Q-factor is a reasonable index to investigate the integrity of circuits or devices in terms of their energy or charge storage capabilities. We use this figure of merit to explore the deposition quality of nano-node high-k gate dielectrics by decoupled-plasma nitridation at different temperatures with a fixed nitrogen concentration. This is very important in radio-frequency applications. From the point of view of the Q-factor, the device treated at a higher annealing temperature clearly demonstrates a better Q-factor value. Another interesting observation is the appearance of two troughs in the Q-V_GS characteristics, which are strongly related to either the series parasitic capacitance, the tunneling effect, or both.

In this paper, we propose a dual-fiberoptic Fabry–Perot interferometer (FFPI) sensing system integrated with a low-cost and low-coherence light-emitting diode (LED) as a light source to detect dynamic vibration caused by acoustic waves with a cut-off frequency of 200 Hz. When the acoustic signals are applied, the sensing FFPI on a Styrofoam sheet provides the function of partially transforming the longitudinal energy as the transverse energy generates a phase shift in the sensing FFPI cavity. The light reflected from the sensor is demodulated by the reference FFPI to extract the measurand. The low-power (sub-nW) optical signals are transferred into electrical signals, processed by a designed optical receiver, and recorded for data analysis.

This work primarily focuses on the degradation degree of bulk current (I_B) for 28 nm stacked high-k (HK) n-channel metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), sensed and stressed with the channel-hot-carrier test and the drain-avalanche-hot-carrier test, and uses a lifetime model to extract the lifetime of the tested devices. The results show that when I_B reaches its maximum, the ratio of V_GS/V_DS values at this point, in the meanwhile, gradually increases in the tested devices from the long-channel to the short ones, not just located at one-third to one half. The possible ratiocination is due to the ON-current (I_DS), in which the short-channel devices provide larger I_DS impacting the drain junction and generating more hole carriers at the surface channel near the drain site. In addition, the decrease in I_B after hot-carrier stress is not only the increment in threshold voltage V_T inducing the decrease in I_DS, but also the increment in the recombination rate due to the mechanism of diffusion current. Ultimately, the device lifetime uses Berkley’s model to extract the slope parameter m of the lifetime model. Previous studies have reported m-values ranging from 2.9 to 3.3, but in this case, approximately 1.1. This possibly means that the critical energy of the generated interface state becomes smaller, as is the barrier height of the HK dielectric to the conventional silicon dioxide as the gate oxide.

ZnO thin film was fabricated by thermally oxidized Zn at 600°C for 1 h. A surface containing nanostructured dumbbell and lines was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The ZnO resistor device was formed after the following Ti/Au metallization. The device resistance was characterized at different oxygen pressure environment in the dark and under ultraviolet (UV) light illumination coming from the mercury lamp with a short pass filter. The resistance increases with the increase of oxygen pressure. The resistance decreases and response increases with the increase of light intensity. Models considering the barrier height variation caused by the adsorbed oxygen related species were used to explain these results. The UV light illumination technology shows an effective method to enhance the detection response for this ZnO resistor oxygen sensor.

Photocatalytic study of Zinc Oxide with bismuth doping prepared by spray pyrolysis zinc oxide;bismuth doping;photocatalytic;spray pyrolysis; The unintentionally doped and bismuth (Bi) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) films were prepared by spray pyrolysis at $450^{\circ}C$ with zinc acetate and bismuth nitrate precursor. The n-type conduction with concentration $6.13{\times}10^{16}cm^{-3}$ can be observed for the unintentionally doped ZnO. With the increasing of bismuth nitrate concentration in precursor, the p-type conduction can be observed. The p-type concentration $4.44{\times}10^{17}cm^{-3}$ can be achieved for the film with the Bi/Zn atomic ratio 5% in the precursor. The photoluminescence spectroscopy with HeCd laser light source was studied for films with different Bi doping. The photocatalytic activity for the unintentionally doped and Bi-doped ZnO films was studied through the photodegradation of Congo red under UV light illumination. The effects of different Bi contents on photocatalytic activity are studied and discussed. Results show that appropriate Bi doping in ZnO can increase photocatalytic activity.