bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Memory Characteristics of Filament Confined in Tiny ReRAM Structure
Authors: Koh S. G. , Kinoshita K. , Fukuhara T. , Sawai Y. , Kishida S. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTClarification of memory characteristics of tiny cell is important for practical use of resistive random access memory (ReRAM). However, limitation of semiconductor micro-fabrication technology hinders to obtain memory characteristics in tiny cell with an area comparable to the size of filaments. In this paper, we established a method to prepare a very small memory cell by fabricating ReRAM structure on the tip of a cantilever of atomic force microscope (AFM). We also established a method to avoid the overshoot of set current. As a result, reset current was successfully reduced enough to suppress serious damage to the cantilever. The effective cell size was estimated to be less than 10 nm in diameter due to electric field concentration at the tip of the cantilever, which was confirmed by an electric field simulator based on finite element method. We performed a unique experiment to verify the presence of oxygen pool in an anode, by utilizing removable bottom electrode structure. The result was not consistent with resistive switching models that require the anode to play a role as an oxygen reservoir.
SiC multilayer add/drop filter for optical interconnects
Authors: Vieira M. , Vieira M. A , Louro P. , Silva V. , Costa J. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTIn this paper we demonstrate an add/drop filter based on SiC technology. Tailoring of the channel bandwidth and wavelength is experimentally demonstrated. The concept is extended to implement a 1 by 4 wavelength division multiplexer in the visible range.The add/drop filter consists of a p-i'(a-SiC:H)-n/p-i(a-Si:H)-n photodetector with two front and back optical gates. Tailoring the filter wavelength is achieved by applying a 400 nm background and changing front and back biased optical gates. Results show that, front background enhances the light-to-dark sensitivity of the long and medium wavelength channels and quench strongly the others. Back violet background has the opposite behavior; it enhances channel magnitude in short wavelength range and reduces it in the long ones. This nonlinearity provides the possibility for selective removal or addition of wavelengths. An optoeletronic model gives insight on the system physics and explains the light filtering properties of the add/drop filter.
Post-etch treatment enabled electroless copper metallization of porous dielectric
Authors: Dordi Yezdi N. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTThis paper describes an alternate two-step metallization scheme for porous dielectrics. The patterned dielectric surface is first treated in a plasma etch chamber where the dielectric surface is coated with a very thin carbon-based film. This is followed by electroless copper deposition. The plasma post-etch treatment (PET) film seals the pores of the dielectric, minimizes dielectric damage, and functionalizes the dielectric to enable electroless plating.
Active Flexible Strain Sensor Based on Single ZnO Micro/Nanowire
Authors: Lin Pei , Cui Yan , Yan Xiaoqin , Zhang Zheng , Wang Peng , Zhang Yue 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTA facile and cost-effective fabrication approach of active strain sensor based on individual ZnO micro/nanowire was demonstrated. By connecting a ZnO micro/nanowire along polar growth direction with two Ag electrodes on flexible polystyrene (PS) substrate, the fabricated strain sensor was obtained as a typical M-S-M structure. The I-V characteristic of the device was highly sensitive to the strain caused by the obvious change of Schottky barrier height (SBH). Furthermore, both of the symmetric and asymmetric changes of the SBH at the source and drain were observed during device testing process. The respective contribution of piezoresistance effect and the piezoelectric effect to the change of SBHs were also systematically investigated.
Universal Anisotropically Conductive Nano-adhesive of PDMS Oligomers
Authors: Ding Yuzhe , Garland Shaun , Howland Michael , Revzin Alexander , Pan Tingrui 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTA nanopatternable oligomeric PDMS layer has been first verified as a nano-adhesive for its intrinsic transferability and universal adhesiveness. Utilizing the well-established PDMS surface modification and bonding techniques, we have been able to form irreversible bonding between a wide range of substrate pairs, representing ones within and across different material categories, including metals, ceramics, thermoset, and thermoplastic polymers. The anisotropic conductivity of the PDMS oligomer nano-adhesive has been investigated, which allows specific and excellent directional conductivity between bonded electrodes without risk of electrical shorts across different contacts.
Development of AlAsSb as a barrier material for ultra-thin-channel InGaAs nMOSFETs
Authors: Huang Cheng-Ying , Law Jeremy J. M. , Lu Hong , Rodwell Mark J. W. , Gossard Arthur C. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTWe investigated AlAs0.56Sb0.44 epitaxial layers lattice-matched to InP grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Silicon (Si) and tellurium (Te) were studied as n-type dopants in AlAs0.56Sb0.44 material. Similar to most Sb-based materials, AlAs0.56Sb0.44 demonstrates a maximum active carrier concentration around low-1018 cm-3 when using Te as a dopant. We propose the use of a heavily Si-doped InAlAs layer embedded in the AlAsSb barrier as a modulation-doped layer. The In0.53Ga0.47As/AlAs0.56Sb0.44 double heterostructures with a 10 nm InGaAs well show an electron mobility of about 9400 cm2/V・s at 295 K and 32000 cm2/V・s at 46 K. A thinner 5 nm InGaAs well has an electron mobility of about 4300 cm2/V・s at 295 K. This study demonstrates that AlAs0.56Sb0.44 is a promising barrier material for highly scaled InGaAs MOSFETs and HEMTs.
High-Performance MIM Capacitors based on TiO2/ZrO2/TiO2 and AlO-doped TiO2/ZrO2/TiO2 Dielectric Stacks for DRAM Applications
Authors: Padmanabhan Revathy , Bhat Navakanta , Mohan S. , Morozumi Y. , Kaushal Sanjeev 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTMetal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors for DRAM applications have been realized using TiO2/ZrO2/TiO2 (TZT) and AlO-doped TZT (TZAZT and TZAZAZT) dielectric stacks. High capacitance densities of about 46.6 fF/μm2 (for TZT stacks), 46.2 fF/μm2 (for TZAZT stacks), and 46.8 fF/μm2 (for TZAZAZT stacks) have been achieved. Low leakage current densities of about 4.9×10−8 A/cm2, 5.5×10−9 A/cm2, and 9.7×10−9 A/cm2 (at -1 V) have been obtained for TZT, TZAZT, and TZAZAZT stacks, respectively. We analyze the leakage current mechanisms at different electric field regimes, and compute the barrier heights. The effects of constant current stress and constant voltage stress on the device characteristics are studied, and excellent device reliability is demonstrated. We compare the device performance of the fabricated capacitors with other stacked high-k MIM capacitors reported in recent literature.
Vibrational distortions of the Au7+ hexagonal cluster
Authors: Soto J. R. , Molina B. , Castro J. J. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTThe study of the 2D-3D structural transition in Au7+ nanocluster as a function of the number of gold atoms has been a long standing problem due to contradictory results between experiments, that show a 2D structure, and some theoretical results predicting 3D. We present a theoretical analysis, based on the pseudo Jahn-Teller effect that explains the origin of the 2D-3D structural transition controversy. It is shown that the usually assumed 2D non-degenerate ground state cluster structure with D6h symmetry is unstable due to a vibronic coupling between the ground state and one excited state, producing a puckering effect ending in a 3D stable structure with D3d symmetry. This structure presents the same surface area than the 2D, being therefore compatible with ion mobility experimental results. We discuss the effect of symmetry breaking on the Raman, IR and UV-vis spectra, which might indicate some possible sensor capabilities for this subnanometric cluster. The study is based on scalar relativistic and time-dependent DFT calculations in the Zero Order Regular Approximation (ZORA).
Analysis of Cu-Line EM Failure Kinetics Using Mass Transport TCAD Simulations
Authors: Lee Mankoo , Zhang Xuena , Pramanik Dipankar 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTWe describe a mass transport TCAD simulation by using a Sentaurus S-Interconnect tool [1] that models reported electro-migration (EM) behaviors: EM induced resistance (R) change, line length (L) effect, and temperature (T) dependency on L and current density (j) products. We performed trend and sensitivity analyses for key physical EM model parameters: Cu-void formation, a sudden jump in line R associated with void growth, and Cu-vacancy (Cv) and void (Cvoid) profiles. In this manner, we develop a new methodology for accurately determining the EM lifetime by identifying an “EM-aware” region to define the L dependence of Cu-lines under high current stress. This includes electron flow dependency to explain line and via depletion effects for void formations under various stress conditions. We report a non-linearity in the L dependence on the jL product and a slight temperature dependence on the Blech Threshold (jL)c.
Materials and scaling effects on on-chip interconnect reliability
Authors: Hu C.-K. , Liniger E. G. , Gignac L. M. , Bonilla G. , Edelstein D. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTScaling effects on Cu microstructure, resistivity, dielectric materials, and electromigration (EM) and time dependent dielectric break down (TDDB) reliabilities for Cu interconnects were reviewed. A simple empirical model of Cu resistivity related to Cu line area was presented. Cu line microstructures containing small grains mixed with large bamboo grains in Cu damascene lines from technology nodes below 65 nm were observed. As predicted in previous work, the EM lifetime was found to degrade by about 50% for every new generation even for the same current density. The Cu grain size was found to have a large impact on pure Cu and Cu alloy EM lifetime and activation energy Ea. Ea for pure Cu line capped with selective electroless CoWP on near-bamboo, bamboo-polycrystalline, to polycrystalline only line grain structures was reduced from 2.2 eV to 1.7 eV to 0.75 eV, respectively. Ea for 40 nm wide bamboo-polycrystalline lines capped with selective chemical vapor deposition (CVD) Co was found to be 1.7 eV. Using pure Cu and Cu(Al) or Cu(Mn) diluted impurity seed layers in 40 nm wide, bamboo-polycrystalline microstructure lines and above 100 nm wide, near bamboo-like grained lines, Cu-alloy lines enhanced EM lifetimes and increased QEM from 0.9 to 1. eV and 1.0 to 1.2 eV, respectively, compared to pure Cu lines. Inter-level TDDB testing on vias connecting M1 to M2 with a via chamfer angle that varied from 58o to 81o have very similar performance with intra-level M2 data with no vias tested at the same field. This result combined with the data from a separate study, which allowed the chamfer path to be isolated from the M2-level path, suggested that the failure took place preferentially along the weak cap/ILD interface at M2 and not at the via chamfer. TDDB acceleration data indicated that the root E model was overly conservative and a more aggressive model provided a better fit to the data. TDDB lifetimes correlated fairly well with the percentage of porosity in the dielectric materials.
A Fast, Experimentally validated, Particle Augmented Mixed Lubrication Framework to Predict CMP
Authors: Srivastava Gagan , Higgs C . Fred 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTFabrication of integrated circuits is a multi-step process that involves chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) for planarizing the deposited layers. Although dependent on the consumables and machine operating conditions, most CMP researchers assume that the polishing occurs in the mixedlubrication regime, where the applied load on the wafer is supported by the hydrodynamic slurry pressure and the contact stress generated during the pad-wafer contact. The particle augmented mixed lubrication (PAML) approach has been employed by Terrell and Higgs (2009) as a high-fidelity asperity-scale mixed-lubrication CMP model. The current work introduces a more computationally efficient wafer-scale PAML model, called PAML-lite, which employs a two-dimensional average flow Reynold's Equation incorporating spatial dependence of entrainment velocities to model the hydrodynamic pressure. The contact mechanics are modeled using a Winkler elastic foundation in cylindrical polar coordinates. The resulting slurry hydrodynamic pressure distribution and contact stress are used to determine the equilibrium configuration of the system in the form of a nominal clearance and rolling and pitch angles. Local and wafer scale material removal rate (MRR) is predicted by assuming a uniform distribution of particle sizes. The prediction of PAML-lite were then benchmarked against experimental results. Upon verification, parametric studies were conducted to understand the effect of some unexplored CMP parameters.
Reducing density-induced CMP non-uniformity for advanced semiconductor technology nodes
Authors: Zhang John H , Tseng Wei-Tsu , Chen Tien , Kim Ben , Flaitz Philip , Kleemier Walter , Goldberg Cindy , Truong Connie , Grunow Stephan 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTIn this paper, a novel set of macros with line/space width from 128nm/128nm, 64nm/64nm to 32nm/32nm was designed and installed on 20nm technology-node hardware. The pitch-dependent pad erosion post Cu CMP was studied by atomic-force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) quantitatively on these macros. Two methods were investigated to reduce the difference between pitch- and density-induced CMP non-uniformity. The first is using new scheme of partial Cu plating process followed by SiCNH insulator deposition and then CMP. The second is through the selection of slurries and pads. Both results are discussed in this paper.
Influenza Vaccine Text Message Reminders for Urban, Low-Income Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Stockwell Melissa S. , Westhoff Carolyn , Kharbanda Elyse Olshen , Vargas Celibell Y. , Camargo Stewin , Vawdrey David K. , Castaño Paula M. 
Published: December 2013

Objectives. We evaluated the impact of influenza vaccine text message reminders in a low-income obstetric population. Methods. We conducted a randomized controlled trial that enrolled 1187 obstetric patients from 5 community-based clinics in New York City. The intervention group received 5 weekly text messages regarding influenza vaccination starting mid-September 2011 and 2 text message appointment reminders. Both groups received standard automated telephone appointment reminders. The prespecified endpoints were receipt of either pre- or postpartum influenza vaccination calculated cumulatively at the end of each month (September–December 2011). Results. After adjusting for gestational age and number of clinic visits, women who received the intervention were 30% more likely to be vaccinated as of December 2011 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.003, 1.69 end of September: AOR = 1.34; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.85; October: AOR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.75; November: AOR = 1.27; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.65). The subgroup of women early in the third trimester at randomization showed the greatest intervention effect (December 31: 61.9% intervention vs 49.0% control; AOR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.12, 3.15). Conclusions. In this low-income obstetric population, text messaging was associated with increased influenza vaccination, especially in those who received messages early in their third trimester.
A Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Maternal Altitude Exposure and Infant Birth Weight
Authors: Zahran Sammy , Breunig Ian M. , Link Bruce G. , Snodgrass Jeffrey G. , Weiler Stephan 
Published: December 2013

Objectives. We analyzed singleton births to determine the relationship between birth weight and altitude exposure. Methods. We analyzed 715 213 singleton births across 74 counties from the western states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2000. Birth data were obtained from the Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, for registered births. Results. Regression analyses supported previous research by showing that a 1000-meter increase in maternal altitude exposure in pregnancy was associated with a 75.9-gram reduction in birth weight (95% confidence interval = −84.1, −67.6). Quantile regression models indicated significant and near-uniform depressant effects from altitude exposure across the conditional distribution of birth weight. Bivariate sample-selection models showed that a 1000-meter increase in altitude exposure, over and above baseline residential altitude, decreased birth weight by an additional 58.8 grams (95% confidence interval = −98.4, −19.2). Conclusions. Because of calculable health care–related costs associated with lower birth weight, our reported results might be of interest to clinicians practicing at higher altitudes.
The Disclosure of Non-GAAP Earnings Information in the Presence of Transitory Gains
Authors: Curtis Asher B. , McVay Sarah E. , Whipple Benjamin C. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACT
We examine the disclosure of non-GAAP earnings information in quarters containing transitory gains to investigate whether the primary motivation for these managers to disclose non-GAAP earnings is to inform or mislead. In this setting, non-GAAP earnings are more informative than GAAP earnings, even though they are lower than GAAP earnings. Thus, managers motivated to inform stakeholders about sustainable earnings will disclose non-GAAP earnings information excluding the gain, whereas managers motivated to report higher earnings will obscure the transitory nature of the gain by focusing on GAAP earnings. We find evidence that managers' disclosure choices vary widely across firms, and these choices affect investors' perceptions of core operating earnings. We then contrast how the same firm discloses non-GAAP earnings in the presence of transitory losses to provide additional evidence on the motives of individual firms' disclosures. We conclude that the most pervasive motivation to disclose non-GAAP earnings in the presence of transitory gains is to inform. An economically significant proportion of firms, however, appear opportunistic in that they only disclose non-GAAP earnings information when it increases investors' perceptions of core operating earnings. Our evidence is important because we speak to the influence that each motive has on the choice to disclose non-GAAP earnings and we provide evidence on the underlying motives behind specific firms' disclosures.
Data Availability: All data are available from the sources cited in the text.
Tone Management
Authors: Huang Xuan , Teoh Siew Hong , Zhang Yinglei 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACT
We investigate whether and when firms manage the tone of words in earnings press releases, and how investors react to tone management. We estimate abnormal positive tone, ABTONE, as a measure of tone management from residuals of a tone model that controls for firm quantitative fundamentals such as performance, risk, and complexity. We find that ABTONE predicts negative future earnings and cash flows, is positively associated with upward perception management events, such as, just meeting/beating thresholds, future earnings restatements, SEO, and M&A, and is negatively associated with a downward perception management event, stock option grants. ABTONE has a positive stock return effect at the earnings announcement and a delayed negative reaction in the one and two quarters afterward. Balance sheet constrained firms and older firms are more likely to employ tone management over accruals management. Overall, the evidence is consistent with managers using strategic tone management to mislead investors about firm fundamentals.
Gabapentin is neuroprotective through glutamate receptor-independent mechanisms in staurosporine-induced apoptosis of cultured rat cerebellar neurons
Authors: Popescu Bogdan , Ţuineag Maria , Stoica Radu 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
The anticonvulsants that are currently available modulate the activity of neuronal receptors and ion channels, which are equally involved in apoptotic pathways. We investigated the hypothesis that gabapentin (GP), an anticonvulsant without effect on glutamate receptors acting as GABA analog, has neuroprotective properties. For comparison, we chose topiramate (TPM), which has been reported to be neuroprotective via AMPA receptors blockade. For this purpose, we used rat cerebellar granule neuron (CGN) cultures and we triggered apoptosis independent of glutamate receptors with staurosporine, a broad-spectrum protein kinase inhibitor. GP at therapeutic range concentration significantly increased cell viability in CGN cultures maintained in physiological KCl concentration and reversed apoptosis induced by staurosporine. Blockade of NMDA or AMPA receptors by MK801 or NBQX, respectively, did not alter GP neuroprotection, which was reversed instead by GABA. In contrast, protective effect of TPM on STS-treated CGN cultures was annihilated by NBQX, and not altered by MK801 or GABA. Treatments with neuroprotective concentrations of GP or TPM did not modify the expression of neuronal cell adhesion molecule or synaptophysin or the morphological aspect of neuronal endings. In summary, we report that GP is neuroprotective through glutamate-receptor independent mechanisms and without alteration of neuronal plasticity markers, which makes it a possible candidate for clinical neuroprotection trials.
The effect of nucleus accumbens lesions on appetite, sexual function, and nicotine dependence in recovering heroin addicts
Authors: Wang Yarong , Zhu Jia , Chen Ling , Liu Yijun , Li Qiang , Yang Weichuan , Li Wei , Zhao Liyan , Gold Mark , Sun Jifeng , Wang Wei 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key part of the neural circuitry that creates reward, pleasure and motivation that facilitates human feeding, sexual and smoking behaviors. In the brain reward system, the NAc is a crucial component responsible for natural and drug-induced reinforcement behaviors. Yet it is unclear whether NAc is indispensible for all reward behaviors in human beings. The present study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of NAc ablation on sexual function, appetite, and nicotine dependence level in chronic heroin users. Eighteen former heroin-dependent patients (male) with bilateral NAc ablation via stereotactic radiofrequency surgery for alleviating drug psychological dependence were recruited. Their postoperative time ranged from 12 to 103 months. All subjects received MRI scans for assessing the accuracy of the lesion site. Evaluation of appetite, sexual function, and nicotine dependence were measured using the Simplified Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire, the Brief Sexual Function Inventory, and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, respectively. After precluding the potential confounding variables, such as drug use (dosage and duration), post-operation duration, age, body-weight, marital status and education level, ANOVA with repeated measures revealed that the NAc ablation improved the patients’ appetite, sexual drive and sexual satisfaction. Yet there was no change in male erectile function, ejaculatory function, or nicotine dependence levels compared to the preoperative. These may suggest that although NAc is a key part of the neural circuitry, the NAc surgical lesions left the fundamental aspects of natural and drug-induced reinforcement and motivation almost intact.