In-situ laser fabrication of embedded nanodevices

Abstract

Nanosize devices, including electronic, photonic, spintronic and circuit combinations, are driving the creation of new processing paradigms as photolithography and ion implantation technologies reach their practical dimensional limits. As device dimensions decrease facilities costs to support more stringent clean room, deposition, alignment, pitch/location and catalyzing, handling, transferring and assembly of nanomaterial subsystems increase. New laser based technologies that 1) enable controlled phase transformations to create nanostructures in-situ and 2) doping of and new multi-charged carriers, are the building blocks for embedded nanodevices fabricated using a versatile and compact laser processing system. This nanosecond pulsed laser direct-write and doping technique is demonstrated for in situ fabrication of embedded carbon-rich silicon carbide nanoribbon electrically conductive heterostruture (CNR/SiC) in a single crystal 4H-SiC wafer. Characterization by high resolution transmission electron microscope and selected area electron diffraction pattern revealed the presence of nanosize crystalline ribbons with a hexagonal graphite structure in the heat-affected zone below the decomposition temperature isotherm in the SiC epilayer. The nanoribbons exist in three layers each being approximately 50-60 nm wide, containing 15-17 individual sheets. These nanoribbons are then selectively laser doped with elements including N, Al, Cr and Se to create semiconductive structures.Nanosize devices, including electronic, photonic, spintronic and circuit combinations, are driving the creation of new processing paradigms as photolithography and ion implantation technologies reach their practical dimensional limits. As device dimensions decrease facilities costs to support more stringent clean room, deposition, alignment, pitch/location and catalyzing, handling, transferring and assembly of nanomaterial subsystems increase. New laser based technologies that 1) enable controlled phase transformations to create nanostructures in-situ and 2) doping of and new multi-charged carriers, are the building blocks for embedded nanodevices fabricated using a versatile and compact laser processing system. This nanosecond pulsed laser direct-write and doping technique is demonstrated for in situ fabrication of embedded carbon-rich silicon carbide nanoribbon electrically conductive heterostruture (CNR/SiC) in a single crystal 4H-SiC wafer. Characterization by high resolution transmission electron mic...