Nanofabrication by advanced electron microscopy using intense and focused beam^∗

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Electron Microscopy

Background:

• Electron microscopy techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), are crucial for manipulating and characterizing nanomaterials.
• Controlling the size, position, and structure of nanomaterials is essential for developing advanced nanodevices and materials.

Approach:

• This review explores the application of intense, focused electron beams in nanogrowth and nanofabrication.
• In situ observation and analysis using high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) were employed to study nanotree growth.
• Position- and size-controlled nanofabrication was achieved using STEM with focused electron beams, and magnetic nanostructures were created using an iron-containing precursor gas.

Key Points:

• Freestanding nanotrees were grown on insulator substrates, with growth controlled by electron beam intensity.
• Magnetic nanostructures, such as iron nanoantennas, were fabricated and examined, revealing 'nanomagnet' behavior.
• Nanodots containing tungsten were fabricated with sizes down to 1.5 nm by controlling electron dose and precursor pressure in an ultrahigh-vacuum field-emission TEM (UHV-FE-TEM).

Conclusions:

• Precise control over nanomaterial dimensions and placement is achievable through advanced electron microscopy techniques.
• The development of ultrahigh-vacuum spherical aberration corrected STEM (Cs-corrected STEM) is crucial for achieving atomic resolution and further advancing nanofabrication capabilities.