Fabrication sub-10nm metallic gratings with carbon nanotube - A study by molecular dynamics simulation method

Abstract

In this research project we present a novel manufacturing process which is able to fabricate sub-10nm metallic gratings. It utilizes CNTs as a wire-cutting tool to remove the tiny metallic materials and fabricates the metallic gratings. The strategy is to embed the CNTs into the metallic material first, and then steer one ends of the CNTs upward with a constant velocity, CNTs will behavior like a knife and cut the material. A full scale three-dimension molecular dynamics simulation is employed to simulate the entire procedure. The formation mechanism and advantage of this innovation method are discussed; in addition, the effects of the steering velocity are exploited as well. The resulting data shows the sub-10nm metallic gratings can be fabricated successfully by exerting a small force on CNTs.