Fabrication of flat SiGe heterostructure nanomembrane windows via strain-relief patterning

Journal Article · Wed Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/48/1/015306· OSTI ID:1238073

McElhinny, K. M.; Gopalakrishnan, G; Savage, D E; Silva-Martinez, Juan C.; Lagally, M. G.; Holt, M. V.; Evans, P. G.

The lattice mismatch between SiGe and Si in heteroepitaxial Si/SiGe/Si trilayers leads to buckling when confined nanomembrane windows formed from these heterostructures are released from silicon-on-insulator substrates. We demonstrate that large areas in which the curvature and curvature-induced strain are reduced by an order of magnitude can be produced by patterning the windows to concentrate buckling in narrow arms with low flexural rigidity supporting a flat central region. Synchrotron x-ray thermal diffuse scattering shows that the improved flatness of patterned windows permits fundamental studies with fidelity similar to what can be achieved with flat single-component Si nanomembranes.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1238073
• Journal Information: Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics, Vol. 48, Issue 1; ISSN 0022-3727
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

buckling
nanomembrane
silicon
silicon–germanium
strain