Focused Ion-Beam Based Nanohole Modeling, Simulation, Fabrication, and Application

Abstract

There are three major steps toward the fabrication of a single-digit nanohole: (1) preparing the free-standing thin film by epitaxial deposition and electrochemical etching, (2) making submicron holes (0.2–0.02 μm) by focused ion beam (FIB), and (3) reducing the hole to less than 10 nm by FIB-induced deposition. One specific aim for this paper is to model, simulate, and control the focused ion-beam machining process to fabricate holes that can reach a single-digit nanometer scale on solid-state thin films. Preliminary work has been done on the thin film (30 nm in thickness) preparation, submicron hole fabrication, and ion-beam-induced deposition, and the results are presented.