Comparative Characterisation of CNS/Epoxy and BN/Epoxy Nanodielectrics Using Electrical Tree PD Measurements and Atomic Force Microscopy

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
pp. 24-37
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Hank ◽  
Cuthbert Nyamupangedengu ◽  
Bridget Mutuma ◽  
Hu Li ◽  
Neil John Coville ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Time To Failure ◽  
Insulation Material ◽  
Carbon Nanospheres ◽  
Mechanical Stiffness ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Electrical Tree ◽  
Evolution Characteristics

This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on the efforts to develop nanodielectrics as the next generation of insulation material. The time-to-failure under electrical tree-induced degradation of 1.09-1.35 vol.% hexagonal BN/Epoxy was found to be 3 times longer than in clean epoxy. For 0.31-0.33 vol.% CNS/Epoxy the time-to-failure was 24 times longer than the clean epoxy. The electrical treeing partial discharge behaviour in the BN/Epoxy and CNS/Epoxy showed distinct time-evolution characteristics different from those in the clean epoxy. The improved electrical tree endurance in BN/Epoxy relative to the clean epoxy can be attributed to increased mechanical stiffness. The superiority of the CNS/Epoxy as a nanodielectric is notable. The effect is suggested to be due to the electron affinity properties of the carbon nanospheres at appropriate dispersion levels.

Effectiveness and Reliability of Metal Diffusion Barriers for Copper Interconnects

1995 ◽  
Vol 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Bai ◽  
S. Wittenbrock ◽  
V. Ochoa ◽  
R. Villasol ◽  
C. Chiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Physical Vapor Deposition ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Diffusion Barriers ◽  
Copper Interconnects ◽  
Time To Failure ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Transmission Electron

AbstractCu has two advantages over Al for sub-quarter micron interconnect application: (1) higher conductivity and (2) improved electromigration reliability. However, Cu diffuses quickly in SiO2and Si, and must be encapsulated. Polycrystalline films of Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Ta, W, Mo, TiN, and Metal-Organo Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) TiN and Ti-Si-N have been evaluated as Cu diffusion barriers using electrically biased-thermal-stressing tests. Barrier effectiveness of these thin films were correlated with their physical properties from Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Secondary Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) analysis. The barrier failure is dominated by “micro-defects” in the barrier film that serve as easy pathways for Cu diffusion. An ideal barrier system should be free of such micro-defects (e.g., amorphous Ti-Si-N and annealed Ta). The median-time-to-failure (MTTF) of a Ta barrier (30 nm) has been measured at different bias electrical fields and stressing temperatures, and the extrapolated MTTF of such a barrier is > 100 year at an operating condition of 200C and 0.1 MV/cm.

scholarly journals First identification of nanoparticles on thorax, abdomen and wings of the worker bee Apis dorsata Fabricius

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-96
Author(s):  
Atanu Bhattacharyya ◽  
Shashidhar Viraktamath ◽  
Fani Hatjina ◽  
Santanu Bhattacharyya ◽  
Bhaktibhavana Rajankar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Average Diameter ◽  
The Body ◽  
Apis Dorsata ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles ◽  
First Time

Abstract The presence of nanoparticles on the body of the honeybee Apis dorsata Fabricius, was investigated for the first time to better understand the bee’s behaviour. These have been observed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and confirmed by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Our study clearly denotes that the Indian rock honey bee Apis dorsata possess calcium silicate and calcium phosphate nanoparticles on its body surface of 5-50 nm in diameter. In particular, the nanoparticles on the abdomen and thorax of A. dorsata have an average diameter of about 10 nanometers and they are smaller than those found on wings of the same bees which are about 20 nanometers. The nanoparticles found are different of the ones previously observed on honey bees or other insects. The origin and role of these natural nanoparticles on the body of the Indian rock bee need to be to be further investigated; more research in the subject might raise important aspects in relation to the conservation of these unique pollinators.

scholarly journals Structural Insights on Fusion Mechanisms of Extracellular Vesicles with Model Plasma Membrane

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Perissinotto ◽  
Valeria Rondelli ◽  
Beatrice Senigagliesi ◽  
Paola Brocca ◽  
László Almásy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Small Angle ◽  
Biochemical Characterization ◽  
The Body ◽  
Supported Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
X Ray Scattering ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Liquid Ordered

AbstractExtracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a potent intercellular communication system. Within a lipid bilayer such small vesicles transport biomolecules between cells and throughout the body, strongly influencing the fate of recipient cells. Due to their specific biological functions they have been proposed as biomarkers for various diseases and as optimal candidates for therapeutic applications. Despite of their extreme biological relevance, the small size (30 to a few hundred nanometers in diameter) of EVs still poses a great challenge for their isolation, quantification and biophysical/biochemical characterization, therefore the complex network of EVs and cells as well as their interaction remains to be further revealed. Here we propose a multiscale platform based on Atomic Force Microscopy, Small Angle X-ray Scattering, Small Angle Neutron Scattering and Neutron Reflectometry to reveal structure-function correlations of purified EVs through the analysis of their interaction with model membrane systems, in form of both supported lipid bilayers and suspended unilamellar vesicles of variably complex composition. The analysis reveals a strong interaction of EVs with the model membranes and preferentially with liquid ordered raft-like lipid domains, and opens the way to understand uptake mechanisms in different vesicle to cell membrane relative compositions.

scholarly journals AFM-based High-Throughput Nanomechanical Screening of Single Extracellular Vesicles

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Ridolfi ◽  
Marco Brucale ◽  
Costanza Montis ◽  
Lucrezia Caselli ◽  
Lucia Paolini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Spherical Shape ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Calibration Procedure ◽  
Morphological Characterization ◽  
Adhesion Forces ◽  
Mechanical Stiffness ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Oblate Spheroids

AbstractWe herein describe an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)-based experimental procedure which allows the simultaneous mechanical and morphological characterization of several hundred individual nanosized vesicles within the hour timescale.When deposited on a flat rigid surface from aqueous solution, vesicles are deformed by adhesion forces into oblate spheroids whose geometry is a direct consequence of their mechanical stiffness. AFM image analysis can be used to quantitatively measure the contact angle of individual vesicles, which is a size-independent descriptor of their deformation and, consequently, of their stiffness. The same geometrical measurements can be used to infer vesicle diameter in its original, spherical shape.We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach to natural vesicles obtained from different sources, recovering their size and stiffness distributions by simple AFM imaging in liquid. We show how the combined EV stiffness/size readout is able to discriminate between subpopulations of vesicular and non-vesicular objects in the same sample, and between populations of vesicles with similar sizes but different mechanical characteristics. We also discuss a force spectroscopy calibration procedure to quantitatively link the stiffness of EVs to their average contact angle.Finally, we discuss expected extensions and applications of the methodology.

Measurement of electromigration parameters of lead-free SnAg3.5 solder using U-groove lines

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 2831-2837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Chao Hsu ◽  
De-Chung Chen ◽  
P.C. Liu ◽  
Chih Chen
Keyword(s):  
Threshold Current ◽  
Lead Free ◽  
Time To Failure ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Temperature Range ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Solder Bumps ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Free Solder ◽  
Current Carrying Capability

Measurement of electromigration parameters in the lead-free solder SnAg3.5 was carried out by utilizing U-groove solder lines and atomic force microscopy in the temperature range of 100–150 °C. The drift velocity was measured, and the threshold current densities of the SnAg3.5 solder were estimated to be 4.4 × 104 A/cm2 at 100 °C, 3.3 × 104 A/cm2 at 125 °C, and 5.7 × 103 A/cm2 at 150 °C. These values represent the maximum current densities that the SnAg3.5 solder can carry without electromigration damage at the three stressing temperatures. The critical products for the SnAg3.5 solder were estimated to be 462 A/cm at 100 °C, 346 A/cm at 125 °C, and 60 A/cm at 150 °C. In addition, the electromigration activation energy was determined to be 0.55 eV in the temperature range of 100–150 °C. These values are very fundamental for current carrying capability and mean-time-to-failure measurement for solder bumps. This technique enables the direct measurement of electromigration parameters of solder materials.

Novel Electromigration Failure Mechanism for Aluminium-Based Metallization on Titanium Substrate

1998 ◽  
Vol 516 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Girardi ◽  
C. Caprile ◽  
F. Cazzaniga ◽  
L. Riva
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Titanium Substrate ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Time To Failure ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Focus Ion Beam

AbstractIn this paper a phenomenological characterisation of an anomalous grain growth, observed after classical electromigration lifetests, on Al-l%Si-0.5%Cu multigrain stripes, deposited at high temperature (460°C) on a Ti substrate, is reported. Failure analysis, carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focus Ion Beam (FIB), has detected an abnormal single-grain growth in the vertical direction, starting from the Ti/Al interface. Medium Time to Failure (MTF) data are compared with those of stripes on Ti/TiN substrate, on which no grain growth was observed. The growth of the anomalous grains has been related to the Ti/Al interface properties. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analyses concurrently show a higher texture of the film on the Ti, compared with the film on the Ti/TiN substrate. The tight columnar orientation of grain boundaries strongly limits the mechanism of grain boundary diffusion during electromigration stress. The atomic flux is then forced to take place at the Ti/Al interface, where the epitaxial growth of the Al single grains is favoured.

scholarly journals Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Human Erythrocytes: Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectral Investigations

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 2368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad S. AlSalhi ◽  
Sandhanasamy Devanesan ◽  
Khalid E. AlZahrani ◽  
Mashael AlShebly ◽  
Fatima Al-Qahtani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Present Report ◽  
The Body ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Sugar Levels

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease indicated by high sugar levels in the blood over a prolonged period. When left untreated, it can lead to long-term complications, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetic retinopathy or foot ulcers. Approximately 415 million people (about 8.3% of the world’s population) had diabetes worldwide in 2015, with 90% of the cases classified as Type 2 DM, which is caused by insulin resistance that arises mostly from being overweight and from a lack of exercise. DM affects every part of the body, including the erythrocytes. The aim of the present report is to gain insight into the damage done to the erythrocytes of patients classified with pre-diabetes and diabetes (plenty are found in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a country where young people encompass a large segment of the population). The study presents results on the morphological analysis of erythrocytes by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular investigations by fluorescence spectroscopy (FS). Our results indicate significant differences (in the morphology, size, and hemolytic end products) between the erythrocytes of diabetic patients (HbA1C, glycated hemoglobin, levels of 8–10%) and normal controls. It is well-known that DM and smoking are two major contributory factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and our observations presented in this study suggest that diabetes plays a relatively less damaging role than smoking for CVD.

Application of AFM to the Nanomechanics of Cancer

MRS Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (25) ◽  
pp. 1817-1827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivani Sharma ◽  
James K Gimzewski
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Cancer Detection ◽  
Cell Mechanics ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cellular Level ◽  
The Body ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Cell Metastasis ◽  
Technological Limitations

ABSTRACTCancer cell metastasis is a leading cause of mortality whereby cancer cells migrate from a tumor and spread to distant sites in the body. Understanding metastasis requires a deeper understanding of biomechanics and mechanobiology at the cellular level. We have established the use of Atomic Force Microscopy to infer the mechanical properties of single cells in cultures by measurement of their Young’s modulus. Here we discuss the main advantages, challenges, technological limitations and applicability of AFM based cell mechanics studies along with other emerging high throughput techniques for the development of single cell mechanical based clinical assays for cancer detection and management.

scholarly journals Application of ALD Thin Films on the Surface of the Surgical Scalpel Blade

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1096
Author(s):  
Magdalena Szindler ◽  
Marek Szindler ◽  
Marcin Basiaga ◽  
Wojciech Łoński ◽  
Paulina Kaim
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Cutting Tools ◽  
Atomic Layer ◽  
The Body ◽  
Surgical Instruments ◽  
Oxide Thin Film ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Layer Deposition ◽  
Number Of Cycles

The article describes biomaterials and surgical instruments, in particular surgical cutting tools. In addition, the functions of coatings and the layer vapor deposition methods are described. In the experimental component of the study, zinc oxide thin film was deposited on the surgical knife blades by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method with a varying number of cycles. The structures of the deposited thin films were investigated using a Raman spectrometer and the surface topography of the samples was examined using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The adhesion of the thin films was tested using the micro-scratch method. The corrosion resistance was also tested. Surgical instruments coated with non-allergenic metal oxide coatings, containing metal structures that reduce the growth of bacteria, could significantly decrease the risk of undesirable reactions of the body during and after surgery.

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