Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 5-14-2022

Abstract

Surface acoustic wave devices have not yet achieved their full potential as the effects of standing acoustic fields on stress-sensitive phenomena in semiconductor systems have been largely unexplored. From this perspective, it is necessary to develop novel methods to characterize surface acoustic wave devices quantitatively and prepare an experimental platform to probe stress-enhanced processes. In this dissertation, interdigitated transducer devices are fabricated on gallium arsenide to evaluate their potential impact on strain-enhanced phenomena. A novel Raman characterization technique characterizes the surface stress induced by a standing acoustic field, revealing stress values on the order of 108 Pa. FEM software models the electrical and mechanical behaviors of interdigitated transducer structures, and the simulated displacements are confirmed with atomic force microscopy at room temperatures. FEM modeling predicts device performance for temperatures as high as 177 °C, confirming that SAW devices are a robust experimental platform for studying strain-enhanced phenomena. A full-geometry parametric study suggests potential avenues to optimize SAW-resonator designs and produce intricate and powerful stress fields, which can then sculpt designer features for quantum devices via stress-enhanced atomic diffusion.

Keywords

Surface Acoustic Waves, Interdigitated Transducer, Raman Microscopy, Finite Element Method Modeling, Stress Characterization, Gallium Arsenide

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Nanoscience and Microsystems

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Nanoscience and Microsystems

First Committee Member (Chair)

Sang M. Han

Second Committee Member

Talid Sinno

Third Committee Member

Ganesh Balakrishnan

Fourth Committee Member

Francesca Cavallo

Fifth Committee Member

Michael David Henry

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