# US 2014/0197375 A1 · Semiconductor component comprising micro-bridges for adjusting a tensile strain state and method for the production thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197375 A1 - Document ID: US20140197375A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/119,939 - Filed: 2012-05-04 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-24 - Assignees: Paul Scherrer Institut - Applicants: Eth Zurich; Paul Scherrer Institut - Inventors: Jerome Faist; Gustav Schiefler; Hans Christian Sigg; Ralph Spolenak; Martin Suss - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197375A1 ## CPC - H10D 62/117: {Shapes of semiconductor bodies} - H10D 48/383: {Quantum effect devices, e.g. of devices using quantum reflection, diffraction or interference effects} - H10D 84/0167: {Manufacturing their channels} - H10D 84/038: {using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe} - H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials} - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A tensile strain state in semiconductor components is adjusted. A pretensioned (tensile strain) layer is applied to a substrate (FIG. 1, (A)). Bridge structures (FIG. 1, (B)) are introduced in the layers by lithography and etching. The bridges are connected to the layer on both sides and are thus continuous. The geometric shape of the bridges, formed with a cross-section modulation, is determined by the windows (FIG. 1 (C)) in the layer. When the substrate is etched selectively, the bridge is undercut through the windows. The geometric structuring of the cross-section (FIG. 1, (D)) causes a redistribution of the originally homogeneous strain when the bridges are detached from the substrate, with the larger cross-sections relaxing at the expense of the smaller cross-sections, where the pretension is increased. Only a multiplication of stresses (or strain) originally present in the sample is possible, with the multiplication factor determined by lengths, widths and depths, and/or the relationships thereof. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-9. (canceled) ### Claim 10 A semiconductor component, comprising: a substrate and a freestanding bridge structure detached from the substrate; said bridge structure having a cross-section modulation defining a strain state relevant to a functionality of the semiconductor component, said cross-section modulation being formed in the freestanding and bilaterally connected bridge structure detached from said substrate in a pre-strained layer on said substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, wherein said bridge structure is a germanium bridge on a silicon substrate and/or a silicon or germanium bridge on an insulator substrate (e.g. SOI or GOI), and wherein a laser is configured for monolithic integration into a silicon architecture. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, wherein a pre-strained silicon and/or germanium layer is provided on an insulator substrate, thereby implementing a transistor structure having a pre-strained conducting channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, wherein a wiring board and/or an integrated circuit is provided having, as a substrate, a patterned specimen layer with thereon based strain modulation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The semiconductor component according to claim 13, wherein said wiring board is a printed circuit board (PCB). ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, wherein said bridge structure and a window structure formed below said bridge structure have a thickness modulation with rounded edges on one or both of said bridge structure or said window structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, wherein a material of said bridge structure and of said substrate comprises multilayer systems irrespective of a crystallographic orientation thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, configured as a multi-quantum well (MQW) modulator or a quantum cascade laser (QCL). ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The semiconductor component according to claim 10, wherein a functionality of the component is achieved by at least one of its nonlinear optical characteristics and/or its birefringence and/or its dielectric properties and/or its electrical properties and/or its band structure and/or its ferroelastic property using an appropriately adjusted strain state. ### Claim 19 A method of producing a semiconductor component, the method comprising the following steps: providing a pre-strained (tensile strain) layer applied to a substrate; introducing a bridge structure into the pre-strained (tensile strain) layer by lithography and etching processes, wherein the bridge structure is connected at both ends to the pre-strained layer and the underlying substrate and is therefore continuous, and wherein the geometric shape of the bridge structure is determined by the windows delineated lithographically and by etching in the pre-strained layer, and the bridge structure also is formed with a cross-section modulation; selectively etching the substrate to thereby undercut the bridge structure by the windows, the geometric patterning of the cross section along the bridge structure causing a redistribution of the originally homogeneous strain as soon as the bridge structure patterned in this manner has been detached from the substrate; wherein, as a result of the detachment, parts of the bridge structure having a large cross section relax at an expense of parts having a smaller cross section, resulting in a desired substantial increase in a pre-strain in the central parts of the bridge structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the bridge structure is formed to have an increase in the pre-strain in the thin parts of the bridge structure. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10, 19) The method according to claim 19, which comprises producing the semiconductor component according to claim 10.