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Process Development of a-ZnO Nanoscale Membrane Waveguides

Rajan, Parthiban
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4864-7618
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1343924252

Abstract Details

2012, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Electrical Engineering (Engineering and Technology).
The waveguide fabricated in this thesis is an important component of a chemical sensor. Ammonia is a very toxic gas causing health hazards and pollution which has an absorption peak at 550 nm. The low optical overlap mode (LOOM) structure is fabricated using a-ZnO, which is lossless at this wavelength. With more than 99% of mode outside the core region, the LOOM waveguide built using a-ZnO as core helps in increasing the sensitivity to detect ammonia. Fabrication of such a nanoscale waveguide is a challenging task and this thesis aims at fabricating such a waveguide. The LOOM structure is used in this work has shown to greatly increase the sensitivity of the chemical sensor when compared to conventional evanescent wave sensors. Based on previous modeling, the process to develop a 20 nm thick a-ZnO membrane with a 20 nm thick and 2 µm wide rib must be done with very high precision. This is required because a change in thickness of the rib or the membrane to rib ratio would cause the TM LOOM mode to become unguided. So a complete fabrication procedure which includes photo mask design, photolithography, etching techniques which includes both the wet etching and dry etching methods, and CO2 supercritical drying for membrane release are explained in this thesis.
Ralph Whaley, Jr (Advisor)
Savas Kaya (Committee Member)
Avinash Kodi (Committee Member)
Eric Stinaff (Committee Member)
150 p.
Electrical Engineering; Optics
waveguide; membrane; LOOM; sensor; amorphous ZnO; fabrication

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rajan, P. (2012). Process Development of a-ZnO Nanoscale Membrane Waveguides [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1343924252

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rajan, Parthiban. Process Development of a-ZnO Nanoscale Membrane Waveguides. 2012. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1343924252.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rajan, Parthiban. "Process Development of a-ZnO Nanoscale Membrane Waveguides." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1343924252

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1343924252
742
© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.