Optical Characterization Of Epitaxial Semiconductor Layers

The characterization of epitaxial layers and their surfaces has benefitted a lot from the enormous progress of optical analysis techniques during the last decade. In particular, the dramatic improvement of the structural quality of semiconductor epilayers and heterostructures results to a great deal from the level of sophistication achieved with such analysis techniques. First of all, optical techniques are nondestructive and their sensitivity has been improved to such an extent that nowadays the epilayer analysis can be performed on layers with thicknesses on the atomic scale. Furthermore, the spatial and temporal resolution have been pushed to such limits that real time observation of surface processes during epitaxial growth is possible with techniques like reflectance difference spectroscopy. Of course, optical spectroscopies complement techniques based on the inter action of electrons with matter, but whereas the latter usually require high or ultrahigh vacuum conditions, the former ones can be applied in different environments as well. This advantage could turn out extremely important for a rather technological point of view, i.e. for the surveillance of modern semiconductor processes. Despite the large potential of techniques based on the interaction of electromagnetic waves with surfaces and epilayers, optical techniques are apparently moving only slowly into this area of technology. One reason for this might be that some prejudices still exist regarding their sensitivity.

Silicon-based microelectronics has steadily improved in various performance-to-cost metrics. But after decades of processor scaling, fundamental limitations and considerable new challenges have emerged. The integration of compound semiconductors is the leading candidate to address many of these issues and to continue the relentless pursuit of more powerful, cost-effective processors. III-V Compound Semiconductors: Integration with Silicon-Based Microelectronics covers recent progress in this area, addressing the two major revolutions occurring in the semiconductor industry: integration of compound semiconductors into Si microelectronics, and their fabrication on large-area Si substrates. The authors present a scientific and technological exploration of GaN, GaAs, and III-V compound semiconductor devices within Si microelectronics, building a fundamental foundation to help readers deal with relevant design and application issues. Explores silicon-based CMOS applications developed within the cutting-edge DARPA program Providing an overview of systems, devices, and their component materials, this book: Describes structure, phase diagrams, and physical and chemical properties of III-V and Si materials, as well as integration challenges Focuses on the key merits of GaN, including its importance in commercializing a new class of power diodes and transistors Analyzes more traditional III-V materials, discussing their merits and drawbacks for device integration with Si microelectronics Elucidates properties of III-V semiconductors and describes approaches to evaluate and characterize their attributes Introduces novel technologies for the measurement and evaluation of material quality and device properties Investigates state-of-the-art optical devices, LEDs, Si photonics, high-speed, high-power III-V materials and devices, III-V solar cell devices, and more Assembling the work of renowned experts, this is a reference for scientists and engineers working at the intersection of Si and compound semiconductor technology. Its comprehensive coverage is valuable for both students and experts in this burgeoning field.

The papers published in these proceedings represent the latest developments in Nondestructive Characterization of Materials and were presented at the Eleventh International Symposium on Nondestructive Characterization of Materials held in June 24-28, 2002 in Berlin, Germany.

Heteroepitaxy has evolved rapidly in recent years. With each new wave of material/substrate combinations, our understanding of how to control crystal growth becomes more refined. Most books on the subject focus on a specific material or material family, narrowly explaining the processes and techniques appropriate for each. Surveying the principles common to all types of semiconductor materials, Heteroepitaxy of Semiconductors: Theory, Growth, and Characterization is the first comprehensive, fundamental introduction to the field. This book reflects our current understanding of nucleation, growth modes, relaxation of strained layers, and dislocation dynamics without emphasizing any particular material. Following an overview of the properties of semiconductors, the author introduces the important heteroepitaxial growth methods and provides a survey of semiconductor crystal surfaces, their structures, and nucleation. With this foundation, the book provides in-depth descriptions of mismatched heteroepitaxy and lattice strain relaxation, various characterization tools used to monitor and evaluate the growth process, and finally, defect engineering approaches. Numerous examples highlight the concepts while extensive micrographs, schematics of experimental setups, and graphs illustrate the discussion. Serving as a solid starting point for this rapidly evolving area, Heteroepitaxy of Semiconductors: Theory, Growth, and Characterization makes the principles of heteroepitaxy easily accessible to anyone preparing to enter the field.

The updated and enlarged new edition of this book provides an introduction to and an overview of semiconductor optics from the IR through the visible to the UV. It includes coverage of linear and nonlinear optical properties, dynamics, magneto- and electrooptics, high-excitation effects, some applications, experimental techniques and group theory. The mathematics is kept as elementary as possible. The subjects covered extend from physics to materials science and optoelectronics. New or updated chapters add coverage of current topics, while the chapters on bulk materials have been revised and updated.

This new edition provides a state-of-the-art survey of ellipsometric methods used to study organic films and surfaces, from laboratory to synchrotron applications, with a special focus on in-situ use in processing environments and at solid-liquid interfaces. Thanks to the development of functional organic, meta- and hybrid materials for new optical, electronic, sensing and biotechnological devices, the ellipsometric analysis of optical and material properties has made tremendous strides over the past few years. The second edition has been updated to reflect the latest advances in ellipsometric methods. The new content focuses on the study of anisotropic materials, conjugated polymers, polarons, self-assembled monolayers, industrial membranes, adsorption of proteins, enzymes and RGD-peptides, as well as the correlation of ellipsometric spectra to structure and molecular interactions.

Characterization of Semiconductor Heterostructures and Nanostructures is structured so that each chapter is devoted to a specific characterization technique used in the understanding of the properties (structural, physical, chemical, electrical etc..) of semiconductor quantum wells and superlattices. An additional chapter is devoted to ab initio modeling. The book has two basic aims. The first is educational, providing the basic concepts of each of the selected techniques with an approach understandable by advanced students in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Engineering, Nanotechnology. The second aim is to provide a selected set of examples from the recent literature of the TOP results obtained with the specific technique in understanding the properties of semiconductor heterostructures and nanostructures. Each chapter has this double structure: the first part devoted to explain the basic concepts, and the second to the discussion of the most peculiar and innovative examples. The topic of quantum wells, wires and dots should be seen as a pretext of applying top level characterization techniques in understanding the structural, electronic etc properties of matter at the nanometer (and even sub-nanometer) scale. In this respect it is an essential reference in the much broader, and extremely hot, field of Nanotechnology. Comprehensive collection of the most powerful characterization techniques for semiconductors heterostructures and nanostructures Most of the chapters are authored by scientists that are world-wide among the top-ten in publication ranking of the specific field Each chapter starts with a didactic introduction on the technique The second part of each chapters deals with a selection of top examples highlighting the power of the specific technique to analyse the properties of semiconductors heterostructures and nanostructures