Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.M.S.E.

Degree Name

MS in Materials Science and Engineering (M.S.M.S.E)

Degree Granting Department

Engineering

Major Professor

Venkat Bhethanabotla, Ph.D.

Committee Member

John Kuhn, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Lawrence Stern, Ph.D.

Keywords

Biosensors, Surface Acoustic Waves, Reactive Sputtering, ZnO Crystallization, Deposition Rates

Abstract

In this thesis, a novel sputter tool was restored and modified to deposit a ZnO film for future applications as a guiding layer on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. Some restorations and modifications included a water chiller being sized and added to the tool, leak checks to establish an ultra-high vacuum of 10-6 Torr, then finally heat lamps for temperature control were installed. Once modified, one of the preexisting magnetrons was utilized to deposit a ZnO via RF sputtering onto a quartz substrate. The layer was characterized via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy which showed the existence of Zn on the substrate, suggesting the sputter tool was working as intended. Further experiments were conducted to maximize the ZnO dep rate to roughly 7.22 nm/min. A thicker layer of 1300um was deposited and underwent x-ray diffraction and showed a small peak at 34.222°, showing the existence of (002) ZnO. However, a larger peak was seen at 55.483° that suggests the existence of (110) or (102) ZnO crystallization or even perhaps contamination. Unfortunately, the SAW devices were destroyed in the process. A third deposition was attempted with the same deposition conditions but included modifications to the SAW devices to protect them. The third attempt resulted in another broken device and a contaminated one. Future considerations and improvements were then suggested to modify the process for the application of applying a guiding layer to a SAW device.

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