The study on liquid germanium

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21969
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 21:Electrical and electronic engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Masuda Takashi 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 講師 (70643138)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ゲルマニウム / 半導体 / 溶液プロセス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to sythesize "liquid-phase hydride germanium (that we call liquid-Ge)" that can be converted into solid semiconductor germanium (Ge) by dehydrogenation. Three chemical structures were examined as candidates. 1. Cyclic hydrogenated germanium, 2. Chain hydrogenated germanium, 3. Soluble two-dimensional germanium. An attempt was made to synthesize these three candidate materials, and a coated Ge film was obtained by using the cyclic hydrogenated germanium. The other two candidates had the problems in the synthesis process, and further studies within this period put on hold. Oxygen and carbon derived from the annealing atmosphere, organic solvent, and residual catalyst remained as impurities in the spin-coated Ge. The reduction of these remains as future efforts.

Free Research Field

材料科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2035年以降の半導体産業は従来のSiより高移動度の材料を必要とし、その候補材料の1つであるGe半導体が注目されている。Geデバイスの出発物質には、従来は固体Ge（ウェハ）や気体Ge（CVD原料ガス）が用いられてきた。一方で本研究はそれら従来技術の延長には無い新しい材料系として「液体Ge」という概念を提案する。それは例えば塗布法による低エネルギーな製造プロセスの導入や、混ぜるだけで達成可能なドーピングなど、Ge科学の応用展開に全く新しい見通しを与える。本研究は「液体材料」という視点に立ち、Geという制御性の良い優れた材料を更に深く使い込み、それを活用するための道筋を切り拓く。