Materials World Network: Design, Growth, and Properties of Boron-based Thin Films for Electronics and Nanosized Electronics

这个材料世界网络项目是德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校和卢森堡公共研究中心加布里埃尔·李普曼材料分析实验室之间的联合研究和教育活动，探讨了超薄非晶薄膜如何在化学和物理沉积方法中形成，以及它们如何发挥作用。 这些研究探索了硼-碳-氮（B-C-N）三元化合物，因为这种非氧化陶瓷材料可以以可变的成分和键合生长，这反过来又影响薄膜材料的性能。 该超薄膜在微电子器件封装应用中作为铜的扩散阻挡层和在纳米电子应用中作为基于纳米晶的器件的钝化膜具有相当大的潜力。 有了这个奖项，德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的研究小组将研究：1）薄膜内和界面处控制阻挡和扩散特性的分子键合; 2）薄膜在什么厚度下变得连续，在什么厚度下薄膜不再起阻挡作用; 3）非晶薄膜如何从氧化物，半导体和金属表面成核和生长;以及4）膜内以及在与半导体的界面处的化学键合的性质如何影响界面陷阱和载流子迁移率。 卢森堡的研究小组将研究：1）物理沉积条件，这将导致非晶薄膜与晶体薄膜具有可调的介电常数; 2）铜在薄膜中的扩散机制; 3）开发方法来表征2-5纳米厚薄膜的材料特性;以及4）增强薄膜与金属（如铜，钴，钨和钽）之间的结合的方法。 由于硼碳氮化物三元化合物可以潜在地以可变的组成和键合生长或加工，因此可以调节它们的材料性质，包括结晶度、微观结构、硬度、摩擦学、光学、场发射、热导率和介电常数。 这些材料特性使其成为微电子和纳米电子应用的理想选择。 该奖项将支持德克萨斯州研究生的教学和培训，以及他们前往卢森堡参加由那里的科学家指导的研究活动。 这些活动沿着从卢森堡到得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的学生和教职员工的计划研究活动，将使学生和教职员工接触不同的科学学科和文化，并使他们意识到科学活动的不同方法以及如何解决科学问题。 计划举行年度联合审查会议，以促进合作、对话和交流想法。 美国学生将在持续一个学期的开放式研究项目中指导本科生，并将开发一个展览，解释推动这项研究的革命性和当前设备，如传感器和微电子，并向公众和大学预科生介绍这些概念。 该展览将通过德克萨斯大学赞助的各种场地展出。

This Materials World Network project is a joint research and education activity between the University of Texas at Austin and the Materials Analysis Laboratory of the Centre de Recherche Public-Gabriel Lippmann in Luxembourg that explores how ultra thin amorphous films are formed in chemical and physical deposition approaches and how they function. The studies explore boron-carbon-nitrogen (B-C-N) ternary compounds because this nonoxidic ceramic material can be grown with variable composition and bonding, which in turn affect the thin film materials properties. The ultra thin films have considerable potential in micro-electronics device packaging applications as a diffusion barrier to copper and in nanoelectronics applications as a passivating film for nanowire-based devices. With this award, the research team at the University of Texas at Austin will study: 1) molecular bonding within the film and at the interface that controls the barrier and diffusion properties; 2) at what thickness the films become continuous and at what thickness the films cease to function as a barrier; 3) how the amorphous films nucleate and grow from oxide, semiconductor and metal surfaces; and 4) how the nature of the chemical bonding within the film and at the interface with semiconductors affects interface traps and carrier mobility. The research team in Luxembourg will study: 1) physical deposition conditions that would lead to amorphous versus crystalline films with tunable dielectric constants; 2) copper diffusion mechanisms in the films; 3) developing methods to characterize the material properties of 2-5 nm thick films; and 4) approaches to enhance bonding between the films and metals such as copper, cobalt, tungsten and tantalum. %%%Since boron carbonitride ternary compounds can potentially be grown or processed with variable composition and bonding, their material properties could be adjusted including crystallinity, microstructure, hardness, tribological, optical, field emission, thermal conductivity, and dielectric constant. These material properties make them ideal for microelectronic and nanoelectronic applications. This award will support the teaching and training of graduate students at Texas, and their travel to Luxembourg for research activities mentored by scientists there. These activities along with planned research activities of students and faculty from Luxembourg to University of Texas at Austin will expose the students and faculty to different scientific disciplines and cultures, and make them aware of different approaches to scientific activities and how to resolve scientific problems. Annual joint review meetings are planned to foster collaboration, dialog and exchange of ideas. The US students will mentor undergraduates in open-ended research projects lasting an academic term and will develop an exhibit that would explain the revolutionary and current devices that motivate this research, such as sensors and microelectronics, and introduces these concepts to the general public and to pre-college students. The exhibit will be presented and displayed through a variety of University of Texas sponsored venues.