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Press release from PR Newswire
Nu Skin Enterprises Commences Global Convention
Friday, October 28, 2011
Nu Skin Enterprises Commences Global Convention13:18 EDT Friday, October 28, 2011New Products, Milestones and Announcement from Chairman of the Board Make for Historic EventPROVO, Utah, Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) commenced its global convention with the announcement of new products, sales initiatives and milestones for its non-profit Foundation. In addition, the company's executive Chairman of the Board, Blake M. Roney, announced that he has accepted a three-year leadership assignment to serve as a volunteer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Roney will continue to serve as the executive chairman of the board through May 2012, shortly before he begins his new church assignment, and will remain involved in the company on a limited basis until his return in 2015. Steven J. Lund, the current vice chairman of the board, will become the next chairman of the board. Lund has been with the company since its infancy and previously served as its chief executive officer. "This year's convention will go down in Nu Skin history as a truly historic event," said Steve Lund, vice chairman of the board. "We've had the opportunity to honor the distinctive leadership of Blake Roney and wish him well in his new assignment. As the company builds on the foundation of success that he has helped to establish, we see a great future ahead for the company. Much of this optimism comes from Nu Skin's ageLOC platform that is creating a super class of anti-aging products and a powerful business opportunity for the company's expanding sale force. In addition, Nu Skin's founding mission to be a 'force for good in the world' continues to be demonstrated through the generous culture of Nu Skin global family of distributors and employees."ageLOC Anti-aging ProductsAt the convention, Nu Skin officially launched its latest ageLOC products, R2 nutritional supplement and Galvanic Body Spa?, to the more than 13,000 distributors attending convention. At the beginning of October, Nu Skin began taking orders for the new products on a limited time basis. Orders for the new products have totaled approximately $100 million, well ahead of company expectations. Nu Skin will follow-up the limited time offering with its global roll-out that will begin in the first quarter in the United States, Japan and Korea, with subsequent product introductions in Greater China and Southeast Asia in the following quarters. Adding to the strength of the ageLOC anti-aging super class of products is the company's recent announcement of its letter of intent to acquire LifeGen Technologies. The acquisition includes substantially all of the assets of LifeGen, including its tissue bank, proprietary gene expression database, patents and intellectual property related to gene research. The acquisition of LifeGen will enhance Nu Skin's pipeline of next-generation anti-aging products for many years to come, allowing Nu Skin to provide a steady stream of innovative anti-aging solutions aimed at helping people live younger, longer.Nu Skin Corporate Social ResponsibilityOn the eve of the convention, the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation hosted a fundraising gala with approximately 700 guests in attendance. Celebrating its 15-Year Anniversary, the foundation raised approximately US$700,000. One hundred percent of donations are used for projects around the world that offer hope for children to have a life free from disease, illiteracy and poverty (http://www.forceforgood.org).About Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. demonstrates its tradition of innovation through its comprehensive anti-aging product portfolio, independent business opportunity and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company's scientific leadership in both skin care and nutrition has established Nu Skin as a premier anti-aging company, evidenced in its unique ageLOC? science that addresses aging at its source. The company's anti-aging products feature the new ageLOC suite of products including the ageLOC R2 nutritional supplement, ageLOC Galvanic Spa System and Galvanic Body Spa?, as well as the ageLOC Transformation daily skin care system. A global direct selling company, Nu Skin operates in 52 markets worldwide and has more than 825,000 independent distributors. Nu Skin is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NUS." More information is available at http://www.nuskin.com. Please note: This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning the company's business and outlook. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations, and are subject to risks and uncertainties discussed in company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from expected results. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.SOURCE Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.For further information: media, Kara Schneck, +1-801-345-2116, email@example.com, or investors, Scott Pond, +1-801-345-2657, firstname.lastname@example.com, both of Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.


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To read EPA's February 1, 2013, response, click here. To read the committee's December 12, 2012, letter, click here.
Excerpt: By its inaction, HRSA essentially turned a blind eye to entities who no longer should have been participating in the 340B program, allowing them to improperly reap the benefits of deeply discounted 340B drugs. Only last year did HRSA finally begin to ensure that participants continued to be eligible. … Maintaining the integrity of the 340B program is of the upmost importance, and we trust that you share our concerns.
To read the letter, click here.
To read the letter, click here. To read the NRC's February 19, 2013, response, click here.
To read the Food and Drug Administration's Response, click here. To read the initial letter to HHS, click here
Excerpt: During the past month, we have heard from a number of concerned citizens, including parents, law enforcement officials, health care providers, state and local officials, and our colleagues in Congress, about the impending release of the non-tamper-resistant versions of these opioids. According to these concerned citizens, the release of the non-tamper-resistant versions will deal a significant setback to our nation's ongoing struggle to stop prescription drug abuse.

subset: commoncrawl


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This Convertible Super Beetle is in awesome condition. It may be used as an every day car. I've been driving it around with the... More
Rust free 1973 VW Karman Gaia coupe runs and drives excellent new tires and recent service. all original except one repaint these cars... More
Beautiful and fun !!!.. This 1965 V.W. Beetle Convertible in recent Med. Blue finish, high gloss / White conv. top is in... More
It sure looks like the days of inexpensive Beetles are drawing to a close, which is probably a good thing. This cheerful yellow 1973... More
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BRAND NEW $35K RESTORATION! READY FOR THE SHOWS AND THE ROADS. This is one of the nicest Beetles I have ever seen in my... More
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1970 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. Thousands spent on cosmetic improvements - have receipts for all maintenance done on vehicle.CA Vehicle (registered and CA plates) Currently being... More
1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible. This Super Beetle has received a complete professional restoration. The car was completely disassembled and all rust was removed... More
1971 Volkswagen Beetle Good ConditionCould use a little workTrue Import ClassicRear ViewNeeds a new homeAM FM RadioMotivated SellerTitle In HandUnit is located in Las... More
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This 1974 Volkswagen Beetle is a one owner car the the receipt for purchase in 1974 is still in the glove box! It has been a... More
2004 Volkswagen R32, 6-speed manuel, one of 5000 made, EIP turbo-charged, 450 horse power at flywheel, Neuspeed wheels & suspension, Brembo front disc brakes w/ six-piston calipers, Haldex reprogrammer for... More


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The top stories in the Norwalk Reflector-Herald on this date 82 years ago:
Mrs. Dalzell dies in Milan on day husband is buried
On the day her husband was buried, Mrs. Ameliea Dalzell, 70, widow of James Dalzell, died at 2 p.m. Thursday in Milan, at her home on Center Street.
The husband died early in the week and was buried Thursday morning. Surviving are the children, Mrs. Wallace Jones of Elyria; John Dalzell of Elyria; Mrs. Frank Peirce of Collins and Miss Charlotte Dalzell of Gallopolis.
Police 'shoot up" tin ware of hobo camp west of city
Police Chief F.R. Remington and a N.Y.C. railway detective the other day "shot up" a hobo camp near the W. & L. E. and N. Y. C. river bridges west of the city on a part of the property of West Main Street. Drive Allotment. After all the cooking utensils, chiefly tin cans, were piled high in the air, the officers drew their revolvers and shot the tin ware full of holes. It is said tramps have entered a number of box cars in railway yards here recently to obtain tobacco and other articles.
Demon divorce has big lead on cupid in Huron County
Demon divorce has made sly Cupid look like an amateur in Huron County this month.
Since the first day, eight divorce petitions have been filed in common pleas court. The same time, only two marriage licenses have been issued at the office of Probate Judge J.M Bechtol.
The marked increase in the divorce evil is a source of much comment in local legal circles. An analysis of cases shows that in the vast majority of cases, there is no real reason why divorce litigants could not have made a success of their matrimonial careers, court observers say.
Gold discovered here today of fool's variety
Gold was discovered by workmen excavating the trench for the local telephone company at the intersection of Monroe and Hester streets this morning.
But no wild dance halls will be started in the neighborhood, nor will swaggering miners with pick axes and placer pans be seen on the streets here.
For the gold found, apparently is of the fool's variety, which is really pyrites of iron with the formula FeS2. It is a rather strange thing that "fool's gold" looks almost exactly like the genuine metal while real gold as found in nature looks like something else, as a rule. It is also a fact that sometimes fool's gold is mingled with real gold.
Norwalk school children doubtless will recall reading of the time early American colonists sailed back to Great Britain with a whole vessel load of fool's gold found on the Atlantic coast.
The pyrites probably were carried to this district by glaciers as little native iron is found in this part of the country. It was found at a depth of about eight feet.
Compiled by Andy Prutsok


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AMC Driving School
- (401) 765-8500
- 11 Macarthur Rd
- Woonsocket RI 02895
Read user reviews
AMC Driving School11 Macarthur Road, Woonsocket, RI 02895, United StatesShowing 5 reviews out of 6 total
Mehul Patel03/19/155 Stars - What an amazing experience I had. I highly recommend AMC Driving School. Alan Cote is an awesome person to talk to, great driving teacher. I learned so much in just a matter of 2 hours, I feel like I can now buy a car and roll with it. Thank you Alan. People, do consider AMC whenever you want to learn driving... Cheers!Farheen Kawchali05/21/155 Stars - Very nice driving class.Alan is very nice instructor,he has lot of patience,I took one driving lesson from him and already feel improvement in my driving😊Zhou Matthew08/18/145 Stars - I would highly recommand AMC Driving School. It was really a great experience learning driving from AMC. Alan my driving instructor is very nice and patient to answer you. I was able to learn a lot with the help of Alan. He teaches you everything that you need to know for the road test.Alan Cote10/24/135 Stars - I received several calls over the past few days from Anwar. He had many questions and I answered them for him. I was under the impression that he was looking for driving lessons for himself. The first call he made to me was some time last week and he indicated to me that he lives in Lincoln. On his first call, he attempted to talk me into giving him a discount for the services I offer. I made it clear what my rates are and did not offer him a discount. He also attempted to persuade me to provide my driving school car for road test purposes. I explained that we would need to have at least one lesson before so I could assess whether he was ready for the road test or not. I made it clear that I only take people to road tests if they are ready for it. The first and second calls he made to me included the same questions multiple times and I answered them for him. On his third call he indicated to me that, in fact, the lessons and road test requests were not for him but for his brother. He wanted to meet before the first driving lesson was set up, but I let him know that we could set an appointment and we could meet from there. He was very forceful and demanding with his request to set up a lesson and I let him know that I was not available at 3PM on the day he last called which was on October 21, 2013. I spoke with him at about 1PM on that day and I was not available for his request for an appointment that day. After further discussion, I let him know that I did not feel comfortable with the whole situation.Anwar-ul-Islam Qureshi10/24/131 Stars - This guy Alan Cote appeared to be very uncourteous. Very bad experience in order to just find out about the procedure and payment informaiton. He does not want to meet in person and was very rude. I called for my brother who is new to country and had an appoinment for road test. I did not tell him that I am calling for my brother because at that point I was not talking about who is the driver but what is the package. That is as simple as it is... After multiple tries, when I finally spoke to him and asked if we can meet, he was like, No make an appointment and pay and I will come. I was like Ok. that is fine, let's do it. But he was like, he is busy and is booked for few days. So, I said ok we will work on your schedule days but due to work, my brother can be available after 3:00 PM any day Alan is available; however when I said I also want to make sure the car is available for the scheduled road test day and time for our peace of mind, he rudely said: "No, MY CARS are NOT available!" ... That was just shocking. Here I am asking for his services and there he was making his customer all uncomfortable and worrying about if he is feeling comfortable or not. He then outrightly started accusing me of not being honest and not telling him upfront if it was for my brother. He just made an excuse out of it. Clearly, he wanted things on his terms and never wanted to work with a customer. I asked him multiple times to make an appointment and he was under the delusion that I was asking for discounts. I never asked for a discount; only confirmed about the pricing. And asked multiple times only to make sure there are no hidden surprises. That, as a customer, is my right. He appears to have issues with people of color as his tone ahd started changing after I told him from where he can pick my brother up. Lost a customer and lost all respect. I have seen many unfriendly people in corporate world I work in, but running a small business and losing a customer like this requires special talent.


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Search Results for: warehouse
January 1, 2004
Home Depot Launches Consumer Catalog
Hardware retailing giant Home Depot in November dropped its first consumer catalog. The Atlanta-based company mailed 5 million copies of a 68-page holiday book to a combination of customers and prospects. The title sells more than 250 gift and home items, ranging …More...
In News
January 1, 2004
Advances in Bar Coding
All the talk about radio frequency identification technology makes it easy to believe that traditional bar codes are on their last legs. Not so, according to many experts. In fact, bar code technology will continue to be the "workhorse" of …More...
January 1, 2004
3Q Sales Grow at the Expense of Profits
For business and computer catalogers, increased sales came at the expense of profits during the third quarter.
Among the 14 publicly traded companies tracked for Catalog Age by investment bank Tully & Holland, 86% reported third-quarter sales gains. For the same period of …
In Uncategorized
January 1, 2004
Material Handling
Back in January 2002, when we last published this study, we were describing companies shell-shocked after 9/11 and facing a world that would never again be the same. Understandably, they were cautious, uncertain, and eager to hang on to what they had …More...
In Uncategorized
January 1, 2004
Petals Acquired by Southridge Capital
Shortly after cataloger/retailer Petals filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in November, its name and assets were acquired by Ridgefield, CT-based private equity firm Southridge Capital Management through its subsidiary holding company, Petals Decorative Accents Corp.
Six months before filing for …
In Lists & Data - Buisness, Lists & Data - Business-14-05-2013
December 10, 2003
Petals Acquired by Southridge Capital
The name and assets of cataloger/retailer Petals, which filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in November, was acquired by Ridgefield, CT-based private equity firm Southridge Capital Management through its subsidiary holding company, Petals Decorative Accents Corp.
Prior to filing for Chapter 7, …
In Lists & Data - Buisness, Lists & Data - Business-14-05-2013
December 3, 2003
Home Depot Acquires MRO Supplier
In a move to bolster its Maintenance Warehouse catalog, Fullerton, CA-based Home Depot has agreed to buy Economy Maintenance Supply Co., a Sterling, VA-based wholesaler of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) supplies. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Maintenance …More...
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December 1, 2003
At Deadline
SAN DIEGO MAILERS SURVIVE WILDFIRE SCARE It was a little too close for comfort for San Diego-based RoadRunner Sports: Sixty-foot flames from the October wildfires were just minutes away from engulfing the athletic shoes cataloger's headquarters and warehouse. At one …More...
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December 1, 2003
Chapter 7: Monitoring
As you will see, most centers monitor, especially phone calls. And the reasons why they monitor, according to an ICMI/ACNielsen Study done in 2002, include:
77% measure agent performance 72% identify additional agent training needs 54% evaluate level of customer satisfaction 49% …
December 1, 2003
Quality Vs. Quantity
Only 13 mergers and acquisitions were transacted during the third quarter, compared with 22 deals in the third quarter of last year. But a number of the deals that did go down were significant ones: Boise Cascade Corp. buying OfficeMax for $1.15 billion, …More...


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Is benadryl safe for infants?
Posted: 04/14/2008 by a BabyCenter Member
Mom Answers
Sort by: best answers | most recent answers
1 - 10 of 35 answers
Jenncase20 is correct, if you have a 20 lb child, dividing by 2.2 gives you approx. 9.0 kilos, suggesting 9 ML's for the baby, THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH! A 6 to 11 year old would take ONLY 5 to 10 ML's. A baby weighing 20 LBS would need approx 2 ML's or HALF a teaspoon!!posted 05/25/2015 by a BabyCenter Member
My baby is coughing .wt medicine can I give himposted 02/22/2015 by sandyammu231
My son is 17 months old and weighs 29 lbs, and his pediatrician said it was safe to give him 1 1/2 ml of Benadryl to help with his cold.posted 01/19/2015 by sunshiinesz
Is it safe to give 1ml diphenhydramin to 2 month baby to calm down his colic attackposted 01/08/2015 by smaf5034
My LO is 4 days away from being 1 y/o and he's attending daycare but continously get colds or rashes. This time he has Coxsackie virus which is causing him to devote blister on his back, chest and stomach. He's scratching excessively. This is the 4th day and 5th night. He's crying and can't sleep. I thank God we have a private doctor who takes calls throughout the day and night. I called him regarding my LO not getting any sleep due to him crying and scratching (btwhe's usually sleep by 8pm until 630 am) he told me to give him 1/2 teaspoon of benadryl. I didn't yet only because they're aren't any pharmacies open or around here. Definitely will try in the am. My LO dr was his dad's dr from birth. Cool right? Yes. Point is we trust him 100 percent. Things changed from the 70s and 80s. There are things we can use on a baby now that we wouldn't dare use back then lolposted 11/16/2014 by shaquanapearson
mini update: If you buy regular Zzz Quil, it's just liquid benadryl. I'd say after 3-4 months of age (and based on gender/ weight), it's okay to give to them. Read at least three other groups of discussions before proceeding. Follow the directions according to Weight! see the responses below, theyre pretty accurate. AND error on the side of caution!!!! If you give too much (like I did once in college after being desperate for sleep) you will get this hallucinagenic, skin crawling feeling that you'd never wish on your kids. Try half a dose (for us it'd be like taking one benadryl pill instead of the recommended 2 pink pills) if you are in any way unsure!!! if it doesnt work, slowly increase by 50% but seriously seriously discontinue after about a week. Good luck sleepy mommies! It gets better (so they tell me).posted 10/16/2014 by TandtheBean
I'm trying this tonight. I did 1.75mL or 1/4 teaspoon. We have serious sleep problems though, I wouldn't do this unless we were desperate. He's exactly 6 months and gets up screaming every hour on the hour. It's torture for us, as parents. Imagine six months straight of this. I can't believe we are resorting to this but we just gave ourselves a time frame to stick to. I'm hoping it will lengthen his sleep cycle gradually and put us on the right track. If you read closely to actual scientific literature, it states that babies under but not limited to 6 months of age have 60-90 minute sleep cycles and actually awake all throughout the night naturally but groggily fall back asleep 99% of the time. Except in my case, of course. I will update this post and let you guys know, wish me luck.posted 10/16/2014 by TandtheBean
Is it ok to give an 8 month old benadryl and how much should I give herposted 10/10/2014 by sdyer39
Benadryl isnt unsafe for infants, due to yrs of abuse, drug co no longer provide a dosage chart openly available where any sleep deprived parent can see. There r safety as well as liability issues, all meds can be unsafe if used incorrectly that doesn't mean they are themselves unsafe. Most meds do not list dosage under 2 yrs since they want you to get correct dosing from a pro. If u don't believe in giving ur infant meds, that's fine but correct application of meds should not be something to be afraid of if there is need. Benadryl is the ONLY allergy/cold medine on the market that can be used on infants (barring natural remedies). My 3 yr has had horrible allergies since he was 6 mo & we began using it then, after the 1st couple of times he hasn't had any more sleepiness & it's still the only one that works for him. I don't believe in being overly worried about things involving my kids but in getting accurate, professional information based on facts, not anecdote, call your dr always.posted 10/08/2014 by a BabyCenter Member
I just called my doctor, my son (16 1/2 months, 24 pounds) has a running nose. They said half a teaspoon. I would suggest calling your doctor if possible first, very important.posted 08/02/2014 by MsPumpitup
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|Adobe Portable Document Format
|Low- and high-level motion deficits in amblyopia: studies of maximum motion displacement
|Ho, Cindy
|Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
|Neuroscience (MSc) (PhD)
|Copyright Date:
|Publicly Available in cIRcle
|Subject Keywords
|amblyopia; motion perception
|The human visual system comprises two neural pathways, the magnocellular/M and parvocellular/P pathways that process aspects of motion and form perception, respectively. Amblyopia is a developmental condition which may affect an otherwise healthy eye if it experiences abnormal visual stimulation due to ocular misalignment (strabismus), unequal refractive errors (anisometropia), or both. Amblyopia has been associated with deficits in both form and motion perception. Random-dot kinematograms (RDKs) which are created by shifting a computer-generated dot display in one direction by a given displacement can be used to assess motion processing. Maximum motion displacement (Dmax) is the largest dot displacement at which the direction of motion for a RDK can be correctly discriminated. Strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia represent two distinct subtypes of amblyopia and have been proposed to have different neural substrates. They have also been reported to have different Dmax deficits (Ho et al., 2005). The intentions of this thesis were: 1) to characterize deficits in Dmax for direction discrimination in the fellow and amblyopic eyes of participants with anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia using psychophysical methods; and 2) to investigate the relationship between psychophysical Dmax deficits and dysfunction in motion-sensitive extrastriate cortex of the M pathway using functional MRI techniques. The psychophysical results showed that Dmax thresholds are smaller in both amblyopic and fellow eyes for both subtypes of amblyopia relative to controls, although the deficits were greatest for strabismic amblyopia. Functional MRI results revealed decreased extrastriate cortical activation in both the strabismic and anisometropic groups relative to the control group when either eye viewed the RDK stimulus, although the lack of cortical activation was greatest for strabismic amblyopia. Taken together, this evidence suggests that dysfunctional binocular motion processing mechanisms in extrastriate cortex are part of the neural deficit underlying anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia and implies that strabismic amblyopia may be affected to a greater degree. For both amblyopic groups, there was a robust correlation between depth perception (stereoacuity) and Dmax thresholds. Specifically, direction discrimination was better when stereoacuity was worse. Abnormal binocular integration may have a significant role in predicting motion deficits in both anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia.
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T.V. and Film:
Eddie Gamarra
The Gotham Group
9255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 515, Los Angeles, CA 90069
ph (310) 285-0001
Book Agent:
Nancy Gallt
The best way to contact me is via the form above. If you need a response for a report, that's the fastest way. If you want a snail mail reply, type in your address and please, your last name.
If you want to send a snail mail letter, please be aware that you may not get a reply. It breaks my heart to say this, but I can't keep up. Emails are fine, but the snail mail often takes six months or more to get to me. Then, the names and addresses are often illegible and I spend way too much time trying to figure them out. I had surgery this year and am still recovering, so there's a huge pile of letters I don't think I'll be able to answer. I will read them and appreciate them, but I can no longer guarantee that I can answer. Send an email and I will respond.
(By the way, if you ever want to know where to mail a letter to an author, the publisher's address is always inside the book.)
Fan mail for: Humphrey USA
Betty G. Birney
c/o Author Mail
Penguin Young Reader's Group
345 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
Fan mail for: The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs
Betty G. Birney
c/o Author Mail
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Fan mail for: The Princess and the Peabodys
Betty G. Birney
c/o Author Mail
HarperCollins Children's Books
1350 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
In the UK for: Humphrey books, The Princess and the Peabodys
Betty G. Birney c/o Author Mail
Faber & Faber
Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA


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Some struggles are less titanic than others.
The Miami Marlins are the new St. Louis Browns.
There was a time when Reds fans envied the Marlins for winning once every five years at least.
The Marlins bullpen is so good the game is over by the 7th.
Anybody else have trouble spelling Hannahanrahanigan?
The Cardinals have been playing like their tree was struck by lightning.
The only problem with Choo is that he can't hit first, second, fourth and fifth.
Surprising that Votto's on the highest-paid list considering everything he's not paid to do.


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MOVIEmeterSEE RANK
Down 368,792 this week
Home Movies (1940)
Approved | | Comedy, Short | 17 February 1940 (USA)
Blunderer Robert Benchley is going to show some house guests the film he and his wife took on a vacation trip. He sets up the projector and the reel begins...and nothing good happens for Benchley from this point.
Director:Basil Wrangell
Stars:Robert Benchley, Marie Blake, John Butler | See full cast and crew »


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Nationwide Career Events - Los Angeles Job Fair
- Business & Professional
- 5400 West Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90045
Business Plan Basics
Ruth Martinez-Baenen
Tuesday, October 8, 2013 from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM (PDT)
A business plan is an essential roadmap for business success. This living document generally projects 3-5 years ahead and outlines the route a company intends to take to grow revenues. This session will discuss the importance of a business plan and what you need to get your plan started. Learn now how to create the best business plan that will not only assist you in financing your company, but it will assist you in setting the game plan to ensure your success in the future. This session is a must attend for any one serious about their business and who may need funding.
Please contact Ruth should you have any questions regarding this event. She can be reached at email@example.com or (626) 744-7351.
Join millions of people on Eventbrite.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


text:
Originally written on NESN.com | Last updated 9/26/12
BOSTON –– Per usual, Bobby Valentine spoke to the media before Wednesday's game. But given the uncertainty surrounding his job, it could signal the Red Sox skipper's final game at Fenway Park. Valentine, however, approached the session with a relaxed attitude. When asked about any regrets from the 2012 season, the 62-year-old stuck to his guns and backed all his decisions. "Not much I would have done differently, I don't think, other than I think I would have kept the beer in the clubhouse," Valentine joked. "I think I could have used it after a few of these games this...
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Printed By The NORTH CHINA DAILY NEWS AND HERALD LTD For The Proprietors. Edited By Arthur De C. Sowerby and John C. Ferguson.Book size 9 3/4" X 6 3/4" of 55 pages plus advertising at front and back. Front cover has some thread stitching....odd page loose ....light browning to page edges, and odd spot or stain.....but generally very clean and tidy. Interesting Historical book....some very good articles, great pics, and interesting old Adverts.
At Molloy's of Milford Antiques Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
Specialists in Pacific Islands Items, Victoriana, And a Fascinating Range of General Collectibles
|To Be Determined
|To Be Determined
Price for shipping to USA change location


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The Long Term Future Of MotoGP - Financial And Technical Stability At Last?
At Assen, Dorna, the FIM and IRTA held a joint press conference announcing their plans for the future of the championship. From 2017, they told the media, the MotoGP teams would receive 30% more money from Dorna, factories would have to make bikes available to satellite teams, all 24 riders will receive financial support from the organizers, and Dorna retain the right to buy the grid slots of the two riders who finish last in the championship.
For MotoMatters.com readers, this is nothing new. We reported on this back in May, after the Jerez round of MotoGP. Only a few details have changed in the intervening period, but those changes are worthy of comment. And it is important to note that the new regime starts from 2017, with 2016 being a transitional year. So what will the future of MotoGP look like? Here's an overview.
For next year, the existing system will continue as it is, with teams receiving free tires from the official tire supplier – Michelin, as of 2016 – and an allowance to cover travel costs. Dorna will support 22 riders for next season, meaning that three riders will not receive any support. Which three those are will be decided by IRTA, on the basis of the results of each rider during 2015. The three riders currently out of the top 22 are Karel Abraham, Alex De Angelis and, rather surprisingly, Marco Melandri. Abraham is struggling with a foot injury, but there have been rumors that the Czech-based team is looking at a switch to World Superbikes for 2016.
De Angelis losing his slot would also not come as a surprise. Though they entered the championship with high hopes, Giampiero Sacchi's IODA Racing team have struggled in MotoGP, unable to field a competitive motorcycle. Withdrawing from MotoGP would be a blow, but would allow them to focus more on their Moto2 effort.
Marco Melandri's position is much more troubling. Although the Gresini Aprilia team is a factory effort, the subsidy from Dorna is very welcome. At the moment, Melandri and Aprilia are at loggerheads over the future. Neither one wishes to continue for the rest of the season, but Melandri will not leave without being paid, and Aprilia are disinclined to pay for such a gross underperformance. If this continues, however, it may be worth their while to pay for Melandri to leave. The Italian is rumored to be on a salary well north of €1 million a season, and he is keen to see that money. The amount of money Gresini Aprilia would be missing out on for 2016 if Melandri (or his replacement) is around €1.5 million, so it may prove to be more costly to keep Melandri at 25th in the rider ranking than to replace him with someone capable of finishing nearer to his teammate, Alvaro Bautista, and ahead of a few other riders.
2015 Assen Post-Race Round Up: Title Races, Maturity Joe, And Miller Madness
You would think with the deluge of words which has washed over the incident between Marc Márquez and Valentino Rossi in the last corner (and to which I contributed more than my fair share, I must confess) that there were only two riders and one race at Assen on Saturday. Beyond the clash at the GT chicane, there was much more to talk about after Holland.
Whatever the immediate aftermath of the clash between Márquez and Rossi, the longer term implications of the result have made the championship even more interesting. Márquez' decision to switch back to the 2014 chassis for his Repsol Honda RC213V has been proven to be the correct one. Though the engine is still as aggressive as ever, the old chassis in combination with the new swingarm and new forks tested at Le Mans has made the bike much more manageable. Márquez can now slide the rear on corner entry in a much more controlled way than before, taking away the behavior the reigning champion has struggled with most. The Spaniard showed he could be competitive from the start of the race to the end, instead of crashing out as the tires started to go off.
The bike is still a long way from cured, however. Márquez switched to the medium front tire rather than the soft, the only rider to do so. The medium provides a bit more support under braking, compensating for the reduced braking from the rear wheel. That support comes at the cost of extra grip provided by the softer front. Whether Márquez will be able to employ that same strategy for the rest of the season remains to be seen. For a start, Assen is not a very typical track, featuring a lot more flowing corners than usual. At circuits with more corners needing hard braking, the challenge will be greater. The next race is at the Sachsenring, where asymmetric front tires will be on offer. How the Honda deals with that will be interesting.
A more competitive Márquez will certainly liven the championship up. After Lorenzo swept the previous four races, a Rossi comeback gave him back the advantage in the championship. Without Márquez, Rossi would only have extended his lead by five more points, but the Repsol Honda man put himself between the two Movistar Yamaha teammates, meaning that Lorenzo's deficit grew to ten points. With ten races to go, the championship is still wide open, though realistically, it is only between Rossi and Lorenzo. But the influence of a rider who is consistently capable of inserting himself between the two Yamahas could end up having a major effect on the championship.
2015 Assen MotoGP Post-Race Round Up, Part 1: Rossi vs Marquez
Great final corners make history, every track should have one. A chicane, or a wide, tight final turn which allows riders to attempt a desperate last-gasp plunge up the inside, or for the exceptionally brave, round the outside, for the win. The truly great corners have just enough options after the turn for the attacking rider to make a mistake and let the rider he just passed retake the lead.
Assen has such a final corner. And not just a great final corner, but also a great sequence of corners which lead up to it, allowing riders to both plan ahead and to react to the unexpected. On Saturday, Assen's GT Chicane, and the complex from De Bult all the way to the exit of Ramshoek, delivered spectacular and exhilarating racing. It also delivered a moment which will go down in the annals of MotoGP history, and be debated for years to come. It might even prove to be the decisive moment in the 2015 championship.
The names of the protagonists should come as no surprise: Valentino Rossi led into the final corner, with Marc Márquez in hot pursuit. What happened next depends on whose version of events you wish to believe, as the participants differ in their perceptions. Rossi says he turned in to the first part of the chicane in front, got bumped wide by Márquez, and had no choice but to gas it across the gravel to avoid crashing. Márquez says he had the inside line in the corner, Rossi cut him off, then cut the corner on purpose to take the win. Which version is the truth? We'll come to that later, but to understand what happened we have to go back to the beginning of the race.
2015 Assen MotoGP Friday Round Up: On Rossi's Assen Magic, And Old Tires vs New Tires vs Soft Tires
Jeremy Burgess was famous for finding that special something on Sunday morning that gave Valentino Rossi the edge in the race in the afternoon. It is a tradition carried on by Silvano Galbusera, who has replaced Burgess since the start of the 2014 season. Galbusera, too, always seems to find that extra little tweak during warm up that makes the difference between cruising in fourth or finishing on the podium, and even on the top step. The fact that it has continued since Burgess' departure suggests that the tweaks were very much a collaborative effort, with input coming from his data engineers and mechanics, as well as the rider himself, of course.
Two weeks ago in Barcelona, Rossi's team appeared to have found something extra special. For it did not just work on the Sunday in Catalonia, taking Rossi from the third row all the way up to 2nd, but it has even carried through to Assen, some 1600km further north. Rossi was quick from the moment he rolled out of pit lane for the first time at Assen, and has been at or near the top of the timesheets ever since. In this form, Rossi may well have expected to have been on the front row, but he went better than that. Putting in one of the best laps of his recent career with a couple of minutes to go, he simply hammered the opposition. As a sign of just how dominant he was at Assen, he led the second fastest man, Aleix Espargaro, by nearly a quarter of a second. The next quarter of a second difference covers second place to eleventh, from Aleix Espargaro to Danilo Petrucci. It is incredibly close at Assen, except at the front. One man reigns supreme.
2015 Assen Thursday Round Up: Honda vs Yamaha, Races Saved and Races Changed
If the Honda is so bad, why are two RC213Vs at the top of the timesheets? That seems like a very valid question, given the public struggles which all of the Honda riders have had with the bike this year. Has the 2014 chassis finally fixed the Honda's ailments? Is Márquez back?
If only it were that simple. Firstly, of course, Marc Márquez never went away. The double world champion still possesses a gargantuan talent, and the desire and will to use it. He was hampered by many aspects of the 2015 bike, including both the engine and the chassis. The 2015 chassis, he explained at Assen, was more precise and could be used more accurately. Unfortunately, the only way to get the best out of it was to ride it like every lap was a qualifying lap. That level of intensity is just not sustainable over race distance. At some point, you will make a mistake, and the 2015 chassis punishes mistakes mercilessly. So HRC have reverted to a hybrid version, using a 2014 chassis and the new swingarm which Márquez first tested at Le Mans. That works better for Márquez: he has been forced to sacrifice some precision, but at least now he has a chance to recover from mistakes.
2015 Assen MotoGP Preview - Great Natural Tracks, Beating Lorenzo, And The Future Of Brno
Assen is a funny old track. And when I say old, I mean old, the event has been on the calendar since 1925, though there was no such thing as world championship, and the race took place between Rolde, Borger and Schoonloo, some ten kilometers east of Assen. From 1926, it moved to a route between the villages of De Haar, Oude Tol, Hooghalen, Laaghalen and Laaghalerveen. The roads, forced into short straights with fast sweeping kinks and bends by the complex drainage patterns of the creeks and ditches which keep the region from reverting back to peat bogs, gave shape to the track which was to follow. They still leave their mark on the circuit today, despite being a closed circuit since 1955, though the track has been much shortened since then.
What remains is a track with nary a straight piece of asphalt on it. The back straight meanders between the Strubben hairpin and the fast right and long left of the Ruskenhoek, living up to its name of Veenslang, or Peat Snake. The short stretches between the fast combinations of corners weave and flow, and the only thing keeping the front straight straight is the pit wall. As a piece of geometric design, it is a disaster. As a race track, it is glorious, proving that the best tracks are not designed on paper, but laid out in a landscape. Mugello, Phillip Island, Assen: all great riders track, each owing a debt of gratitude to the landscape which forms them.
All these fast, flowing bends where riders barely touch the brakes – comparatively, for a MotoGP race that is – reward a bike that can carry corner speed and change direction easily. A bike that rewards a steady hand and a smooth style. In other words, a rider like Jorge Lorenzo on a bike like a Yamaha YZR-M1. Lorenzo has been fearsome around Assen in the past, laying down a pace impossible for mere mortals to follow. Having won the last four races in a row, Lorenzo is in pretty terrifying form as well. "I am in the best shape of my life," Lorenzo told the press conference, joking that he had even beat his personal trainer on a mountain bike ride for the first time. The Yamaha is strong, and Lorenzo is strong. Who can beat him?
2015 Barcelona MotoGP Test Notes: Honda's 2014/2015 Hybrid, And The Frustration Of Weather
Frustration and resignation. Those were the two most prominent emotions at the post-race MotoGP test at Barcelona. Two sides of the same coin, in reality, as the weather robbed teams in desperate need of track time of any chance of doing the hard work which will make them all a bit more competitive. After an hour and a half of a dry track, a massive thunderstorm washed over the circuit, drenching the track and leaving it wet for the rest of the day. Dani Pedrosa was phlegmatic about the situation. " The weather is what it what is," he shrugged. "Obviously it would have been perfect for it to have stayed dry but we don't control that."
In the Tech 3 garage, Pol Espargaro, suffering badly through a slump in his form, did nothing to hide his frustration. "We tested two things, one of them was not good, one of them was good, we improve a little bit. Then the rain comes, it's impossible to make one fast lap time, impossible to make a rhythm, impossible to make anything. We are looking to go to Assen to continue, because it was a disaster today." It has been a tough year for the younger of the two Espargaro brothers, as he is struggling to ride the Yamaha, a bike which requires a radically different approach than his natural tendency, to move around, and be aggressive.
The rain was perhaps toughest on Marc Márquez. Márquez' biggest problem is on corner entry, where he cannot slide the rear controllably once it touches down during braking. The reigning world champion feels strongly that braking is where he has his biggest advantage, and the ability to either pass or make up time on his opponents. Take away that advantage and he feels shackled, fighting with one hand behind his back.
2015 Barcelona Sunday MotoGP Round Up: The Stuff Champions Are Made Of
Barcelona was the place the champions emerged. In Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP, riders laid a solid claim to the titles in their respective classes. Danny Kent rode with heart and head, and won the Moto3 race with a plan, extending his lead in the championship to 51 points. Johann Zarco pulled back a big gap and made the right move when it mattered most, extending his lead to 40 points. And Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi demolished all-comers to make it a Yamaha one-two, and to push their lead out to 43 and 44 points respectively, the Movistar Yamaha men separated by a single point between them. A lot can happen in the eleven races which remain, but the chances of the three titles not bearing the names of three of those four men are getting slimmer by the race. The fat lady is still a long way from starting to sing, but you get a sneaking suspicion that you just heard her taxi pull up at the artists' entrance.
While in Moto2 and Moto3, the title favorites have a name, in MotoGP we know only the team likely to lift the trophy in Valencia. To say that the factory Movistar Yamaha team dominated the MotoGP race in Barcelona is an understatement. While Valentino Rossi chased another metronomic performance from Jorge Lorenzo, behind them their rivals were either falling by the wayside or finishing nearly twenty seconds off the pace. Marc Márquez, Andrea Dovizioso and Aleix Espargaro crashed, Dani Pedrosa finished third just under twenty seconds behind the Yamahas, and Andrea Iannone was the first factory Ducati home, with a gap equating to a pace nearly a second a lap slower than that of the Yamahas. Jorge Lorenzo has won the last four races on the trot, Valentino Rossi has picked up two more, and not been off the podium so far this season, leaving only Austin to Marc Márquez. Even then, the Repsol Honda man won that race with a much smaller margin than usual at the track.
Jorge Lorenzo gave yet another demonstration of just how strong his riding is at the moment. The Spaniard grabbed the lead at the first corner – frustratingly so for Aleix Espargaro, who had got off the line well but started to suffer as the Suzuki changed up the gearbox, the lack of a seamless shift meaning he lost eight or nine places in the long run down to the first turn – and proceeded to make the break so many feared he would. Marc Márquez gave chase, but lasted less than three laps, the reigning champion throwing his title chances away at the La Caixa corner. Valentino Rossi rode brilliantly to work his way up to second from the third row of the grid, but left himself with too much work to do to catch Lorenzo. As the laps started ticking down, it looked like he might just manage that, but Lorenzo responded just enough to keep a healthy buffer between himself and his teammate. It wasn't an epic race by any stretch of the imagination, but there was tension and there was interest.
2015 Barcelona Saturday MotoGP Round Up: Suzuki's Triumph, Lorenzo's Pace, And Preventing Moto3 Towing Madness
1993. That was the last time there were two Suzukis in the first two positions on the grid. Then, it was Kevin Schwantz and Alex Barros who qualified first and second at Jerez. Now, twenty-two years and six weeks later, it is Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales. Then, Suzuki were at the height of their competitiveness, before beginning their slow decline which went on until they withdrew at the end of the 2011 season. Now, Suzuki is back after a three-year absence, with a brand new prototype at the start of its development. Taking pole and second in just their seventh race is quite an achievement for Suzuki, and vindication of their choice to build an inline four, something they know all too well, rather than messing around with a V4, as they had done throughout the MotoGP era.
It is also a vindication for the team of people Suzuki chose to lead their return to MotoGP. Davide Brivio has proven to be a shrewd team manager, to nobody's surprise. Tom O'Kane, Aleix Espargaro's crew chief, has been instrumental in providing direction to the development of the bike. Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales have lived up to their expectations, combining experience, attitude and a hunger for success.
Of course, there are no points for qualifying, and Suzuki's front row positions came at least in part with the artificial performance boost of the soft rear tire available to the Open teams and factories with concessions. But Espargaro and Viñales still had to put in the time, and they had to beat the Ducatis, who have the same concessions as they do. They deserve their position, was the near universal feeling among Suzuki's rivals.
2015 Barcelona Friday MotoGP Round Up: Fast Suzukis, The Deceptive Pace Of The Yamahas, And Tires And Electronics
What did we learn from Friday practice at Barcelona? We learned that things are not quite what they seem. Does the fact that the Repsol Honda riders are second and third overall mean that HRC's travails are behind it? Certainly not. Do the two Suzukis in the top five – and Aleix Espargaro setting the fastest overall time – mean Suzuki have found the horsepower to match the Honda and Ducati? Absolutely not. Will the Yamahas' lowly positions on the grid put them out of contention on Sunday? Leaving aside the fact that it's just the first day of practice, with another full day on Saturday, definitely, absolutely, certainly not.
Are all these assumptions completely baseless? That's where it gets interesting. In fact, there is a kernel of truth underlying them all. The Honda is improved, certainly, but racing is not practice. The Suzuki is definitely quicker, but it isn't horsepower which is putting the Suzukis where they are. And the Yamahas are clearly having a problem, but it is not a problem which will trouble them much in the race.
The headline times are deceptive, at least in the case of the Yamahas and Hondas. The fastest laps of Dani Pedrosa and Marc Márquez are impressive, but both times they were one-off laps set on very short runs in qualifying trim, rather than times set in long runs using a race set up. Perhaps spooked by his experience in Mugello, where a prolonged focus on electronics and race set up left him stranded in Q1, and then failed to get into Q2, Márquez ensured that he had a fast lap under his belt at the end of both free practice sessions. Pedrosa did much the same, working on race set up early, then pushing for a time at the end of both FP1 and FP2.


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A thin film layer of silicon nitride is deposited on silicon substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques is stabilized by post-deposition rapid thermal annealing at temperatures ranging from about 600° C. to about 700° C. and at times ranging from about 3 seconds to about 30 seconds.
1. A device comprising:
(a) a thin film layer of silicon nitride having a thickness of less than about 1000Å on a substrate deposited by means of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques; and
(b) the silicon nitride layer having been rapidly thermal annealed within a temperature range and a time period range sufficient to increase the N--H bond concentration of the silicon nitride to produce a thin film layer of silicon nitride that is less than about 1000Å thick and stable with respect to change transfer hysteresis between the silicon nitride and the substrate.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is silicon.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the temperature range is from about 600° C. to about 700° C.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the time period range is from about 3 seconds to about 30 seconds.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the annealing takes place in a nitrogen atmosphere.
This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 478,028, filed Feb. 9, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,065, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 309,113, filed Feb. 13, 1989, now abandoned.
The present invention is directed generally to semiconductor devices. More specifically, the invention is directed to gate dielectrics. Yet more specifically, the invention is directed to the use of silicon nitride (SiN3) as a gate dielectric.
The use of SiN3 as a gate dielectric in a metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) device is highly desireable because of certain characteristics of the SiN3 layer, namely its higher dielectric constant (as compared to that of silicon dioxide), its imperviousness to water vapor and ion diffusion, and radiation shielding. As a consequence, the use of SiN3 as a gate dielectric in a MOS device has been pursued over the past 25 years or so.
However, in thin film form films of SiN3 having a thickness of less than about 1000 angstroms, SiN3 is generally unstable due to charge injection from the silicon into the nitride upon application of a voltage across an electrode formed on the SiN3 film and a silicon substrate upon which the film was deposited. The charged is trapped in the nitride and this results in a shifting of the threshold voltage of the metal-nitride-silicon (MNS) structure. By reversing the polarity of the applied voltage the charge can be transferred from the nitride to the silicon with a resulting converse shift of the threshold voltage in the opposite direction. The MNS structure, because of this phenomenon, is a variable threshold field effect device. The device is also known as a metal-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MNOS) nonvolatile memory device. The phenomenon of the reversing thresholds thus is a bysteresis effect.
The hysteresis effect was discovered circa 1967 by H.A.R. Wagener of Sperry Corporation. This discovery led to the development of MNOS devices and the nonvolatile semi-conductor memory technology supported heavily by the United States military.
Until now, the only way known to eliminate the hysteresis in MNOS structures was to grow a sufficiently thicker, i.e., greater then about 1000 angstroms, layer of oxide between the nitride and the silicon substrate. But, such a structure has the disadvantage of an oxide layer which is sensitive to radiation and effectively neutralizes the advantages of the high dielectric constant of the silicon nitride.
The earliest MNOS memory devices were fabricated using silicon nitride deposited by means of atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). Accordingly, most published data on MNOS devices concerns APCVD silicon nitride. However, most silicon nitride depositions are currently performed by means of low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) systems because LPCVD films are more uniform in thickness, are more nearly stoichiometric, contain less hydrogen, and contamination by oxygen is less common.
Since both of these deposition methods are performed at high temperatures, i.e., at temperatures greater than about 700° C., there are difficulties in processing of radiation-tolerant peripheral MOS circuits. But, recent studies have suggested that by depositing silicon nitride by means of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), a low temperature deposition, i.e., temperatures below about 400° C., can be successfully used in a MOS structure. Studies have shown a strong dependence of some electrical properties of these PECVD films on deposition parameters, and have concluded that properties of PECVD silicon nitride which are important for nonvolatile memory device operations, are comparable to those of high temperature CVD silicon nitride. This result is not surprising in view of published reports of results for PECVD silicon dioxide and suggestions that low temperature epitaxy may be realizable.
Charge trapping and transfer properties of silicon nitride used in MNOS non-volatile memory devices are thought to be associated with excess silicon and hydrogen in the silicon nitride film. It has been shown that charge transfer in LPCVD silicon nitride films increases with excess silicon. A further increase has been produced by removing hydrogen by beating the device above the deposition temperature. Hydrogen implantations followed by annealing at about 500° C. or rehydrogenation of annealed films in hydrogen plasma decreases the charge transfer and enhances charge trapping and retention due to the formation of Si--H bonds. In one study, it was demonstrated that Si-H bond density, which can be varied by controlling deposition parameters, has a significant impact on the physical and memory performance of "as deposited" PECVD silicon nitride.
Conventional post-deposition furnace annealing above about 500° C. of the films results in a severe loss of hydrogen and affects the physical and memory properties of the films. However, reported results for PECVD nitride suggest that for annealing temperatures of less than about 500°0C., hydrogen can transfer from nitrogen to silicon and annealing of disorder in the films is possible. It has also been demonstrated that memory properties of MNOS capacitors can be enhanced by annealing at temperatures up to 500°0C. with the most significant improvement occurring for about 30 minutes at 475°0C.
Recently, rapid thermal processing (RTP) has received much attention as a tool for activating implants, growing thin insulated films, nitridation, and annealing of encapsulant films and gate dielectrics. RTP offers advantages over conventional furnace annealing, the most notable advantage being precision in controlling of annealing time and temperature for short thermal cycles. Consequently, RTP permits slow out-diffusion and/or redistribution of hydrogen during the annealing of silicon nitride. As noted previously, hydrogen plays an extremely important role in silicon nitride used as the trapping layer in an MNOS memory device.
The present invention provides a MOS device having a stabilized thin film of silicon nitride as a gate dielectric and a process for producing same. To this end a MOS device is produced wherein a thin film of silicon nitride is deposited on a substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and then stabilized by post-deposition rapid thermal annealing. The annealing is carried out at temperatures from about 600 °C. to about 700° C. and at times from about 3 seconds to about 30 seconds. The thin films produced have thicknesses of less than about 1000 angstroms. The resulting silicon nitride layer bas a higher dielectric constant than a comparable film of silicon dioxide, is impervious to water vapor and ion diffusion, and is radiation hard. Accordingly, the invention provides a stabilized thin film layer of silicon nitride for MOS devices without the need for an intervening layer of silicon oxide between the silicon substrate and the silicon nitride layer, although a thin layer of less than 20 angstroms of silicon-dioxide is present due to surface oxidation of the silicon substrate during the process.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 illustrates deposition rate, refractive index, and band edge as a function of the gas ratio of (N2 +NH3) to SiH4 ;
FIG. 2 illustrates deposition rate, refractive index, and band edge as a function of nitrogen flow;
FIG. 3 illustrates silicon to nitrogen ratios determined by auger analysis;
FIG. 4 illustrates the variation of Si--H and N--H bond concentration with respect to the gas ratio of (N2 +NH3) to SiH4 ;
FIG. 5 illustrates the variation of Si--H and N--H bond concentration with respect to nitrogen flow;
FIG. 6 illustrates the variation of memory window size versus pulse width with the gas ratio as a third parameter;
FIG. 7 illustrates memory window size variation versus pulse width with nitrogen flow as a third parameter;
FIG. 8 illustrates typical logic voltage versus decay time for a device fabricated with nitride deposited using "optimum" deposition conditions;
FIG. 9 illustrates decay rates of devices fabricated at various values of gas ratio and nitrogen flow;
FIG. 10 illustrates endurance performance of a typical test device;
FIG. 11 illustrates write/erase characteristics for devices having 100 or 220 angstrom thick films deposited at a gas ratio of 15.8;
FIG. 12 illustrates memory window size variation with anneal temperature relating to the growth of a blocking oxide and steam at 600° C.;
FIG. 13 illustrates Si--H bond concentration as a function of anneal temperature for growth of a blocking oxide and steam at 600° C.;
FIG. 14 illustrates a plot of memory window size versus anneal temperature devices which were annealed for 30 and 40 minutes;
FIG. 15 illustrates Si--H bond concentration variation with anneal temperature and time corresponding to the data of FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 illustrates the variation of silicon to nitrogen with annealing temperature for the films of FIGS. 14 and 15;
FIG. 17 illustrates a plot of hydrogen concentration versus rapid thermal annealing temperature with anneal time as a third parameter;
FIG. 18 illustrates variation and memory window size of MNOS capacitors with anneal time at 700° C. for three write/erase pulse widths;
FIG. 19 illustrates FTIR spectroscopy data for rapidly thermal annealed substrates;
FIG. 20 illustrates a plot of memory window size versus Si--H/N--H ratio for various write/erase pulse widths for devices annealed at 700° C.;
FIG. 21 illustrates a series of C-V curves for devices implanted at different energies with affluence of 5×1012 ions/cm2 and 5 microampere beam currents;
FIG. 22 illustrates beam current effect on memory window size of MNOS capacitors;
FIG. 23 illustrates beam current effect on memory window size of MNOS capacitors for a 1 microampere beam;
FIG. 24 illustrates variation of memory window size versus pulse width for three different affluences when beam current and energy are held constant at 1 microampere and 25 KeV;
FIG. 25 illustrates memory window size versus several combinations of implant parameters; and
FIG. 26 illustrates Si--H concentration for the implant conditions illustrated in FIG. 25.
The present invention evolved from a series of experiments directed to the use of PECVD silicon nitride (SiN3) as a trapping medium in nonvolatile memory devices. Initial efforts were directed at obtaining and defining optimal deposition parameters. Subsequent efforts were directed to obtaining and defining post-deposition annealing and implantation/annealing parameters that provided enhanced memory characteristics of MNOS devices. Electrical and physical properties of the films as a function of deposition properties and subsequent processing were studied to determine the relationship of the deposition properties and subsequent processing to charge transfer, trapping, and loss in the devices.
The test structured used to evaluate the memory performance of PECVD silicon nitride by means of ellipsometry was the MNOS capacitor. The substrate material employed was <111> oriented, 3-5,ohm-cm, n-type silicon. The substrate material was supplied by Monsato Corporation.
Prior to deposition of silicon nitride in the substrates, the substrates were cleaned using a hydrogen peroxide-sulfuric acid mixture, etched hydrophobic with hydrofluoric acid, rinsed with dioxizedwater, and then spin dried. The same substrate material was used for ellipsometry and auger analysis.
Optically polished, high resistivity silicon, diced into 5 mm by 5 mm samples, was used as the substrate material for Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis. The FTIR samples were etched in buffered oxide etch, rinsed in dioxized water, and then blown dry with nitrogen prior to deposition. Commercially available, high quality, quartz plates of 1 mm thickness were used to determine the absorption band edge of silicon nitride using ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopic analysis. The quartz plates were supplied by Heraeus Amersil (T20 Superasil 2). Before deposition, the quartz plates were degreased in trichloroethylene, dipped in methanol, ultrasonically scrubbed, and then blown dry using nitrogen.
The deposition of silicon nitride was performed in a parallel-plate, capacitively coupled, 13.56 MHz, Reinberg-type reactor (Texas Instruments Model A-24C). The reactor was equipped with automatic power sensing and tuning circuits to maintain a constant power level during deposition. Deposition power, temperature, and chamber pressure were selected to maintain a stable plasma, to ensure reproducible film composition and thickness, and, most importantly, to yield the largest memory window for a 1 microsecond pulse and a 5×1O6 V/cm programming field. These requirements were met at a power of 100 watts (34 mw/cm2), a substrate temperature of 300° C., and a chamber pressure of 2 Torr. Gas flow into the reaction chamber was controlled by mass flow controllers (Unit Instruments Model URS 100).
Silicon nitride films of various compositions were deposited by varying both the source and amount of nitrogen in the reactant gas streams. The gases used for deposition were: 5% silane in argon, anhydrous ammonia, and ultrahigh purity nitrogen (99.998% pure). The source and amount of nitrogen in the reactant gas stream was varied by varying the flow of nitrogen, ammonia, and silane so that the gas ratio of (N2 +NH3) to SiH4 varied from 2.5 to 30.3. An ammonia to silane ratio of 0.8 was chosen because it consistently yielded the largest memory window in the work performed to determine optimal values for depositions power, temperature, and pressure. The flow of nitrogen was generally 750 sccm.
Following silicon nitride deposition, annealing and implantation/annealing steps were performed, followed by electrode formation using aluminum for the gate and gold for the backside ohmic contact. The deposited films were annealed in a nitrogen atmosphere using an AG Associates heart pulser Model 210T at temperatures from 400°0C. to 800° C. for times that ranged from 1 second to 180 seconds.
Film thicknesses and refractive oxides for "as deposited" and "annealed" material were determined using an Applied Materials Ellipsometer-II ellipsometer which uses an He--Ne laser with a wavelength of 6328 angstroms. Chemical bonding in the films was determined using a Nicolet 20-DX FTIR spectrometer with a resolution of 4 cm31 1. Ten scans were taken and averaged for each spectrum.
Film thickness was approximately 5000 angstroms. The spectrum for bare silicon was subtracted from the spectrum for the nitride/substrate and the difference spectrum was analyzed using the method set forth by W. A. Landford and M. S. Rand at 49 J. Appl. Phys. 2473 (1978).
The band edges of the films were determined using a Varian Model Cary-210 spectrophotometer. Film thickness was approximately 5000 angstroms, deposited on quartz plates. The band edges were scanned over the wavelength range of 180 nm to 420 nm. The edges of the films were calculated using the method of Tauc as set forth in the book, Optical Properties of Solids, F. Abeles, ed., 279, North Holland Publications, Amsterdam, Holland (1972).
Memory characteristics were studied using the high frequency capacitance-voltage (C-V) curves of MNOS capacitors. The gate electrodes of the capacitors were formed from aluminum using shadow masks via thermal evaporation. The backside ohmic contacts were thermally evaporated gold. A light source was used to ensure sufficient minority carrier availability during write/erase operations using short programming pulse widths, and read disturb was minimized by closely controlling the amount of time that voltage was applied to the device under test. Resistivity and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the films were measured with a Hewlett Packard semiconductor parameter analyzer (Model HP4145A) using a staircase voltage ramp.
PECVD silicon nitride films were deposited using parameters described in the previous section, resulting in material that was slightly silicon rich (i.e., Si/N was about 0.85), contained a large concentration of bonded hydrogen (greater than 40% atomic weight) and, when used in an MNOS structure, yielded devices with memory characteristics comparable to those fabricated using atmospheric and low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The films were then subjected to rapid thermal anneal cycles in nitrogen for times ranging from 1 to 180 seconds and temperatures from 4000° C. to 800° C. Anneals at 800° C. caused the films to rupture. This effect has been described previously in the literature and has been attributed to hydrogen release and accumulation of molecular hydrogen at the Si/SiN3 interface. Altbough hydrogen is evolved by annealing at 400° C. and changes in both physical and memory properties of the material are observed, the results presented here are for annealing at 500° C., 600° C. and 700° C., the results at 400° C. and 500° C. being similar.
The electrical and physical properties of silicon nitride thin films are known to be sensitive functions of deposition conditions as noted previously. It follows then, that the memory performance of nonvolatile memory devices which utilize silicon nitride as the charge trapping medium is influenced by the deposition and post-deposition processing of the nitride.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate deposition rate, refractive index and band edge as a function of gas ratio and nitrogen flow, respectively. The horizontal axes of the FIGURES are also calibrated in percent silane of the total gas flow.
As illustrated, deposition rate and refractive index decreased and band edge increased with increasing gas ratio and nitrogen flow. The trends in these three parameters were a result of decreasing excess silicon incorporation in the film as the amount of nitrating agent in the reactant gas stream increased. The films varied from very silicon-rich for small gas ratios and nitrogen flows to a Si/N ratio of 0.75 as gas ratio and nitrogen flow increased.
Silicon to nitrogen ratios determined by Auger analysis and corresponding to the data points of FIGS. 1 and 2 are presented in FIG. 3. As illustrated, Si/N decreased as both gas ratio and nitrogen flow increased. Although PECVD silicon nitride films are known to be amorphous, a stoichiometric value of 0.75 for Si/N was approached for gas ratios greater than 22 (1<NH3 /SiH4 <10; total gas flow >2000 sccm) and nitrogen flows in excess of 1250 sccm (NH3 /SiH4 =40 sccm/50 sccm; total gas flow >2000). These results indicate that for high total gas flows, the silicon to nitrogen ratio of the film becomes independent of the NH3 /SiH4 ratio and may be controlled by the residence time of the reactant species.
The variation of Si--H and N--H bond concentration with gas ratio and nitrogen flow is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. The data were calculated from infrared absorption spectra using the method of W. A. Lanford and M. J. Rand, 49 J. Appl. Phys. 2473 (1978). As gas ratio and nitrogen flow increased, the N--H bond concentration increased with a concomitant decrease in Si--H bond concentration. This indicates that hydrogen preferentially passivated nitrogen instead of silicon when the gas stream contained a large concentration of nitrating agent. These observations are also consistent with the fact that the percent silane in the gas stream decreased with increasing gas ratio and nitrogen flow.
In FIG. 5, it is illustrated that the hydrogen bond concentration increased slightly between 480 and 1150 sccm of nitrogen flow. Also, the band edge only rose to a value of 4.0 eV and the refractive index decreased to 1.8 (see FIG. 2) for high nitrogen flows. This indicates that these films contained a larger amount of hydrogen than those deposited at high gas ratios. This additional hydrogen was bonded to nitrogen and may be due to incomplete dissociation of the reactant gases at the higher flow rates.
High-frequency C-V curves were used to obtain write/erase, retention and endurance characteristics from MNOS capacitors. A light source was used to ensure sufficient minority carrier availability during programming operations using short pulse widths and read disturb was minimized by closely controlling the amount of time that voltage was applied to the devices under test.
FIGS. 6 and 7 present memory window size data versus pulse width with gas ratio and nitrogen flow as the third parameter, respectively. As illustrated, the memory window size increased approximately logarithmically with pulse width and showed a tendency toward saturation for long pulse widths. The general shape of the illustrated curves is similar to those of LPCVD devices. The largest memory windows were obtained for a gas ratio of 15.8 and a nitrogen flow of 750 sccm. FTIR and Auger analysis showed these films to be slightly silicon rich. The poor performance of films with larger amounts of excess silicon is attributable to the high film conductivity which enhances backtunneling of injected charges from the nitride to the silicon. For large gas ratios and nitrogen flows, the Si/N ratios of the films approached 0.75 and the devices exhibited acceptable window sizes, excellent charge retention and reasonable endurance performance. These results suggest that some excess silicon bonded as Si--H is desirable for charge trapping and retention to be effective in PECVD silicon nitride.
Charge retention measurements were made on devices for all variations of the deposition gas stream. FIG. 8 illustrates typical data for a device fabricated with nitride deposited using "optimum" deposition conditions. The two logic states decay at different rates as expected, producing a window decay rate of 0.6 volts per decade of time in seconds. The charge decay is logarithmic with time and is consistent with results for LPCVD nitride reported previously by others.
FIG. 9 illustrates decay rates of devices fabricated at various values of gas ratio and nitrogen flow. Considering the initial memory window size, the decay rates were at the lower end of previously reported values for PECVD nitride and compared favorably with those of LPCVD nitride devices.
The endurance performance of a typical test device is illustrated in FIG. 10. The memory window size was only slightly smaller after 108 cycles and the shift in window center was small. Furthermore, there is no evidence of impending catastrophic failure. Retention data was also taken after endurance cycling to various levels. Although charge retention was degraded by endurance cycling, the results were comparable to those reported for MNOS and MONOS devices fabricated with APCVD and LPCVD nitride.
In order to assess the potential for application of PECVD nitride in low-voltage MNOS structures, 100 and 220 angstrom thick films were deposited at a gas ratio of 15.8. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the devices exhibited reasonable write/erase characteristics but charge retention was poor, probably due to leakage of charge through the gate electrode. Attempts at growing a blocking oxide in steam at 600° C. were unsuccessful because of the outdiffusion of hydrogen during the oxidation step. The loss of hydrogen during post-deposition, high-temperature processing was confirmed by the data illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. Memory window size variation with anneal temperature (FIG. 12) paralleled that of the Si--H bond concentration shown in FIG. 13. These results suggest that charge trapping in PECVD silicon nitride requires the presence of hydrogen bonded to silicon. However, it is not clear whether the loss of memory performance was the result of an increase in silicon dangling bonds with the loss of hydrogen or the loss of trapping centers due to the decrease in Si--H bonds.
Loss of hydrogen from APCVD and LPCVD silicon nitride during high-temperature annealing has been well documented. However, unlike PECVD nitride which essentially loses its ability to perform as a charge trapping medium after annealing at temperatures of 500 °C. and higher (see FIG. 12), APCVD and LPCVD nitride devices continue to function with only slight changes in performance parameters following post-deposition processing at temperatures up to 900° C.
Results reported previously in the art for PECVD nitride suggest that, for annealing temperatures at less than 500° C., hydrogen can transfer from N to Si and annealing of disorder in the films is possible. Consequently, further annealing studies were undertaken at temperatures ranging from a deposition temperature of 300° C. to 500° C. Also, in place of the conventional techniques used to insert samples into and withdraw samples from the annealing furnace, a step procedure was followed whereby samples were raised from room temperature to the final annealing temperature in increments of 50°0 C. and/or 100°0 C. The reverse sequence was then used to withdraw the samples. All annealing was accomplished in a nitrogen environment and times of 30 and 40 minutes and longer were used to simulate typical post-deposition, high-temperature processes.
FIG. 14 illustrates a plot of memory window size versus anneal temperature for devices which were annealed for 30 and 40 minutes. Data for in-situ annealed (films remained inside the reactor for 30 minutes at 300° C. with nitrogen flowing) and "as-deposited" films are included in the FIGURE for comparison purposes. These results indicate that memory performance can be enhanced by annealing at temperatures up to 500°0 C. with the most significant improvement occurring for 30 minutes at 475°0 C. Furthermore, in-situ and conventional annealing at 300° C. produced a small increase in memory window size suggesting that some reordering in the film may have occurred. The decrease in window size at 500° C. indicates the beginning of severe degradation of memory properties.
The Si--H bond concentration variation with annealing temperature and time corresponding to the data of FIG. 14 is presented in FIG. 15. The Si--H concentration correlated very well with memory window size as anticipated from the previous annealing results of FIGS. 12 and 13. Furthermore, the data suggests that improvement in memory window size with annealing is a result of the transfer of hydrogen from nitrogen to silicon. Also, since the energetics of hydrogen loss are determined by N--H and Si--H bond dissociation, and hydrogen movement in the film is considered to be diffusion-limited, the time dependence of the annealing process is understandable.
Auger electron spectroscopy was used to determine the Si/N ratios for the films of FIGS. 14 and 15 which had been annealed for 30 minutes. FIG. 16 illustrates the variation of Si/N with annealing temperature. Although published values for the diffusion coefficient of nitrogen in silicon nitride do not support the movement of nitrogen at these temperatures, the data do suggest that nitrogen was lost from and supplied to these films during annealing. Additionally, a comparison of FIGS. 15 and 16 reveals an inverse relationship between Si--H bond concentration and Si/N ratio. Although sufficient data is not available to explain this apparent relationship, the minimum Si/N and maximun Si--H concentration do correlate with maximum window size for annealing at 4750° C. for 30 minutes. Consequently, this temperature and time was used for all subsequent work involving post-deposition annealing.
As discussed above, rapid thermal annealing (RTA) has recently received considerable attention as a processing tool for activating implants, growing thin insulating layers, and nitridation. However, RTA also can be used as an investigative tool to study materials for microelectronic applications.
FIG. 17 illustrates a plot of hydrogen concentration versus rapid thermal annealing temperature with anneal time as a third parameter. For anneal times as short as one second at 400° C., the concentration of bonded hydrogen was reduced. For a given anneal time, the reduction in bonded hydrogen increases with anneal temperature, as expected. However, the amount of hydrogen lost for all rapid thermal anneal times and temperatures was substantially less than for conventional furnace annealing because of the much shorter time at temperature (see FIG. 13). The loss of hydrogen from both annealing processes was accompanied by a decrease in thickness and an increase in both refractive index and absorption edge. Densification of the film probably resulted from readjustment of bond angles between atoms and the increase in refractive index and absorption edge was undoubtedly related to the reduction in hydrogen.
The variation in memory window size of MNOS capacitors with anneal time at 700° C. is illustrated in FIG. 18 for three write/erase pulse widths. In general, annealing at this temperature produced smaller windows for all anneal times. Of particular interest, however, is that, for anneal times of 3, 10 and 30 seconds, the devices could not be written for any combination of pulse width and programming field. Examination of the FTIR spectroscopy acquired data illustrated in FIG. 19 reveals that the Si--H bond concentration decreased substantially for these anneal times while the N--H bond concentration increased and actually exceeded the value for "as-deposited" material following the 30 second anneal. This same effect was observed to a lesser degree in films annealed at 600° C. and was not evident at all in those annealed at 500° C. for times up to 180 seconds. The increase in N--H bond concentration for the 600° C. and 700° C. anneals apparently occurs as a result of the rupture of weak Si--N bonds.
As a consequence of the increase in N--H bond concentration illustrated in FIG. 19 for anneal times of 3, 10 and 30 seconds, the Si--H/N--H ratios values for these times were quite low, ranging from 0.4 to 0.72. Thus, there appears to be a relationship between the ability to program a logic window in rapid thermal annealed PECVD silicon nitride MNOS capacitors and the Si--H/N--H ratio of the nitride.
FIG. 20 illustrates a plot of memory window size versus Si--H/N--H ratio with write/erase pulse width as a third parameter for devices annealed at 700° C. The largest memory windows were obtained for Si--H/N--H ratios near unity. Films with large Si--H/N--H ratios were highly conductive and generally exhibited very small memory windows because of their reduced ability to retain trapped charge carriers. Small values of Si--H/N--H ratio (i.e., much less than 1.0) were characteristic of films of higher resistivity. As the Si--H/N--H ratio decreases from one, the memory window size decreased until, for sufficiently small ratios (less than 0.75), programming was not possible at any voltage. These results suggest very strongly that the Si--H/N--H ratio of silicon nitride films used in nonvolatile memory devices may be a primary indicator of memory quality and should be considered when determining deposition parameters used to deposit the nitride films for these devices. More importantly, rapid thermal annealing appears to offer a method of stabilizing PECVD silicon nitride thin films for application as the gate dielectric in MOS devices.
Ion implantation of CVD silicon nitride with nitrogen and helium has been shown in the art to alter its chemical bonding by the transfer of hydrogen from nitrogen to silicon. Also, hydrogen or deuterium implantation, followed by annealing at 500° C., has been known to provide a method for introducing Si--H bonds while minimizing displacement damage. The transfer of hydrogen from nitrogen to silicon is associated with the implantation process and is independent of the implanted ion. The effects on the properties of the silicon nitride include a reduction in high-field transport, an increase in equilibrium positive charge, and increased charge trapping efficiency. Consequently, the memory properties of these films are altered by the implantation process.
In this study, argon was used as the implant species. The film thickness chosen for the initial work was 450 angstroms. However, the tail of the implant penetrated the nitride/silicon interface. Low temperature annealing (at 475° C. for 30 minutes) did not produce recovery of the interface damage and high temperature annealing (at 900° C.) evolved sufficient hydrogen so that the devices failed to exhibit memory properties. Subsequent implantation studies were accomplished using 600 angstroms thick films to avoid this problem.
During the course of this study, a series of implantations were performed which covered a range of implant energies, fluences and beam currents. FIG. 21 illustrates a series of C-V curves for devices implanted at different energies with a fluence of 5×1012 ions/cm2 and a 5 microampere beam current. The 75 KeV implant penetrated the Si3 N4 /Si interface and essentially destroyed the device for reasons noted previously. The other two devices showed the characteristic shift toward more negative threshold voltages that accompanied implantation. Annealing at 475° C. for 30 minutes reduced the positive charge accumulated during the implant. Additionally, there was evidence of a slight reduction in interface state density following the implant/anneal.
FIG. 22 illustrates the effect of beam current on the memory window size of the MNOS capacitors. A 5 microampere beam current produced the largest window size and a significant improvement over "as-deposited" films. Beam currents of 10 microamperes and larger produced extremely large negative shifts in the C-V curves which could not be recovered with the "optimum" 475° C., 30 minute anneal.
FIG. 23 illustrates a similar plot for a beam current of 1 microampere, a fluence of 1×1012 ions/cm2 and several implant energies. In this case, the 25 KeV and 35 KeV implant energies enhanced the writing characteristics for short write/erase pulses. FIG. 24 illustrates the variation of memory window size versus pulse width for three different fluences when beam current and energy were held constant at 1 microampere and 25 KeV,, respectively. Altbough the 1×1014 ions/cm2 fluence produced an improvement over the entire range of pulse widths, the most significant change again occurred for the shorter ones.
It is important to note at this point that the three implant parameters are interdependent. Consequently, modification of the writing characteristics by implantation can be tailored by proper selection of these parameters. However, improvement in memory window size was only obtained for implant energies from 24 to 45 KeV, implant fluences in the range of 1012 to 1014 ions/cm2 and beam currents from 0.1 to 5 microamperes.
FIG. 25 illustrates a plot of memory window size versus several combinations of implant parameters. Data is also provided on "as-deposited" and annealed samples for reference purposes. It is obvious from the data that window size can be altered by the implantation of argon and that the resulting change is a function of the implant energy, fluence and beam current with the largest improvement in window size occurring for a 25 KeV, 5×1013 ions/cm2, 5 microampere implant.
FIG. 26 illustrates the Si--H concentration for the corresponding implant conditions of FIG. 25. With one exception (25 KeV, 1012 ions/cm2, 0.1 microampere), the Si--H bond concentration was increased by the implant/anneal treatment. This occurred by the transfer of hydrogen from nitrogen to silicon. More importantly, the memory window size variation of FIG. 25 correlated with the change in Si--H concentration illustrated in FIG. 26, again suggesting that charge trapping in silicon nitride was associated with the Si--H bond.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that applicants have devised a procedure for producing stable thin films of PECVD silicon nitride which can be applied as the gate dielectric in MOS devices. In summary, the procedure includes the following steps:
(a) depositing a thin film (less than about 1000 angstroms) of silicon nitride on a MOS device substrate by means of plasma enhanced vapor deposition; and
(b) subjecting the substrate to rapid thermal annealing at temperatures preferably ranging from about 6000° C. to about 700° C. at times preferably ranging from about 3 seconds to about 30 seconds.
While a preferred embodiment has been shown, modifications and changes may become apparent to those skilled in the art which shall fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that such modifications and changes be covered by the attached claims.
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