Fine pattern forming method and fine pattern device

Abstract

A particle beam is irradiated locally to a film of an alloy or compound containing atoms of two or more elements, causing atoms of a specific element in the film to selectively recoil to the outside of the film, such that there is formed, inside of the film, a zone in the form of a pattern in which the rate of the atoms of the specific type is smaller than in other portions of the film. In the fine pattern thus formed, the thickness is substantially equal to that of the film, and other sizes are determined according to the particle beam irradiation zone. For example, when a focused ion beam is used as the particle beam, there can be formed a fine pattern on the 10-nm level with precision of the order of nm. This fine pattern can be a quantum wire, a quantum dot or the like. It is therefore possible to produce, with good reproducibility, a device in which a quantum effect has been utilized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.