title: Direct nanopatterning of polymer/silver nanoblocks under low energy electron beam irradiation.
abstract: In this communication, we report on the growth, direct writing and nanopatterning of polymer/silver nanoblocks under low energy electron beam irradiation using a scanning electron microscope. The nanoblocks are produced by placing a droplet of an ethylene glycol solution containing silver nitrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone diluted in ethanol directly on a hot substrate heated up to 150 °C. Upon complete evaporation of the droplet, nanospheres, nano- and micro-triangles and nanoblocks made of silver-containing polymers, form over the substrate surface. Considering the nanoblocks as a model system, we demonstrate that such nanostructures are extremely sensitive to the e-beam extracted from the source of a scanning electron microscope operating at low acceleration voltages (between 5 and 7 kV). This sensitivity allows us to efficiently create various nanopatterns (e.g. arrays of holes, oblique slits and nanotrenches) in the material under e-beam irradiation. In addition to the possibility of writing, the nanoblocks revealed a self-healing ability allowing them to recover a relatively smooth surface after etching. Thanks to these properties, such nanomaterials can be used as a support for data writing and erasing on the nanoscale under low energy electron beam irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, Université de Nantes, CNRS, 2 Rue de la Houssinière B.P. 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France. elmel@cnrs-imn.fr.
authors.forename: Abdel-Aziz
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: El Mel
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, Université de Nantes, CNRS, 2 Rue de la Houssinière B.P. 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France. elmel@cnrs-imn.fr.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stephant
authors.affiliation: Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, Université de Nantes, CNRS, 2 Rue de la Houssinière B.P. 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France. elmel@cnrs-imn.fr.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gautier