Register for free to
view the full innovation profile.
Graphene (and other materials) is hydroxylated with water vapor dissociated by an electron beam. Thin films can then be grown locally through atomic layer deposition.
About
Existing approaches for atomic layer deposition (ALD) suffer from limited flexibility, poor spatial resolution, and low contrast between growth and non-growth target areas and are incompatible with established semiconductor fabrication processes. MU researchers developed a defect engineering technique in conjunction with ALD to produce thin dielectric films on graphene and other relevant 2D materials that are naturally resistant to the ALD process. The procedure involves dissociating water through collision with an electron beam to produce reactive products that interact with the 2D graphene material. The areas exposed to the electron beam water vapor act as activation sites for the ALD process with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water. The selective area ALD process depends on the presence of the hydroxylated layer. This technology provides (1) flexible control of the growth area, (2) high spatial resolution (<10 nm), and (3) higher contrast between growth and non-growth regions.
Key Benefits
This will help to continue Moore's law by enabling smaller transistors and microelectronic components. It provides high electron mobility, high thermal conductivity, and flexibility.
Applications
Integrated circuits fabrication