title: High throughput nanofabrication of silicon nanowire and carbon nanotube tips on AFM probes by stencil-deposited catalysts.
abstract: A new and versatile technique for the wafer scale nanofabrication of silicon nanowire (SiNW) and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) tips on atomic force microscope (AFM) probes is presented. Catalyst material for the SiNW and MWNT growth was deposited on prefabricated AFM probes using aligned wafer scale nanostencil lithography. Individual vertical SiNWs were grown epitaxially by a catalytic vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process and MWNTs were grown by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor (PECVD) process on the AFM probes. The AFM probes were tested for imaging micrometers-deep trenches, where they demonstrated a significantly better performance than commercial high aspect ratio tips. Our method demonstrates a reliable and cost-efficient route toward wafer scale manufacturing of SiNW and MWNT AFM probes.
authors: DTU Nanotech-Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark. d.engstrom@imperial.ac.uk
authors: Daniel S
authors: DS
authors: Engstrom
authors: Veronica
authors: V
authors: Savu
authors: Xueni
authors: X
authors: Zhu
authors: Ian Y Y
authors: IY
authors: Bu
authors: William I
authors: WI
authors: Milne
authors: Juergen
authors: J
authors: Brugger
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Boggild
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D012825:Silicon