Hydrogen-induced nanotunnel opening within semiconductor subsurface

Patrick Soukiassian (1) , Erich Wimmer , Edvige Celasco , Claudia Giallombardo , Simon Bonanni , Luca Vattuone , Letizia Savio , Antonio Tejeda (2) , Mathieu Silly (3) , Marie d'Angelo (4) , Fausto Sirotti (2) , Mario Rocca

1 LENSIS - Laboratoire d'Etude des NanoStructures et Imagerie de Surface
2 SSOLEIL - Synchrotron SOLEIL
3 LEPO - Laboratoire d'Electronique et nanoPhotonique Organique
4 INSP - Institut des Nanosciences de Paris

One of the key steps in nanotechnology is our ability to engineer and fabricate low-dimensional nano-objects, such as quantum dots, nanowires, two-dimensional atomic layers or three-dimensional nano-porous systems. Here we report evidence of nanotunnel opening within the subsurface region of a wide band-gap semiconductor, silicon carbide. Such an effect is induced by selective hydrogen/deuterium interaction at the surface, which possesses intrinsic compressive stress. This finding is established with a combination of ab-initio computations, vibrational spectroscopy and synchrotron-radiation-based photoemission. Hydrogen/deuterium-induced puckering of the subsurface Si atoms marks the critical step in this nanotunnel opening. Depending on hydrogen/deuterium coverages, the nanotunnels are either metallic or semiconducting. Dangling bonds generated inside the nanotunnel offer a promising template to capture atoms or molecules. These features open nano-tailoring capabilities towards advanced applications in electronics, chemistry, storage, sensors or biotechnology. Understanding and controlling such a mechanism open routes towards surface/interface functionalization.

Domaines: Matière Condensée [cond-mat]

Patrick Soukiassian, Erich Wimmer, Edvige Celasco, Claudia Giallombardo, Simon Bonanni, et al.. Hydrogen-induced nanotunnel opening within semiconductor subsurface. Nature Communications, 2013, 4, pp.2800. ⟨10.1038/ncomms3800⟩. ⟨hal-01237470⟩