New top-down approach for fabricating high-aspect-ratio complex nanostructures with 10 nm scale features

We describe a new patterning technique, named "secondary sputtering lithography" that enables fabrication of ultrahigh-resolution (ca. 10 nm) and high aspect ratio (ca. 15) patterns of three-dimensional various shapes. In this methodology, target materials are etched and deposited onto the side surface of a prepatterned polymer by using low Ar ion bombarding energies, based on the angular distribution of target particles by ion-beam bombardment. After removal of the prepatterned polymer, high aspect ratios and high-resolution patterns of target materials are created.