Direct-write 3D nanolithography at cryogenic temperatures

Direct-write three-dimensional nanolithography is demonstrated using cryogenic electron beam-induced deposition (EBID). Cryogenic cooling and an electron beam were used to condense and expose the precursor methylcyclopentadienyl(trimethyl) platinum (MeCpPtMe3). The exposure process was modeled by Monte Carlo simulations of electron-condensate interactions, which were used to develop two approaches for the fabrication of three-dimensional self-supporting structures with incorporated gaps. Vertical and lateral resolutions of approximately 150 and 22 nm are demonstrated, and underlying mechanisms that limit resolution and throughput are identified. Resolution can be traded off for condensate exposure efficiency, which is shown to be up to four orders of magnitude greater than that of conventional, room temperature EBID.