Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy
Abstract Nanofabrication has experienced extraordinary progress in the area of lithography-led processes over the last decades, although versatile and adaptable techniques addressing a wide spectrum of materials are still nascent. Scanning probe lithography (SPL) offers the capability to readily pat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Publishing Group
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Microsystems & Nanoengineering |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-021-00300-y |
| _version_ | 1819030590946541568 |
|---|---|
| author | Nikolaos Farmakidis Jacob L. Swett Nathan Youngblood Xuan Li Charalambos Evangeli Samarth Aggarwal Jan A. Mol Harish Bhaskaran |
| author_facet | Nikolaos Farmakidis Jacob L. Swett Nathan Youngblood Xuan Li Charalambos Evangeli Samarth Aggarwal Jan A. Mol Harish Bhaskaran |
| author_sort | Nikolaos Farmakidis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Nanofabrication has experienced extraordinary progress in the area of lithography-led processes over the last decades, although versatile and adaptable techniques addressing a wide spectrum of materials are still nascent. Scanning probe lithography (SPL) offers the capability to readily pattern sub-100 nm structures on many surfaces; however, the technique does not scale to dense and multi-lengthscale structures. Here, we demonstrate a technique, which we term nanocalligraphy scanning probe lithography (nc-SPL), that overcomes these limitations. Nc-SPL employs an asymmetric tip and exploits its rotational asymmetry to generate structures spanning the micron to nanometer lengthscales through real-time linewidth tuning. Using specialized tip geometries and by precisely controlling the patterning direction, we demonstrate sub-50 nm patterns while simultaneously improving on throughput, tip longevity, and reliability compared to conventional SPL. We further show that nc-SPL can be employed in both positive and negative tone patterning modes, in contrast to conventional SPL. This underlines the potential of this technique for processing sensitive surfaces such as 2D materials, which are prone to tip-induced shear or beam-induced damage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:32:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-343db7ad10b6455b815e436784763aac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-7434 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:32:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microsystems & Nanoengineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-343db7ad10b6455b815e436784763aac2022-12-21T19:12:57ZengNature Publishing GroupMicrosystems & Nanoengineering2055-74342021-10-01711810.1038/s41378-021-00300-yExploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphyNikolaos Farmakidis0Jacob L. Swett1Nathan Youngblood2Xuan Li3Charalambos Evangeli4Samarth Aggarwal5Jan A. Mol6Harish Bhaskaran7Department of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordDepartment of Materials, University of OxfordAbstract Nanofabrication has experienced extraordinary progress in the area of lithography-led processes over the last decades, although versatile and adaptable techniques addressing a wide spectrum of materials are still nascent. Scanning probe lithography (SPL) offers the capability to readily pattern sub-100 nm structures on many surfaces; however, the technique does not scale to dense and multi-lengthscale structures. Here, we demonstrate a technique, which we term nanocalligraphy scanning probe lithography (nc-SPL), that overcomes these limitations. Nc-SPL employs an asymmetric tip and exploits its rotational asymmetry to generate structures spanning the micron to nanometer lengthscales through real-time linewidth tuning. Using specialized tip geometries and by precisely controlling the patterning direction, we demonstrate sub-50 nm patterns while simultaneously improving on throughput, tip longevity, and reliability compared to conventional SPL. We further show that nc-SPL can be employed in both positive and negative tone patterning modes, in contrast to conventional SPL. This underlines the potential of this technique for processing sensitive surfaces such as 2D materials, which are prone to tip-induced shear or beam-induced damage.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-021-00300-y |
| spellingShingle | Nikolaos Farmakidis Jacob L. Swett Nathan Youngblood Xuan Li Charalambos Evangeli Samarth Aggarwal Jan A. Mol Harish Bhaskaran Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy Microsystems & Nanoengineering |
| title | Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy |
| title_full | Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy |
| title_fullStr | Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy |
| title_short | Exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub-50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy |
| title_sort | exploiting rotational asymmetry for sub 50 nm mechanical nanocalligraphy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-021-00300-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nikolaosfarmakidis exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT jacoblswett exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT nathanyoungblood exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT xuanli exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT charalambosevangeli exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT samarthaggarwal exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT janamol exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy AT harishbhaskaran exploitingrotationalasymmetryforsub50nmmechanicalnanocalligraphy |