This issue of ECS Transactions contains the papers presented in the symposium on Silicon Nitride, Silicon Dioxide Thin Insulating Films, and Emerging Dielectics held May 6-11, 2007 in Chicago. Papers were presented on deposition, characterization and applications of the dielectrics including high- and low-k dielectrics, as well as interface states, device characterization, reliabiliy and modeling.

The issue of ECS Transactions contains papers presented at the Tenth International Symposium on Silicon Nitride, Silicon Dioxide, and Alternate Emerging Dielectrics held in San Francisco on May 24-29, 2009. The papers address a very wide range of fabrication and characterization techniques, and applications of thin dielectric films in microelectronic and optoelectronic devices. More specific topics addressed by the papers include reliability, interface states, gate oxides, passivation, and dielctric breakdown.

This issue covers in detail all aspects of the physics and the technology of high dielectric constant gate stacks, including high mobility substrates, high dielectric constant materials, processing, metals for gate electrodes, interfaces, physical, chemical, and electrical characterization, gate stack reliability, and DRAM and non-volatile memories.

The main goal of this book is to review at the nano and atomic scale the very complex scientific issues that pertain to the use of advanced high dielectric constant (high-k) materials in next generation semiconductor devices. One of the key obstacles to integrate this novel class of materials into Si nano-technology are the electronic defects in high-k dielectrics. It has been established that defects do exist in high-k dielectrics and they play an important role in device operation. The unique feature of this book is a special focus on the important issue of defects. The subject is covered from various angles, including silicon technology, processing aspects, materials properties, electrical defects, microstructural studies, and theory. The authors who have contributed to the book represents a diverse group of leading scientists from academic, industrial and governmental labs worldwide who bring a broad array of backgrounds (basic and applied physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, surface science, and materials science). The contributions to this book are accessible to both expert scientists and engineers who need to keep up with leading edge research, and newcomers to the field who wish to learn more about the exciting basic and applied research issues relevant to next generation device technology.

High-k Materials in Multi-Gate FET Devices focuses on high-k materials for advanced FET devices. It discusses emerging challenges in the engineering and applications and considers issues with associated technologies. It covers the various way of utilizing high-k dielectrics in multi-gate FETs for enhancing their performance at the device as well as circuit level. Provides basic knowledge about FET devices Presents the motivation behind multi-gate FETs, including current and future trends in transistor technologies Discusses fabrication and characterization of high-k materials Contains a comprehensive analysis of the impact of high-k dielectrics utilized in the gate-oxide and the gate-sidewall spacers on the GIDL of emerging multi-gate FET architectures Offers detailed application of high-k materials for advanced FET devices Considers future research directions This book is of value to researchers in materials science, electronics engineering, semiconductor device modeling, IT, and related disciplines studying nanodevices such as FinFET and Tunnel FET and device-circuit codesign issues.

This issue of ECS Transactions contains the peer-reviewed full length papers of the International Symposium on Silicon Nitride, Silicon Dioxide, and Emerging Dielectrics held May 1-6, 2011 in Montreal as a part of the 219th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society. The papers address a very diverse range of topics. In addition to the deposition and characterization of the dielectrics, more specific topics addressed by the papers include applications, device characterization and reliability, interface states, interface traps, defects, transistor and gate oxide studies, and modeling.

For Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) production, each product requires a unique process technology. This book provides a comprehensive insight into the tools necessary for fabricating MEMS/NEMS and the process technologies applied. Besides, it describes enabling technologies which are necessary for a successful production, i.e., wafer planarization and bonding, as well as contamination control.