This paper presents the development of a single layer microbolometer pixel fabricated using only ZnO material coated with atomic layer deposition. Due to the stress-free nature and high temperature coefficient of resistance of the ALD coated ZnO material, it can be used both as structural and active layers in microbolometer detectors. The design, simulations, and the fabrication optimization of 35 μm single layer ZnO microbolometers are shown in this study. The designed pixel has a thermal conductance of 3.4x10-7 W/K and a thermal time constant of 1.34 ms while it has a maximum displacement of 0.43 μm under 1000g acceleration. This structure can be used to decrease the design complexities and fabrication costs and increase the yield of the detectors making them possible to be used in low-cost applications.
We propose an all-ZnO bilayer microbolometer, operating in the long-wave infrared regime that can be implemented by consecutive atomic layer deposition growth steps. Bilayer design of the bolometer provides very high absorption coefficients compared to the same thickness of a single ZnO layer. High absorptivity of the bilayer structure enables higher performance (lower noise equivalent temperature difference and time constant values) compared to single-layer structure. We observe these results computationally by conducting both optical and thermal simulations.
We demonstrate super absorbing metal-insulator-metal (MIM) stacks and MIMIM photosensitive devices operating at visible and near-infrared (VIS-NIR) spectrum, where absorbing (top) MIM and photocollecting (bottom) MIM can be optimized separately. We investigate different bottom metals in absorbing MIM with nanoparticles realized by dewetting of silver thin film on top. While gold and silver have conventionally been considered the most appropriate plasmonic absorbers, we demonstrate different absorbing metals like aluminum and specifically chromium, with its plasma frequency happening at 850 nm, as more efficient layers for absorption. Absorption in chromium hits 82 percent around 1000 nm. We provide convincing evidences by doing reflection experiment and computational simulations for absorbing MIM part. We also suggest for the first time investigating electric loss tangent of metal or coherently, surface plasmon quality factor of absorbing metals which are reliable tools for engineering different metal layers. They reveal that despite the fact that gold and silver are good plasmonic scatterers in VIS-NIR and reliable absorbers in VIS region, they are not proper choices as absorbers for NIR applications. Once the most optimum absorbing design is pointed out, we integrate it on top of another metal-insulator to form an MIMIM photodetector with tunneling photocurrent path. The final optimized sample consisting of silver – hafnium oxide – chromium – aluminum oxide – silver nanoparticles (from bottom to top) has a dark current of 7nA and a photoresponsivity peak of 0.962 mA/W at 1000 nm and a full width at half maximum of 300 nm, while applied bias is 50 mV and device areas are 300 μm x 600 μm. This photoresponse shows 70 times enhancement compared to former reported spin coated rare nanoparticle MIMIMs.
Recent experimental research efforts on developing functional nanostructured III-nitride and metal-oxide materials via low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) will be reviewed. Ultimate conformality, a unique propoerty of ALD process, is utilized to fabricate core-shell and hollow tubular nanostructures on various nano-templates including electrospun nanofibrous polymers, self-assembled peptide nanofibers, metallic nanowires, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). III-nitride and metal-oxide coatings were deposited on these nano-templates via thermal and plasma-enhanced ALD processes with thickness values ranging from a few mono-layers to 40 nm.
Metal-oxide materials studied include ZnO, TiO2, HfO2, ZrO2, and Al2O3. Standard ALD growth recipes were modified so that precursor molecules have enough time to diffuse and penetrate within the layers/pores of the nano-template material. As a result, uniform and conformal coatings on high-surface area nano-templates were demonstrated. Substrate temperatures were kept below 200C and within the self-limiting ALD window, so that temperature-sensitive template materials preserved their integrity III-nitride coatings were applied to similar nano-templates via plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) technique. AlN, GaN, and InN thin-film coating recipes were optimized to achieve self-limiting growth with deposition temperatures as low as 100C. BN growth took place only for >350C, in which precursor decomposition occured and therefore growth proceeded in CVD regime. III-nitride core-shell and hollow tubular single and multi-layered nanostructures were fabricated.
The resulting metal-oxide and III-nitride core-shell and hollow nano-tubular structures were used for photocatalysis, dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC), energy storage and chemical sensing applications. Significantly enhanced catalysis, solar efficiency, charge capacity and sensitivity performance are reported. Moreover, core-shell metal-oxide and III-nitride materials showed promise to be used in applications where flexibility is critical like functional membranes, textile and flexible electronic applications.
Organically modified silica (ORMOSIL)-coated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with improved energy conversion efficiency are demonstrated. ORMOSIL-coated DSSC surfaces exhibit omnidirectional low reflectivity over a broad range of wavelengths (400–800 nm). The short-circuit current density (JSC) is enhanced up to 23% at normal incidence (θ=0 deg) as a result of ORMOSIL coating. In addition, JSC enhancement is even higher at larger angles of incidence; 84% enhancement was observed at θ=30 deg. Moreover, ORMOSIL coating is superhydrophobic with a contact angle of 155 deg.
We demonstrate Silicon-only near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors (sensitive up to 2000 nm) that meet large-scale ultralow-cost fabrication requirements. For the detection of infrared photons, we use metal nanoislands that form Schottky contact with Silicon. NIR photons excite plasmon resonances at metal nanoislands and plasmons decay into highly energetic charge carriers (hot electrons). These hot electrons get injected into Silicon (internal photoemission), resulting in photocurrent. Several groups have studied plasmonic nanoantennas using high resolution lithography techniques. In this work, we make use of randomly formed nanoislands for broad-band photoresponse at NIR wavelengths. We observe photoresponse up to 2000 nm wavelength with low dark current density about 50 pA/µm2 . The devices exhibit photoresponsivity values as high as 2 mA/W and 600 µA/W at 1.3 µm and 1.55 µm wavelengths, respectively. Thin metal layer was deposited on low-doped n-type Silicon wafer. Rapid thermal annealing results in surface reconstruction of the metal layer into nanoislands. Annealing conditions control the average size of the nanoislands and photoresponse of the devices. An Al-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) layer was deposited on the nanoislands using thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to acts as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and patterned using photolithography. AZO film creates electrical connection between the nanoislands and also makes a heterojunction to Silicon. Simple and scalable fabrication on Si substrates without the need for any sub-micron lithography or high temperature epitaxy process make these devices good candidates for ultra-low-cost broad-band NIR imaging and spectroscopy applications.
Proof-of-concept, first metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors based on nanocrystalline gallium nitride (GaN) layers grown by low-temperature hollow-cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition are demonstrated. Electrical and optical characteristics of the fabricated devices are investigated. Dark current values as low as 14 pA at a 30 V reverse bias are obtained. Fabricated devices exhibit a 15× UV/VIS rejection ratio based on photoresponsivity values at 200 nm (UV) and 390 nm (VIS) wavelengths. These devices can offer a promising alternative for flexible optoelectronics and the complementary metal oxide semiconductor integration of such devices.
This paper introduces a method for a broadband absorption enhancement in the LWIR range (8-12 μm), in single layer microbolometer pixels with 35 μm pitch. For the first time in the literature, this study introduces a very simple and low cost approach to enhance the absorption by embedding plasmonic structures at the same level as the already existing metallic layer of a microbolometer pixel. The metal layer comprises the electrode and the arm structures on the body. Even though the periodicity of the plasmonic structures is slightly disturbed by the placement of the electrodes and the connecting metal, the metal arms and the electrodes compensate for the lack of the periodicity contributing to the resonance by their coupling with the individual plasmonic resonators. Various plasmonic structures are designed with FDTD simulations. Individual, plasmonically modified microbolometer pixels are fabricated, and an increase in the average absorption due to surface plasmon excitation at Au/Si3N4 interfaces is observed. Plasmonic structures increase the average absorption from 78% to 82% and result in an overall enhancement of 5.1%. A good agreement between the simulation and the FTIR measurement results are obtained within the LWIR range. This work paves the way for integration of the plasmonic structures within conventional microbolometer devices for performance enhancement without introducing additional costs.
This paper introduces a method of broadband absorption enhancement that can be integrated with the conventional suspended microbolometer process with no significant additional cost. The premise of this study is that electric field can be enhanced throughout the structural layer of the microbolometer, resulting in an increase in the absorption of the infrared radiation in the long wave infrared window. A concentric double C-shaped plasmonic geometry is simulated using the FDTD method, and this geometry is fabricated on suspended pixel arrays. Simulation results and FTIR measurements are in good agreement indicating a broadband absorption enhancement in the 8 µm-12 µm range for LWIR applications. The enhancement is attained using metallic geometries embedded in the structural layer of the suspended microbridge, where the metallic-dielectric interface increases the average absorption of a 35 µm pixel from 67.6% to 80.1%.
In order to demonstrate tunable absorption characteristics of ZnO, photodetection properties of ZnO based thin-film transistors are investigated. By controlling the occupancy of the trap states, the optical absorption coefficient of ZnO in the visible light spectrum is actively tuned with gate bias. An order of magnitude change of absorption coefficient is achieved. An optical modulator is proposed exploiting such tunable absorption mechanism.
In this study, TiO2 films were deposited using thermal Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) system. It is observed that asdeposited ALD TiO2 films are amorphous and not suitable as TFT channel material. In order to use the film as channel material, a post-annealing process is needed. Annealed films transform into a polycrystalline form containing mixed anatase and rutile phases. For this purpose, devices are annealed at 475°C and observed that their threshold voltage value is 6.5V, subthreshold slope is 0.35 V/dec, Ion/Ioff ratios 2.5×106 and mobility value is 0.672 cm2/V.s. Optical response measurements showed that devices exhibits decent performance at ultraviolet region where TiO2 has band to band absorption mechanism.
This paper introduces an analysis on the absorption enhancement in uncooled infrared pixels using resonant plasmon
modes in metal structures, and it reports, for the first time in literature, broad-band absorption enhancement using
integrated plasmonic structures in microbolometers for unpolarized long-wave IR detection. Different plasmonic
structures are designed and simulated on a stack of layers, namely gold, polyimide, and silicon nitride in order to
enhance absorption at the long-wave infrared. The simulated structures are fabricated, and the reflectance measurements
are conducted using an FTIR Ellipsometer in the 8-12 μm wavelength range. Finite difference time domain (FDTD)
simulations are compared to experimental measurement results. Computational and experimental results show similar
spectral reflection trends, verifying broad-band absorption enhancement in the spectral range of interest. Moreover, this
paper computationally investigates pixel-wise absorption enhancement by plasmonic structures integrated with
microbolometer pixels using the FDTD method. Special attention is given during the design to be able to implement the
integrated plasmonic structures with the microbolometers without a need to modify the pre-determined microbolometer
process flow. The optimized structure with plasmonic layer absorbs 84 % of the unpolarized radiation in the 8-12 μm
spectral range on the average, which is a 22 % increase compared to a reference structure with no plasmonic design.
Further improvement may be possible by designing multiply coupled resonant structures.
State-of-the-art copper interconnects suffer from increasing spatial power dissipation due to chip downscaling and RC
delays reducing operation bandwidth. Wide bandwidth, minimized Ohmic loss, deep sub-wavelength confinement and
high integration density are key features that make metal-insulator-metal waveguides (MIM) utilizing plasmonic modes
attractive for applications in on-chip optical signal processing. Size-mismatch between two fundamental components
(micron-size fibers and a few hundred nanometers wide waveguides) demands compact coupling methods for
implementation of large scale on-chip optoelectronic device integration. Existing solutions use waveguide tapering,
which requires more than 4λ-long taper distances. We demonstrate that nanoantennas can be integrated with MIM for
enhancing coupling into MIM plasmonic modes. Two-dimensional finite-difference time domain simulations of antennawaveguide
structures for TE and TM incident plane waves ranging from λ = 1300 to 1600 nm were done. The same
MIM (100-nm-wide Ag/100-nm-wide SiO2/100-nm-wide Ag) was used for each case, while antenna dimensions were
systematically varied. For nanoantennas disconnected from the MIM; field is strongly confined inside MIM-antenna gap
region due to Fabry-Perot resonances. Major fraction of incident energy was not transferred into plasmonic modes. When
the nanoantennas are connected to the MIM, stronger coupling is observed and E-field intensity at outer end of core is
enhanced more than 70 times.
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