EUV-induced hydrogen desorption as a step towards large-scale silicon quantum device patterning.
Procopios Constantinou1,2,3, Taylor J Z Stock4,5, Li-Ting Tseng6
1London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, WC1H 0AH, London, UK. procopios.constantinou@psi.ch.
Nature Communications
|January 24, 2024
Summary
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light can precisely remove hydrogen from silicon surfaces, enabling scalable fabrication of quantum devices. This technique bypasses traditional resists for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Quantum Computing
Background:
- Atomically precise fabrication of quantum-electronic devices relies on scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) for single-atom precision.
- Scaling up STM-based lithography to industrial levels necessitates integration with semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the use of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light for hydrogen desorption from silicon surfaces.
- To bridge the gap between laboratory-scale STM precision and industrial semiconductor manufacturing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light for hydrogen desorption from a monohydride Si(001):H surface.
- Employed scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) for characterization.
Main Results:
- Quantified hydrogen desorption characteristics induced by secondary electrons from valence band excitations.
- Demonstrated compatibility with the 13.5 nm EUV photolithography standard.
- Indicated potential for useful exposure times with existing EUV infrastructure.
Conclusions:
- EUV light enables resistless patterning of silicon surfaces.
- This method offers a pathway for parallel processing in fabricating classical and quantum devices via deterministic doping.
