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Title: Silica substrate or portion formed from oxidation of monocrystalline silicon

Abstract

A method is disclosed for forming an inclusion-free silica substrate using a monocrystalline silicon substrate as the starting material and oxidizing the silicon substrate to convert it entirely to silica. The oxidation process is performed from both major surfaces of the silicon substrate using a conventional high-pressure oxidation system. The resulting product is an amorphous silica substrate which is expected to have superior etching characteristics for microfabrication than conventional fused silica substrates. The present invention can also be used to convert only a portion of a monocrystalline silicon substrate to silica by masking the silicon substrate and locally thinning a portion the silicon substrate prior to converting the silicon portion entirely to silica. In this case, the silica formed by oxidizing the thinned portion of the silicon substrate can be used, for example, as a window to provide optical access through the silicon substrate.

Inventors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1174397
Patent Number(s):
6,592,835
Application Number:
09/836,594
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Citation Formats

Matzke, Carolyn M., Rieger, Dennis J., and Ellis, Robert V. Silica substrate or portion formed from oxidation of monocrystalline silicon. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Matzke, Carolyn M., Rieger, Dennis J., & Ellis, Robert V. Silica substrate or portion formed from oxidation of monocrystalline silicon. United States.
Matzke, Carolyn M., Rieger, Dennis J., and Ellis, Robert V. 2003. "Silica substrate or portion formed from oxidation of monocrystalline silicon". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1174397.
@article{osti_1174397,
title = {Silica substrate or portion formed from oxidation of monocrystalline silicon},
author = {Matzke, Carolyn M. and Rieger, Dennis J. and Ellis, Robert V.},
abstractNote = {A method is disclosed for forming an inclusion-free silica substrate using a monocrystalline silicon substrate as the starting material and oxidizing the silicon substrate to convert it entirely to silica. The oxidation process is performed from both major surfaces of the silicon substrate using a conventional high-pressure oxidation system. The resulting product is an amorphous silica substrate which is expected to have superior etching characteristics for microfabrication than conventional fused silica substrates. The present invention can also be used to convert only a portion of a monocrystalline silicon substrate to silica by masking the silicon substrate and locally thinning a portion the silicon substrate prior to converting the silicon portion entirely to silica. In this case, the silica formed by oxidizing the thinned portion of the silicon substrate can be used, for example, as a window to provide optical access through the silicon substrate.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1174397}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2003},
month = {Tue Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2003}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Kinetics of High Pressure Oxidation of Silicon in Pyrogenic Steam
journal, October 1981