[en] Spectroscopic ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy are all invaluable routine characterization techniques to determine the thickness of silicon nitrides during manufacturing of compound semiconductor devices. We describe in detail the accuracy and convenience of each technique. In addition to thickness, nitride composition is another process parameter that needs to be controlled in manufacturing. Therefore, we also discuss using UV Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry to measure composition. Finally, we discuss the correlation between electrical parameters (capacitance and breakdown voltage) and the stoichiometry of the silicon nitride used as a dielectric in a metal-insulator-metal capacitor

[en] The strain dependence of Si-Ge interdiffusion in epitaxial Si/Si_1-yGe_y/Si heterostructures on relaxed Si_1-xGe_x substrates has been studied using secondary ion mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and simulations. At 800 and 880 deg. C, significantly enhanced Si-Ge interdiffusion is observed in Si/Si_1-yGe_y/Si heterostructures (y=0.56, 0.45, and 0.3) with Si_1-yGe_y layers under compressive strain of -1%, compared to those under no strain. In contrast, tensile strain of 1% in Si_0.70Ge_0.30 layer has no observable effect on interdiffusion in Si/Si_0.70Ge_0.30/Si heterostructures. These results are relevant to the device and process design of high mobility dual channel and heterostructure-on-insulator metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors