Development of MEMS based microCVD technique for new materials thin films deposition

Abstract

In this work a new approach for deposition of new materials is proposed. In this approach, a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process is implemented in a micro heater fabricated by MEMS technology, which presents as main appeals (a) short heating and cooling times, (b) the possibility of grown spatially localized films, in well defined regions of a substrate, and (c) to allow the growth of different materials in a single deposition process. Due to its conception, this approach also allows to grow the materials in a device integrated way, in structures where they can be characterized or in the final devices where they are going to be used. As it will be shown, a wide range of temperatures is attainable, from room temperature to well over 1000°C. The microCVD deposition is obtained when the MEMS micro heater is placed inside a vacuum chamber with the precursor gases and the micro heater is electrically polarized to attain the desire temperature. Computer simulation in Ansys Software was performed to estimate the final temperature of the heaters and the fabricated microCVD devices were tested in CH4 atmosphere, to obtain carbon and graphene films.