Annealing silicon at high temperatures in hydrogen ambiance has been reported to induce surface diffusion of silicon; in these conditions, adapted 2D arrays of trenches etched in Bulk Si are transformed into buried cavities creating suspended membranes. A 3D nanostructuration of silicon through hard mask engineering and high temperature annealing in hydrogen ambiance is reported. By using a nitride-oxide hard mask stack instead of a sacrificial oxide hard mask for a free surface (maskless) annealing, we open new technological and design possibilities using 2D arrays of various geometry trenches. Implications and potential device applications are discussed.
Type
conference paper
Publication date
2008
Published in
NSTI Nanotech, The Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, 2008
Peer reviewed
REVIEWED
Written at
EPFL
EPFL units
Available on Infoscience
July 15, 2009
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