Pile-Ups Formation in AFM-Based Nanolithography: Morpho-Mechanical Characterization and Removal Strategies

Autor: Paolo Pellegrino, Isabella Farella, Mariafrancesca Cascione, Valeria De Matteis, Alessandro Paolo Bramanti, Lorenzo Vincenti, Antonio Della Torre, Fabio Quaranta, Rosaria Rinaldi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Micromachines, Vol 13, Iss 11, p 1982 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2072-666X
DOI: 10.3390/mi13111982
Popis: In recent decades, great efforts have been made to develop innovative, effective, and accurate nanofabrication techniques stimulated by the growing demand for nanostructures. Nowadays, mechanical tip-based emerged as the most promising nanolithography technique, allowing the pattern of nanostructures with a sub-nanometer resolution, high reproducibility, and accuracy. Unfortunately, these nanostructures result in contoured pile-ups that could limit their use and future integration into high-tech devices. The removal of pile-ups is still an open challenge. In this perspective, two different AFM-based approaches, i.e., Force Modulation Mode imaging and force-distance curve analysis, were used to characterize the structure of pile-ups at the edges of nanogrooves patterned on PMMA substrate by means of Pulse-Atomic Force Lithography. Our experimental results showed that the material in pile-ups was less stiff than the pristine polymer. Based on this evidence, we have developed an effective strategy to easily remove pile-ups, preserving the shape and the morphology of nanostructures.
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