Leakage currents through Al2O3

Congrats to Dror for publishing his first paper and being selected for Editor’s Pick in JAP.

In Understanding leakage currents through Al2O3 on SrTiO3, Dror and the team examined the insulating character of thin Al2O3 on the oxide semiconductor SrTiO3. They thoroughly analyze the possible conduction mechanisms and show that defects in the insulator are responsible for the leakage currents. These defects can be mitigated by an anneal in oxygen, which results in reduction of the leakage and a crossover of the conduction mechanism to FN tunneling (see figure).

Equally important, it is shown that determining the conduction mechanism is challenging without knowledge of the flat band voltage, and a new approach is presented for such cases.

This work represents one more building block for oxide electronic devices that are currently being developed in our group.

Poole-Frenkel, thermionic emission, trap-assisted tunneling, Fowler-Nordheim tunneling as possible leakage mechanisms through Al2O3-SrTiO3, showing the effect of the flat band voltage assumption on the analysis

Possible leakage current mechanisms through Al2O3 on SrTiO3

Oxides on Semiconductors

Our new review paper is now out in Advanced Functional Materials. Together with Prof. Divine Kumah (NCSU) and Prof. Joe Ngai (UT Arlington), we review the topic of epitaxial oxides on semiconductors such as silicon and gallium arsenide. We discuss the growth and interface physics, and then move to highlight cool applications, ranging from optical modulators on silicon, through sensing and actuation via MEMS devices, and renewable solar fuel production.

This exciting field is a significant focal point in the research at the Oxide Electronics Lab, and we’re working towards realizing new concepts for integrating these oxides on semiconductors for novel sensing and renewable energy devices.

Email us for a free PDF copy of the paper

Maintenance time!

Every year or so, we all suit up and run comprehensive maintenance on Deborah, our oxide MBE tool/spaceship. Various parts need inspection, scrubbing/etching, replacement, and source materials need to be refilled. Good fun in good company; also a nice workout

Oxide Interfaces for Field Effect Transistors

In a recently-published review paper titled Conductive Oxide Interfaces for Field Effect Devices we briefly describe oxide 2D electron gases (2DEGs), and then take a journey from the first devices published in 2012 all the way to the most recent and exciting advancements. In merely 7 years, these transistors have reached the short-channel effect (SCE) limits (60 nm channels), 700k transistors were manufactured on a single chip, functional circuits and NOT gates demonstrated, and the onset of 3D devices explored. A few months ago, a series of revolutionary papers from Korea demonstrated oxide 2DEGs that are all prepared by atomic layer deposition, opening scalable routes for exciting new applications and 3D integration on top of silicon technology (“building penthouses on top of chips”).

(Email for a free copy)

Oxide 2DEGs transistors: Conductive oxide interfaces for field effect devices (cover image for Advanced Materials Interfaces)

Conductive oxide interfaces for field effect devices (cover image for Advanced Materials Interfaces)

Quoting from the abstract:

“By presenting an overview of the state of the art, it is hoped to inspire new applications for these diverse new capabilities. The journey of conductive oxide interfaces from fundamentals to technology may be viewed as a prototype for the future maturation of other systems of emergent physics and novel materials from labs to devices.”

Collaborating with Jülich and RWTH Aachen

Our group has been collaborating with Jülich and RTWH Aachen for a while, and we’ve enjoyed visiting and hosting Dr. Felix Gunkel and working with his excellent group.

We are very proud that recently our work on the electronic properties of oxide interfaces for catalytic applications has been recognized by an Umbrella Award. Some of these results will be presented at the 4th Functional Oxide Thin Films for Advanced Energy and Information Technology Conference, to be held in July 2019, in Lisbon.

Lior Kornblum receiving the 33rd Umbrella Award from Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen

Lior Kornblum receiving the 33rd Umbrella Award from Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen

Welcome Scott

It was our special pleasure to host Dr. Scott Chambers at the Technion and in our lab. Scott quite literally wrote the book on many of the things that we do, and we’re looking forward to implementing new ideas that were discussed.

Dr. Scott Chambers visiting the Oxide Electronics Lab at the Technion

Dr. Scott Chambers visiting the Oxide Electronics Lab at the Technion

Band offsets at amorphous-crystalline Al2O3–SrTiO3 oxide interfaces

Our first paper is now online on JAP, great job Dana and Maria!
The work describes a small, yet important building block towards our future devices, by characterizing the band offsets at Al2O3-STO interfaces.
We’re also trying something new; all the raw data presented in the paper is available in the supplementary. Beyond the benefit of transparency, we’re hoping this would make our data more useful, by allowing others to easily superpose our data over theirs, or attempt to reproduce our analysis.

XPS analysis of the band structure al Al2O3-STO interfaces

Innovation Authority Visit

We had the pleasure to host a visit from the Israeli Innovation Authority, led by their director Mr. Aharon Aharon, who also happens to be a legendary lecturer in the video courses of our department. We discussed the potential of oxide electronics to impact the local industry, and we’re looking forward for joint projects in the future.

Visit of a team from the Israeli Innovation Authority in the Oxide Electronics Lab. Click to enlarge

Visit of the Israel Innovation Authority, led by the Director Mr. Aharon Aharon during their visit to the Oxide Electronics Lab at the Technion

Double Congratulations

We’re happy to congratulate Dana twice!

First for winning the Seiden Award for undergraduate research in nanoelectronics. The award was given for the project she did with the group, soon to be published.

The second congratulation is due to Dana’s winning the best poster award in the recent MNFU 7th Annual Meeting. After winning the 3rd place last year, we’re very proud to have Dana winning the first prize this time.

Dana receiving the Seiden Award

Dana receiving the Seiden Award

Dana presenting her poster to the President, Prof. Peretz Lavie, during the MNFU 3rd annual meeting

Dana presenting her poster to the President, Prof. Peretz Lavie, during the MNFU 7th Annual Meeting

 

 

Andrew Viterbi’s Visit

It has been a personal and distinct pleasure to host Prof. Andrew Viterbi in our lab.

Prof. Viterbi’s vision and generosity have played an instrumental role in our ability establish the Oxide Electronics Lab and its unique capabilities. We were honored by his presence and enjoyed discussing the potential and future impact of the science and technology that we’re developing.

Prof. Andrew Viterbi's visit to the Oxide Electronics Lab

Prof. Andrew Viterbi’s visit to the Oxide Electronics Lab