A crystalline oxide semiconductor thin film that is composed mainly of indium oxide and comprises surface crystal grains having a single crystal orientation.

The disclosure discloses a method and apparatus for measuring a size of a crystal grain, and a method for fabricating a poly-silicon thin film. The method for measuring the size of the crystal grain includes: obtaining a grain morphology image of a crystalline region of a crystal, and drawing a grain interface diagram according to the grain morphology image; measuring at least one crystal grain in the grain interface diagram, and determining a transverse size and a longitudinal size of each measured crystal grain; and determining a transverse size and a longitudinal size of a crystal grain of the crystal according to the transverse size and the longitudinal size of each measured crystal grain.

Aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) thin films having a high -phase purity and low defect density and methods for making the aluminum oxide thin films are provided. Also provided are epitaxial heterostructures that incorporate the aluminum oxide thin films as growth substrates and methods of forming the heterostructures. The Al.sub.2O.sub.3 films are pure, or nearly pure, -Al.sub.2O.sub.3. As such, the films contain no, or only a very low concentration of, other Al.sub.2O.sub.3 polymorph phases. In particular, the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 films contain no, or only a very low concentration of, the -Al.sub.2O.sub.3 polymorph phase.

Using processes disclosed herein, materials and structures are created and used. For example, processes can include melting boron nitride or amorphous carbon into an undercooled state followed by quenching. Exemplary new materials disclosed herein can be ferromagnetic and/or harder than diamond. Materials disclosed herein may include dopants in concentrations exceeding thermodynamic solubility limits. A novel phase of solid carbon has structure different than diamond and graphite.

Using processes disclosed herein, materials and structures are created and used. For example, processes can include melting boron nitride or amorphous carbon into an undercooled state followed by quenching. Exemplary new materials disclosed herein can be ferromagnetic and/or harder than diamond. Materials disclosed herein may include dopants in concentrations exceeding thermodynamic solubility limits. A novel phase of solid carbon has structure different than diamond and graphite.

Using processes disclosed herein, materials and structures are created and used. For example, processes can include melting boron nitride or amorphous carbon into an undercooled state followed by quenching. Exemplary new materials disclosed herein can be ferromagnetic and/or harder than diamond. Materials disclosed herein may include dopants in concentrations exceeding thermodynamic solubility limits. A novel phase of solid carbon has structure different than diamond and graphite.

A device for converting a carbon pill into graphene is provided including a space between at least two electrically conductive surfaces, wherein the electrically conductive surfaces are configured to support a carbon pill in the space. The device also includes at least two electrodes electrically coupled to the at least two electrically conductive surfaces. The device also includes a power supply connected to the electrodes for passing a current through the electrodes to convert the carbon pill into graphene. A carbon pill for graphene conversion is also provided including a first carbon material for synthesizing to graphene by joule heating. The first carbon material is compressed from a powder form into a pill form. The carbon pill includes a second material for at least one of binding the first carbon material from a powder form into a pill form and improving conductivity of the first carbon material.

Provided are a dielectric material, a device including the dielectric material, and a method of preparing the dielectric material, in which the dielectric material may include: a layered perovskite compound, wherein the layered perovskite compound may include at least one selected from a Dion-Jacobson phase, an Aurivillius phase, and a Ruddlesden-Popper phase, a temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) of a capacitance at 200? C. with respect to a capacitance at 40? C. may be in a range of about ?15 percent (%) to about 15%, and a permittivity of the dielectric material may be 200 or greater in a range of about 1 kilohertz (kHz) to about 1 megahertz (MHz).

A method for fabricating a nanostructure utilizes a templated monocrystalline substrate. The templated monocrystalline substrate is energetically (i.e., preferably thermally) treated, with an optional precleaning and an optional amorphous material layer located thereupon, to form a template structured monocrystalline substrate that includes the monocrystalline substrate with a plurality of epitaxially aligned contiguous monocrystalline pillars extending therefrom. The monocrystalline substrate and the plurality of epitaxially aligned contiguous monocrystalline pillars may comprise the same or different monocrystalline materials. The method provides the nanostructure where when the monocrystalline substrate and the plurality of epitaxial aligned contiguous monocrystalline pillars comprise different monocrystalline materials having a bulk crystal structure mismatch of up to about 10 percent, lattice mismatch induced crystal structure defects may be avoided interposed between the monocrystalline substrate and the plurality of epitaxially aligned contiguous monocrystalline pillars, which may have an irregular sidewall shape.

There is provided a method of forming a silicon film, a germanium, or a silicon germanium film on a surface to be processed of a workpiece, which has single crystalline silicon, single crystalline germanium, or single crystalline silicon germanium as the surface to be processed, includes: a first process of preparing the workpiece; a second process of adsorbing a halogen element on the surface to be processed of the workpiece; and a third process of forming an amorphous silicon film, an amorphous germanium film, or an amorphous silicon germanium film on the surface to be processed of the workpiece by supplying a source gas for forming a silicon film, a germanium film, or a silicon germanium film to the workpiece.