THE FABRICATION OF QUARTZ CRYSTAL RESONATORS BY ATOMIC LAYER EPITAXY

THE NEED FOR GREATER STABILITY IN QUARTZ RESONATORS REQUIRES FABRICATION TECHNIQUES THAT PRODUCE FEWER DEFECTS. THE LIMITS OF CURRENT FABRICATION TECHNIQUES TO DECREASE DEFECTS HAS BEEN REACHED. WE PROPOSED AN INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR FABRICATING DEFECT FREE QUARTZ CRYSTALS BY DEPOSITING THE QUARTZ USING ATOMIC LAYER EPITAXY (ALE). ALE IS A CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION TECHNIQUES WHICH CAN DEPOSIT A SINGLE LAYER OF QUARTZ DURING EACH CYCLE OF THE DEPOSITION PROCESS. THE TOTAL THICKNESS IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF CYCLES AND CAN BE CONTROLLED TO WITHIN ONE ATOMIC LAYER. ALE IS CURRENTLY BEING USED IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY TO DEPOSIT CRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR. WE BELIEVE THAT HIGH QUALITY CRYSTALL RESONATORS WHICH OPERATE IN GIGAHERTZ RANGE CAN BE FABRICATED USING THIS TECHNIQUE.