SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “nitridation”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1994

The Effect of Polymer Char on Nitridation Kinetics of Silicon

Effects of polymer char on nitridation kinetics of attrition milled silicon powder have been investigated from 1200 to 1350 C. Results indicate that at and above 1250 C, the silicon compacts containing 3.5 wt percent polymer char were fully converted to Si3N4 after 24 hr exposure in nitrogen. In contrast, the silicon compacts without polymer char could not be fully converted to Si3N4 at 1350 C under similar exposure conditions. At 1250 and 1350 C, the silicon compacts with polymer char showed faster nitridation kinetics than those without the polymer char. As the polymer char content is increased, the amount of SiC in the nitrided material is also increased. By adding small amounts (approx. 2.5 wt percent) of NiO, the silicon compacts containing polymer char can be completely nitrided at 1200 C. The probable mechanism for the accelerated nitridation of silicon containing polymer char is discussed.

Chan, Rickmond C.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Investigation of Nitride Morphology After Self-Aligned Contact Etch

Self-Aligned Contact (SAC) etch has emerged as a key enabling technology for the fabrication of very large-scale memory devices. However, this is also a very challenging technology to implement from an etch viewpoint. The issues that arise range from poor oxide etch selectivity to nitride to problems with post etch nitride surface morphology. Unfortunately, the mechanisms that drive nitride loss and surface behavior remain poorly understood. Using a simple langmuir site balance model, SAC nitride etch simulations have been performed and compared to actual etched results. This approach permits the study of various etch mechanisms that may play a role in determining nitride loss and surface morphology. Particle trajectories and fluxes are computed using Monte-Carlo techniques and initial data obtained from double Langmuir probe measurements. Etched surface advancement is implemented using a shock tracking algorithm. Sticking coefficients and etch yields are adjusted to obtain the best agreement between actual etched results and simulated profiles.

Hwang, Helen H.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Low pressure growth of cubic boron nitride films

A method for forming thin films of cubic boron nitride on substrates at low pressures and temperatures. A substrate is first coated with polycrystalline diamond to provide a uniform surface upon which cubic boron nitride can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition. The cubic boron nitride film is useful as a substitute for diamond coatings for a variety of applications in which diamond is not suitable. any tetragonal or hexagonal boron nitride. The cubic boron nitride produced in accordance with the preceding example is particularly well-suited for use as a coating for ultra hard tool bits and abrasives, especially those intended to use in cutting or otherwise fabricating iron.

Ong, Tiong P.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Gallium nitride optoelectronic devices

The growth of bulk gallium nitride crystals was achieved by the ammonolysis of gallium monochloride. Gallium nitride single crystals up to 2.5 x 0.5 cm in size were produced. The crystals are suitable as substrates for the epitaxial growth of gallium nitride. The epitaxial growth of gallium nitride on sapphire substrates with main faces of (0001) and (1T02) orientations was achieved by the ammonolysis of gallium monochloride in a gas flow system. The grown layers had electron concentrations in the range of 1 to 3 x 10 to the 19th power/cu cm and Hall mobilities in the range of 50 to 100 sq cm/v/sec at room temperature.

Chu, T. L.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Method and apparatus for stable silicon dioxide layers on silicon grown in silicon nitride ambient

A method and apparatus for thermally growing stable silicon dioxide layers on silicon is disclosed. A previously etched and baked silicon nitride tube placed in a furnace is used to grow the silicon dioxide. First, pure oxygen is allowed to flow through the tube to initially coat the inside surface of the tube with a thin layer of silicon dioxide. After the tube is coated with the thin layer of silicon dioxide, the silicon is oxidized thermally in a normal fashion. If the tube becomes contaminated, the silicon dioxide is etched off thereby exposing clean silicon nitride and then the inside of the tube is recoated with silicon dioxide. As is disclosed, the silicon nitride tube can also be used as the ambient for the pyrolytic decomposition of silane and ammonia to form thin layers of clean silicon nitride.

Cohen, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Rolling-element fatigue life of silicon nitride balls

The five-ball fatigue tester was used to evaluate silicon nitride as a rolling-element bearing material. Results indicate that hot-pressed silicon nitride running against steel may be expected to yield fatigue lives comparable to or greater than those of bearing quality steel running against steel at stress levels typical rolling-element bearing application. The fatigue life of hot-pressed silicon nitride is considerably greater than that of any ceramic or cermet tested. Computer analysis indicates that there is no improvement in the lives of 120-mm-bore angular--contact ball bearings of the same geometry operating at DN values from 2 to 4 million where hot-pressed silicon nitride balls are used in place of steel balls.

Parker, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Fatigue life of high-speed ball bearings with silicon nitride balls

Evaluation of hot-pressed silicon nitride as a rolling-element bearing material. Two grades of hot-pressed silicon nitride balls were tested under rolling contact conditions in a five-ball fatigue tester. A digital computer program was used to predict the dynamic performance characteristics and fatigue life of high-speed ball bearings with silicon nitride balls relative to that with bearings containing steel balls. The results obtained include the finding that fatigue spalls on silicon nitride balls are similar in appearance to those obtained with typical bearing steels.

Parker, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Improved reaction sintered silicon nitride

Processing treatments were applied to as-nitrided reaction sintered silicon nitride (RSSN) with the purposes of improving strength after processing to above 350 MN/m2 and improving strength after oxidation exposure. The experimental approaches are divided into three broad classifications: sintering of surface-applied powders; impregnation of solution followed by further thermal processing; and infiltration of molten silicon and subsequent carburization or nitridation of the silicon. The impregnation of RSSN with solutions of aluminum nitrate and zirconyl chloride, followed by heating at 1400-1500 C in a nitrogen atmosphere containing silicon monoxide, improved RSSN strength and oxidation resistance. The room temperature bend strength of RSSN was increased nearly fifty percent above the untreated strength with mean absolute strengths up to 420 MN/m2. Strengths of treated samples that were measured after a 12 hour oxidation exposure in air were up to 90 percent of the original as-nitrided strength, as compared to retained strengths in the range of 35 to 60 percent for untreated RSSN after the same oxidation exposure.

Baumgartner, H. R.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Variations in pore structure of reaction-bonded silicon nitride /RBSN/

A discussion is presented relating the observed pore structures (sizes) to the reaction mechanisms in reaction-bonded silicon nitride (alpha- and beta-Si3N4) on the basis of information available from the literature. While the techniques for reducing the residual macroporosity are quite well-developed for reaction-bonded Si3N4 (RBSN), it is important to be aware of three other orders of magnitude for porosity present in RBSN as a result of the nitriding process itself, and how these types of nitridation-induced porosity can be controlled. For ease of description, these types of nitridation-induced porosity are called micropores, nanopores, and picopores in order of their decreasing size. A scanning electron micrograph is presented, showing nanopores isolated in the unreacted Si and picopores in the alpha-matte Si3N4. The assumption that an alpha-matte growth mechanism is active explains the occurrence of nanopores and their partial filling with alpha-Si3N4, leaving behind very fine-grained alpha-matte and picopores.

Danforth, S. C.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Development of silicon nitride of improved toughness

The application of reaction sintered Si2N4 energy absorbing surface layers to hot-pressed Si3N4 was investigated. The surface layer was formed by in-place nitridation of silicon powder. It was found that reaction sintered Si3N4 layers of 1 mm thickness, fabricated from either -100, +200, -200, or -325 mesh Si powder and nitrided in 96% N2/4% H2 so that approximately 20-25 vol % unnitrided Si remained in the layer, resulted in a sevenfold increase in ballistic impact resistance of a 0.64 cm thick hot-pressed SI3N4 substrate from RT 1370 C. Both NC-132 SI3N4, with MgO additive, and NCX-34 Si3N4, with Y2O3 additive, were evaluated as substrate material. The finer grain size -200 and -325 mesh nitrided Si layers were for their smoothness and relatively high density. It was found that nitriding in N2/H2 mixtures, rather than pure N2, resulted in a microstructure that did not substantially degrade the strength of the hot-pressed Si3N4 substrate. Thermal cycling tests on the RSSN/HPSN combinations from 200 C to 1370 C for 75 cycles in air did not degrade the impact resistance nor the interfacial bonding, although a large amount of internal silica formation occurred within the RSSN layer. Mach 0.8, 5 hr, hot gas erosion tests showed no surface recession of RSSN layers at 1200 C and slight surface recession at 1370 C.

Brennan, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Dissolution of bulk specimens of silicon nitride

An accurate chemical characterization of silicon nitride has become important in connection with current efforts to incorporate components of this material into advanced heat engines. However, there are problems concerning a chemical analysis of bulk silicon nitride. Current analytical methods require the pulverization of bulk specimens. A pulverization procedure making use of grinding media, on the other hand, will introduce contaminants. A description is given of a dissolution procedure which overcomes these difficulties. It has been found that up to at least 0.6 g solid pieces of various samples of hot pressed and reaction bonded silicon nitride can be decomposed in a mixture of 3 mL hydrofluoric acid and 1 mL nitric acid overnight at 150 C in a Parr bomb. High-purity silicon nitride is completely soluble in nitric acid after treatment in the bomb. Following decomposition, silicon and hydrofluoric acid are volatilized and insoluble fluorides are converted to a soluble form.

Davis, W. F.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The combined effects of Fe and H2 on the nitridation of silicon

In view of the support offered by previous work for the suggestion that Fe may affect alpha-Si3N4 formation and microstructural development, a two-part study was conducted to differentiate the effects of H2 and Fe in, first, the nitridation of pure and of Fe-containing powder in N2 and N2-4% H2, and then the nitridation of (1 1 1) Si single crystal wafers with and without Fe powder on the surface. The degree of nitridation is most strongly affected by H2 at 1200 C, but by Fe at 1375 C, where Fe-containing samples in either atmosphere were almost completely nitrided. While neither H2 nor Fe alone changed the ratio of alpha-Si3N4 to beta-Si3N4, the combination of H2 and Fe increased it at both temperatures.

Shaw, N. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Ion-beam nitriding of steels

The application of the ion beam technique to the nitriding of steels is described. It is indicated that the technique can be successfully applied to nitriding. Some of the structural changes obtained by this technique are similar to those obtained by ion nitriding. The main difference is the absence of the iron nitride diffraction lines. It is found that the dependence of the resultant microhardness on beam voltage for super nitralloy is different from that of 304 stainless steel.

Salik, J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Nitriding of titanium and its alloys by N2, NH3 or mixtures of N2 + H2 in a dc arc plasma at low pressures ( or = to torr)

The dc glow discharges in different gas mixtures of Ar + N2, Ar + NH3 or Ar + N2 + H2 result in the surface nitriding of Ti metal and its alloy (Ti6Al4V). Various gas mixtures were used in order to establish the main active species governing the nitriding process, i.e., N, N2, NH, or NH2 as excited or ionized particles. The dc discharge was sampled and analyzed by quadruple mass spectrometry (QPMS) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), and the nitrided samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an EDAX attachment, microhardness, and Fourier transform infrared reflectance spectrometry (FTIR). It was found that the excited and ionized nitrogen and hydrogen atoms are the main species responsible for the nitriding process in a dc glow discharge.

Avni, R.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Ion-beam nitriding of steels

Salik, J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Distribution of nitrogen and defects in SiO(x)N(y)/Si structures formed by the thermal nitridation of SiO2/Si

Previously reported nitrogen distributions in SiO2 films on Si which have been thermally nitrided at 1000 C have been explained by a kinetic model of the nitridation process which rests upon the effects of interfacial strain. A critical test of this kinetic model is the validity of the predictions regarding nitrogen distributions obtained at other nitridation temperatures. In this work, nitrogen distributions determined via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are reported for samples nitrided at 800 and 1150 C, and are shown to be consistent with the kinetic model. In addition, the intensity of a fluorine marker is found to correlate with the nitrogen distribution, and is postulated to be related to kinetically generated defects in the dielectric film, consistent with the strain-dependent energy of formation of defects proposed recently to explain electrical data.

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.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Adhesion, friction, and wear of plasma-deposited thin silicon nitride films at temperatures to 700 C

The adhesion, friction, and wear behavior of silicon nitride films deposited by low- and high-frequency plasmas (30 kHz and 13.56 MHz) at various temperatures to 700 C in vacuum were examined. The results of the investigation indicated that the Si/N ratios were much greater for the films deposited at 13.56 MHz than for those deposited at 30 kHz. Amorphous silicon was present in both low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited silicon nitride films. However, more amorphous silicon occurred in the films deposited at 13.56 MHz than in those deposited at 30 kHz. Temperature significantly influenced adhesion, friction, and wear of the silicon nitride films. Wear occurred in the contact area at high temperature. The wear correlated with the increase in adhesion and friction for the low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited films above 600 and 500 C, respectively. The low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited thin silicon nitride films exhibited a capability for lubrication (low adhesion and friction) in vacuum at temperatures to 500 and 400 C, respectively.

Miyoshi, K.↗