AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Thursday Sessions
       Session NS-ThP

Paper NS-ThP18
Mechanical Characteristics of Metal-Containing Nanosprings Fabricated by Combination of FIB-CVD and Sputter Coating

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 5:30 pm, Room 3rd Floor Lobby

Session: Nanoscale Science and Technology Poster Session
Presenter: K. Nakamatsu, University of Hyogo, Japan
Authors: K. Nakamatsu, University of Hyogo, Japan
K. Kanda, University of Hyogo, Japan
Y. Haruyama, University of Hyogo, Japan
T. Kaito, SII NanoTechnology, Japan
S. Matsui, University of Hyogo, Japan
Correspondent: Click to Email
Three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale components such as spring structures are necessary to built a high performance nanoelectromechanical system. To form the 3D nanostructures, we have proposed the use of focused-ion-beam chemical vapor deposition (FIB-CVD). FIB-CVD promises to generate various 3D nanostructures, and has an efficient capability to provide them of various materials. In our previous experiments, diamond-like carbon (DLC) nanosprings were fabricated by FIB-CVD. The DLC nanosprings showed a unique property to expand and contract as flexibly as macro-scale springs. However, the DLC springs lack electrical characteristics because of the high resistivity. In this paper, we investigate mechanical properties of sputter-coated metal FIB-CVD nanosprings. Metal-containing springs are useful for the nanoelectrical applications due to its low resistivity. Although metal-containing springs can be grown by FIB-CVD, there is a serious problem that undesired materials such as C and O are also incorporated. Therefore, we propose here the combination of FIB-CVD and metal sputtering to fabricate the pure metal nanosprings. The fabrication is as follows. (1) A DLC nanospring was fabricated by FIB-CVD using C14H10 gas as a precursor. (2) O2 reactive-ion-etching was performed to remove a large amount carbon formed on a core region of Ga. Only the core region of Ga without deformation of a coil structure remained after this process. (3) Metal was coated onto the nanospring by sputter coating. We selected several materials as the metal for the sputter coating on the nanosprings. Metal thin layer was successfully coated onto a nanospring by sputter coating. The metal-coated nanosprings were able to expand and contract mechanically. A spring constant of the metal sputter coated nanosprings were able to be obtained from Hookeâ?T s law. The mechanical characteristics of the several kinds of sputter-coated metal nanosprings will be presented at the conference.