Nanomachining of Si with Si3N4 Masks Patterned by Scanning

Published

November 1, 2001

Author(s)

F S. Chien, John A. Dagata, W F. Hsieh, S Gwo

Abstract

We demonstrate that local oxidation of silicon nitride films deposited on conductive substrates with a conductive-probe atomic force microscope (AFM) is a very promising approach for nanofabrication. Scanning Auger microscopy and spectroscopy are employed to verify the chemical changes after AFM-induced oxidation. The growth kinetics is found to have a logarithmic relationship of oxide height versus pulse duration [h ? ln(t/t0)]. In contrast to rather slow thermal oxidation process, AFM-induced oxidation on silicon nitride has an anomalously high initial oxidation rate (30000 nm/s at 10 V) and a small onset time t0 (10 ms). With AFM-patterned nitride films as an etching mask, several subtractive silicon nanostructures were made due to the large etching selectivity of Si:Si3N4 in KOH and TMAH etchants. With this method, which is entirely compatible with the existing microelectronic processes, synthesis of ultrahigh packing density and ordered nanostructures could become readily achievable.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of 5th Conference of Nanoengineering and Microsystem Technology

Conference Dates

November 1, 2001

Conference Location

Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, 1, TW

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

AFM-induced oxidation, etching mask, nanofabrication, silicon nitride

Citation

Chien, F. , Dagata, J. , Hsieh, W. and Gwo, S. (2001), Nanomachining of Si with Si3N4 Masks Patterned by Scanning, Proceedings of 5th Conference of Nanoengineering and Microsystem Technology, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, 1, TW (Accessed April 16, 2024)