Mechanical Approach to Nanomachining of Silicon Using Oxide Characteristics Based on Tribo Nanolithography (TNL) in KOH Solution

Abstract

The TNL (Tribo Nanolithography) method in aqueous solution uses the atomic force microscopy as a machining tool for the nanoscale fabrication of silicon. A specially designed cantilever with a diamond tip allows the formation of oxide patterns easily by a simple scratching process. A rectangular structure with a slope can be fabricated by a process in which a thin oxide layer rapidly forms in the substrate at the diamond-tip sample junction along the scanning path of the tip, and, simultaneously, the area uncovered with the oxide layer is being etched. Etching in KOH and HF is conducted to verify corrosion characteristics of oxide.