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Morphological and Optical Transformation of Gas Assisted Direct Laser Written Porous Silicon Films
Jesse Fletcher1, Giacinta Parish1, John Dell1
1Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, 6009, Australia.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|April 18, 2023
Summary
Direct laser writing selectively creates nitridized and carbonized features on porous silicon films. This technique allows for precise modification of material properties for diverse device applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Laser Processing
Background:
- Mesoporous porous silicon (PS) is a versatile material with tunable properties.
- Controlling material composition and structure at the nanoscale is crucial for advanced device fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate selective nitridation and carbonization of mesoporous PS films using direct laser writing (DLW).
- To investigate the impact of DLW parameters on feature formation and material properties.
- To explore potential device applications of engineered PS films.
Main Methods:
- Direct laser writing (DLW) at 405 nm in nitrogen and propane ambients.
- Spectroscopic analysis (including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) to characterize composition and optical properties.
- Evaluation of laser fluence effects on feature size and film integrity.
Main Results:
- Spatially separated nitridized and carbonized features were successfully created on a single PS film.
- Carbonized regions exhibited significantly higher optical absorption due to pyrolytic carbon or transpolyacetylene.
- Nitridized regions showed optical loss comparable to thermally nitridized PS films.
- DLW was effective in laterally isolating PS regions, preventing oxidation.
Conclusions:
- DLW provides a method for selective surface modification of mesoporous PS.
- Engineered PS films with carbonized and nitridized regions have potential in applications requiring tailored thermal, electrical, and optical properties.
- This technique offers a pathway for micromachining and refractive index modification in optical devices.
