Role of Scanning Probes in Nanoelectronics: A Critical Review

Abstract

The continuous downsizing of electronic devices has promoted many ideas of lithography and fabrication techniques at the nanometer scale. Scanning probe lithography (SPL) has been intensively explored as a potential alternative. The conceptual development of the SPL endeavors and their basic mechanisms in the past decade are briefly reviewed. Scaling down the conventional field effect transistors below 30 nm may present enormous technical and economical challenges. Random polarization and fabrication of reproducible lateral tunneling junctions continue to be two major barriers for quantum devices. Instead of trying to compete with other projection type lithographic techniques at the nanometer scale, scanning probes are best suited to explore atom scale devices.

Nanolithography and Nanochemistry: Probe‐Related Patterning Techniques and Chemical Modification for Nanometer‐Sized Devices

“…Scanning force microscopy images show the selective binding of acetic acid anhydride (R 1 = CH 3 ) and perfluorobutyric acid (R 2 = C 3 F 7 ) onto a SAM platform. [42] This Review provides an overview of current probe lithographic techniques and their subsequent (chemical) modification processes, which result in the creation of functional structures. Finally, not only patterns on substrates can be created, but also chemical modification reactions on specific substrates are accessible, which allow the combination of techniques from both the top-down and the bottom-up approaches.…”

“…Bearing this in mind, lithographic techniques based on scanning probe techniques are the method of choice for applications in nanotechnology. [42] This Review provides an overview of current probe lithographic techniques and their subsequent (chemical) modification processes, which result in the creation of functional structures. The field of probe lithography can be split into two main areas: chemical and physical surface modification.…”

Controlled Surface Engineering and Device Fabrication of Optoelectronic Polymers and Carbon Nanotubes by Plasma Processes

“…Therefore, the surface and interface control of conjugated polymers and carbon nanotubes is a key prerequisite for many practical applications. Among the variety of techniques that are useful for surface and interface control, including photolithography,4,5 laser ablation,6 scanning probe,7 self‐assembly,8 and polymeric phase separation,9 plasma processes have become very attractive approaches for introducing either region‐specific functional surface groups (via plasma treatment) or smooth and pinhole‐free functional polymer layers (via plasma polymerization).…”

Nanolithographie und Nanochemie: Sondentechniken zur Strukturierung und chemischen Modifizierung von Nanobauelementen

“…So sind schließlich nicht nur Muster auf Trägermaterialien herstellbar, sondern durch chemische Reaktionen an geeigneten Substraten gelingt auch die Kombination von “Top‐Down”‐ und “Bottom‐Up”‐Ansatz. Deshalb sind sondenlithographische Techniken die Methoden der Wahl für Anwendungen in der Nanotechnologie 42…”