Phase transformed zones of silicon have been formed by nanoindentation both at the micro- and nanoscale and electrically probed using an in-situ measurement system. Zones composed of the high pressure crystalline phases (Si-III/Si-XII) have higher conductivity than those of amorphous silicon (a-Si). At the microscale probing laterally across the surface shows that the conductivity varies within the zones composed of the high pressure phases. The sensitivity to the different conductivities of the two phases allows mapping within the zones. Finally, at the nanoscale the conductivity of the high pressure phase zones can be correlated with the position of the pop-out associated with the formation of the phases. The zones have higher conductivity when the pop-out occurs earlier on unloading and we suggest that this is due to the reduction in trace volumes of a-Si formed during the early portion of the unloading cycle.

Ta based films are important building blocks for modern microelectronic applications. To meet the requirements of miniaturization, atomic layer deposition appears to be an alternative technology in comparison to PVD and CVD. In the present paper investigations of a thermal TBTDET ALD process will be presented with emphasis to the first ALD reaction cycles on native silicon oxide and HF etched silicon surfaces. The investigations show that the substrate chemistry is a crucial parameter for the film growth and appears to be a key to control the ALD deposition. The investigations were done by XPS without any vacuum break between the deposition and the surface analysis.

The change of the visible light ellipsometric parameters and mechanical harmonic frequencies of a hydrophobic gold surface attached to a quartz crystal are measured in aqueous solution during deposition of synperonic polymer thin film. The ellipsometry data reveal the amount of polymer mass attached to the surface, while the mechanical resonance shifts are caused by the total mass attached to the surface. Analysis of the combined ellipsometry and quartz crystal microbalance data reveal that the polymer thin film has a high water content, and we determine in-situ, for the first time, the porosity, or the water content, of a polymer thin film in aqueous solution.