Epitaxial growth of in-plane nanowires and nanowire devices
AssigneeStc.Unm
InventorsSeung Chang Lee, Steven R. J. Brueck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments provide semiconductor nanowires and nanowire devices/applications and methods for their formation. In embodiments, in-plane nanowires can be epitaxially grown on a patterned substrate, which are more favorable than vertical ones for device processing and three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits. In embodiments, the in-plane nanowire can be formed by selective epitaxy utilizing lateral overgrowth and faceting of an epilayer initially grown in a one-dimensional (1D) nanoscale opening. In embodiments, optical, electrical, and thermal connections can be established and controlled between the nanowire, the substrate, and additional electrical or optical components for better device and system performance.
Claims12
A method for forming a nanowire device comprising:
- providing a crystalline growth platform comprising at least an aluminum (Al)-containing epitaxial layer on a substrate;
- providing a protection layer on the crystalline growth platform;
- forming one or more nanoscale slit-shaped openings in a selective growth mask formed on the protection layer;
- locally removing the protection layer in an epitaxial growth apparatus in a vicinity of each nanoscale slit-shaped opening to expose a surface of the underlying crystalline growth platform;
- forming an in-plane nanowire by epitaxially growing a material from the exposed surface of the crystalline growth platform through each nanoscale slit-shaped opening, wherein a length of the nanowire is along a crystal direction of the underlying crystalline growth platform;
- epitaxially growing a core-shell structure from the formed in-plane nanowire using the in-plane nanowire as a core material;
- and
- oxidizing the Al-containing epitaxial layer of the crystalline growth platform to provide electrical isolation after the epitaxial growth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.