NANOMETER-SCALE LITHOGRAPHY AT HIGH SCANNING SPEEDS WITH THE ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPE USING SPIN ON GLASS

We have identified a resist material that is suitable for high-speed, nanometer-scale scanning probe Lithography (SPL) using the atomic force microscope (AFM). The material is siloxene, commonly known as spin on glass (SOG). The SOG film is deposited on a silicon sample and exposed with a voltage applied between the AFM tip (negative) and the silicon substrate (positive). Voltages of 70 V and currents of 1 nA are typical. It is a positive resist where the etch selectivity between the exposed and unexposed areas is greater than 20. We have recorded line widths as narrow as 40 nm. The writing speed is greater than 1 mm/s, which we believe to be an important attribute in future systems for SPL. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.