Toward the Super Temporal Resolution Image Sensor with a Germanium Photodiode for Visible Light.

The theoretical temporal resolution limit tT of a silicon photodiode (Si PD) is 11.1 ps. We call "super temporal resolution" the temporal resolution that is shorter than that limit. To achieve this resolution, Germanium is selected as a candidate material for the photodiode (Ge PD) for visible light since the absorption coefficient of Ge for the wavelength is several tens of times higher than that of Si, allowing a very thin PD. On the other hand, the saturation drift velocity of electrons in Ge is about 2/3 of that in Si. The ratio suggests an ultra-short propagation time of electrons in the Ge PD. However, the diffusion coefficient of electrons in Ge is four times higher than that of Si. Therefore, Monte Carlo simulations were applied to analyze the temporal resolution of the Ge PD. The estimated theoretical temporal resolution limit is 0.26 ps, while the practical limit is 1.41 ps. To achieve a super temporal resolution better than 11.1 ps, the driver circuit must operate at least 100 GHz. It is thus proposed to develop, at first, a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) ultra-high-speed image sensor with a thicker and wider Ge PD, and then gradually decrease the size along with the progress of the driver circuits.

Advancement of X-ray radiography using microfocus X-ray source in conjunction with amplitude grating and SOI pixel detector, SOPHIAS.

We show how to improve microfocus X-ray radiography by using the SOPHIAS silicon-on-insulator pixel detector in conjunction with an amplitude grating. Single-exposure multi-energy absorption and differential phase contrast imaging was performed using the single amplitude grating method. The sensitivity in differential phase contrast imaging in a two-pixel-pitch setup was enhanced by 39% in comparison with the previously reported method [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 113702 (2010).] by analyzing charge-sharing effects. Small-angle-scattering imaging was also possible in the two-pixel-pitch setup by counting the number of X-ray photons passing the pixel boundaries.

Two dimensional x-ray phase imaging using single grating interferometer with embedded x-ray targets.

Using multidot metal targets embedded in a diamond substrate, we created a single-grating Talbot-Lau interferometer and used it to capture two dimensional (2D) x-ray phase images. The ensemble of these targets constitutes a tiny virtual array of x-ray source and enables x-ray phase-contrast imaging with no source or absorption grating within a 1 m source-detector distance for 8 keV x-rays. We directly resolved a dot-pattern self-image of the phase grating with 6 µm pitch by using an x-ray image detector with 24 µm pixels and obtained 2D differential-phase and dark-field images from a single-exposure. Using the 2D differential-phase images, we also obtained a phase image with no streak artifacts.

Design and demonstration of phase gratings for 2D single grating interferometer.

In this study, we examined five types of phase gratings in a two-dimensional (2D) single grating interferometer with multidot metal targets embedded in a diamond substrate. For a phase grating consisting of two stacked 1D π/2-phase gratings and a checkerboard π-phase grating the multidot-pattern self-images with high visibility (40%) were obtained as expected from simulations. In addition to an absorption image, differential phase contrast and dark-field images in both x and y directions were derived from a single image. We also examined face-centered-square multidot metal targets, which doubled the x-ray intensity, and obtained differential phase contrast images in both x and y directions.

X-ray phase contrast imaging by compact Talbot-Lau interferometer with a single transmission grating.

We performed x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) by Talbot-Lau interferometer using only a single transmission grating. Multiline metal targets embedded in a diamond substrate were irradiated with electrons to generate an array of x-ray lines of 1 µm width, which allowed XPCI within a 1 m source-detector distance in a configuration without a source or absorption grating. We directly resolved the self-image of the phase grating of 3 µm pitch using an x-ray image detector of 24 µm pixel size and successfully obtained absorption, differential phase, and dark-field images for 8 keV x rays.

Hard x-ray phase contrast imaging using a tabletop Talbot-Lau interferometer with multiline embedded x-ray targets.

We demonstrate hard x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) using a tabletop Talbot-Lau interferometer in which the x-ray source and source grating are replaced with an x-ray source with multiline metal targets embedded in a diamond substrate. This source realizes an array of linear x-ray sources of a few micrometers width without fabrication difficulty because of the shallow penetration depth of electrons irradiated to the metal targets. This enhances the coherence of x rays from each linear source and allows XPCI within 45 cm source-detector distance under 1.2 W input power for 8 keV x rays.

Electrical characteristics of Ge-based metal-insulator-semiconductor devices with Ge3N4 dielectrics formed by plasma nitridation.

We have fabricated pure germanium nitrides (Ge3N4) using high-density plasma nitridation and investigated electrical properties of Au/Ge3N4/Ge capacitors. We achieved equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of 1.4 nm, and dielectric constant of Ge3N4 was estimated to be 9.7. The gate leakage current density of 4.3 A/cm2 in the accumulation condition at V(fb)-1 V, where V(fb) is the flatband voltage, was one order of magnitude lower than that of conventional poly-Si/SiO2/Si stacks. The interface state density (D(it)) of Ge3N4/Ge interfaces evaluated by a low-temperature conductance method exhibited a minimum value of 9.4 x 10(11) cm(-2)eV(-1) at E - E(v) = 0.27 eV. Furthermore, the insulating property and interface quality of Ge3N4/Ge system was found to be thermally stable up to 650 degrees C. These results indicate that Ge3N4 is a promising candidate for either a gate insulator or an interfacial layer under high-k dielectrics for Ge-MIS devices.

Surface cleaning and etching of 4H-SiC(0001) using high-density atmospheric pressure hydrogen plasma.

We propose low-damage and high-efficiency treatment of 4H-SiC(0001) surfaces using atmospheric pressure (AP) hydrogen plasma. Hydrogen radicals generated by the AP plasma was found to effectively remove damaged layers on SiC wafers and improve surface morphology by isotropic etching. Localized high-density AP plasma generated with a cylindrical rotary electrode provides a high etching rate of 1.6 microm/min and yields smooth morphology by eliminating surface corrugation and scratches introduced by wafer slicing and lapping procedures. However, high-rate etching with localized plasma was found to cause an inhomogeneous etching profile depending on the plasma density and re-growth of the poly-Si layer at the downstream due to the decomposition of the vaporized SiH(x) products. On the other hand, for the purpose of achieving moderate etching and ideal cleaning of SiC surfaces, we demonstrated the application of a novel porous carbon electrode to form delocalized and uniform AP plasma over 4 inches in diameter. We obtained a reasonably moderate etching rate of 0.1 microm/min and succeeded in fabricating damage-free SiC surfaces.

Electronic structure characterization of La incorporated Hf-based high-k gate dielectrics by NEXAFS.

The electronic structures of lanthunum (La) incorporated hafnium (Hf)-based oxides (HfLaO) and their silicate (HfLaSiO) films were investigated by the Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) technique. The oxygen (O) K-edge spectra, which reflected the hybridized Hf 5d state with the O 2p orbital, were found to reveal features of the unoccupied state of the metal oxides, as well as the conduction-band edge. We also found that, while La incorporation into the Hf-based oxides simply changed the features of the conduction-band structure, subsequent thermal annealing of the La-incorporated films led to a conduction-band edge shift due to an interface silicate reaction and/or local bond rearrangement depending on the La concentration and annealing temperature. The impact of La incorporation into the Hf-based high-k materials on the electronic structure is discussed by taking into account the intrinsic nature of these metal oxides.

Insight into unusual impurity absorbability of GeO(2) in GeO(2)∕Ge stacks.

Adsorbed species and its diffusion behaviors in GeO(2)∕Ge stacks, which are future alternative metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) materials, have been investigated using various physical analyses. We clarified that GeO(2) rapidly absorbs moisture in air just after its exposure. After the absorbed moisture in GeO(2) reaches a certain limit, the GeO(2) starts to absorb some organic molecules, which is accompanied by a structural change in GeO(2) to form a partial carbonate or hydroxide. We also found that the hydrogen distribution in GeO(2) shows intrinsic characteristics, indicative of different diffusion behaviors at the surface and at the GeO(2)∕Ge interface. Because the impurity absorbability of GeO(2) has a great influence on the electrical properties in Ge-MOS devices, these results provide valuable information in realizing high quality GeO(2)∕Ge stacks for the actual use of Ge-MOS technologies.