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Nanofabrication on unconventional substrates using transferred hard masks
Luozhou Li1, Igal Bayn1, Ming Lu2
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Scientific Reports
|January 16, 2015
Summary
This study introduces a novel nanofabrication technique using reusable silicon hard masks. This method enables precise patterning on diverse, unconventional substrates, achieving feature sizes as small as 10 nanometers.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Engineering
Background:
- Nanofabrication faces challenges with unconventional substrates incompatible with standard methods like spin coating or lithography.
- Developing versatile patterning techniques for diverse materials remains a critical need in micro- and nanofabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a versatile nanofabrication method adaptable to various challenging substrates.
- To demonstrate the capability of achieving high-resolution features on unconventional materials.
Main Methods:
- Utilized reusable silicon membrane hard masks patterned via standard lithography and silicon processing.
- Transferred millimeter-scale masks onto targeted regions of diverse substrates.
- Employed plasma etching, lift-off, and ion implantation without specialized substrate processing.
Main Results:
- Achieved feature linewidths down to 10 nanometers.
- Successfully fabricated patterns on rough, soft, and non-conductive materials.
- Demonstrated applicability across a wide range of unconventional substrates.
Conclusions:
- The silicon hard mask method offers a versatile solution for nanofabrication on challenging substrates.
- This technique overcomes limitations of traditional methods, enabling high-resolution patterning on diverse material types.
