Fabrication of multiple nano-electrodes for molecular addressing using high-resolution electron beam lithography and their replication using soft imprint lithography

We investigate the ability for High Resolution Electron Beam Lithography (HREBL) to fabricate multiple nano-electrodes with the smallest gap in the smallest area. By using both standard PolyMethylMethAcrylate (PMMA) as resist and standard MIBK/IPA development, we show that up to 10 nano-electrodes can be realized in an area as small as 65 nm. The obtained structures have been used either for the realization of embedded electrodes in SiO2, by wet etching followed by lift-off, or for the fabrication of molds for Nano-Imprint Lithography using PMMA as a mask for Reactive Ion Etching of silicon. Preliminary results on the replication of these molds using a soft nano-imprint process are also presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.