Nucleation kinetics of SrTiO3 3D islands and nanorings on Si substrates.

The nucleation of SrTiO3 three-dimensional (3D) islands and nanorings on Si substrates via a novel metalorganic decomposition (MOD) process has been investigated as a function of temperature and solution concentration of the SrTi(OC3H7)6 precursor. Quantitative analysis of island density and size distribution by atomic force microscopy (AFM) has revealed the existence of a nucleation regime at solution concentrations below 5 × 10(-3) M, in which the critical nucleus is a trimer and a coalescence regime at higher concentrations, dominated by growth of immobile clusters. Nanorings form preferentially under high supersaturation conditions and their size distribution is consistent with a dynamic coalescence.

Thermal stability of HfO2-on-GaAs nanopatterns.

We have evaluated the effect of thermal annealing on the morphology, crystalline phase and elemental composition of high-k dielectric HfO(2)-on-GaAs nanopatterns at 500-620 °C by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). While the HfO(2)-GaAs interface continues to be atomically abrupt at 620 °C, we have found a gradual shrinkage in the pattern linewidth and period with increasing temperature. Facet formation triggered by a nanoscale-modulated sequence of tensile and compressive stresses on the GaAs substrate, observed at 620 °C, has been attributed to a volumetric expansion of the HfO(2) nanostructures, caused by the tetragonal/cubic to monoclinic HfO(2) phase transformation and, to a lesser extent, by solid-state diffusion of As into HfO(2).

Fabrication of HfO2 patterns by laser interference nanolithography and selective dry etching for III-V CMOS application.

Nanostructuring of ultrathin HfO2 films deposited on GaAs (001) substrates by high-resolution Lloyd's mirror laser interference nanolithography is described. Pattern transfer to the HfO2 film was carried out by reactive ion beam etching using CF4 and O2 plasmas. A combination of atomic force microscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis was used to characterise the various etching steps of the process and the resulting HfO2/GaAs pattern morphology, structure, and chemical composition.