NER: Difference-Defined Nanofabrication

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The objective of this research is to develop a new manufacturing technique for nanoscale devices and molecular interconnections with the potential for producing self-aligned ten-nanometer-scale metal structures with spacings controlled at the nanometer scale. The approach is to use electron-beam evaporation through a stencil mask onto a semiconductor or other substrate. The stencil mask is translated with respect to the substrate with nanometer precision between evaporations of dissimilar materials. The materials are selected to have dissimilar etch chemistry such that upon subsequent etching one of the materials is removed. The remaining material has a size determined by the difference between the two patterns. This process is termed difference-defined nanofabrication. Since commercial nanopositioners can perform translations with one-nanometer precision, difference-defined nanofabrication allows feature size control at the single-nanometer level. Difference-defined nanofabrication is an inherently clean, organic-free technique. The capabilities of this approach will be demonstrated through the development of a nanoelectromechanical tunneling transistor and electrical test structures for molecules.The societal benefits of this research are in the advancement of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology takes many forms and will be broadly applied in health care, homeland security, and information technology applications, creating new jobs in manufacturing and service in the United States. The research undertaken here promotes the development of new ways to form solid state, molecular, and bioelectronic devices and sensors and to make electrical connections at the molecular scale. Success in this effort will accelerate the ability of researcher to construct devices at the nanometer scale.