This paper presents the performance study of a 248 GHz voltage-controlled hetero-integrated signal source using indium phosphide (InP)-on-bipolar complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology. The source consists of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) in 0.25 µm BiCMOS technology and a frequency multiplier in 0.8 µm transferred-substrate InP-heterojunction bipolar transistor technology, which is integrated on top of the BiCMOS monolithic microwave integrated circuit in a wafer-level based benzocyclobutene bonding process. The vertical transitions from BiCMOS to InP in this process exhibit broadband properties with insertion losses below 0.5 dB up to 325 GHz. The VCO operates at 82.7 GHz with an output power of 6 dBm and the combined circuit delivers −9 dBm at 248 GHz with 1.22% tuning range. The phase noise of the combined circuit is −85 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. The measured output return loss of the hetero-integrated source is >10 dB within a broad frequency range. This result shows the potential of the hetero integrated process for THz frequencies.

The paper presents millimeter-wave (mm-wave) signal sources using a hetero-integrated InP-on-BiCMOS semiconductor technology. Mm-wave signal sources feature fundamental frequency voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) in BiCMOS, which drive frequency multiplier–amplifier chains in transferred-substrate (TS) InP-DHBT technology, heterogeneously integrated on top of the BiCMOS wafer in a wafer-level bonding process. Both circuits are biased through a single set of bias pads and compact low-loss transitions from BiCMOS to InP circuits and vice versa have been developed, which allows seamless signal routing through both technologies exhibiting 0.5 dB insertion loss up to 200 GHz. One VCO operates at 82 GHz with a tuning range of 600 MHz and an output power of approximately 8 dBm. A frequency doubler combined with this VCO circuit delivers 0 dBm at 164 GHz and a frequency tripler with a similar VCO delivers −10 dBm at 246 GHz. Another hetero-integrated W-band doubler–amplifier circuit demonstrates 12.9 dBm saturated output power with 5.9 dB conversion gain at 96 GHz. A direct comparison of the TS InP-DHBT MMIC with either silicon or traditional AlN carrier substrates shows the favorable properties of the hetero-integrated process discussed here. The results demonstrate the feasibility of hetero-integrated circuits operating well above 100 GHz.

Ge-Sb-Te (GST) thin films were deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HW CVD). Several precursor sets (tetraethylgermanium - trimethylantimony - dimethyltellurium (TEGe-TMSb-DMTe), tetraisopropylgermanium - triisopropylantimony - di-tertiarybutyltellurium (TiPGe-TiPSb-DtBTe) and tetraallylgermanium - triisopropylantimony - diisopropyltellurium (TAGe-TiPSb-DiPTe)) were tested for CVD. For the TEGe-TMSb-DMTe precursor set tellurium and germanium could be detected in the films for all deposition temperatures investigated, while Sb was found only in the films deposited at elevated temperature higher than 550 °C. The deposition temperature could be reduced by using two other precursor sets (TiPGe-TiPSb-DtBTe and TAGe-TiPSb-DiPTe). The Ge content, however, could not be sufficiently increased to obtain stoichiometric Ge2Sb2Te5 films. Therefore, the hot wire or catalytic method was applied to improve the decomposition of the precursors. In this case, the desired composition (e.g. Ge2Sb2Te5) was obtained at each investigated temperature by adjusting dosing and deposition parameters. Additionally, film roughness (as low as 2 nm) and deposition rates could be optimized by adjusting deposition temperature and pressure.

In this study, we investigated the growth of silicon nanowires forced by small gallium droplet templates. Those gallium islands previously were deposited by a modified PECVD method. Two different delivery techniques of the trimethylgallium precursor (TMGa) were tested regarding their applicability. On the one hand standard liquid delivery was performed, on the other the precursor was transported by vapor draw out of the heated bubbler. The TMGa then was pulsed into the carrier gas flow. The effects on the deposited islands of both delivery methods were compared. As substrates <111> oriented p-doped silicon wafers were used. For the subsequent growth of the silicon wires similarly PECVD was used as growth method. Silane served as precursor. Argon and hydrogen were used as plasma enhanced gases. The effects of the Ga particles deposited by both process modes upon the generated wires were analyzed.

In this paper the deposition and morphological characterization of gallium island structures on silicon and first results of silicon wire growth assisted by the created gallium droplets is presented. The islands and wires were grown on (111)-oriented single crystalline p-doped silicon substrates by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MW PECVD) using trimethylgallium (TMGa) and silane (SiH4) as precursors for island and wire growth, respectively. The samples were investigated by SEM, EDS, XPS, and AFM.

Thin iridium films are required as electrode material for ferroelectric capacitors. SBT or PZT are often used as ferroelectric material in such capacitors. The PZT based non-volatile ferroelectric random access memories show better fatigue characteristics if platinum is replaced by iridium as electrode material. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) was used for the deposition because of the superior step coverage on three-dimensional structures compared to the conventional physical vapor deposition processes of metal layers. Particularly, in memory fabrication, good step coverage is essential. The iridium films were deposited on different substrates at temperatures of 300 – 500 °C by liquid-delivery MOCVD. The precursor Ir(EtCp)(1,5COD) [iridium(ethylcyclopentadienyl)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)] was diluted in toluene (0.1 M concentration) for the deposition experiments. The iridium films were deposited onto TiO2/SiO2/Si-, SiO2/Si-, and Si-substrates to compare the iridium film properties on different substrates. The growth conditions like oxygen flow, growth temperature, and reactor pressure were varied. The growth rates were in a range between 0.05 and 4.6 nm per minute. We found that the growth rates were highly influenced by the oxygen flow and the substrate material. Oxygen assisted the decomposition of the precursor, and carbon and hydrogen of the organic source were oxidized, which suppressed its incorporation into the iridium layer. Annealing in an oxidizing ambient at temperatures above 700 °C resulted in an increased oxidation of the films as proved by XRD analyses. The resistivity of the films was determined by the Van-der-Pauw method. Low resistivities of 7 – 70 µΩcm were obtained for the as-deposited iridium films.

In this study lead zirkonat titanate (PZT) thin films were deposited using direct liquid injection metal organic chemical vapor deposition (DLI-MOCVD).

The chemical states and the stoichiometry of PZT-films were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The crystal structure of the films was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD).

The surface composition of the films was Pb : Zr : Ti = 1.05 : 0.52 : 0.48, which indicates that the deposited films had a stoichiometric PZT composition. 130 nm thick PZT films deposited on Ir showed <110> preferred orientation.

The main role for formation of the perovsktive PZT films plays the content of the lead in the deposited films. Lead deficiency causes the formation of the pyrochlore phase with poor electrical properties. In films with a significant excess of lead a second PbO phase appeared that can be observed even with naked eyes. Negligible excess of lead can be reduced by post-deposition annealing at 500-600 °C.

The Ir/PZT/Ir capacitor showed large values of the remanent polarisation of about 60μC/cm2 at an applied voltage of 3 V. So high value of the remanent polarisation can be induced by structural stress in the films. After ten switch impulses the values of the remanent polarisation have significantly decreased. This is probably due to a relaxation of crystal cells.