Raman spectroscopy is a powerful experimental technique for structural investigation of silicon based electronic devices such as metal–oxide–semiconductor-type structures. It is widely used for characterization of mechanical stress distribution in silicon substrate. However, in the case of Raman measurements of oxide layer on silicon substrate visible excitation makes this technique almost useless. The reason for this difficulty is two-phonon scattering from silicon substrate which masks the signal from oxide layer. Application of deep-ultraviolet (deep-UV) excitation reduces the penetration depth of the radiation into silicon substrate about 30 times. As a result, the simultaneous measurement of one-phonon scattering from silicon substrate and the Raman spectrum of the oxide layer become possible. This work presents the study of thin silicon oxide film on silicon substrate with application of deep-UV Raman scattering. The spectra measured for thin film are compared with reference spectra obtained for bulk material.

Three samples with dielectric layers from high-κ dielectrics, hafnium oxide, gadolinium-silicon oxide, and lanthanum-lutetium oxide on silicon substrate were studied by Raman spectroscopy. The results obtained for high-κ dielectrics were compared with spectra recorded for silicon dioxide. Raman spectra suggest the similarity of gadolinium-silicon oxide and lanthanum-lutetium oxide to the bulk nondensified silicon dioxide. The temperature treatment of hafnium oxide shows the evolution of the structure of this material. Raman spectra recorded for as-deposited hafnium oxide are similar to the results obtained for silicon dioxide layer. After thermal treatment especially at higher temperatures (600°C and above), the structure of hafnium oxide becomes similar to the bulk non-densified silicon dioxide.

The briquetting process is one of methods of solid biofuel production. During the briquetting of raw material, it can be noticed that material is viscoelastic, and reflects the effect on the volume and the final effect of the agglomerate during mentioned treatment. The research aimed to evaluate the mechanical and energetic properties of shredded pine forest residues during the briquetting process. The shredded fragments of the forest residues were compacted by the principal stresses with determination of the energy value consumed during the briquetting process. Tests were carried out using a specially designed compacting tube, with additional equipment directly mounted on the testing machine. The compaction process was carried out using the presented material and through continuous monitoring of the process parameters. During the study, it was estimated that the moisture content of the compacted material should be equal from 10 to 15%. The calculated average value of the unit energy consumption during the briquetting process (WB) was equal to 0.14 MJ·kg−1. In future research, the mathematical model can serve as an algorithm in a computer program in order to calculate the flow of biomass in the extrusion process.

Applicability of thin HfO2 films as gate dielectric for SiC MOSFET transistor is reported. Layers characterisation was done by means of atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry and C-V and I-V measurements of MIS structures. High permittivity dielectric layers were deposited using atomic layer deposition. Investigation showed high value of κ = 15 and existence of high density surface states (5 × 10 12 eV −1 cm −2 ) on HfO2/SiC interface. High leakage current is caused probably due to low conduction band offset between hafnium oxide and silicon carbide.

The main goal of the work was the elaboration of the analytical functional relationship between refractive index n and density ρ of SiO 2 layers on silicon substrates. Such ρ(n) relationship will give possibility to determine elastic and non-elastic strains in SiO 2 layers on silicon substrates. Ellipsometric measurements by using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer of J.A. Woollam Company allowed determination of thicknesses and refractive indexes of silica layers. Measured SiO 2 masses and calculated volumes of the layers gave possibility to define the degree of densification of silicon dioxide layers on silicon substrates. The Hill approximation function curve turned out to be the best fitting. The obtained Hill curve shows saturation for the density of silicon dioxide equal to ca. 4.53 g/cm 3. This value corresponds to the value nearby the one of the crystalline polytypic silicon dioxide (stishovite). It seems to be physically established that degree of densification tends to the limiting value.