52
MATERIALS
optimise the extreme diamond property for the applications. The thermal transport properties of
target application. diamond are well known, and could be key to
solving temperature issues for future nodes. In
Electronic applications enabled addition, diamond devices, such as the low
by thin film diamond friction, wear resistant AFM NaDiaProbes, may
Thin, smooth diamond films are ideal for a number transform current research instruments, like the
of semiconductor applications that utilise wafer AFM into reliable and cost efficient QC tools.
scale production. In particular, MEMS (micro Figure 3 inset shows an SEM image of a contact
electro mechanical systems) is one of several mode NaDiaProbe that is currently available
“killer app” spaces for thin smooth diamond that directly from ADT or several distributors. Boron
Fig 3: SEM image of ADT is currently focused on, in particular doped conducting probes and higher frequency
a contact mode integrating advanced RF (radio frequency) MEMS dynamic mode probes are currently being
NaDiaProbe filters, oscillators, and switches directly with developed.
CMOS electronics. For instance, in work supported Diamond is also well known for its bio related
by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects properties, and there are several applications in
Agency) in the US, ADT is working with which thin smooth diamond can be a critical
MEMtronics, Innovative Micro Technology (IMT), enabler. As a passive, bio-inert material UNCD
Peregrine Semiconductor, and Argonne National films can hermetically encapsulate biomedical
Laboratory to develop a RF MEMS Ka-band implants such as a retinal prosthesis currently
phase shifter that would be integrated into next under development [Xiao]. Recent work has shown
generation frequency agile phased array radar that active doped UNCD films are excellent
systems [Auciello]. Figure 4 shows a AC RF candidates for MEMS bio-sensors. [Yang]
MEMS switch developed in this project using a [Carlisle] ADT is set to begin work to develop
250 nm thick UNCD Aqua 25 film as a low trap devices to detect E. coli and other water based
dielectric. These devices could also be used for pathogens in real time in a 3 year, $4.8M project
wireless RF front ends and base stations supported by DTRA (Defence Threat Reduction
supporting 3G and WiMAX (Worldwide Agency).
Interoperability for Microwave Access) broadband
Summary
Although historically hard to work with, diamond
is truly becoming an enabling material for the
semiconductor industry. Advances in CVD
deposition techniques and recipe formation have
resulted in producing phase pure nanocrystalline
diamond thin films that have the extreme
properties of diamond but can be deposited and
processed much like polysilicon. As the
combination of Moore’s Law and new applications
Fig 4: AC RF MEMS continue to assault the industry, thin smooth
switch diamond films may truly launch the dawn of
carbon electronics.
REFERENCES
[Ichiro] S. Ichiro, History of Diamond Research, Natural and Synthetic, Journal of the Japanese Association of Crystal Growth; 32,
118 (2005)
[Hemley] C.-S. Yan, Y.K. Vohra, H.-K. Mao, R.J. Hemley, Very high growth rate chemical vapor deposition of single-crystal diamond,
Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 99, 12523 (2002).
[Gruen] D.M. Gruen, Nanocrystalline diamond films, Annual Rev. Mater. Sci. 29, 211 (1999).
[Amaratunga] Gehan A. J. Amaratunga “A Dawn for Carbon Electronics?”Science 6 September 2002:Vol. 297. no. 5587, pp. 1657
– 1658
[Auciello] O. Auciello, S. Pacheco, S. A.V. Sumant, C. Gudeman, S. Sampath, A. Datta, A. R.W. Carpick, R.W. V.P. Adiga, P.
Zurcher, Ma Zhenqiang, Yan Hao-Chih, J.A. Carlisle, B. Kabius, J. Hiller, S. Srinivasan, Are Diamonds a MEMS best friend?, IEEE
Microwave Magazine 8, 61 (2007).
[Xiao] X. Xiao, J. Wang, J. A. Carlisle, J. Weiland, M. Humayun, B. Mech, R. Greenberg, O. Auciello, In Vitro and In Vivo
Evaluation of Ultrananocrystalline Diamond for Coating of Implantable Retinal Microchips, Journal of Biomedical Materials
Research 77B, 273 (2005).
[Yang] Wensha Yang, James E. Butler, Wei Cai, J.A. Carlisle, Dieter Gruen, Tanya Kickerbocker, John N. Russell, Lloyd M. Smith,
and Robert J. Hamers, Covalent Attachment of Hybridization of DNA at Nanocrystalline Diamond Thin films, Nature-Materials 1,
253 (2002).
[Carlisle] John A. Carlisle, Precious Biosensors, Nature Materials 3, 668–669 (2004)
www.euroasiasemiconductor.com December 2008 / January 2009
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