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CPE Faculty and Staff

Karen J. Nordheden

Karen J. Nordheden

Associate Professor

B. S., Physics, Michigan State University
M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Room: 4132D Learned Hall
Phone: (785) 864-8820
Fax: (785) 864-4967
E-mail: nordhed@ku.edu

Research Interests

My major research interest is in the area of development and characterization of new plasma etch processes for semiconductor device fabrication. The Plasma Research Laboratory is currently collaborating with engineers in industry and government laboratories who have provided us with materials and additional testing capabilities. Our current research deals with the development of etch processes for wide bandgap semiconductors such as SiC, GaN, and ZnO. Previous research topics have included the development of a GaAs via hole etch process which has been used on real device wafers in an effort with TRW; the development of a selective gate recess etch with TriQuint Semiconductor, a comprehensive study on the effects of the addition of gases such as SF6 and N2 on the plasma electron densities and GaAs etch rates of BCl3 and SiCl4 discharges.

Links to Research Group(s)

Plasma Research Lab

Publication List:

Journals

  • Sean M. Murphy, David A. Slade, Karen J. Nordheden, and Susan M. Stagg-Williams, “Increased Oxygen Flux through a Dense Oxygen Permeable Membrane by Photolithographic Patterning of Platinum,” J. Membrane Science, 2005 (in press).

  • A. S. Agarwal, V. Berry, R. Alapati, and K. J. Nordheden, "Characterization of SiCl4/N2 Plasmas," J. Electrochem. Soc. 152(3) G210-G212 (2005)

  • Karen J. Nordheden and Joanne F. Sia, "Characterization of BCl3/N2 plasmas," J. Appl. Phys. 94(4), 2199 (2003).

  • Y.-S. Lee, J. F. Sia, and K. J. Nordheden, "Mass Spectrometric Characterization of BCl3/SF6Plasmas," J. Appl. Phys. 88(8), 4507 (2000). K. J.

  • Nordheden, K. Upadhyaya, Y.-S. Lee, S. P. Gogineni, and M.-Y. Kao, "GaAs Etch Rate Enhancement with SF6 Addition to BCl3 Plasmas," J. Electrochem. Soc. 147(10), 3850 (2000).

  • Y.-S. Lee, K. Upadhyaya, K. J. Nordheden, and M.-Y. Kao, "Selective RIE of GaAs/AlAs in BCl3/SF6 for Gate Recess", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 18(5), 2505 (2000).

  • K. J. Nordheden and M. H. Hoeflich, "Undergraduate Research & Intellectual Property Rights," IEEE Transactions on Education, 42(4), 233 (1999).

  • Barbara Abraham-Shrauner, Karen J. Nordheden and Yao-Sheng Lee, "Model For Etch Depth Dependence on GaAs Via Hole Diameter", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B17(3), 961 (1999).

  • K. J. Nordheden, X. D. Hua, Y. S. Lee, L. W. Yang, D. C. Streit, and H. C. Yen, "Smooth and anisotropic reactive ion etching of GaAs slot vias for monolithic microwave integrated circuits using Cl2/BCl3/Ar plasmas," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B17(1), 158 (1999).

  • K. J. Nordheden, "RIE Initiation Delay in BCl3/SF6/Ar Plasmas Due to Native Oxide Removal in NH4OH/H2O," Electrochem. Solid-State Lett. 2(1), 43 (1999).

  • K. J. Nordheden and M. H. Hoeflich, "Undergraduate Research and Intellectual Property Rights," The Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, Vol. VI, Number III, Summer/Fall 1997. [Also published in IEEE Transactions on Education, November 1999.]

  • P. C. Chao, M. Y. Kao, K. Nordheden and A. W. Swanson, "HEMT Degradation in Hydrogen Gas," IEEE Electron Device Lett.15(5), 151 (1994).

  • V. S. Wang, R. J. Matyi, and K. J. Nordheden, "Triple crystal x-ray diffraction analysis of reactive ion etched gallium arsenide," J. Appl. Phys. 75(8), 3835 (1994).

  • K. J. Nordheden, D. W. Ferguson, and P. M. Smith, "Reactive ion etching of via holes for GaAs high electron mobility transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits using Cl2/BCl3/Ar gas mixtures," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 11(5), 1879 (1993).

  • Albert Chin, Li-Wu Yang, Paul. A. Martin, Karen J. Nordheden, Jim M. Ballingall, T. H. Yu, and P. C. Chao, "High performance heterojunction bipolar transistors grown by molecular-beam epitaxy using novel growth method," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 11(3), 972 (1993).

  • M. H. Hoeflich and Karen Nordheden Hoeflich, "Accelerating Science: A Problem for the Legal System," UMKC Law Review 60(4), 717 (1992).

  • P. M. Smith, K. Nordheden, and J. M. Ballingall, "Ku-band high efficiency high gain pseudomorphic HEMT," Electronics Lett. 27(3), 270 (1991).

  • K. J. Nordheden, T. R. Dill, and J. T. Verdeyen, "Predictable Reactive Ion Etching of GaAs and AlGaAs in HCl/Ar RF Discharges," J. Electrochem. Soc. 137(2), 691 (1990).

  • K. J. Nordheden and J. T. Verdeyen, "The Effect of Oxygen on the Etch Rate of NF3 Discharges," J. Electrochem. Soc. 133(10), 2168 (1986).

  • K. J. N(ordheden) Badura and J. T. Verdeyen, "Radiative Efficiencies of Radio Frequency Sulfur Discharges," IEEE J. Quantum Elect. QE21(7), 748 (1985).

Conference Proceedings

  • David A. Slade, Sean M. Murphy, Karen Nordheden, Susan M. Stagg-Williams, “Synthesis Gas Generation Using Ionic/Electronic Oxygen Permeable Membranes”, AIChE 2005 Annual Meeting, October (2005).

  • David Slade, Sean Murphy, Karen Nordheden, and Susan M. Stagg-Williams, “Synthesis Gas Generation Using Ionic/Electronic Oxygen Permeable Membranes”, Proceedings from the 19th North American Catalysis Society Meeting, May (2005).

  • Y.-S. Lee, K. Upadhyaya, and K. J. Nordheden,"Selective RIE in BCl3/SF6 Plasmas for GaAs HEMT Gate Recess Etching", Electrochemical Society Proceedings Vol. 2000-1 on State Of The Art Processing Of Compound Semiconductors (SOTAPOCS XXXII), May 2000, pp.182-188.

  • P. C. Chao, M. Y. Kao, K. Nordheden and A. W. Swanson, "HEMT Degradation in Hydrogen Gas," U.S. Conference on GaAs Manufacturing Technology (MANTECH), 1994, pp. 105-108.

  • V. S. Wang, R. J. Matyi, and K. J. Nordheden, "Characterization of reactive ion etch damage in GaAs by triple crystal x-ray diffraction," Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol. 324, pp. 445-450, 1994.

  • L. W. Yang, J. J. Komiak, M. Y. Kao, D. E. Houston, D. P. Smith, and K. J. Nordheden, "E-Beam Re-Aligned HBTs and A New Broadband MMIC Power Amplifier Using Bathtub as Heat Sink," IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) Tech. Digest, pp. 203-206, Dec. 11-14, 1994, San Francisco, CA.

  • L. W. Yang, J. J. Komiak, D. P. Smith, M. Y. Kao, R. S. Brozovich, K. J. Nordheden, D. R. Helms, D. E. Houston, and F. R. Bardsley, "Manufacturing Technology for High Performance HBT Linear Power Amplifiers," IEEE GaAs IC Symp.Tech. Digest, pp. 127-130, Oct. 16-19, 1994, Philadelphia, PA.

  • Ming-Yih Kao, Shih-Tsang Fu, Pin Ho, Phillip M. Smith, P. C. Chao, Karen J. Nordheden, and Sujane Wang, "Very High Voltage AlGaAs/InGaAs Pseudomorphic Power HEMTs," IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) Tech. Digest, pp.319-321, Dec. 13-16, 1992, San Francisco, CA.

Conference Presentations

  • David A. Slade, Sean M. Murphy, Karen Nordheden, Susan M. Stagg-Williams, “Synthesis Gas Generation Using Ionic/Electronic Oxygen Permeable Membranes”, AIChE 2005 Annual Meeting, October (2005).

  • David Slade, Sean Murphy, Karen Nordheden, and Susan M. Stagg-Williams, “Synthesis Gas Generation Using Ionic/Electronic Oxygen Permeable Membranes”,19th North American Catalysis Society Meeting, May (2005).

  • Ramakanth Alapati and Karen J. Nordheden, "Reactive Ion Etching of SiC in SF6/He plasmas," 56th Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference, San Francisco, CA, October 21-24, 2003.

  • "Effect of SF6 addition to BCl3 Etching Plasmas," Yao-Sheng Lee, Kaushal Upadhyaya, Prasad Gogineni, and Karen J. Nordheden, presented at the 52nd Gaseous Electronics Conference (GEC), Norfolk, VA, October, 1999.

  • "Smooth and anisotropic RIE of GaAs slot via holes for HEMTs using Cl2/BCl3/Ar plasmas," Y. S. Lee, X. D. Hua, and K. J. Nordheden, presented at the K*STAR NSF EPSCoR Meeting, Topeka, KS, April, 1999.

  • "Smooth and anisotropic RIE of GaAs slot via holes for HEMTs using Cl2/BCl3/Ar plasmas," Y. S. Lee, X. D. Hua, and K. J. Nordheden, presented at the 194th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society, Boston, MA, November, 1998.

  • "Reactive ion etching of via holes for GaAs HEMTs and MMICs using Cl2/BCl3/Ar gas mixtures," K. J. Nordheden, presented at the IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS), June 1995, Madison, WI.

  • "High performance heterojunction bipolar transistors grown by molecular-beam epitaxy using novel growth method," Albert Chin, Li-Wu Yang, Paul. A. Martin, Karen J. Nordheden, Jim M. Ballingall, T.H. Yu, and P.C. Chao, presented at the 12th North American Conference on Molecular-Beam Epitaxy, Oct.12-14, 1992, Ottawa, Ont., Canada.

  • "Reactive Ion Etching of GaAs in HCl/Ar Discharges," K.J. Nordheden, J.H. Beberman, T.R. Dill, and J.T. Verdeyen, poster presentation at the Twenty-First Physical Electronics Industrial Affiliates Program, April 6-7, 1988, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.

  • "The Effect of Oxygen on the Etch Rate of Si/SiO2 in NF3 Discharges," K.J. Nordheden, J.H. Beberman, T.R. Dill, and J.T. Verdeyen, poster presentation at the Nineteenth Physical Electronics Industrial Affiliates Program, April 15-16, 1986, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.

  • "Optical, Microwave, and Mass-spectroscopy of Plasma Processing Discharges," J. T. Verdeyen, G. Hebner, K. Nordheden, and L. Overzet, presented at the Tegal Conference, J. Electrochem. Soc. 133(8), PC311, 1986, San Diego, CA.

Invited Talks

  • “Reactive Ion Etching of SiC in SF6/He plasmas,” Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, April 14, 2004.

  • Karen J. Nordheden, "Plasma Etching of ZnO-A Review," Photonics West 2004, San Jose, CA, January 24-29, 2004.

  • "Lawyers and Scientists," M. H. Hoeflich and K. J. Nordheden, National Academy of Science, Washington, DC, Sept. 7, 2000.

  • "GaAs Etch Rate Enhancement with SF6 addition to BCl3 Plasmas", Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhatan, KS, October 1999.

  • "Reactive Ion Etching of GaAs," Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, April 1998.

  • "Reactive Ion Etch Processes for HEMTs," Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, March 1998.

  • "Plasma Processes for GaAs Devices," Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, December 1996.

  • "Plasma Etching of HEMTs and MMICs," Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, March 1995.