We report here the fabrication and characterization of GaAs tunnel diode (TD) and ErAs nanoparticles (Nps) enhanced GaAs TD. Four GaAs TDs with different contact area were fabricated by using MOCVD. We found extremely high peak current density of ∼250A/cm2 for the TD with r=0.25mm contact area. Moreover a hysteresis loop was appeared during sweeping up and sweeping down the external voltage. A ‘vector load line model’ was proposed to explain the origin of the shape of the hysteresis loop and the onset of the bistability occurred at the intersect of the loadline and the current-voltage (I-V) curve of TD. Meanwhile, we have grown ErAs Nps on GaAs(100) surface by using MBE and succeeded in overgrowth of GaAs after ErAs deposition. GaAs(p+)/ErAs(Nps)/GaAs(n+) TDs were fabricated and characterized. We found the GaAs sample containing 70s deposition of ErAs showed the best TD behavior. No TD behavior was observed for the sample without addition of ErAs Nps, clearly indicating the strong tunneling enhancement effect from ErAs Nps.

Fracture tests have been carried out for an electroless deposited Ni-P amorphous alloy thin film with different crack growth directions. Cantilever beam type specimens with dimensions of 10 × 10 × 50 μm3 were prepared from a Ni-P amorphous thin film and notches with different directions, which are perpendicular and parallel to the deposition growth direction, were introduced by focused ion beam machining. Fatigue pre-cracks were introduced ahead of the notches. Fracture tests were performed using a mechanical testing machine for micro-sized specimens. Fracture behavior is different between the two types of specimens. As K IC values were not obtained because the criteria of plane strain were not satisfied for this size of the specimen, the provisional fracture toughness K Q values were determined. The K Q value of the specimen with crack propagation direction being perpendicular to the deposition growth direction was 4.2 MPam1/2, while that with crack propagation direction being parallel to the deposition growth direction was 7.3 MPam1/2. This result suggests that the electroless deposited Ni-P amorphous alloy thin film has anisotropic fracture properties.