AREA SELECTIVE DEPOSITION OF GOLD ON SILICON SURFACE PATTERNED BY TIP-INDUCED ANODIZATION IN SCANNING PROBE MICROSOPY

The difference in chemical reactivity between silicon (Si) and anodic oxide surfaces was used to fabricate gold (Au) nanostructures. By means of scanning tunneling microscope tip-induced anodization, a Si surface terminated with hydrogen (Si-H) was patterned with the anodic oxide. Subsequently, the patterned sample was treated in an electroless plating bath to deposit Au on it. Using a scanning electron microscope, an energy dispersion x-ray spectroscope, and an atomic force microscope, we confirmed that the Au deposition selectively occurred on the Si-H surface where it was not anodized. The anodic oxide surface served as a mask to prevent Au deposition. Au lines of less than 200 nm in width could be fabricated on the Si-H surface.© 1995 American Institute of Physics.