Templated dewetting of single-crystal sub-millimeter-long nanowires and on-chip silicon circuits

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Monica Bollani - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Ist Foton & Nanotecnol, LNESS (Author)
  • Marco Salvalaglio - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Abdennacer Benali - , Université de Toulon (Author)
  • Mohammed Bouabdellaoui - , University of Hassan II Casablanca (Author)
  • Meher Naffouti - , University of Monastir (Author)
  • Mario Lodari - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Ist Foton & Nanotecnol, LNESS (Author)
  • Stefano Di Corato - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Ist Foton & Nanotecnol, LNESS (Author)
  • Alexey Fedorov - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Ist Foton & Nanotecnol, LNESS (Author)
  • Axel Voigt - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Ibtissem Fraj - , University of Monastir (Author)
  • Luc Favre - , Université de Toulon (Author)
  • Jean Benoit Claude - , Université de Toulon (Author)
  • David Grosso - , Université de Toulon (Author)
  • Giuseppe Nicotra - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi (IMM-CNR), IMM (Author)
  • Antonio Mio - , CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi (IMM-CNR), IMM (Author)
  • Antoine Ronda - , Université de Toulon (Author)
  • Isabelle Berbezier - , Université de Toulon (Author)
  • Marco Abbarchi - , Université de Toulon (Author)

Abstract

Large-scale, defect-free, micro- and nano-circuits with controlled inter-connections represent the nexus between electronic and photonic components. However, their fabrication over large scales often requires demanding procedures that are hardly scalable. Here we synthesize arrays of parallel ultra-long (up to 0.75 mm), monocrystalline, silicon-based nano-wires and complex, connected circuits exploiting low-resolution etching and annealing of thin silicon films on insulator. Phase field simulations reveal that crystal faceting and stabilization of the wires against breaking is due to surface energy anisotropy. Wires splitting, inter-connections and direction are independently managed by engineering the dewetting fronts and exploiting the spontaneous formation of kinks. Finally, we fabricate field-effect transistors with state-of-the-art trans-conductance and electron mobility. Beyond the first experimental evidence of controlled dewetting of patches featuring a record aspect ratio of similar to 1/60000 and self-assembled similar to mm long nano-wires, our method constitutes a distinct and promising approach for the deterministic implementation of atomically-smooth, mono-crystalline electronic and photonic circuits.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number5632
Number of pages10
JournalNature communications
Volume10
Publication statusPublished - 10 Dec 2019
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85076404860
ORCID /0000-0002-4217-0951/work/142237406

Keywords

Keywords

  • PHASE-FIELD MODEL, CAPILLARY INSTABILITIES, THIN-FILMS, SURFACE, PERFORMANCE, GROWTH, NANOSTRUCTURES, EQUILIBRIUM, EVOLUTION, CHANNELS