Electron beam stimulated oxidation of carbon.
The patterning of carbon nanostructures by electron beam stimulated oxidation is described. Sputter deposited carbon thin films and carbon nanotubes are locally oxidized in a scanning electron microscope using injected water vapor. The resulting structures are examined with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The electrical resistance obtained postprocessing is comparable to the as-deposited values. Linewidths are demonstrated down to 20 nm along with sub-2 nm nanowire fabrication in sputtered carbon films. A carbon nanowire is fabricated using this process and electrically characterized.
Spinney
P S
PS
Micro Instrumentation and Systems Laboratory (MISL), Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology (LASST), University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.
Howitt
D G
DG
Collins
S D
SD
Smith
R L
RL