Realization of large-scale sub-10 nm nanogratings using a repetitive wet-chemical oxidation and etching technique

Abstract

Despite many efforts to create nanogratings to exploit exceptionally enhanced nano-sized effects, realizing sub-10 nm nanogratings on a large area still remains a great challenge. Herein, we demonstrate fabrication of an inchscale sub-10 nm nanogratings with simple and reliable features, by employing a repetitive wet-chemical oxidation and etching technique. We found that a few atomic layers of the silicon surface are naturally oxidized in a nitric acid (HNO 3 ) solution, which enables the surface of the silicon to be etched with 1.0 nm resolution by selectively removing the oxide layers. By combining this high-precision etching technique with silicon nanogratings previously prepared by conventional methods, we successfully demonstrated a sub-10 nm silicon nanogratings on an inch-scale wafer.

Aligned CuO nanowire array for a high performance visible light photodetector

“…The fabrication started with a pre-designed SiO 2 nanograting substrate (Fig. 2 a,i); the SiO 2 nanograting was manufactured from Si nanograting via wet-chemical size reduction process 39 and thermal oxidation. The process of preparing the substrate and a scanning electron microscope image of the substrate are shown in Supplementary Fig.…”

Perfectly Aligned, Air‐Suspended Nanowire Array Heater and Its Application in an Always‐On Gas Sensor

“…The unique nanostructure was realized by developing a sophisticated top‐down approach. First, a periodic Si nanograting (NG) substrate with 80 nm linewidth and 320 nm spacing is prepared, [ 27,28 ] followed by thermal oxidation. The oxidized NG with 500 nm in thickness serves as a structural mold for nanowire fabrication as well as a robust mechanical support after its air‐suspension.…”

Relativistic high-order harmonic generation by a femto-second radially polarized laser pulse irradiating a ring plasma grating

“…The grating with sub-wavelength resolution can be manufactured via electron beam lithography [35]. To overcome the poor tolerance of HHG to grating imperfections, the wetchemical oxidation/etching technique could be adopted to further limit the roughness of the grating within a few nanometer range [36]. In experiment, the transverse deviation ∆d of the laser axis from the center of the grating should be taken care of.…”