Development of Ion Beam Techniques for Layer Splitting of Oxide Materials

70277 - and optoelectronics, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) integration often requires placing thin layers of different materials on a substrate or self-supporting thin layer. This cannot always be achieved by standard thin film deposition processes such as sputtering or pulsed laser deposition because of limitations due to lattice mismatch, interdiffusion, and/or interfacial chemical reaction. This project will develop ion beam techniques for layer splitting and transfer onto a desired substrate for device applications. The mechanisms responsible for crack propagation and for the evolution of etch selectivity in radiation-damaged metal oxides will be elucidated. Two model ferroelectric systems, LiNbO3 and PbZn1/3Nb2/3O3 ¿ PbTiO3 (PZN-PT), will be used in Phase I. A Tandetron accelerator will be used for the ion implantations of various light ions at different doses and substrate temperatures. The mechanism responsible for layer separation will be elucidated by using infrared spectroscopy, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Applications of the ion beam technique for layer splitting are anticipated in the fields of MEMS, micro- and optoelectronics, and lab-on-a-chip.