AVS 51st International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Wednesday Sessions
       Session NS-WeM

Paper NS-WeM11
Chemomechanically Scribing Silicon with an AFM in a Read/Write Fashion

Wednesday, November 17, 2004, 11:40 am, Room 213D

Session: Nanoscale Patterning and Lithography
Presenter: R.C. Davis, Brigham Young University
Authors: M.V. Lee, Brigham Young University
K. Gertsch, Brigham Young University
R.C. Davis, Brigham Young University
M.R. Linford, Brigham Young University
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One of the most important problems in nanotechnology is the precise positioning of molecules on surfaces. One possible method for accomplishing such nanoscale patterning is the chemomechanical modification of silicon with an AFM tip. Using this method ca. 30 nm functionalized lines have been produced by i) wetting hydrogen-terminated silicon with a reactive compound, and ii) scribing with an AFM tip. Scribing activates the silicon so that it reacts with the liquid it is in contact with wherever the AFM tip is pushed against the surface. The width of the functionalized feature can be controlled by changing the force applied to the tip. In this talk we also report advances in chemomechanically depositing a monolayer on silicon using an AFM, and then chemomechanically replacing the monolayer in the scribed region by scribing over the functionalized region. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry is used to confirm surface modifications and alterations. This new read-write capability should significantly increase the usefulness and power of the chemomechanical method at nanometer dimensions. @FootnoteText@ Wacaser, B.A.; Maughan, M.J.; Mowat, I.A.; Niederhauser, T.L.; Linford, M.R.; Davis, R.C. Chemomechanical surface patterning and functionalization of silicon surfaces using an atomic force microscope. Applied Physics Letters 2003, 82(5), 808-810.