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US 8,569,089 B2Granted
Nano-devices formed with suspended graphene membrane
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorWenjuan Zhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Semiconductor nano-devices, such as nano-probe and nano-knife devices, which are constructed using graphene films that are suspended between open cavities of a semiconductor structure. The suspended graphene films serve as electro-mechanical membranes that can be made very thin, from one or few atoms in thickness, to greatly improve the sensitivity and reliability of semiconductor nano-probe and nano-knife devices.
Claims11
A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
- forming a bottom gate electrode in a substrate;
- forming a first insulating layer over the substrate covering the bottom gate electrode;
- etching a first cavity in the first insulating layer, wherein the first cavity is aligned with the bottom gate electrode;
- filling the first cavity with a second layer of insulating material;
- planarizing the second layer of insulating material using the first insulting layer as an etch stop to form a first planarized surface,
- forming a graphene layer on the first planarized surface;
- forming one or more sense electrodes on the graphene layer, wherein the one or more sense electrodes are disposed on the graphene layer adjacent to the first cavity;
- forming a third insulating layer over the graphene layer and covering the one or more sense electrodes;
- etching a second cavity in the third insulating layer, wherein the second cavity is aligned with the first cavity;
- filling the second cavity with a fourth layer of insulating material;
- planarizing the fourth layer of insulating material stopping on the third insulting layer to form a second planarized surface;
- forming a fifth insulating layer over the second planarized surface,
- forming a top gate electrode over the fifth insulating layer, the top gate electrode aligned with the first and second cavities;
- dicing the substrate to form an individual semiconductor nano-structure;
- removing the second and fourth layers of insulating material from the first and second cavities, respectively, to form first and second open cavities, and
- mounting an elongated nano-structure to a portion of the graphene layer that is suspended between the first and second open cavities.
13 more elements
A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
- forming a bottom gate electrode;
- forming a first insulating layer over the bottom gate electrode, the first insulating layer comprising a first open cavity etched in a surface of the first insulating layer, wherein the first open cavity is aligned with the bottom gate electrode;
- forming a graphene layer over and in contact with said surface of the first insulating layer;
- forming one or more sense electrodes on the graphene layer;
- forming a second insulating, layer over and in contact with the graphene layer, the second insulating layer comprising a second open cavity etched in the second insulating layer, wherein the second open cavity is aligned with the first open cavity;
- forming a top gate electrode over the second insulating layer, wherein the top gate electrode is aligned with the first and second open cavities;
- and
- mounting an elongated nano-structure to a portion of the graphene layer that is suspended between the first and second open cavities.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.