Transfer of III-nitride epitaxial layers onto pre-patterned silicon substrates for the simple fabrication of free-standing MEMS

Abstract

In recent years, the remarkable properties and potential applications of III-nitride (III-N) semiconductors have sparked a significant interest in the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Traditionally, III-N MEMS are fabricated through a process involving the epitaxial growth of III-N epilayers on a silicon substrate followed by etching the handle wafer to generate free-standing structures. In this study, we explore the potential of a relatively simple approach based on the two-dimensional (2D) material-based liftoff and transfer to fabricate III-N mechanical resonators. The methodology involves van der Waals epitaxy of III-N layers on 2D hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN), which leverages the weak van der Waals adhesion between h-BN layers to lift off and transfer these layers from their original growth substrate to an alternative host substrate. The employed method is demonstrated by fabricating 600 nm thick GaN/AlGaN and 2.5 μm thick h-BN micro-resonators onto pre-patterned cavities etched in silicon substrates. These devices are characterized using laser Doppler vibrometry, enabling the observation of well-defined modes of vibration and resonant frequencies. Furthermore, finite element method simulations are performed to gain insights into the experimental observations and the mechanical properties of the transferred layers. This approach could be extended to transfer high-quality III-N MEMS devices onto various host substrates, including flexible substrates, and could be used to assess the mechanical properties of emerging III-N semiconductor materials.