Conductive polycrystalline diamond probes for local anodic oxidation lithography

Abstract

This is the first report characterizing local anodic oxidation (LAO) lithography performed using conductive monolithic polycrystalline diamond (MD) and conductive polycrystalline diamond-coated (DC) tips and comparing it to the diamond-like carbon-coated and metal-coated silicon tips. The range and the rate of increase in the lithographic linewidth and height with tip bias (dw/dV and dh/dV) differed based on the tip material. The DC tips resulted in wider and taller lines and a higher dw/dV and dh/dV compared to metal-coated tips with a similar force constant (k(Avg)). The metal-coated and the DC tips with comparable k(Avg) showed comparable threshold voltages, whereas the MD tips with similar k(Avg) showed a higher threshold voltage. The MD tips exhibited less than half the height and nearly half the dw/dV and dh/dV obtained with the metal-coated tips with similar k Avg, thus also resulting in a smaller width at -10 V. The linewidths were found to be proportional to the inverse of the log of write speed(v) for all the tips; however, the proportionality constant varied with tip material; the DC tips had larger values, and the MD and the metal-coated tips had comparable values. When varying the speed, the height was found to be a sigmoidal function of width, with the MD probes achieving lower height compared to the metal-coated and the DC tips with comparable k(Avg). This study expands the application of monolithic conductive polycrystalline diamond (PCD) probes with outstanding wear resistance to fine LAO lithography.

Advanced oxidation scanning probe lithography

“…Different types of cantilevers and tips have been used to perform o-SPL experiments. They include doped silicon cantilevers and cantilevers and tips coated with a conductive metallic film [67]. Single wall carbon nanotubes [68] or carbon nanofibers [69] attached at the end of the probe apex of a silicon cantilever have also been used.…”

Characterizing the local oxidation nanolithography on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

“…Following, the HOPG was placed under the calibrated AFM probe. A home-made atmosphere control chamber reported earlier [22], was placed enclosing the tip and the sample; the humidity was monitored with an EL-USB-2+Data Logger. For all lithography, the chamber atmosphere was maintained at ∼55% relative humidity for ease and consistency.…”

Application of scanning probe oxidation lithography in fabrication of micro-nano devices

“…Marchi等 [42] 及Huang等 [35] 也发现, 当超过阈值电压2.7 V时, 硅氧化物线的厚度 随施加电压的增加而线性增加(图4(b)). Ulrich等 [43] [30,37] (网络版彩图) gime). 其中, 偏转电压正比于针尖-样品接触力, 即偏 转电压越大, 针尖-样品接触力也越大.…”