Stress-induced nanostructures through laser-assisted scanning probe nanolithography

We demonstrate a methodology using a laser-assisted scanning probe nanolithography (LASPN) technique to generate organized nanostructures. Experimental approach combined with finite element analysis was utilized to study the interfacial interactions between a gold-coated probe of an atomic force microscope and a single crystal silicon substrate. Research results proved that the tip temperature had been raised via LASPN to 900  K at a laser power of 12  mW. Nanolines were formed during sliding while the silicon substrate was heated at a laser power of 5  mW. We propose an energy model to explain the phenomenon.