Fabrication, characterization and modeling of single-crystal thin film calorimeter sensors

• Published in: Thermochimica acta Vol. 510; no. 1; pp. 126 - 136
• Main Authors: Anahory, Y., Guihard, M., Smeets, D., Karmouch, R., Schiettekatte, F., Vasseur, P., Desjardins, P., Hu, Liang, Allen, L.H., Leon-Gutierrez, E., Rodriguez-Viejo, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Dutch
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 20.10.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Calorimetry; Chemical and thermal methods; Chemistry; Devices; Exact sciences and technology; Finite-element modeling; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mathematical models; MEMS process; Nanocalorimetry; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Physics; Silicon; Surface science; Thermal instruments, apparatus and techniques; Thin films; MEMS process; Surface science; Nanocalorimetry; Finite-element modeling; Calorimeters; Measurement sensor; Thin films; Fabrication; Finite element method; Monocrystals; Calorimetry; Modelling; Silicon; Thermal analysis; Microelectromechanical device; Nanotechnology
• ISSN: 0040-6031; 1872-762X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tca.2010.07.006

Thin film based nanocalorimetry is a powerful tool to investigate nanosystems from a thermal point of view. However, nanocalorimetry is usually limited to amorphous or polycrystalline samples. Here we present a device that allows carrying out experiments on monocrystalline silicon. The monocrystalline silicon layer consists of the device layer from a silicon-on-insulator wafer and lies on a low-stress free-standing silicon nitride membrane. We applied a number of characterization techniques to determine the purity and quality of the silicon layer. All these techniques showed that the silicon surface is as pure as a standard silicon wafer and that it is susceptible to standard surface cleaning procedures. Additionally, we present a numerical model of the nanocalorimeter, which highlights that the silicon layer acts as a thermal plate thereby significantly improving thermal uniformity. This nanocalorimeter constitutes a promising device for the study of single-crystal Si surface processes and opens up an exciting new field of research in surface science.