A user-friendly approach to local anodic oxidation

TL;DR

This paper presents a user-friendly DSP-controlled SPM system enabling nanolithography, including local anodic oxidation, with interactive patterning and contour-mode features for precise nanoscale fabrication.

Contribution

A novel, accessible SPM system with graphic interface and advanced features for nanolithography and local anodic oxidation on semiconductors.

Findings

Successful implementation of LAO lithography on semiconducting substrates.

Interactive patterning with bitmap import and real-time probe control.

Contour-mode enables precise tip positioning based on topography.

Abstract

A home made DSP-controlled scanning probe microscope (SPM) system has been developed and its utilization as a tool for lithography on nanometer scale is reported. User-friendly graphic interface allows to directly perform nanolithography importing a bitmap pattern on previously-imaged sample region, otherwise moving in real time the probe using an ordinary mouse, acting as a pantograph from macroscopic down to nanometer scale, taking advantage from an absolute-positioning stage. Any measured property of the sample can be used by the lithographic interface to realize interactive patterning of the sample. Moreover, the 'contour-mode' permits to move tip at a fixed relative tip-sample distance, exploiting at each step the previously-acquired topographic signal. The instrument has been successfully employed in order to perform local anodic oxidation (LAO) lithography on semiconducting substrates.