title: Surface modification of an organosilane self-assembled monolayer on silicon substrates using atomic force microscopy: scanning probe electrochemistry toward nanolithography.
abstract: Organosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been applied to resist materials for nanolithography based on scanning probe microscopy. An organosilane SAM was prepared on Si substrates from a precursor, that is octadecyltrimethoxysilane. Using an atomic force microscope with a conductive probe, current was injected from the probe into the SAM-covered Si substrate so that the SAM was locally degraded at the probe-contacting point. Nanoscale patterns drawn on the SAM was clearly imaged by lateral force microscopy. The patterning could be conducted in air while, in vacuum at the order of 10(-6) Torr, no detectable patterns were fabricated. The presence of adsorbed water at the probe/sample junction was confirmed to be crucial for the patterning of the SAM/Si. Its mechanism was, thus, ascribed to electrochemical reactions of both the SAM and Si with adsorbed water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Processing Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Japan. sugimura@numse.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanji
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Takai