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Vasquez, R. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Vasquez, R. P..

At least 73 records · Page 4
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NASA NTRS1992

Composition variations in pulsed-laser-deposited Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films as a function of deposition parameters

The composition of pulsed-ultraviolet-laser-deposited Y-Ba-Cu-O films was examined as a function of position across the substrate, laser fluence, laser spot size, substrate temperature, target conditioning, oxygen pressure and target-substrate distance. Laser fluence, laser spot size, and substrate temperature were found to have little effect on composition within the range investigated. Ablation from a fresh target surface results in films enriched in copper and barium, both of which decrease in concentration until a steady state condition is achieved. Oxygen pressure and target-substrate distance have a significant effect on film composition. In vacuum, copper and barium are slightly concentrated at the center of deposition. With the introduction of an oxygen background pressure, scattering results in copper and barium depletion in the deposition center, an effect which increases with increasing target-substrate distance. A balancing of these two effects results in stoichiometric deposition.

Foote, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Chemical nature of the barrier in Pb/YBa2Cu3O(7-x) tunneling structures

Several reports of reproducible tunneling measurements on YBa2Cu3O(7-x) thin films or single crystals with a Pb counterelectrode have recently appeared. The nature of the tunnel barrier, formed by air exposure, in these structures has been unknown. In the present work, the chemical nature of the tunnel barrier is studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Laser-ablated films grown on LaAlO3 which have been chemically etched and heated in air are found to form nonsuperconducting surface Ba species, evident in an increase of the high binding energy Ba 3d and O 1s signals. A deposited Pb film about 10 A thick is found to be oxidized, and Cu(+2) is partially reduced to Cu(+1). The tunneling barrier thus appears to consist of species resulting from a combination of the air exposure and a reaction between the superconductor and the deposited Pb counterelectrode.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

YBa2Cu3O(7-x)/Au/Nb device structures

Fabrication and testing of planar and edge geometry YBaCuO/Au/Nb superconductor/normal-metal/superconductor (SNS) device structures is described. Weak-link devices of this type serve as sensitive probes of the electrical quality of the YBaCuO/Au interface. The devices are fabricated using laser-ablated, in situ, c-axis-oriented YBaCuO thin films, with both annealed and unannealed YBaCuO/Au interfaces. The planar SNS structures are formed by sequential, in situ deposition of YBaCuO, Au, and Nb, followed by etching, planarization, and wiring electrode definition to produce junctions ranging from 5 to 20 micron on a side. Resulting RnA products are 1-10 x 10 to the -8th ohm-sq cm with critical current densities up to 5 kA/sq cm. For the edge geometry devices, the YBaCuO film edges are patterned using Ar ion milling, followed by a low energy ion cleaning step and in situ deposition of Au and Nb. Devices with areas in the 10 to the -7th to 10 to the -8th sq cm range have been fabricated with RnA products lower than 10 to the -8th ohm-sq cm and critical current densities up to 3kA/sq cm. Both types of devices show ac Josephson steps under microwave irradiation. The best results have been obtained with annealed YBaCuO/Au interfaces.

Hunt, B. D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of chemically-etched Nd-Ce-Cu-O surfaces

Acetic acid, Br2, and HCl solutions are investigated for removing insulating species from Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-delta) (NCCO) thin film surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that the HCl etch is most effective, yielding O 1s spectra comparable to those obtained from samples cleaned in vacuum and a clear Fermi edge in the valence band region. Reduction and oxidation reversibly induces and eliminates, respectively, Fermi level states for undoped samples, but has no clearly observable effect on the XPS spectra for doped samples. Reactivity to air is much less for NCCO compared to hole superconductors, which is attributed to the lack of reactive alkaline earth elements in NCCO.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Wet chemical passivation of YBa2Cu3O(7-x)

Wet chemical techniques are described for treatment of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) surfaces, which result in the formation of native compounds known to have little or no reactivity to water. Suitable native compounds include CuI, BaSO4, CuS, Cu2S, YF3, and the oxalates. Formation of surface layers in which these nonreactive native compounds are major constituents is verified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements on YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films treated with dilute solutions of HI, H2SO4, Na2S, HF, or H2C2O4. No significant changes are observed in the XPS spectra when the sulfide, sulfate, or oxalate films are dipped in water, while the iodide and fluoride films show evidence of reaction with water. X-ray diffraction measurements show that the superconducting phase is absent in the sulfide film, but is unaffected by the oxalate and sulfate treatments.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Electrical characterization of chemically modified YBa2Cu3O(7-x) surfaces

Results on electrical characterization of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) thin-film surfaces treated with a Br/ethanol chemical etch are presented. Electrical measurements of YBa2Cu3O(7-x)/Au/Nb device structures fabricated using polycrystalline, post-annelaed YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films with Br-etched surfaces, show improvements of approximately one or two orders of magnitude in current densities and resistivities (resistance-area products) relative to unetched devices. The existence of supercurrents in these structures has been confirmed by observation of the ac Josephson effect, and by magnetic field and temperature studies of the critical currents. The Br-etch process has produced 10 x 10 sq micron devices with critical current densities greater than 400 A/sq cm and resistivities as low as 4 x 10 to the -7th ohm/sq cm.

Hunt, B. D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Chemical removal of contaminants from thin film Bi4Sr3Ca3Cu4O(16 + x) surfaces

A solution of Br in absolute ethanol, previously shown to be effective in removing nonsuperconducting species from Y-Ba-Cu-O thin film surfaces, is shown also to be effective in treating Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin film surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectra obtained after etching are consistent with previously reported results obtained from samples cleaved or scraped in vacuum.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Reaction of nonaqueous halogen solutions with YBa2Cu3O(7-x)

The reaction of the surfaces of the new high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O(7-x) with nonaqueous halogen solutions is investigated, and the species formed in the reactions are identified. Treatment of films with HF/EtOH (EtOH = HI in absolute ethanol) results in the formation of an oxyfluoride with Y:Ba:Cu relative concentrations of 1:4:3. Results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of HF-treated films are consistent with the formation of CuF, a compound which does not exist in bulk form. Treatment of films with HCl/EtOH results primarily in the formation of BaCl2, with smaller amounts of YCl3, CuCl, and CuCl2. Treatment with Br2/EtOH or HBr/EtOH results in the formation of YBr3, BaBr2, and CuBr with relative concentrations of 1:4:3.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Wet chemical techniques for passivation of YBa2Cu3O7(7-x)

Wet chemical techniques are described for treatment of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) surfaces, resulting in the formation of native compounds with little or no reactivity to water. Promising native compounds include CuI, BaSO4, CuS, Cu2S, and the oxalates, all of which are either insoluble or have very low solubility in water. Treatment with dilute HI results in the formation of a native iodide film which is 80-90 percent CuI with small amounts of YI3 and BaI2. Treatment with dilute H2SO4 results in the formation of a film which is 95 percent BaSO4 and 5 percent Y2(SO4)3. Cu2S is formed on the surface with a dilute Na2S solution. An oxalate film with equal amounts of Y2(C2O4)3 and BaC2O4 results from treatment with dilute oxalic acid. X-ray photoelectron spectra show no significant changes when the sulfide, sulfate, or oxalate films are dipped in water, while the iodide film shows evidence of Cu(OH)2 formation.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Reduced reactivity to air on HF-treated YBa2Cu3O(7-x)surfaces

Treatment of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films with a nonaqueous solution of HF in absolute ethanol results in the formation of an oxyfluoride with relative Y:Ba:Cu concentrations of 1:4:3 on the surface, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The passivation properties of chemically treated films were tested by monitoring the growth of the high binding energy O 1s peak, associated with nonsuperconducting surface species, as a function of air exposure time, for both HF-treated and untreated films. The native oxyfluoride is shown to reduce the reactivity of the superconductor to air.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Chemical profiling of silicon nitride structures

X ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study structural and chemical inhomogeneities in several electronic materials and device structures of relevance to radiation hard electronics. The systems studied include metal nitride oxide semiconductor (MNOS) structures, silicon oxynitride (SiO(x)N(y)) formed by the thermal nitridation of SiO2, and semiconductor on insulator (SOI) structures. Studies of MNOS structures suggest that the effect of H2 annealing is to make the Si3N4/SiO2 interface less abrupt by causing interdiffusion of silanol and silamine groups with subsequent oxynitride formation. Another effect of the annealing appears to be to relieve the strain at the SiO2/Si interface.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Nonaqueous chemical depth profiling of YBa2Cu3O(7-x)

A nonaqueous solution of Br in absolute ethanol (EtOH) has recently been reported to be effective at removing nonsuperconducting surface species from YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films, leaving the surface close to the ideal stoichiometry. This same etchant is shown here to be an effective bulk etchant in chemical depth profiling through 1-micron-thick films. The Cu remains in the 2 + oxidation state and the stoichiometry, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, is close to ideal and nearly constant throughout the profile, indicating the absence of any large preferential etching effects. The reaction of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films with HF/EtOH, HCl/EtOH, and I/EtOH solutions is also reported.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Oxidation of silicon with a 5 eV O(-) beam

A silicon wafer has been oxidized at room temperature in vacuum using a pure, ground-state beam of O(-) ions. The beam was of sufficiently low energy that no displacement damage or implantation was energetically possible. The resulting SiO2 films were analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A logarithmic dependence of oxide thickness on dose was observed, with an extrapolated oxidation efficiency of unity for the clean silicon surface. A distinct initial oxidation phase was observed, with an anomalously high level of silicon suboxides. In addition, the valence-band offset between the silicon and the oxide was unusually small, suggesting a large interfacial dipole.

Hecht, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Nonaqueous chemical etch for YBa2Cu3O(7-x)

A nonaqueous chemical etch, with Br as the active ingredient, is described which removes the insulating hydroxides and carbonates that form on high-temperature superconductor surfaces as a result of atmospheric exposure. X-ray photoemission spectra have been recorded before and after etching YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films. It is found that, after the etch, the high binding energy O 1s and Ba 3d peaks associated with surface contaminants are greatly reduced, the Y:Ba:Cu ratio is close to the expected 1:2:3, and the oxidation state of the Cu(2+) is not affected. The resistance of an etched film reaches zero at 78 K, compared to 81 K for a similar unetched film. The suitability of other nonaqueous halogen-based etches is discussed, as is the applicability of this etch to other high-Tc superconductors.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the thermal nitridation of SiO2/Si

The dependence of the nitrogen distribution in thermally nitrided SiO2 films on the nitridation time and temperature has been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photoelectron peak intensities were measured by fitting Voigt profiles to the XPS spectra and were used to calculate the film composition as a function of film depth, applying an analytical method described in detail. The times of appearance of the maxima in interfacial nitrogen concentration are shown for 800, 1000, and 1150 C, and the data are related to a kinetic model of Vasquez and Madhukar (1985), which considers the effect of interfacial strain on the nitridation kinetics. In addition, the intensity of a fluorine marker (from the HF used in the etching step) was found to correlate with the nitrogen concentration. It is postulated that the F bonds preferentially to defects. This hypothesis and the measured F intensities are consistent with the proposed strain-dependent energy of defect formation.

Vasquez, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A kinetic model for the thermal nitridation of SiO2/Si

To explain the observed nitrogen distributions in thermally nitridated SiO2 films, a kinetic model is proposed in which the nitridation process is simulated, using the first-order chemical kinetics and Arrhenius dependence of the diffusion and reaction rates on temperature. The calculations show that initially, as the substrate reacts with diffusing nitrogen, a nitrogen-rich oxynitride forms at the SiO2-Si interface, while at nitridation temperatures above 1000 C, an oxygen-rich oxynitride subsequently forms at the interface, due to reaction of the substrate with an increasingly concentrated oxygen displaced by the slower nitridation of the SiO2. This sequence of events results in a nitrogen distribution in which the peak of the interfacial nitrogen concentration occurs away from the interface. The results are compared with the observed nitrogen distribution. The calculated results have correctly predicted the positions of the interfacial nitrogen peaks at the temperatures of 800, 1000, and 1150 C. To account for the observed width of the interfacial nitrogen distribution, it was found necessary to include in the simulations the effect of interfacial strain.

Vasquez, R. P.↗