Focused ion beam patterning of diamondlike carbon films

For applications of diamondIike carbon films in optics, microelectronics and other fields; it is in some cases necessary to form submicron size patterns. A finely focused beam of 50 keV Ga+ ions was used to mill various patterns in amorphous carbon films prepared by a pulsed cathodic are discharge method. The trenches with width down, to 30 nm and depth-to-width ratios up to 25 have been milled. The minimum trench width down to 20 mm has been achieved, The nanotips with a radius down to 35-40 nm were fabricated. The influence of the focused ion beam parameters on the film's surface modification as well as on the shape of fabricated pattern elements is discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.