Quantitative sub-surface and non-contact imaging using scanning microwave microscopy

The capability of scanning microwave microscopy for calibrated sub-surface and non-contact capacitance imaging of silicon (Si) samples is quantitatively studied at broadband frequencies ranging from 1 to 20 GHz. Calibrated capacitance images of flat Si test samples with varying dopant density (10 15 –10 19 atoms cm −3 ) and covered with dielectric thin films of SiO 2 (100–400 nm thickness) are measured to demonstrate the sensitivity of scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) for sub-surface imaging. Using standard SMM imaging conditions the dopant areas could still be sensed under a 400 nm thick oxide layer. Non-contact SMM imaging in lift-mode and constant height mode is quantitatively demonstrated on a 50 nm thick SiO 2 test pad. The differences between non-contact and contact mode capacitances are studied with respect to the main parameters influencing the imaging contrast, namely the probe tip diameter and the tip–sample distance. F...

Georg Gramse, Enrico Brinciotti, Andrea Lucibello, Samadhan B. Patil, Manuel Kasper, Christian Rankl, Rajiv Giridharagopal, Peter Hinterdorfer, Romolo Marcelli and Ferry Kienberger

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Single layer graphene electrodes for quantum dot-light emitting diodes

Single layer graphene was employed as the electrode in quantum dot-light emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) to replace indium tin oxide (ITO). The graphene layer demonstrated low surface roughness, good hole injection ability, and proper work function matching with the poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) layer. Together with the hole transport layer and electron transport layer, the fabricated QD-LED showed good current efficiency and power efficiency, which were even higher than an ITO-based similar device under low current density. The result indicates that graphene can be used as anodes to replace ITO in QD-LEDs.

Long Yan, Yu Zhang, Xiaoyu Zhang, Jia Zhao, Yu Wang, Tieqiang Zhang, Yongheng Jiang, Wenzhu Gao, Jingzhi Yin, Jun Zhao and William W Yu

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Nanoscale morphology of multilayer PbTe/CdTe heterostructures and its effect on photoluminescence properties

We study nanoscale morphology of PbTe/CdTe multilayer heterostuctures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on hybrid GaAs/CdTe (100) substrates. Nominally, the structures consist of 25 repetitions of subsequently deposited CdTe and PbTe layers with comparable thicknesses of 21 and 8 nm, respectively. However, the morphology of the resulting structures crucially depends on the growth temperature. The two-dimensional layered, superlattice-like character of the structures remains preserved only when grown at low substrate temperatures, such as 230 °C. The samples grown at the slightly elevated temperature of 270 °C undergo a morphological transformation to structures consisting of CdTe and PbTe pillars and columns oriented perpendicular to the substrate. Although the pillar-like objects are of various shapes and dimensions these structures exhibit exceptionally strong photoluminescence in the near infrared spectral region. At the higher growth temperature of 310 °C, PbTe and CdTe separat...



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Effect of structure on the tribology of ultrathin graphene and graphene oxide films

The friction and wear properties of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) with varying C/O ratio were investigated using friction force microscopy. When applied as solid lubricants between a sliding contact of a silicon (Si) tip and a SiO 2 /Si substrate, graphene and ultrathin GO films (as thin as 1–2 atomic layers) were found to reduce friction by ∼6 times and ∼2 times respectively as compared to the unlubricated contact. The differences in measured friction were attributed to different interfacial shear strengths. Ultrathin films of GO with a low C/O ratio of ∼2 were found to wear easily under small normal load. The onset of wear, and the location of wear initiation, is attributed to differences in the local shear strength of the sliding interface as a result of the non-homogeneous surface structure of GO. While the exhibited low friction of GO as compared to SiO 2 makes it an economically viable coating for micro/nano-electro-mechanical systems with the potentia...

Hang Chen and Tobin Filleter

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Morphological and chemical stability of silicon nanostructures and their molecular overlayers under physiological conditions: towards long-term implantable nanoelectronic biosensors

Background: The detection of biological and chemical species is of key importance to numerous areas of medical and life sciences. Therefore, a great interest exists in developing new, rapid, miniature, biocompatible and highly sensitive sensors, capable to operate under physiological conditions and displaying long-term stabilities (e.g. in-body implantable sensors). Silicon nanostructures, nanowires and nanotubes, have been extensively explored as building blocks for the creation of improved electrical biosensing devices, by virtue of their remarkably high surface-to-volume ratios, and have shown exceptional sensitivity for the real time label-free detection of molecular species adsorbed on their surfaces, down to the sensitivity of single molecules.Yet, till this date, almost no rigorous studies have been performed on the temporal morphological stability of these nanostructures, and their resulting electrical devices, under physiological conditions (e.g. serum, blood), as well as on the chemical stability of the molecular recognition over-layers covering these structures. Results: Here, we present systematic time-resolved results on the morphological stability of bare Si nanowire building blocks, as well on the chemical stability of siloxane-based molecular over-layers, under physiological conditions. Furthermore, in order to overcome the observed short-term morpho-chemical instabilities, we present on the chemical passivation of the Si nanostructures by thin metal oxide nanoshells, in the range of 3-10 nm. The thickness of the metal oxide layer influences on the resulting electrical sensitivity of the fabricated FETs (field effect transistors), with an optimum thickness of 3-4 nm. Conclusions: The core-shell structures display remarkable long-term morphological stability, preventing both, the chemical hydrolytic dissolution of the silicon under-structure and the concomitant loss of the siloxane-based chemical over-layers, for periods of at least several months. Electrical devices constructed from these nanostructures display excellent electrical characteristics and detection sensitivities, with exceptionally high morphological and functional stabilities. These results pave the road for the creation of long-term implantable biosensing devices in general, and nanodevices in particular.

Anna Peled

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