The authors present a simplified fabrication method for the creation of free-standing dielectric mirrors for use in monolithic wavelength tunable surface-normal photonic devices, including vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers. This process utilizes a nonplasma dry etching process, based on the noble gas halide, xenon difluoride , to remove an inorganic sacrificial film comprised of low-temperature deposited amorphous germanium . By utilizing nonplasma dry etching of an inorganic film, this procedure circumvents the need for critical point drying and avoids the limitations imposed by polymer-based sacrificial layers. In this procedure the authors observe remarkably rapid lateral etching, with rates in excess of for electron-beam evaporated films. The viability of this novel surface micromachining process is demonstrated by presenting the static and dynamic mechanical characteristics of electrostatically actuated suspended dielectric Bragg reflectors.
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March 2008
This content was originally published in
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena
Research Article|
March 28 2008
Fabrication of suspended dielectric mirror structures via xenon difluoride etching of an amorphous germanium sacrificial layer
Garrett D. Cole;
Garrett D. Cole
a)
Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
, Livermore, California 94550
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Elaine Behymer;
Elaine Behymer
Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
, Livermore, California 94550
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Lynford L. Goddard;
Lynford L. Goddard
b)
Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
, Livermore, California 94550
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Tiziana C. Bond
Tiziana C. Bond
Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
, Livermore, California 94550
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a)
Electronic mail: cole35@llnl.gov
b)
Present address: Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801.
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 26, 593–597 (2008)
Article history
Received:
December 20 2007
Accepted:
February 11 2008
Citation
Garrett D. Cole, Elaine Behymer, Lynford L. Goddard, Tiziana C. Bond; Fabrication of suspended dielectric mirror structures via xenon difluoride etching of an amorphous germanium sacrificial layer. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 1 March 2008; 26 (2): 593–597. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.2890673
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