Method for depositing and patterning thin films formed by fusing nanocrystalline precursors
AssigneeStarfire Electgronic Development & Marketing Ltd.
InventorAvery N. Goldstein
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Abstract
Patterns or circuits of semiconductors or metals are produced with dimensions at least as small as 7 nm using nanocrystalline precursors. The substrate is masked with an electron beam sensitive layer and a pattern is traced using a focused electron beam. Exposure to a source of nanocrystalline material and dissolution of the mask material produces patterned features of nanocrystals. The sample may then be heated to form a bulk thin film or left unheated, preserving the electronic properties of the isolated particles. The process is repeatable with different materials to build laminar structures of metals, semiconductors and insulators.
Claims10
A process of patterning a material on a substrate using nanocrystalline precursors, comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing onto the substrate a thin mask of an organic material which is susceptible to electron beam induced decomposition;
- (b) selectively decomposing a pattern into the mask using a directed electron beam;
- (c) depositing a thin layer of nanocrystalline particles onto the mask and substrate areas exposed by the decomposition;
- (d) dissolving the organic mask with a solvent;
- and
- (e) fusing the nanocrystals to yield a patterned thin film.
A process of patterning a material on a substrate using nanocrystalline precursors, comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing onto the substrate a thin mask of an organic material which is susceptible to electron beam induced decomposition;
- (b) selectively decomposing a pattern including spatially isolated pits into the mask using a directed electron beam;
- (c) depositing a thin layer of nanocrystalline particles onto the mask and substrate areas exposed by the decomposition;
- (d) dissolving the organic mask with a solvent;
- and
- (e) evaporating a protective coating onto the substrate and deposited nanocrystals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.