Hyperuniform Monocrystalline Structures by Spinodal Solid-State Dewetting

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Marco Salvalaglio - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Mohammed Bouabdellaoui - , Aix-Marseille Université (Author)
  • Monica Bollani - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Ist Foton & Nanotecnol, Lab Nanostruct Epitaxy & Spintron Silicon (Author)
  • Abdennacer Benali - , Aix-Marseille Université (Author)
  • Luc Favre - , Aix-Marseille Université (Author)
  • Jean-Benoit Claude - , Aix-Marseille Université (Author)
  • Jerome Wenger - , Aix-Marseille Université (Author)
  • Pietro de Anna - , University of Lausanne (Author)
  • Francesca Intonti - , University of Florence (Author)
  • Axel Voigt - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Marco Abbarchi - , Aix-Marseille Université (Author)

Abstract

Materials featuring anomalous suppression of density fluctuations over large length scales are emerging systems known as disordered hyperuniform. The underlying hidden order renders them appealing for several applications, such as light management and topologically protected electronic states. These applications require scalable fabrication, which is hard to achieve with available top-down approaches. Theoretically, it is known that spinodal decomposition can lead to disordered hyperuniform architectures. Spontaneous formation of stable patterns could thus be a viable path for the bottom-up fabrication of these materials. Here, we show that monocrystalline semiconductor-based structures, in particular Si i ,Ge, layers deposited on silicon-on-insulator substrates, can undergo spinodal solid-state dewetting featuring correlated disorder with an effective hyperuniform character. Nano- to micrometric sized structures targeting specific morphologies and hyperuniform character can be obtained, proving the generality of the approach and paving the way for technological applications of disordered hyperuniform metamaterials. Phase-field simulations explain the underlying nonlinear dynamics and the physical origin of the emerging patterns.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number126101
Number of pages7
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume125
Issue number12
Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2020
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85092427244
ORCID /0000-0002-4217-0951/work/142237399

Keywords

Keywords

  • PHASE-FIELD MODEL, DISORDERED PHOTONIC MATERIALS, PATTERN-FORMATION, SURFACE, EVOLUTION, GAP, NANOSTRUCTURES, INSTABILITY, CRYSTAL, GROWTH