorphous show low conductivity whereas the thick high crystallinity films show high conductivity, and n-type behaviour possibly due to oxygen doping. The optical gap was also measured using Ultra Violet (UV) light and results indicate the possible presence of small crystallites in the 50 nm films. The conductivity's stability under light-soaking was measured to observe the material's susceptibility to degradation, and the 300 nm with high crystallinity were much more stable than the a-Si:H films. All the results of these measurements varied depending on the film and these results are discussed. Bottom-gate TFTs were fabricated using a pulsed PECVD channel layer and an amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN:H) gate dielectric. The extracted parameters of one of the best TFTs are <i>&mu;_sat</i> &le; 0. 38 cm² V^-1 s^-1, <i>V_t,sat</i> &ge; 7. 3 V, <i>I_on/off</i> > 10⁶, and <i>S</i> < 1 V/decade. These parameters were extracted semi-automatically from the basic Field-Effect Transistor (FET) model using a computer program. Extraction using a more complicated model yielded similar results for mobility and threshold voltage but also gave a large power parameter <i>&alpha;</i> of 2. 31 and conduction band tail slope of 30 meV. The TFT performance and material properties are presented and discussed. On this first attempt at fabricating TFTs using a nc-Si:H channel layer deposited by pulsed PECVD, results were obtained which are consistent with results for low temperature a-Si:H TFTs and previous pulsed PECVD TFTs. The channel layer was mostly amorphous and non-crystalline, possibly due to the amorphous substrate or insufficient hydrogen dilution in the plasma. The 300 nm films showed, however, that high crystallinity material deposited directly on glass can easily be obtained, and this material showed less degradation under light-soaking than the purely amorphous counterpart. Pulsed PECVD is a promising technique for the growth of nc-Si:H and with further materials development and process optimization for TFTs, it may prove to be useful for the growth of high-quality nc-Si:H TFT channel layers.

Neste trabalho é apresentada a simulação, fabricação e caracterização de filtros interferenciais empregando películas dielétricas amorfas depositadas pela técnica de deposição a vapor assistida por plasma (PECVD) sobre substratos de silício e de Corning Glass (7059). Os dispositivos ópticos foram construídos usando-se processos padrões de microeletrônica e consistiram em camadas periódicas com espessura e índice de refração apropriados para produzir picos da atenuação na transmitância da luz na região visível. Simulações numéricas precedentes foram realizadas baseando-se nas características ópticas das películas dielétricas. Para a caracterização dos filtros interferenciais, uma luz monocromática de um laser de He-Ne, foi injetada nos filtros e a luz obtida na saída foi conduzida então a um detector. O filtro depositado sobre Corning Glass (chamado de filtro vertical) e o filtro depositado sobre silício com cavidades (chamado de filtro suspenso) foram montados sobre dispositivos térmicos e angulares de modo a medir suas respostas à variação angular e térmica. Também, o filtro depositado sobre silício (chamado de filtro horizontal) foi montado sobre um dispositivo térmico, a fim de medir sua resposta à temperatura. Quando os filtros são submetidos a uma mudança na temperatura, uma variação do índice de refração devido ao efeito termo-óptico produz um deslocamento nos picos da atenuação, que podem ser previstos por simulações numéricas. Esta característica permite que estes dispositivos sejam usados como sensores termo-ópticos. Por outro lado, quando o filtro vertical e o filtro suspenso são submetidos a variações angulares entre a normal ao plano do filtro e o feixe de laser, uma variação na potência da luz de saída é produzida. Esta característica permite que estes dispositivos sejam usados como sensores angulares. / In this work, we present the simulation, fabrication and characterization of filters employing amorphous dielectric films deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) technique on crystalline silicon and Corning Glass (7059) substrates. The optical devices were fabricated using standard microelectronic processes and consisted of periodic layers with appropriated thickness and refractive indexes to produce transmittance attenuation peaks in the visible region. For this, previous numerical simulations were realized based in the optical parameters of the dielectric films. For the characterization of the optical interferential filters, a monochromatic light, a He-Ne laser, was projected onto the filters and the transmitted output light was then conducted to a detector. The optical filters were produced on Corning Glass (here called vertical filter) and on silicon substrates. The silicon substrate was etch in KOH solution to form cavities and suspend part of the filter (here called suspended filter). The vertical and suspended filters were mounted on thermo and angular devices that allowed the measurement of the optical power as a function of temperature and angle changes. A second type of filter deposited over a silicon substrate (here called horizontal filter) was mounted on thermoelectric device, in order to control the temperature responses. When the filters are submitted to a change in temperature, a variation of the refractive index is originated in the dielectric film due to the thermo-optic effect (TOE), producing a shift in the attenuation peaks, which can be well predicted by numerical simulations. This characteristic allows these devices to be used as thermo-optic sensors. On the other hand, when the vertical filter and the suspended filter were subjected to an angular shift between the filter\'s normal and the laser, a variation of the output optical power is originated. This characteristic allows these devices to be used as angular sensors.

Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) is a promising material for Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs) offering potentially higher mobilities and improved stability over hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). The slow growth rate of nc-Si:H can be overcome by using pulsed Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD). Pulsed PECVD also reduces powder particle formation in the plasma and provides added degrees of freedom for process optimization. Unlike high frequency PECVD, pulsed PECVD can be scaled to deposit films over large areas with no reduction in performance. For this thesis, silicon thin films were deposited by the pulsed PECVD technique at a temperature of 150 °C and TFTs were made using this material. Radio Frequency (RF) power and silane (SiH₄) flow rate were varied in order to study the effect of different levels of crystallinity on the film. Raman spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), electrical conductivity, Hall mobility, optical band gap, and stability under light-soaking were measured using films of two different thicknesses, 50 nm and 300 nm. From the Raman data we see that the 50 nm films deposited with high hydrogen dilution are mostly amorphous, indicating the presence of a thick incubation layer. The 300nm samples deposited with hydrogen dilution, on the other hand, showed very high crystallinity and conductivity, except for 300-2 which was surprisingly, mostly amorphous. AFM and XRD measurements were also performed to confirm the Raman data and get an estimate for the crystallite grain size in the 300 nm samples. The conductivity was measured for all films, and the Hall mobility and carrier concentration was measured for one of the 300 nm films. The thin samples which are mostly amorphous show low conductivity whereas the thick high crystallinity films show high conductivity, and n-type behaviour possibly due to oxygen doping. The optical gap was also measured using Ultra Violet (UV) light and results indicate the possible presence of small crystallites in the 50 nm films. The conductivity's stability under light-soaking was measured to observe the material's susceptibility to degradation, and the 300 nm with high crystallinity were much more stable than the a-Si:H films. All the results of these measurements varied depending on the film and these results are discussed. Bottom-gate TFTs were fabricated using a pulsed PECVD channel layer and an amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN:H) gate dielectric. The extracted parameters of one of the best TFTs are <i>&mu;_sat</i> &le; 0. 38 cm² V^-1 s^-1, <i>V_t,sat</i> &ge; 7. 3 V, <i>I_on/off</i> > 10⁶, and <i>S</i> < 1 V/decade. These parameters were extracted semi-automatically from the basic Field-Effect Transistor (FET) model using a computer program. Extraction using a more complicated model yielded similar results for mobility and threshold voltage but also gave a large power parameter <i>&alpha;</i> of 2. 31 and conduction band tail slope of 30 meV. The TFT performance and material properties are presented and discussed. On this first attempt at fabricating TFTs using a nc-Si:H channel layer deposited by pulsed PECVD, results were obtained which are consistent with results for low temperature a-Si:H TFTs and previous pulsed PECVD TFTs. The channel layer was mostly amorphous and non-crystalline, possibly due to the amorphous substrate or insufficient hydrogen dilution in the plasma. The 300 nm films showed, however, that high crystallinity material deposited directly on glass can easily be obtained, and this material showed less degradation under light-soaking than the purely amorphous counterpart. Pulsed PECVD is a promising technique for the growth of nc-Si:H and with further materials development and process optimization for TFTs, it may prove to be useful for the growth of high-quality nc-Si:H TFT channel layers.

Vibration control requires high dynamic stiffness in mechanical structures for a reliable performance under extreme conditions. Dynamic stiffness composes the parameters of stiffness (K) and damping (η) that are usually in a trade-off relationship. This thesis study aims to break the trade-off relationship. After identifying the underlying mechanism of damping in composite materials and joint interfaces, this thesis studies the deposition technique and physical characteristics of nano-structured HDS (high dynamic stiffness) composite thick-layer coatings. The HDS composite were created by enlarging the internal grain boundary surface area through reduced grain size in nano scale (≤ 40 nm). The deposition process utilizes a PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition) method combined with the HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) technology. The HDS composite exhibited significantly higher surface hardness and higher elastic modulus compared to Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), yet similar damping property. The HDS composites successfully realized vibration control of cutting tools while applied in their clamping interfaces. Compression preload at essential joint interfaces was found to play a major role in stability of cutting processes and a method was provided for characterizing joint interface properties directly on assembled structures. The detailed analysis of a build-up structure showed that the vibrational mode energy is shifted by varying the joint interface’s compression preload. In a build-up structure, the location shift of vibration mode’s strain energy affects the dynamic responses together with the stiffness and damping properties of joint interfaces. The thesis demonstrates that it is possible to achieve high stiffness and high damping simultaneously in materials and structures. Analysis of the vibrational strain energy distribution was found essential for the success of vibration control.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Description based on contents viewed June 2, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 36).

Neste trabalho é apresentada a simulação, fabricação e caracterização de filtros interferenciais empregando películas dielétricas amorfas depositadas pela técnica de deposição a vapor assistida por plasma (PECVD) sobre substratos de silício e de Corning Glass (7059). Os dispositivos ópticos foram construídos usando-se processos padrões de microeletrônica e consistiram em camadas periódicas com espessura e índice de refração apropriados para produzir picos da atenuação na transmitância da luz na região visível. Simulações numéricas precedentes foram realizadas baseando-se nas características ópticas das películas dielétricas. Para a caracterização dos filtros interferenciais, uma luz monocromática de um laser de He-Ne, foi injetada nos filtros e a luz obtida na saída foi conduzida então a um detector. O filtro depositado sobre Corning Glass (chamado de filtro vertical) e o filtro depositado sobre silício com cavidades (chamado de filtro suspenso) foram montados sobre dispositivos térmicos e angulares de modo a medir suas respostas à variação angular e térmica. Também, o filtro depositado sobre silício (chamado de filtro horizontal) foi montado sobre um dispositivo térmico, a fim de medir sua resposta à temperatura. Quando os filtros são submetidos a uma mudança na temperatura, uma variação do índice de refração devido ao efeito termo-óptico produz um deslocamento nos picos da atenuação, que podem ser previstos por simulações numéricas. Esta característica permite que estes dispositivos sejam usados como sensores termo-ópticos. Por outro lado, quando o filtro vertical e o filtro suspenso são submetidos a variações angulares entre a normal ao plano do filtro e o feixe de laser, uma variação na potência da luz de saída é produzida. Esta característica permite que estes dispositivos sejam usados como sensores angulares. / In this work, we present the simulation, fabrication and characterization of filters employing amorphous dielectric films deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) technique on crystalline silicon and Corning Glass (7059) substrates. The optical devices were fabricated using standard microelectronic processes and consisted of periodic layers with appropriated thickness and refractive indexes to produce transmittance attenuation peaks in the visible region. For this, previous numerical simulations were realized based in the optical parameters of the dielectric films. For the characterization of the optical interferential filters, a monochromatic light, a He-Ne laser, was projected onto the filters and the transmitted output light was then conducted to a detector. The optical filters were produced on Corning Glass (here called vertical filter) and on silicon substrates. The silicon substrate was etch in KOH solution to form cavities and suspend part of the filter (here called suspended filter). The vertical and suspended filters were mounted on thermo and angular devices that allowed the measurement of the optical power as a function of temperature and angle changes. A second type of filter deposited over a silicon substrate (here called horizontal filter) was mounted on thermoelectric device, in order to control the temperature responses. When the filters are submitted to a change in temperature, a variation of the refractive index is originated in the dielectric film due to the thermo-optic effect (TOE), producing a shift in the attenuation peaks, which can be well predicted by numerical simulations. This characteristic allows these devices to be used as thermo-optic sensors. On the other hand, when the vertical filter and the suspended filter were subjected to an angular shift between the filter\'s normal and the laser, a variation of the output optical power is originated. This characteristic allows these devices to be used as angular sensors.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become one of the most interesting allotropes of carbon due to their intriguing mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. The synthesis and electron emission properties of CNT arrays have been investigated in this work. Vertically aligned CNTs of different densities were synthesized on copper substrate with catalyst dots patterned by nanosphere lithography. The CNTs synthesized with catalyst dots patterned by spheres of 500 nm diameter exhibited the best electron emission properties with the lowest turn-on/threshold electric fields and the highest field enhancement factor. Furthermore, CNTs were treated with NH3 plasma for various durations and the optimum enhancement was obtained for a plasma treatment of 1.0 min. CNT point emitters were also synthesized on a flat-tip or a sharp-tip to understand the effect of emitter geometry on the electron emission. The experimental results show that electron emission can be enhanced by decreasing the screening effect of the electric field by neighboring CNTs. In another part of the dissertation, vertically aligned CNTs were synthesized on stainless steel (SS) substrates with and without chemical etching or catalyst deposition. The density and length of CNTs were determined by synthesis time. For a prolonged growth time, the catalyst activity terminated and the plasma started etching CNTs destructively. CNTs with uniform diameter and length were synthesized on SS substrates subjected to chemical etching for a period of 40 minutes before the growth. The direct contact of CNTs with stainless steel allowed for the better field emission performance of CNTs synthesized on pristine SS as compared to the CNTs synthesized on Ni/Cr coated SS. Finally, fabrication of large arrays of free-standing vertically aligned CNT/SnO2 core-shell structures was explored by using a simple wet-chemical route. The structure of the SnO2 nanoparticles was studied by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that a uniform layer of SnO2 is conformally coated on every tapered CNT. The strong adhesion of CNTs with SS guaranteed the formation of the core-shell structures of CNTs with SnO2 or other metal oxides, which are expected to have applications in chemical sensors and lithium ion batteries.