Article

| 16-08-2021

New Materials – New growth technologies – New growth equipment

Materials research on quantum and energy topics is one of the most important strategic tasks of the IKZ. In order to be internationally successful in these fields, the development of special materials is necessary that are characterized by the highest purity, crystallographic perfection, defined electrical properties and also by significant geometric requirements. For this purpose, new growth technologies have to be realised, which require special equipment.

New MBE facility at the IKZ (left) / TEM image of a Si/SiGe layer stack with thin ²⁸Si layer (right)

In collaboration with the company MBE-Komponenten GmbH, a MBE-system has been developed, that enables to grow ultra-thin, isotope-enriched Si and Ge layers and is suitable for testing new evaporation sources. As a part of the SiGeQuant project, the quality and suitability of the grown structures for implementation in quantum computers will be tested with our partners from the Technical University of Aachen and IHP Frankfurt/O.

A new PVD-CVD cluster system, which enables the island-like growth of crystalline structures on amorphous substrates through laser-generated nucleation at locally defined locations, has been developed in cooperation with the BESTEC company. The aim is to produce efficient and cost-effective solar cells together with partners from BAM and the University of Duisburg/Essen. The KostSol project is providing the scientific and financial prerequisites for this research.

Both units were delivered in July and are currently being tested.

Further information:          

Torsten Boeck
Setareh Zahedi-Azad