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Ultrasonic inspection and self-healing of Ge and 3C-SiC semiconductor membranes
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Zhou, Leiqing, Colston, Gerard B., Myronov, Maksym, Leadley, D. R. (David R.), Trushkevych, Oksana, Shah, V. A. and Edwards, R. S. (Rachel S.) (2020) Ultrasonic inspection and self-healing of Ge and 3C-SiC semiconductor membranes. Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 29 (3). pp. 370-377. doi:10.1109/JMEMS.2020.2981909 ISSN 1057-7157.
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WRAP-ultrasonic-inspection-self-healing-Ge-3C-SiC-semiconductor-membranes-Edwards--2020.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (5Mb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2020.2981909
Abstract
Knowledge of the mechanical properties and stability of thin film structures is important for device operation. Potential failures related to crack initiation and growth must be identified early, to enable healing through e.g. annealing. Here, three square suspended membranes, formed from a thin layer of cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) or germanium (Ge) on a silicon substrate, were characterised by their response to ultrasonic excitation. The resonant frequencies and mode shapes were measured during thermal cycling over a temperature range of 20--100~$^\circ$C. The influence of temperature on the stress was explored by comparison with predictions from a model of thermal expansion of the combined membrane and substrate. For an ideal, non-cracked sample the stress and Q-factor behaved as predicted. In contrast, for a 3C-SiC and a Ge membrane that had undergone vibration and thermal cycling to simulate extended use, measurements of the stress and Q-factor showed the presence of damage, with the 3C-SiC membrane subsequently breaking. However, the damaged Ge sample showed an improvement to the resonant behaviour on subsequent heating. Scanning electron microscopy showed that this was due to a self-healing of sub-micrometer cracks, caused by expansion of the germanium layer to form bridges over the cracked regions, with the effect also observable in the ultrasonic inspection.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | |||||||||||||||
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| Subjects: | Q Science > QC Physics T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Physics | |||||||||||||||
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Silicon-carbide thin films, Thin films , Microelectromechanical systems , Ultrasonic testing, Germanium, Vibration | |||||||||||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems | |||||||||||||||
| Publisher: | IEEE | |||||||||||||||
| ISSN: | 1057-7157 | |||||||||||||||
| Official Date: | June 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| Dates: |
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| Volume: | 29 | |||||||||||||||
| Number: | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 370-377 | |||||||||||||||
| DOI: | 10.1109/JMEMS.2020.2981909 | |||||||||||||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | |||||||||||||||
| Publication Status: | Published | |||||||||||||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | |||||||||||||||
| Date of first compliant deposit: | 8 April 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| Date of first compliant Open Access: | 8 April 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| Funder: | ERC, EPSRC, EC | |||||||||||||||
| Grant number: | Equipment and initial measurements were funded through ERC grant 202735. Samples were provided through grants EP/F040784/1 and EP/J001074/1 (EPSRC) and by EC Project 257375. | |||||||||||||||
| RIOXX Funder/Project Grant: |
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