Room Temperature Direct Electron Beam Lithography in a Condensed Copper Carboxylate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Surface Science

Background:

• High-resolution metallic nanostructures are crucial for advanced applications.
• Conventional fabrication methods like electron beam lithography and focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) have limitations.
• FEBID offers versatility but suffers from low throughput, hindering large-scale production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, high-throughput method for fabricating metallic nanostructures.
• To combine the precision of electron beam lithography with enhanced deposition rates.
• To develop a room-temperature fabrication process for metallic nanostructures.

Main Methods:

• Development of direct electron beam lithography (D-EBL) by combining FEBID principles with lithography.
• Utilizing a low-volatility copper precursor condensed onto a room-temperature substrate as a positive-tone resist.
• Direct irradiation of precursor patterns with a focused electron beam to induce local molecule dissociation and structure formation.

Main Results:

• Achieved drastically enhanced growth rates compared to conventional FEBID.
• Produced copper-containing nanostructures with compositions comparable to gas-assisted FEBID.
• Investigated the impact of electron scattering and implemented a post-purification protocol.
• Demonstrated the formation of high-purity copper crystals through post-purification.

Conclusions:

• D-EBL offers a versatile, fast, and easy approach for electron beam-induced fabrication of metallic nanostructures.
• The method eliminates the need for cryogenic or hot substrates, simplifying the fabrication process.
• This technique holds promise for efficient, large-scale production of nanostructures.