Juanita DeLoach, PhD, JD

10 key activities that women lawyers can consider for business development.

If your company has operations or employees residing in Pennsylvania, you need to know about the most recent duty of care case in the data security context. Because of this case, employees in Pennsylvania may now sue their employer for economic loss resulting from the employer failing to protect the employees’ sensitive information.

Nerves were high on the day of the trial. While technically client interests were not at stake, our reputations were still on the line. We were not only presenting our case in front of our newly acquainted colleagues, but also for partners at our firm, expert witnesses, federal judges and in-house counsel — potential employers and clients, say attorneys with Dentons, sharing their recent mock trial experience.

Performing a mock trial offers multiple benefits, whether the mock is a general competition or is specific to your upcoming trial. Mock trial offers attorneys an opportunity to overcome nerves and hone trial skills before a supportive audience. Participation forces you to think on your feet and construct persuasive arguments and examinations in a limited period of time. While participation can be time-consuming, demanding, and even frustrating, the constructive criticism provided regarding your… Show more

Performing a mock trial offers multiple benefits, whether the mock is a general competition or is specific to your upcoming trial. Mock trial offers attorneys an opportunity to overcome nerves and hone trial skills before a supportive audience. Participation forces you to think on your feet and construct persuasive arguments and examinations in a limited period of time. While participation can be time-consuming, demanding, and even frustrating, the constructive criticism provided regarding your presentation skills and the impact of a key point on your jury may heavily influence your trial strategy or presentation. In this article, we provide insights derived from personal experiences either participating in or coaching a mock trial, and we encourage you to seek a rewarding and challenging mock trial experience for yourself Show less

It is shown here that a simple weighted average dielectric function describes the experimental infrared reflection∕absorption spectra of titanium oxide films with a granular nanostructure. The films were grown on unheated substrates by reactive sputter deposition using a Ti metal target and a 10 mTorr pure O2 discharge. The films’ average dielectric function is derivable from a Maxwell-Garnett model in which randomly oriented nanograins with anatase short-range atomic order are embedded in a… Show more

It is shown here that a simple weighted average dielectric function describes the experimental infrared reflection∕absorption spectra of titanium oxide films with a granular nanostructure. The films were grown on unheated substrates by reactive sputter deposition using a Ti metal target and a 10 mTorr pure O2 discharge. The films’ average dielectric function is derivable from a Maxwell-Garnett model in which randomly oriented nanograins with anatase short-range atomic order are embedded in a conducting background. In contrast, dielectric functions calculated using effective-medium and Maxwell–Garnett theories that do not consider the background fail to adequately account for the experimental absorption peak positions. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirmed the films’ granular nanostructure and the presence of Ti suboxides as a minority constituent. We associate the anatase-like constituent with the model’s embedded grains, and the Ti suboxide constituent with the model’s background medium. The formalism that is developed here is applicable to any composite system consisting of grains embedded in a medium whose dielectric function is much larger than that of the grains. Show less

In this abstract we present a highly manufacturable, high performance 90nm technology with best in class performance for 35nm gate-length N and P transistors. Unique, but simple and low cost, process changes have been utilized to modulate channel stress and implant profile to generate enhanced performance with no additional masks. High drive currents of 1193uA/um and 587uA/um are obtained for nMOS and pMOS transistors respectively at 1.2V Vdd and an Ioff of 60nA//spl mu/m. An industry leading… Show more

In this abstract we present a highly manufacturable, high performance 90nm technology with best in class performance for 35nm gate-length N and P transistors. Unique, but simple and low cost, process changes have been utilized to modulate channel stress and implant profile to generate enhanced performance with no additional masks. High drive currents of 1193uA/um and 587uA/um are obtained for nMOS and pMOS transistors respectively at 1.2V Vdd and an Ioff of 60nA//spl mu/m. An industry leading 90nm technology CV/I of 0.61 ps and 1.12ps are obtained for nMOS and pMOS transistors respectively. An aggressively scaled 12/spl Aring/ EOT plasma-nitrided, cluster gate dielectric is used. Process conditions are optimized to obtain high drive current, good Vt roll-off control and simultaneously meet reliability requirements. Show less

A 90 nm logic technology is presented featuring an aggressively scaled 37 nm gate length, 1.3 nm EOT plasma nitrided gate dielectric with differential offset spacer and leading edge CV/I performance. NMOS and PMOS transistors have been optimized with different extension offsets for NMDD and PMDD implants, which enables independent optimization of short channel effects, parasitic capacitance and drive current. The gate dielectric meets reliability requirements at 1.2 V operation. The technology… Show more

A 90 nm logic technology is presented featuring an aggressively scaled 37 nm gate length, 1.3 nm EOT plasma nitrided gate dielectric with differential offset spacer and leading edge CV/I performance. NMOS and PMOS transistors have been optimized with different extension offsets for NMDD and PMDD implants, which enables independent optimization of short channel effects, parasitic capacitance and drive current. The gate dielectric meets reliability requirements at 1.2 V operation. The technology includes a standard Vt (SVt) transistor, low Vt (LVt) transistor and 1.5 V IO transistor with l00 nm gate length and dual plasma nitrided gate dielectric. Show less

The near-ultraviolet fundamental optical absorption edge of sputter-deposited ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate films on SiO2SiO2 substrates was studied by transmission-reflection spectrophotometry. Seven different bilayer architectures were investigated, with nominal ZrO2ZrO2 volume fractions ranging from 0.10 to 0.91 (Zr atom fractions of 0.1–0.9). The absorption coefficient, α(E),α(E), was determined as a function of the incident photon energy, E, in the 3.5–5.8 eV range (350–215 nm… Show more

The near-ultraviolet fundamental optical absorption edge of sputter-deposited ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate films on SiO2SiO2 substrates was studied by transmission-reflection spectrophotometry. Seven different bilayer architectures were investigated, with nominal ZrO2ZrO2 volume fractions ranging from 0.10 to 0.91 (Zr atom fractions of 0.1–0.9). The absorption coefficient, α(E),α(E), was determined as a function of the incident photon energy, E, in the 3.5–5.8 eV range (350–215 nm wavelength). α(E)α(E) vs E curves show a systematic blueshift and a change in shape with an increase in the Zr atom fraction in a bilayer. Neither amalgamation nor persistence models can adequately explain the experimental results. The reason why is that an extensive and structurally complex mixed cation interfacial structure formed even during room temperature deposition. A model that takes into account contributions to α(E)α(E) from Ti–O–Ti and Zr–O–Zr linkages far from the interfaces between constituents and Ti–O–Zr linkages at these interfaces is successfully applied to the data. Show less

Zirconia microstructure selection (phase and crystallographic orientation) was studied in sputter-deposited multilayer films consisting of nanocrystalline ZrO2ZrO2 and amorphous TiO2.TiO2. The goal was to understand the mechanism for ZrO2ZrO2 microstructure selection as a function of nanolaminate architecture (number of interfaces and ZrO2ZrO2 and TiO2TiO2 layer thickness) in a growth regime of limited surface diffusion. The results show that there are two competing paths that ZrO2ZrO2… Show more

Zirconia microstructure selection (phase and crystallographic orientation) was studied in sputter-deposited multilayer films consisting of nanocrystalline ZrO2ZrO2 and amorphous TiO2.TiO2. The goal was to understand the mechanism for ZrO2ZrO2 microstructure selection as a function of nanolaminate architecture (number of interfaces and ZrO2ZrO2 and TiO2TiO2 layer thickness) in a growth regime of limited surface diffusion. The results show that there are two competing paths that ZrO2ZrO2 microstructure can follow in a ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate. One path depends upon geometric shadowing resulting in the formation of a columnar morphology within a ZrO2ZrO2 layer. This path leads to cubic (220) growth as an intermediate microstructure, and ultimately to the formation of cubic (200) crystallites spanning several bilayers. In this case, ZrO2ZrO2 renucleation within a layer is suppressed. The second path depends upon renucleation within a ZrO2ZrO2 layer, involving first tetragonal (111) formation, and then the transformation of tetragonal (111) to monoclinic(11-1)-(111), consistent with a finite crystal size effect. The establishment and maintenance of a columnar morphology (and hence, the suppression of renucleation events), ultimately leads to cubic (200) growth, and is consistent with a growth-controlled microstructure selection mechanism. This mechanism appears to strongly depend upon the existence and planar quality of the TiO2TiO2 growth–restart surfaces. Show less

A mixed cation interfacial structure in ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate films with ultrathin bilayer periodicity grown by sputter deposition at 297 K was identified by x-ray diffraction and nonresonant Raman spectroscopy. This structure consists of an amorphous phase at a ZrO2-on-TiO2ZrO2-on-TiO2 bilayer interface, followed by an extensive crystalline monoclinic (Zr,Ti)O2(Zr,Ti)O2 solid solution predicted by Vegard’s law. Monoclinic (Zr,Ti)O2(Zr,Ti)O2 has previously been reported only once, in… Show more

A mixed cation interfacial structure in ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate films with ultrathin bilayer periodicity grown by sputter deposition at 297 K was identified by x-ray diffraction and nonresonant Raman spectroscopy. This structure consists of an amorphous phase at a ZrO2-on-TiO2ZrO2-on-TiO2 bilayer interface, followed by an extensive crystalline monoclinic (Zr,Ti)O2(Zr,Ti)O2 solid solution predicted by Vegard’s law. Monoclinic (Zr,Ti)O2(Zr,Ti)O2 has previously been reported only once, in bulk powder of a single composition (ZrTiO4)(ZrTiO4) at high pressure. Its stabilization in the nanolaminates is explained by the Gibbs–Thomson effect. This complex interfacial structure is shown to be a means of accommodating chemical mixing in the absence of a driving force for heteroepitaxy. Show less

Phase development was studied in sputter-deposited and annealed ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate films on fused silica substrates. The goal was to understand phase evolution as these structures moved toward thermodynamic equilibrium. The results show that diffusive amorphization to form α-ZTO was the first reaction of the as-deposited constituents at low temperature (700 °C).(700 °C). Growth of α-ZTO was self-limited, and a second metastable reaction product with an incommensurate… Show more

Phase development was studied in sputter-deposited and annealed ZrO2–TiO2ZrO2–TiO2 nanolaminate films on fused silica substrates. The goal was to understand phase evolution as these structures moved toward thermodynamic equilibrium. The results show that diffusive amorphization to form α-ZTO was the first reaction of the as-deposited constituents at low temperature (700 °C).(700 °C). Growth of α-ZTO was self-limited, and a second metastable reaction product with an incommensurate α-PbO2α-PbO2-type lattice, ss-ZTO, formed with time at temperature. Terminal phases formed only when the annealing temperature was raised to 1000 °C,1000 °C, thereby lifting kinetic constraints to diffusion. The terminal phases were ZrTiO4ZrTiO4 or ZrTi2O6,ZrTi2O6, depending upon film stoichiometry. This study demonstrates that in the absence of a physical driving force to promote layer registration upon low temperature annealing, constituents react to lower the system’s free energy via a series of metastable phases that involve limited atomic rearrangement. Equilibrium phases are formed only after the kinetic constraints to diffusion are relaxed. Show less

Titania is a material with structural flexibility, and as a result, readily forms both crystalline polymorphs and an amorphous structure in thin films grown near room temperature. The goal of this study is to correlate fundamental optical absorption edge characteristics with the phase constituency of titania films. To that end, films with coexistent rutile, anatase, and amorphous constituents were sputter deposited onto fused silica and 〈111〉-Si substrates.

In this study, we sputter deposited titania films of thickness ranging from 256 to 705 nm on unheated substrates and studied changes in phase constituency as a function of film thickness. X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy were used for post-deposition analysis. The results show that the thinnest films consisted of anatase, rutile, and an amorphous structure. As film thickness increased, anatase formed at the expense of the amorphous constituent, whereas the amount of rutile per unit… Show more

In this study, we sputter deposited titania films of thickness ranging from 256 to 705 nm on unheated substrates and studied changes in phase constituency as a function of film thickness. X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy were used for post-deposition analysis. The results show that the thinnest films consisted of anatase, rutile, and an amorphous structure. As film thickness increased, anatase formed at the expense of the amorphous constituent, whereas the amount of rutile per unit film volume remained constant. We hypothesized that if the thickness-related crystallographic changes were caused by bulk annealing effects due to in situ plasma heating during deposition, then it should be possible to reproduce these changes, ex situ, by furnace annealing. The thinnest films were annealed at three temperatures: 300, 500, and 700 °C. There was no change in phase composition at 300 °C. Metallurgical recovery of both crystalline phases occurred at 500 °C. At 700 °C, rutile grew at the expense of anatase, which completely disappeared. The results showed that post-deposition annealing caused crystallographic changes that were inconsistent with the thickness-dependent crystallographic changes in the as-grown films. We suggested that the latter was caused by enhanced surface, not bulk diffusion, possibly due to an increase in substrate temperature during deposition.
References Show less