AVS 45th International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Division Thursday Sessions
       Session NS-ThP

Paper NS-ThP18
The Shape Evolution of Patterned Submicron Structures under Thermal and Chemical Activation

Thursday, November 5, 1998, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A

Session: Nanometer-Scale Science and Technology Division Poster Session
Presenter: K.C. Lin, University of Maryland, College Park
Authors: K.C. Lin, University of Maryland, College Park
D. Kohn, University of Maryland, College Park
K. Thuermer, University of Maryland, College Park
J.E. Reutt-Robey, University of Maryland, College Park
E.D. Williams, University of Maryland, College Park
Correspondent: Click to Email
Lithographic techniques developed extensively for microelectronics applications provide new opportunities to design experiments to explore the nanoscale realm, where traditional continuum based descriptions of morphology are likely to fail. In particular, the preparation of defined surface patterns with crystalline subfeatures, e.g. facets and steps, allows physically-based studies of mass transfer processes in response to the changes of physical and chemical environments. We utilize electron beam lithography and lift-off techniques to pattern submicron lines, squares and dots of noble metals on silicon oxide and silicon substrates, and use STM and AFM to characterize their structure and evolution. These structures are chosen to mimic the microelectronic device contact lines and model heterogeneous catalysts. We find, for example, the surfaces of submicron Au lines, as prepared, exhibit a uniform surface texture consisting of 3-D islands of ca. 50 nm size. Thermal activation for 20 hrs at 200 ° C breaks the lines into grains with ~0.2 µm size. Structures with initial size less than 0.2 µm are thermally stable and develop crystalline features. The sensitivity of these features to the carbonaceous impurities introduced during fabrication are currently being tested with the aid of an in situ plasma.@footnote 1@ @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@work supported by UMD, NSF-MRSEC