Title :
Micro-fabricated Al0.3Ga0.7As pyramids for potential SPM applications
Author :
Sun, Jie ; Hu, Lizhong ; Sun, Yingchun ; Wang, Zhaoyang
Author_Institution :
State Key Lab. for Mat. Modification by Laser, Ion, Electron Beams, Dalian Univ. of Technol., China
Abstract :
A novel technique of manufacturing Al0.3Ga0.7As pyramids by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) for scanning probe microscopy (SPM) sensors is reported. Four meticulously designed conditions-partial oxidation, deficient solute, air quenching and germanium doping-result in defect-free homogeneous nucleation and subsequent pyramid formation. Micrometer-sized frustums and pyramids are detected by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sharp end of the microtip has a radius of curvature smaller than 50 nm. It is believed that such accomplishments would contribute not only to crystal growth theory, but also to miniature fabrication technology.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium compounds; germanium; liquid phase epitaxial growth; microsensors; nucleation; oxidation; quenching (thermal); scanning electron microscopy; scanning probe microscopy; semiconductor doping; semiconductor growth; AlGaAs:Ge; SEM; air quenching; crystal growth theory; defect-free homogeneous nucleation; deficient solute; frustums; germanium doping; liquid phase epitaxy; microfabricated pyramids; microtip; miniature fabrication technology; partial oxidation; radius of curvature; scanning electron microscopy; scanning probe microscopy sensors; Atom optics; Atomic force microscopy; Epitaxial growth; Gallium arsenide; Laboratories; Optical microscopy; Oxidation; Scanning electron microscopy; Scanning probe microscopy; Semiconductor materials;
Conference_Titel :
Semiconducting and Insulating Materials, 2004. SIMC-XIII-2004. 13th International Conference on
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8668-X
DOI :
10.1109/SIM.2005.1511411
