Abstract: A high quality epitaxial layer of monocrystalline Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an strontium titanate layer on a silicon wafer. The strontium titanate layer is a monocrystalline layer spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide.

Abstract: A structure and method for forming a high dielectric constant device structure includes a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate and an insulating layer formed of a metal oxide-nitride such as MnOm−xNx, wherein M is a metallic or semi-metallic element or combination of metallic and/or semi-metallic elements and m and n are integers. Semiconductor devices formed in accordance with the present invention exhibit low leakage current density and improved chemical, thermal, and electrical stability over conventional metal oxides.

Abstract: A quantum structure (300) having photo-catalytic properties includes a monocrystalline substrate (302) and a monocrystalline metal oxide layer (308) formed of a material comprising titanium and oxygen and epitaxially grown overlying the substrate. The quantum structure further includes self-assembled quantum dots (312) disposed on the monocrystalline metal oxide layer and formed of a material comprising copper and oxygen.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor materials can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an accommodating buffer layer on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline compound semiconductor layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer.

Abstract: A method of removing an amorphous oxide from a surface of a monocrystalline substrate is provided. The method includes depositing a passivation material overlying the amorphous oxide. The monocrystalline substrate is then heated so that the amorphous oxide layer decomposes into at least one volatile species that is liberated from the surface.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor materials can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an accommodating buffer layer on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline compound semiconductor layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor materials can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an accommodating buffer layer on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline compound semiconductor layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor materials can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an accommodating buffer layer on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline compound semiconductor layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer.

Abstract: A high quality epitaxial layer of monocrystalline Pb(Mg,Nb)O3—PbTiO3 or Pb(Mg1-x-Nbx)O3—PbTiO3 can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an strontium titanate layer on a silicon wafer. The strontium titanate layer is a monocrystalline layer spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of conductive monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates (22) such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. One way to achieve the formation of a compliant substrate includes first growing an accommodating buffer layer(24) on a silicon wafer (22). The accommodating buffer layer (24) is a layer of monocrystalline material spaced apart from the silicon wafer (22) by an amorphous interface layer (28) of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer (28) dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline accommodating buffer layer (24).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure including the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming amorphous silicon dioxide (14) on the surface (12) of the silicon substrate (10); providing a metal oxide (18) on the amorphous silicon dioxide (14); heating the semiconductor structure to form an interface comprising a seed layer (20) adjacent the surface (12) of the silicon substrate (10); and forming one or more layers of a high dielectric constant oxide (22) on the seed layer (20).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal in the form XSiO2, where X is a metal.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, nitrogen, and a metal in the form MSiN2, where M is a metal. In a second embodiment, the interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, a metal, and a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen in the form MSi[N1−Ox]2, where M is a metal and X is 0≦X<1.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (800) for forming high quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials grown overlying monocrystalline substrates (310) such as large silicon wafers is provided. The apparatus (100) includes at least two deposition chambers (110) and (140) that are coupled together. The first chamber (110) is used to form an accommodating buffer layer (320) on the substrate (310) and the second (140) is used to form a layer of monocrystalline material (330) overlying the accommodating buffer layer (320).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure including the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming an interface including a seed layer (18) adjacent to the surface (12) of the silicon substrate (10), forming a buffer layer (20) utilizing molecular oxygen; and forming one or more layers of a high dielectric constant oxide (22) on the buffer layer (20) utilizing activated oxygen.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal in the form XSiO2, where X is a metal.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate (10) having a surface (12); forming on the surface of the silicon substrate an interface (14) comprising a single atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal; and forming one or more layers of a single crystal oxide (26) on the interface. The interface comprises an atomic layer of silicon, oxygen, and a metal in the form XSiO2, where X is a metal.

Abstract: A gate quality oxide-compound semiconductor structure (10) is formed by the steps of providing a III-V compound semiconductor wafer structure (13) with an atomically ordered and chemically clean semiconductor surface in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) system (20), directing a molecular beam (26) of gallium oxide onto the surface of the wafer structure to initiate the oxide deposition, and providing a second beam (28) of atomic oxygen to form a Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer (14) with low defect density on the surface of the wafer structure. The second beam of atomic oxygen is supplied upon completion of the first 1-2 monolayers of Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3. The molecular beam of gallium oxide is provided by thermal evaporation from a crystalline Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 or gallate source, and the atomic beam of oxygen is provided by either RF or microwave plasma discharge, thermal dissociation, or a neutral electron stimulated desorption atom source.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin silicide layer on a silicon substrate 12 including heating the surface of the substrate to a temperature of approximately 500.degree. C. to 750.degree. C. and directing an atomic beam of silicon 18 and an atomic beam of an alkaline-earth metal 20 at the heated surface of the substrate in a molecular beam epitaxy chamber at a pressure in a range below 10.sup.-9 Torr. The silicon to alkaline-earth metal flux ratio is kept constant (e.g. Si/Ba flux ratio is kept at approximately 2:1) so as to form a thin alkaline-earth metal silicide layer (e.g. BaSi.sub.2) on the surface of the substrate. The thickness is determined by monitoring in situ the surface of the single crystal silicide layer with RHEED and terminating the atomic beam when the silicide layer is a selected submonolayer to one monolayer thick.