Self-forming nanogap method and device
AssigneeKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology
InventorsThomas D. Anthopoulos, Kalaivanan Loganathan, Emre Yarali, Emre Yengel, Hendrik Andreas Faber
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Abstract
A method for manufacturing a solid state device with a self-forming nanogap includes patterning a first metallic layer (M1) to form a first electrode on a substrate; depositing a self-assembling monolayer, SAM, layer over and around the first electrode; forming a second metallic layer (M2) in contact with the SAM layer and the substrate; and touchlessly removing parts of the second metallic layer (M2) that is formed directly above the SAM layer, to form a second electrode, and a nanogap between the first electrode and the second electrode.
Claims19
A method for manufacturing a solid state device with a self-forming nanogap, the method comprising:
- patterning a first metallic layer (M1) to form a first electrode on a substrate;
- depositing a self-assembling monolayer, SAM, layer over and around the first electrode;
- forming a second metallic layer (M2) in contact with the SAM layer and the substrate, wherein the second metallic layer includes a first layer in direct contact with the SAM layer and a second layer in contact with the first layer, the first and second layers having different thicknesses and different compositions;
- and
- removing parts of the second metallic layer (M2) that is formed directly above the SAM layer, to form a second electrode and a nanogap between the first electrode and the second electrode,
- wherein the step of removing comprises:
- placing the substrate, the first electrode, the SAM layer, and the second metallic layer (M2) in a liquid and agitating either the substrate or the liquid, or directing a fluid flow over the second metallic layer (M2).
A solid state transistor comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first electrode formed on the substrate;
- a second electrode formed on the substrate, the second electrode including an interlayer and a metallic layer, which is thicker than the interlayer and has a different composition than the interlayer;
- a nanogap formed between the first and second electrodes;
- a third electrode formed in the nanogap to form additional first and second nanogaps;
- a dielectric material formed over the third electrode;
- and
- a semiconductor material formed over the dielectric material,
- wherein the dielectric material and the semiconductor material extend into the first and second additional nanogaps.
A solid state device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first electrode formed on the substrate;
- a second electrode formed on the substrate, the second electrode including an interlayer and a metallic layer, which is thicker than the interlayer and has a different composition than the interlayer;
- a nanogap formed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- an oxidization layer formed on the first electrode;
- and
- a semiconductor material formed in the nanogap,
- wherein the oxidization layer and the semiconductor material extend into the nanogap.
A self-forming nanogap interdigitated electrodes photovoltaic cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first electrode formed on the substrate;
- a second electrode formed on the substrate, the second electrode including an interlayer and a metallic layer, which is thicker than the interlayer and has a different composition than the interlayer;
- a nanogap formed between the first and second electrodes;
- and
- a semiconductor layer formed over the first and second electrodes and into the nanogap,
- wherein at least one of the substrate and the semiconductor layer is configured to transform light energy into electrical energy, and
- wherein at least one of the substrate, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the semiconductor layer is transparent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.