Method for nano-structuring amorphous carbon layers

Abstract

The invention relates to the production or treatment of semiconductor or other solid components, especially to a method for directly nano-structuring amorphous carbonlayers. According to the invention, a local, field-induced reaction is activated in the carbon with an electrically conductive or semiconducting probe. Said probe is positioned at a distance from the amorphous carbon layer or is passed over said amorphous carbon layer at a distance. The distance must be such that the electrical conduction mechanism ‘field emission’ or ‘tunnelling’ can still occur. An electrical voltage is applied to said probe in relation to the layer at the points where recesses are to be made in the layer or the layer is to be removed. This process alone produces the desired structure without any further technical steps. The inventive method can be used advantageously in the production of electronic components in the sub-μm and nm areas, and is particularly suitable in those fields for producing nano-structured etching masks whose structures have to be transferred onto layers placed beneath them. The method can also be used advantageously for entering information into amorphous carbon layers for information storage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.