[en] Neutrino oscillations are studied employing sources of low energy monoenergetic neutrinos following electron capture by the nucleus and measuring electron recoils. Since the neutrino energy is very low the oscillation length L₂₃ appearing in this electronic neutrino disappearance experiment can be so small that the full oscillation can take place inside the detector so that one may determine very accurately the neutrino oscillation parameters. In particular, since the oscillation probability is proportional to sin² 2θ₁₃, one can measure or set a better limit on the unknown parameter θ₁₃. One, however, has to pay the price that the expected counting rates are very small. Thus one needs a very intensive neutrino source and a large detector with as low as possible energy threshold and high energy and position resolution. Both spherical gaseous and cylindrical liquid detectors are studied. Different source candidates are considered

[en] The Si 2p x ray photoelectron spectra of SiO_x with a different composition of 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 have been studied experimentally and theoretically. The SiO_x films were prepared by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition from SiH₄ and N₂O source at 750 deg. C. Neither random bonding nor random mixture models can adequately describe the structure of these compounds. The interpretation of the experimental results is discussed according to a large scale potential fluctuation due to the spatial variation of chemical composition in SiO_x.

[en] Double-injection, transport, and accumulation of charge in metal-thick oxide-nitride-silicon and silicon-tunnel oxide-nitride-thick oxide-silicon structures have been theoretically studied. Calculation results were compared to experimental results. The charge transport in Si₃N₄ is quantitatively described assuming the multiphonon ionization theory of neutral traps with a capture cross-section less than 10⁻¹⁴ cm². With traps amphoterism taken into account, the calculation predicts the existence of a layer with their excessive concentration near the SiO₂/Si₃N₄ interface. The model satisfactorily describes the write/erase characteristics in silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon-structures from Bu and White (Solid-State Electron. 45, 113 (2001))

[en] The formation of images of silicon microstructures in a scanning electron microscope, operating in the modes of collecting secondary slow and backscattered electrons, is studied. An MShPS-2.0Si test object was used as the object of study. The test object consists of pitch structures (protrusion and grooves in silicon), the profile of which has a trapezoidal shape with large inclinations of the side walls. The signal of slow secondary electrons is formed in different ways for surfaces with and without a relief. At the same time, the signal of backscattered electrons is formed in the same way for surfaces with and without a relief.

[en] We investigate the production ratios of the naturally occurring s-only nuclides ${}^{122-<!--\; ???\; -->124}$Te by solving a nuclear network in the mass number $120⩽<!--\; ???\; -->A⩽<!--\; ???\; -->124$ region under some conditions representing those in the helium–hydrogen inter-shell in low-mass AGB stars as well as those in the helium burning and the carbon burning phases in massive stars. We show that the electron-capture process on ¹²³Te (the natural half-life $><!--\; >\; -->{10}^{16}$ years) could proceed decisively fast during the late evolutionary phases of massive stars. We thus re-iterate and re-enforce the decades-old notion that detailed analysis of the relative ${}^{122-<!--\; ???\; -->124}$Te abundances in due consideration of the selective ¹²³Te depletion in massive stars would set a stringent constraint on the s-process modelings. We stress that the relative abundance ratios of ${}^{122-<!--\; ???\; -->124}$Te in the solar system become quite difficult to decipher if the s-process in massive stars contributes significantly to the synthesis of nuclides in this intermediate A region.

[en] The formation of images of silicon microstructures in a scanning electron microscope, operating in the modes of collecting secondary slow electrons (SSEs) and backscattered electrons (BSEs), is studied. Grooves in electronic silicon with a trapezoidal profile and small angles of inclination of the side walls with a nominal width of 1 µm and a depth of 300 nm are used as the object of study. It is shown that among four mechanisms for the formation of BSE images, currently known, only two mechanisms contribute to the formation of SSE images. They take into account the formation of an image by the primary electron probe and by multiply scattered primary and secondary electrons coming from the surface of a solid. Multiply scattered secondary electrons moving in the direction of probe electron motion, which make the main contribution to the formation of the BSE image, do not contribute to the formation of the SSE image.

[en] The quality of manufacturing of a test object for the calibration of a scanning electron microscope is studied. The test object is made of silicon and consists of relief pitch structures with a nominal pitch size of 2000 nm. All relief elements (protrusions and grooves) have a trapezoidal profile with large inclination angles of the side walls. The planes of the side walls coincide with the crystallographic planes {111} of silicon, and the planes of the vertex of protrusions and the bottom of the grooves coincide with the crystallographic planes {100}. Several methods for controlling the quality of manufacturing of the test objects are considered: visual examination of surface defects, use of cleavages of the relief, and transmission electron microscopy. None of them makes it possible to determine the quality of manufacturing of a particular test object or its individual elements.

[en] An analysis of the applicability of the Monte Carlo method for modeling images obtained in a scanning electron microscope is presented. It is shown that, in the Monte Carlo method, it is impossible to take into account all mechanisms of the interaction of electrons with matter that influence image formation. The amount of random numbers produced by modern random-number generators is insufficient for the modeling of electron scattering in matter. The time of image modeling on modern personal computers is too long: years of continuous work of a computer. There is no evidence for the correctness of the results given by the Monte Carlo method in image generation. These facts prove the impossibility of applying the Monte Carlo method to modeling electron scattering in solids, which is used for image formation in a scanning electron microscope.

[en] A method for correlation analysis of the coordinates of control points in scanning electron microscope signals obtained by recording slow secondary electrons is described. The method allows one to independently and quantitatively estimate the fabrication quality of the relief components of test objects with a trapezoidal profile and large inclination angles of the lateral walls, which are intended for the calibration of a scanning electron microscope, and to choose only the components or separate areas of components with a high quality of their fabrication for the purpose of calibration. Correlation analysis of the quality of fabrication of the MShPS-2.0Si test object is performed. Analysis shows that the used microscopes (with real and usually unknown drawbacks) allow one to investigate the advantages and disadvantages both of real test objects with a trapezoidal profile and large inclination angles of the lateral walls, and of real scanning electron microscopes.

[en] The applicability of the Monte Carlo method for modeling images obtained in a scanning electron microscope is assessed. It is shown that in the Monte Carlo method, it is impossible to take into account all the mechanisms of the interaction of electrons with matter that affect image formation. Modern random-number generators create an insufficient amount of random numbers necessary for modeling the scattering of electrons in matter. The time it takes to modeling images using contemporary personal computers is too long: it takes years of continuous computer operation. There is no evidence of correctness of the results of the Monte Carlo method when generating images. These factors prove the impossibility of using the Monte Carlo method to modeling the scattering of electrons in a solid, which is used in image formation in a scanning electron microscope.