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Nanofabrication with the Helium Ion Microscope

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2012

Stuart A. Boden ,
Zakaria Moktadir ,
Feras M. Alkhalil ,
Hiroshi Mizuta ,
Harvey N. Rutt  and
Darren M. Bagnall
Stuart A. Boden
Affiliation:
Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.
Zakaria Moktadir
Affiliation:
Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.
Feras M. Alkhalil
Affiliation:
Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.
Hiroshi Mizuta
Affiliation:
Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.
Harvey N. Rutt
Affiliation:
Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.
Darren M. Bagnall
Affiliation:
Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.
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Abstract

Although initially developed as an imaging tool, the helium ion microscope (HIM) is finding applications in nanofabrication as its focused ion beam is capable of highly-localized material modification. In this study, an external pattern generator is used to explore the capabilities of the HIM for localized milling of a ∼7 nm thick layer of silicon-on-insulator, with atomic force microscopy (AFM) used to characterize the resulting patterns. The dose and patterned area size are varied and milling to depths >7 nm is demonstrated. At high doses and large areas, protuberances form, primarily due to sub-surface swelling caused by the implanted helium. The results suggest this technique could enable the rapid prototyping of next-generation nanoelectronic devices in thin silicon.

Keywords

ion-beam processingion-solid interactionsSi
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1412: Symposium FF – Mechanical Nanofabrication, Nanopatterning and Nanoassembly , 2012 , mrsf11-1412-ff08-08
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

REFERENCES

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