Fabrication of nanostructure on a polymer film using atomic force microscope

SPM based lithographic techniques have been developed to pattern various substrates such as metals, semiconductors, and organic/polymer films due to its simplicity and high spatial precision nanostructure. Fabrication of nanostructure using polymeric materials is a key technique for the development of nanodevices. Here, we report the fabrication of nanostructures from polyacrylicacid (PAA) and polymethacrylicacid (PMAA) film on a silicon substrate using atomic force microscope (AFM). The formation of the nanopattern from the polymer film was studied using electrostatic nanolithography and the optimization of the conditions for nanopatterning of the polymer film was investigated with respect to the applied potential and translational speed of the AFM tip. The nanostructure of size 28 nm was created using the biased AFM tip on the PMAA film coated on Si(100) substrate and found that this method is a direct and reliable method to produce uniform nanostructures on a polymer film.     

High-rate tunable ultrasonic force regulated nanomachining lithography with an atomic force microscope

This paper describes a high-rate tunable nanomachining-based nanolithography technique using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Controlled vibration between the cantilever tip and the sample is introduced to increase the lithographical speed and controllability of the nanomachining process. In this approach, an ultrasonic z?vibration of the sample and the resulting ultrasonic force from the nonlinear force-distance interaction between the sample and the cantilever tip are utilized to regulate fabrication depth. A high frequency in-plane circular vibration is introduced between the tip and the sample to control the width of the fabricated features, and to improve the speed of nanolithography. Features (e.g.?slots) with dimensions spanning from tens of nanometers to hundreds of nanometers are fabricated in one scan. A lithography speed of tens of microns per second can be achieved, which is significantly higher than other known mechanical-modification-based nanolithography methods. The patterns, that are machined on a thin PMMA film, are transferred to silicon substrate through a reactive ion etching process, which provides a cost-effective tunable approach for the fabrication of nanostructures.     

High-speed, sub-15 nm feature size thermochemical nanolithography

We report a nanolithography technique that allows simultaneous direct control of the local chemistry and topography of thin polymer films. Specifically, a heated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip can write sub-15 nm hydrophilic features onto a hydrophobic polymer at the rate of 1.4 mm per s. The thermally activated chemical reactions and topography changes depend on the chemical composition of the polymer, the raster speed, the temperature at the AFM tip/sample interface, and the normal load. This method is conceptually simple, direct, extremely rapid, achievable in a range of environments, and potentially adaptable to other materials systems.     

EBL- and AFM-based techniques for nanowires fabrication on Si/SiGe

Two approaches for sub-100 nm patterning are applied to Si/SiGe samples.The first one combines electron beam lithography (EBL) and anisotropic wet etching to fabricate wires with triangular section whose top width is narrower than the beam size. Widths as small as 20 nm on silicon and 60 nm on Si/SiGe heterostructures are obtained.The second lithographic approach is based on the local anodization of an aluminum film induced by an atomic force scanning probe. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) anodization and selective wet etching, aluminum and aluminum oxide nanostructures are obtained and used as masks for reactive ion etching (RIE). Sub-100 nm wide wires are fabricated on Si/SiGe substrates.     

Single-step electrochemical nanolithography of metal thin films by localized etching with an AFM tip

This work introduces electrochemical nanolithography (ENL), a single-step method in which a metal thin film is locally etched without application of a mask on a 100?nm length scale with an electrochemical atomic force microscope (AFM). The method requires the application of ultra-short voltage pulses on the tip (nanosecond range duration, 2-4?V amplitude), while both the sample and the metalized tip are under independent potentiostatic control for full control of interface reactions in an AFM electrochemical cell. It is demonstrated that Cu films as well as Co and Cu/Co sandwich magnetic films can be patterned if negative voltage pulses are applied to the tip. This method also applies to films deposited on an insulating substrate. Moreover the lateral dimension of lithographed structures is tunable, from a few micrometers down to 150?nm, by appropriate choice of ENL conditions. Simulation of the dissolution process is discussed.     

Nanometer-scale flow of molten polyethylene from a heated atomic force microscope tip

We investigate the nanometer-scale flow of molten polyethylene from a heated atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever tip during thermal dip-pen nanolithography (tDPN). Polymer nanostructures were written for cantilever tip temperatures and substrate temperatures controlled over the range 100-260?°C and while the tip was either moving with speed 0.5-2.0 μm s(-1) or stationary and heated for 0.1-100 s. We find that polymer flow depends on surface capillary forces and not on shear between tip and substrate. The polymer mass flow rate is sensitive to the temperature-dependent polymer viscosity. The polymer flow is governed by thermal Marangoni forces and non-equilibrium wetting dynamics caused by a solidification front within the feature.     

Strategies for patterning biomolecules with dip-pen nanolithography

Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based lithography technique, which has the ability to fabricate patterns with a feature size down to approximately 15 nm using both top-down and bottom-up approaches. DPN utilizes the water meniscus formed between an AFM tip and a substrate to transfer ink molecules onto surfaces. A major application of this technique is the fabrication of micro- and nano-arrays of patterned biomolecules. To achieve this goal, a variety of chemical approaches has been used. This review concisely describes the development of DPN in the past decade and presents the related chemical strategies that have been reported to fabricate biomolecular patterns with DPN at micrometer and nanometer scale, classified into direct- and indirect DPN methodologies, discussing tip-functionalization strategies as well.     

用SPM纳米刻蚀方法在Ti表面制备纳米结构的研究

本文用导电原子力显微镜 (AFM)针尖诱导局域氧化反应的方法 ,在Ti膜表面制备了TiO2 纳米结构。实验结果表明 ,Ti膜的氧化阈值为 - 7伏 ,制备的TiO2 纳米线的最小线宽达到 10nm ,TiO2 纳米线的高度和宽度随针尖偏压的增大而增大。在优化的氧化刻蚀条件下 ,通过控制针尖偏压和扫描方式制备出了图形化的TiO2 结构 ,本研究表明基于导电AFM的纳米刻蚀技术将成为构筑纳米电子器件的重要工具     

Nanostructured polymer brushes

Nanopatterned polymer brushes with sub-50-nm resolution were prepared by a combination of electron-beam chemical lithography (EBCL) of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and surface-initiated photopolymerization (SIPP). As a further development of our previous work, selective EBCL was performed with a highly focused electron beam and not via a mask, to region-selectively convert a SAM of 4'-nitro-1,1'-biphenyl-4-thiol to defined areas of crosslinked 4'-amino-1,1'-biphenyl-4-thiol. These "written" structures were then used to prepare surface-bonded, asymmetric, azo initiator sites of 4'-azomethylmalonodinitrile-1,1'-biphenyl-4-thiol. In the presence of bulk styrene, SIPP amplified the primary structures of line widths from 500 to 10 nm to polystyrene structures of line widths 530 nm down to approximately 45 nm at a brush height of 10 or 7 nm, respectively, as measured by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The relative position of individual structures was within a tolerance of a few nanometers, as verified by AFM. At line-to-line spacings down to 50-70 nm, individual polymer brush structures are still observable. Below this threshold, neighboring structures merge due to chain overlap.     

Size controlled nano meter phase structure in thin films of blend polythiophene derivatives

In this paper, we show that size controlled nanometer phase structure and nanometer thickness film of blend polymers can be obtained by a physical method under the ultra thin phase separation (UTPS) concept. The blend films of poly 3-(2-(5-chlorobenzotriazolo) ethyl) thiophene (PCBET)/polyvinylcarzole (PVK) system and PCBET/PMPMA (Poly-(p-(methyl)-phenylmethacrylate) system were investigated. Among AFM images of various mixing ratios, the phase separation was clearly observed. The average size of dispersion phase was in the range 100 nm to 1.2 μm. Here we can obtain not only the mono decentralized micro/nano phases, but also the different size and compact arrangement of the micro/nano phases of the luminescent polymers. We employ a modified AFM (atomic force microscopy) tip to investigate the electrical properties of UTPS in which there are the mono micro/nano phases of semiconductor polymer in matrix. The lateral force microscopy (LFM) confirmed the results of AFM. Photo-luminescences (PL) in the blend films of PCBET/PVK system and PCBET/PMPMA system were investigated. The results suggest that the suitable blend leads to the enhancement of PL emission of PCBET.     

Patterning: Strategies for Patterning Biomolecules with Dip‐Pen Nanolithography (Small 8/2011)

Dip‐pen nanolithography (DPN) is an atomic force microscopy (AFM)‐based lithography technique, which has the ability to fabricate patterns with a feature size down to approximately 15 nm using both top‐down and bottom‐up approaches. DPN utilizes the water meniscus formed between an AFM tip and a substrate to transfer ink molecules onto surfaces. A major application of this technique is the fabrication of micro‐ and nano‐arrays of patterned biomolecules. To achieve this goal, a variety of chemical approaches has been used. This review concisely describes the development of DPN in the past decade and presents the related chemical strategies that have been reported to fabricate biomolecular paterns with DPN at micrometer and nanometer scale, classified into direct‐ and indirect DPN methodologies, discussing tip‐functionalization strategies as well.     

Functionally decoupled soft lithography for patterning polymer brushes

Easy soft imprint nanolithography (ESINL) is employed in the patterning of multiple olymer brushes. This new approach to soft lithography is found to be uniquely effective at patterning brushes both prior to and subsequent to grafting of the polymer chains. Silicon substrates are grafted with polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, and polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization assisted by activators generated by electron transfer (ARGET-ATRP) and characterized by contact angle measurements, infrared spectroscopy, and ellipsometry. Line grating features of 3 cm × 3 cm with critical dimensions in the range of 410-480 nm are imprinted directly over grafted brush layers or over assembled monolayers of initiator molecules and transferred to the active layer by reactive ion etching. In all cases the grating pattern is accurately reproduced in the brush layer as confirmed by atomic force microscopy, demonstrating the capability of the technique to generate large-area nanoscale patterns on a range of surface types and functionalities.     

Nanofabrication with atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was developed in 1986. It is an important and versatile surface technique, and is used in many research fields. In this review, we have summarized the methods and applications of AFM, with emphasis on nanofabrication. AFM is capable of visualizing surface properties at high spatial resolution and determining biomolecular interaction as well as fabricating nanostructures. Recently, AFM-based nanotechnologies such as nanomanipulation, force lithography, nanografting, nanooxidation and dip-pen nanolithography were developed rapidly. AFM tip (typical radius ranged from several nanometers to tens of nanometers) is used to modify the sample surface, either physically or chemically, at nanometer scale. Nanopatterns composed of semiconductors, metal, biomolecules, polymers, etc., were constructed with various AFM-based nanotechnologies, thus making AFM a promising technique for nanofabrication. AFM-based nanotechnologies have potential applications in nanoelectronics, bioanalysis, biosensors, actuators and high-density data storage devices.     

AFM针尖耦合激光加工PMMA薄膜的加工重复性

利用飞秒激光与原子力显微镜的针尖部分耦合进行加工,是有望突破衍射极限,实现多隧道结加工的技术。本文在室温大气环境下,利用微焦级别脉宽为130fs、波长800nm的飞秒激光照射镀有金薄膜的原子力显微镜的探针针尖,使其耦合产生局域场加强效应在PMMA薄膜表面加工出光栅状纳米图形。通过最大残差法计算了条纹高度和宽度的重复性百分比,计算得到高度和宽度的最大残差值分别为6.3%和2.9%。结果表明在文中所提供的加工条件下,原子力显微镜针尖耦合激光是一种有潜力的激光加工方法。     

Nanopattern fabrication by tip plowing technology on 55 nm grating with stitching image method

An appropriate calibration positioning method is imperative to examine localized tip on nanoscale patterns for scanning probe microscopy (SPM). This paper is to develop a new nanofabrication processes for AFM tip positioning with image stitching method in tip plowing technology. Moreover, this paper adjusts the set-point amplitude (A(sp)) to develop the tip plowing technology for fabricating nanopattern on 55 nm grating gage of a silicon substrate. The developed image stitching program is based on an iterative closet point (ICP) algorithm which has six degrees of freedom alignment. A closed-loop piezo motor is used to tip approach and plow in Z-axis. Experimental result of fabricating nanobagua on 55 nm grating of silicon substrate show that the developed positioning processes with image stitching method verify the feasibility of repeatability for the tip plowing technology successfully. This developed method can be further performed by a commercial atomic force microscope (AFM) with CAD/CAM. This technology can also be applied in dip pen nanolithography (DPN), SPM oxidation lithography and related fabrication technology with AFM tips.     

Mechanism and development of dip-pen nanolithography (DPN)

Dip-Pen Nanolithography is a new scanning probe lithography (SPL) technique based on atomic force microscopy (AFM), and now has made a great progress. The process of dip pen lithography involves the adsorption of ink molecules on AFM tip, the formation of water meniscus, the transport of ink molecules, and diffusion of ink molecules on the substrate. More factors such as temperature, humidity, tip, scanning speed and so on will influence the process of dip pen lithography. The paper analyzed in detail the mechanism of this technique, introduced synthetically the latest development, including Electrochemical DPN, more –mode DPN, multiple DPN, multi-probe array DPN and so on. Finally, the paper described the characteristics and the application of DPN.     

Nanochannel system fabricated by MEMS microfabrication and atomic force microscopy

A silicon nanochannel system with integrated transverse electrodes was designed and fabricated by combining micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) micromachining and atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based nanolithography. The fabrication process began with the patterning of microscale reservoirs and electrodes on an oxidised silicon chip using conventional MEMS techniques. A nanochannel, approximately 30?[micro sign]m long with a small semi-circular cross-sectional area of 20?nm × 200?nm, was then mechanically machined on the oxide surface between the micro reservoirs by applying AFM nanolithography with an all-diamond probe. Anodic bonding was used to seal off the nanochannel with a matching Pyrex cover. Continuous flow in the nanochannel was verified by pressurising a solution of fluorescein isothiocyanate in ethanol through the nanochannel in a vacuum chamber. It was further demonstrated by translocating negatively charged nanobeads (diameter approximately 20?nm) through the nanochannel by using an external DC electric field. The passage of the nanobeads caused a sharp increase in the transverse electrical conductivity of the nanochannel.     

Atomic nanofabrication by laser manipulation of a neutral cesium beam

In this work, we report on the results of a nanolithography experiment with a cold cesium beam. We have realized a brilliant and collimated cesium beam with a low longitudinal velocity (10 m/s) exploiting laser cooling techniques, in particular a pyramidal atomic funnel. The cesium atomic beam has been utilized to pattern gold substrates, using Self Assembled Monolayers (SAM) of thiols as resist, and a wet etching process. The pattern generated by a light mask, a one-dimensional standing e.m. wave, was characterized by diffraction and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements, showing the presence of lines spaced half the wavelength of the standing wave (426 nm) with lateral size well below 100 nm.     

Rapid turnaround scanning probe nanolithography

Scanning probe nanolithography (SPL) has demonstrated its potential in a variety of applications like 3D nanopatterning, 'direct development' lithography, dip-pen deposition or patterning of self-assembled monolayers. One of the main issues holding back SPL has been the limited throughput for patterning and imaging. Here we present a complete lithography and metrology system based on thermomechanical writing into organic resists. Metrology is carried out using a thermoelectric topography sensing method. More specifically, we demonstrate a system with a patterning pixel clock of 500 kHz, 20 mm s(-1) linear scan speed, a positioning accuracy of 10 nm, a read-back frequency bandwidth of 100,?000 line-pairs s(-1) and a turnaround time from patterning to qualifying metrology of 1 min. Thus, we demonstrate a nanolithography system capable of implementing rapid turnaround.     

High-throughput optical quality control of lipid multilayers fabricated by dip-pen nanolithography

Surface supported phospholipid multilayers are promising materials for nanotechnology because of their tendency to self-organize, their innate biocompatibility, the possibility to encapsulate other materials within the multilayers, and the ability to control the multilayer thickness between ～ 2 and 100 nm during fabrication. Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is an atomic force microscopy (AFM) based fabrication method that allows high-throughput fabrication and integration of a variety of micro- and nanostructured materials including lipid multilayers, with areal throughputs on the scale of cm(2) min(-1). Although multilayer thickness is a critical feature that determines the functionality of the lipid multilayer structures (for instance as carriers for other materials as well as optical scattering properties), reliable height characterization by AFM is slow (on the order of μm(2) min(-1)) and a bottleneck in the lithographic process. Here we describe a novel optical method to reliably measure the height of fluorescent multilayers with thicknesses above 10 nm, and widths above the optical diffraction limit based on calibrating the fluorescence intensity using one-time AFM height measurements. This allows large surface areas to be rapidly and quantitatively characterized using a standard fluorescence microscope. Importantly, different pattern dimensions (0D dots, 1D lines or 2D squares) require different calibration parameters, indicating that shape influences the optical properties of the structured lipid multilayers. This method has general implications in the systematic and high-throughput optical characterization of nanostructure-function relationships.