A thin, flat, and single crystal germanium membrane would be an ideal platform on which to mount sensors or integrate photonic and electronic devices, using standard silicon processing technology. We present a fabrication technique compatible with integrated-circuit wafer scale processing to produce membranes of thickness between 60 nm and 800 nm, with large areas of up to 3.5 mm2. We show how the optical properties change with thickness, including appearance of Fabry-Pérot type interference in thin membranes. The membranes have low Q-factors, which allow the platforms to counteract distortion during agitation and movement. Finally, we report on the physical characteristics showing sub-nm roughness and a homogenous strain profile throughout the freestanding layer, making the single crystal Ge membrane an excellent platform for further epitaxial growth or deposition of materials.
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14 April 2014
Research Article|
April 10 2014
High quality single crystal Ge nano-membranes for opto-electronic integrated circuitry
V. A. Shah;
V. A. Shah
a)
1
Department of Engineering, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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S. D. Rhead;
S. D. Rhead
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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J. E. Halpin;
J. E. Halpin
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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O. Trushkevych;
O. Trushkevych
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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E. Chávez-Ángel;
E. Chávez-Ángel
3
ICN2-Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia, Campus UAB
, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
4
Department of Physics, UAB
, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
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A. Shchepetov;
A. Shchepetov
5
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Espoo, Finland
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V. Kachkanov;
V. Kachkanov
6
Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
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N. R. Wilson;
N. R. Wilson
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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M. Myronov;
M. Myronov
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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J. S. Reparaz;
J. S. Reparaz
3
ICN2-Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia, Campus UAB
, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
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R. S. Edwards;
R. S. Edwards
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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M. R. Wagner;
M. R. Wagner
3
ICN2-Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia, Campus UAB
, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
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F. Alzina;
F. Alzina
3
ICN2-Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia, Campus UAB
, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
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I. P. Dolbnya;
I. P. Dolbnya
6
Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
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D. H. Patchett;
D. H. Patchett
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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P. S. Allred;
P. S. Allred
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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M. J. Prest;
M. J. Prest
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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P. M. Gammon;
P. M. Gammon
1
Department of Engineering, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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M. Prunnila;
M. Prunnila
5
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Espoo, Finland
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T. E. Whall;
T. E. Whall
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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E. H. C. Parker;
E. H. C. Parker
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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C. M. Sotomayor Torres;
C. M. Sotomayor Torres
4
Department of Physics, UAB
, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
7
Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA)
, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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D. R. Leadley
D. R. Leadley
2
Department of Physics, The University of Warwick
, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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a)
Email: vishal.shah@warwick.ac.uk.
J. Appl. Phys. 115, 144307 (2014)
Article history
Received:
January 23 2014
Accepted:
March 27 2014
Citation
V. A. Shah, S. D. Rhead, J. E. Halpin, O. Trushkevych, E. Chávez-Ángel, A. Shchepetov, V. Kachkanov, N. R. Wilson, M. Myronov, J. S. Reparaz, R. S. Edwards, M. R. Wagner, F. Alzina, I. P. Dolbnya, D. H. Patchett, P. S. Allred, M. J. Prest, P. M. Gammon, M. Prunnila, T. E. Whall, E. H. C. Parker, C. M. Sotomayor Torres, D. R. Leadley; High quality single crystal Ge nano-membranes for opto-electronic integrated circuitry. J. Appl. Phys. 14 April 2014; 115 (14): 144307. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4870807
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