Nanofabrication of Functional Nanostructures by Th

Authors: Debin Wang Vamsi K Kodali Jennifer E Curtis Elisa Riedo

Publish Date: 2011

Volume: , Issue: , Pages: 265-297

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Abstract

Nanofabrication is the process of building functional structures with nanoscale dimensions which can be used as components devices or systems with high density in large quantities and at low cost Since the invention of scanning tunneling microscopy STM and atomic force microscopy AFM in 1980s the application of scanning probe based lithography SPL techniques for modification of substrates and creation of functional nanoscale structures and nanostructured materials has been widespread resulting in the emergence of a large variety of methodologies In this chapter we review the recent development of a thermal probe based nanofabrication technique called thermochemical nanolithography TCNL We start with a brief review of the evolution of the thermal AFM probes integrated with resistive heaters We then provide an overview of some established nanofabrication techniques in which thermal probes are used namely thermomechanical nanolithography the Millipede project and thermal dippen nanolithography We discuss the heat transfer mechanisms of the thermal probes in the thermal writing process of TCNL The remainder of the chapter focuses on the use of TCNL on a variety of systems and thermochemical reactions TCNL has been successfully used for fabrication of functional nanostructures that are appealing for various applications in nanofluidics nanoelectronics nanophotonics and biosensing devices Finally we close this chapter by discussing some future research directions where the capabilities and robustness of TCNL can be further extended

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