Nano-mapping Material Interfaces via Hot Electrons

,
,

Keywords: , , , ,

As devices shrink below 100 nm in size, nanoscale imperfections (due to defects and doping) at material interfaces become significant perturbations to ideal device characteristics and in some cases can dominate the device behavior. Of increasing importance therefore is the ability to measure local variations in the critical material interface of a device with nanometer resolution and correlate them to the overall device behavior. Toward this end, we have developed a dual-parameter technique to map Schottky-like interfaces with nanometer lateral resolution based on hot electron spectroscopy. Here, we present results of this method of analysis on various technologically relevant interface systems, highlighting the particular sensitivity for detecting changes in device behavior due to nanoscale imperfections. Such analyses are expected to provide crucial insights into how the combination of materials and the use of different processing conditions affect the performance of nanodevices.

PDF of paper:


Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 1, Nanotechnology 2011: Advanced Materials, CNTs, Particles, Films and Composites
Published: June 13, 2011
Pages: 28 - 31
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topic: Materials Characterization & Imaging
ISBN: 978-1-4398-7142-3