Zinc Oxide on Silicon  

Zinc oxide (ZnO) on silicon and thermal oxide wafers are widely used for MEMS devices, gas sensors, thin-film transistors, UV photodetectors, and optoelectronic research. UniversityWafer, Inc. supplies ZnO-compatible silicon substrates, thermal oxide wafers, and custom thin-film solutions with various oxide and ZnO thicknesses for semiconductor, nanotechnology, and sensor applications.

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Zinc Oxide (ZnO) on Silicon and Thermal Oxide Wafers

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited on silicon and thermal oxide wafers are widely used for MEMS devices, gas sensors, transparent electronics, photodetectors, piezoelectric devices, and optoelectronic applications. UniversityWafer, Inc. supplies silicon wafers, thermal oxide substrates, and custom thin-film solutions for semiconductor and nanotechnology research.

150mm Silicon Wafers with ZnO Thin Films

A Ph.D. researcher requested a quote for depositing zinc oxide (ZnO) onto silicon and SiO₂ substrates with multiple film thicknesses.

"I would like to know if you could grow ZnO on Si/SiO₂ substrates. The ZnO thicknesses would be 30, 40, 45, 50, and 60 nm, and I would like to know the prices as well."

"The substrates will be 150mm Si (100) wafers with approximately 300 nm of thermal SiO₂. One wafer is needed for each ZnO thickness, for a total of five wafers."

Reference #255493 contains specifications and pricing information for this project.

Typical ZnO Film Thicknesses

Common zinc oxide film thicknesses for semiconductor and sensor applications include:

  • 30 nm ZnO on silicon.
  • 40 nm ZnO thin films.
  • 45 nm ZnO coatings.
  • 50 nm ZnO layers.
  • 60 nm ZnO films.
  • Custom ZnO thicknesses available upon request.

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What are Zinc Oxide on Silicon Substrate Applications?

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited on silicon wafers and thermal oxide substrates are widely used in semiconductor, MEMS, optoelectronic, and sensor applications. ZnO combines a wide bandgap, excellent transparency, piezoelectric properties, and high electron mobility, making it suitable for research involving photonics, microelectronics, and nanotechnology.

Zinc Oxide Sensor on Silicon Substrate

Common ZnO on Silicon Applications

  1. Optoelectronics and UV Devices
    ZnO thin films are used for ultraviolet LEDs, laser diodes, and transparent conducting layers because of their wide bandgap and high optical transparency.

  2. Thin-Film Solar Cells
    ZnO serves as a transparent conductive layer and electron transport material in photovoltaic devices and thin-film solar cells.

  3. Gas Sensors and Biosensors
    ZnO-coated silicon substrates are highly sensitive to changes in electrical conductivity, making them useful for gas sensors, chemical sensors, and biosensor research.

  4. Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs)
    ZnO films are used in TFT fabrication for LCD displays, OLED displays, flexible electronics, and transparent electronic devices.

  5. MEMS and Piezoelectric Devices
    The piezoelectric properties of ZnO make it useful in MEMS devices, actuators, resonators, and acoustic wave sensors.

  6. Photodetectors
    ZnO-based photodetectors are used for UV detection, flame sensing, and environmental monitoring applications.

  7. Spintronics Research
    Researchers are studying ZnO thin films for spintronic devices, which utilize electron spin for next-generation information storage and processing technologies.

Zinc Oxide on Silicon Wafer Specifications

ZnO thin films can be deposited on silicon wafers with or without a thermal SiO₂ layer. Customized ZnO thicknesses and oxide thicknesses are available for research applications.

Thermal Oxide Layer Specifications

  • Research grade wafers with approximately 80% useful area.
  • 4-inch silicon wafers coated with SiO₂.
  • Dry oxide thickness: 100 nm (2000 Å) ±10%.
  • Oxide grown by dry oxidation at 1000°C.
  • Refractive index: 1.455.
  • Custom oxide thicknesses available from 50 nm to 1000 nm.

Silicon Wafer Specifications

  • Conductivity type: P-type, boron doped.
  • Resistivity: <0.001–0.005 ohm-cm.
  • Diameter: 4 inches ±0.5 mm.
  • Orientation: (100) ±1°.
  • Polish: Single-side polished.
  • Surface roughness: <5 Å.

Should You Use Wet or Dry Thermal Oxide?

For ZnO deposition and electronic device fabrication, dry thermal oxide is generally preferred over wet oxide because it produces a denser, higher-quality dielectric layer with fewer defects and lower leakage currents.

Dry chlorinated oxide followed by a forming gas anneal improves the oxide-silicon interface and minimizes contamination from mobile ions such as sodium. This process creates superior gate dielectric layers used in semiconductor and microelectronic devices.

Although square substrates are not typically processed in semiconductor equipment, round wafers can be diced into smaller square pieces after processing to meet application requirements.

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