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

该材料世界网络项目是得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校和卢森堡Recherche Public-Gabriel Lippmann中心材料分析实验室的联合研究和教育活动，旨在探索超薄非晶膜是如何在化学和物理沉积方法中形成及其功能的。研究探索B-C-N(B-C-N)三元化合物，因为这种非氧化物陶瓷材料可以通过不同的成分和成键生长，这反过来又会影响薄膜材料的性能。这种超薄膜在微电子器件封装中作为铜的扩散阻挡层和在纳米电子器件中作为纳米线器件的钝化膜具有相当大的潜力。得奖后，得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的研究小组将研究：1)膜内和控制势垒和扩散特性的界面上的分子键合；2)膜在什么厚度上变得连续，膜在什么厚度上不再起阻挡作用；3)非晶膜是如何从氧化物、半导体和金属表面成核和生长的；4)膜内和界面上的化学键的性质如何影响界面陷阱和载流子迁移率。卢森堡的研究团队将研究：1)物理沉积条件，以获得介电常数可调的非晶态和晶态薄膜；2)铜在薄膜中的扩散机制；3)开发表征2-5 nm厚薄膜材料特性的方法；4)加强薄膜与铜、钴、钨和钽等金属之间结合的方法。%由于碳氮化硼三元化合物可以通过不同的成分和键生长或加工，因此它们的材料性能可以进行调整，包括结晶度、显微结构、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。这些活动以及从卢森堡到奥斯汀德克萨斯大学的学生和教职员工计划的研究活动将使学生和教职员工接触到不同的科学学科和文化，并使他们了解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、对话和思想交流。美国学生将在为期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的设备，如传感器和微电子，并向普通公众和大学预科学生介绍这些概念。展览将通过德克萨斯大学赞助的各种场馆进行展示。

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.