Abstract: A geophysical surveying method and assembly applying transient pulses of electric current to an airborne time-domain electromagnetic transmitter to generate a primary controlled electromagnetic field; measuring, using an airborne receiver, a secondary controlled electromagnetic field to generate controlled field data; measuring, using the airborne receiver, a magnetic component of a natural electromagnetic field at an above-ground position to generate first natural field data; measuring, using a ground receiver at a ground station, telluric electrical currents induced by the natural electromagnetic field and/or a magnetic component of the natural electromagnetic field at a ground position to generate second natural field data; merging the first natural field data and the second natural field data into combined natural field data; extracting, from the combined natural field data, off-time natural field data recorded between the pulses; and generating geophysical survey data based on the controlled field data a

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure comprising a silicon-on-insulator layer structure with crystalline silicon oxide SiOx as the insulator material comprises: providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a substantially clean deposition surface in a vacuum chamber; heating the silicon substrate to an oxidation temperature To in the range of 550 to 1200 ° C.; supplying, while keeping the silicon substrate in the oxidation temperature, with an oxidation pressure Po in the range of 1·10?8 to 1·10?4 mbar in the vacuum chamber, molecular oxygen O2 into the vacuum chamber with an oxygen dose Do in the range of 0.1 to 1000 Langmuir; whereby a crystalline silicon oxide layer with a thickness of at least two molecular layers is formed within the silicon substrate, between a crystalline silicon base layer and a crystalline silicon top layer. Related semiconductor structures are described.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method (100) for passivating a semiconductor structure, comprising a semiconductor layer and an oxide layer on the semiconductor layer; a semiconductor structure; and a vacuum processing system. The method (100) comprises providing the semiconductor structure (110) in a vacuum chamber (310) and, while keeping the semiconductor structure in the vacuum chamber (120) throughout a refinement period with a duration of at least 25 s refining the oxide layer (130) by maintaining temperature (131) of the semiconductor structure within a refinement temperature range extending from 20° C., to 800° C., and maintaining total pressure (132) in the vacuum chamber below a maximum total pressure, of 1×10?3 mbar.

Abstract: A method for forming a foreign oxide or foreign nitride layer (6) on a substrate (1) of a semiconductor comprises providing a semiconductor substrate (1) having an oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3), supplying a foreign element (5) on the oxidized or nitridized surface layer; and keeping the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3) at an elevated temperature so as to oxidize or nitridize at least partially the foreign element by the oxygen or nitrogen, respectively, initially present in the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3).

Abstract: A method for forming a foreign oxide or foreign nitride layer (6) on a substrate (1) of a semiconductor comprises providing a semiconductor substrate (1) having an oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3), supplying a foreign element (5) on the oxidized or nitridized surface layer; and keeping the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3) at an elevated temperature so as to oxidize or nitridize at least partially the foreign element by the oxygen or nitrogen, respectively, initially present in the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3).

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure comprising a silicon-on-insulator layer structure with crystalline silicon oxide SiOx as the insulator material comprises: providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a substantially clean deposition surface in a vacuum chamber; heating the silicon substrate to an oxidation temperature To in the range of 550 to 1200 ° C.; supplying, while keeping the silicon substrate in the oxidation temperature, with an oxidation pressure Po in the range of 1·10?8 to 1·10?4 mbar in the vacuum chamber, molecular oxygen O2 into the vacuum chamber with an oxygen dose Do in the range of 0.1 to 1000 Langmuir; whereby a crystalline silicon oxide layer with a thickness of at least two molecular layers is formed within the silicon substrate, between a crystalline silicon base layer and a crystalline silicon top layer. Related semiconductor structures are described.

Abstract: A method (100) for forming a semiconductor structure (200) comprising a silicon-on-insulator layer structure with crystalline silicon oxide SiOx as the insulator material comprises: providing (120) a crystalline silicon substrate (201) having a substantially clean deposition surface (202) in a vacuum chamber; heating (130) the silicon substrate to an oxidation temperature To in the range of 550 to 1200, 550 to 1000, or 550 to 850° C.; supplying (140), while keeping the silicon substrate in the oxidation temperature, with an oxidation pressure Po in the range of 1·10?8 to 1·10?4 mbar in the vacuum chamber, molecular oxygen O2 into the vacuum chamber with an oxygen dose Do in the range of 0.1 to 1000 Langmuir; whereby a crystalline silicon oxide layer (204) with a thickness of at least two molecular layers is formed within the silicon substrate, between a crystalline silicon base layer (203) and a crystalline silicon top layer (205).

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure (100), comprising a crystalline silicon substrate (110), having a surface (111), and a crystalline silicon oxide superstructure (120) on the surface (111) of the silicon substrate (110), the silicon oxide superstructure (120) having a thickness of at least two molecular layers and a (1×1) plane structure using Wood's notation.

Abstract: A method for forming a foreign oxide or foreign nitride layer (6) on a substrate (1) of a semiconductor comprises providing a semiconductor substrate (1) having an oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3), supplying a foreign element (5) on the oxidized or nitridized surface layer; and keeping the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3) at an elevated temperature so as to oxidize or nitridize at least partially the foreign element by the oxygen or nitrogen, respectively, initially present in the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3).

Abstract: A method (100) for forming a semiconductor structure (200) comprising a silicon-on-insulator layer structure with crystalline silicon oxide SiOx as the insulator material comprises: providing (120) a crystalline silicon substrate (201) having a substantially clean deposition surface (202) in a vacuum chamber; heating (130) the silicon substrate to an oxidation temperature To in the range of 550 to 1200, 550 to 1000, or 550 to 850° C.; supplying (140), while keeping the silicon substrate in the oxidation temperature, with an oxidation pressure Po in the range of 1·10?8 to 1·10?4 mbar in the vacuum chamber, molecular oxygen O2 into the vacuum chamber with an oxygen dose Do in the range of 0.1 to 1000 Langmuir; whereby a crystalline silicon oxide layer (204) with a thickness of at least two molecular layers is formed within the silicon substrate, between a crystalline silicon base layer (203) and a crystalline silicon top layer (205).

Abstract: A method for forming a foreign oxide or foreign nitride layer (6) on a substrate (1) of a semiconductor comprises providing a semiconductor substrate (1) having an oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3), supplying a foreign element (5) on the oxidized or nitridized surface layer; and keeping the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3) at an elevated temperature so as to oxidize or nitridize at least partially the foreign element by the oxygen or nitrogen, respectively, initially present in the oxidized or nitridized surface layer (3).

Abstract: A method for vibratory treatment of workpieces involves repeatedly exiting a workpiece at its resonant frequencies of various harmonics by an unbalance vibration exciter connected to an electric motor. The race of one of the bearings of the motor armature is electrically insulated from the electric motor frame. The e.m.f. value of the bearing is measured continuously. Once the natural frequency of the workpiece being treated has been shifted as a result of the vibratory treatment performed, a change in the e.m.f. value is recorded and, after the natural frequency has been stabilized, the vibration exciter is retuned to the shifted value of the resonant frequency. The vibratory treatment is carried out on each harmonic until stabilization of the resonant frequency, at which time vibratory treatment on another harmonic is made. Multiply repeated vibratory excitation procedures on each of the harmonics are performed until a resonant frequency is reached, at which the e.m.f. value varies no longer.