High throughput nanofabrication of silicon nanowire and carbon nanotube tips on AFM probes by stencil-deposited catalysts

Nano Lett. 2011 Apr 13;11(4):1568-74. doi: 10.1021/nl104384b. Epub 2011 Mar 29.

Abstract

A new and versatile technique for the wafer scale nanofabrication of silicon nanowire (SiNW) and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) tips on atomic force microscope (AFM) probes is presented. Catalyst material for the SiNW and MWNT growth was deposited on prefabricated AFM probes using aligned wafer scale nanostencil lithography. Individual vertical SiNWs were grown epitaxially by a catalytic vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process and MWNTs were grown by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor (PECVD) process on the AFM probes. The AFM probes were tested for imaging micrometers-deep trenches, where they demonstrated a significantly better performance than commercial high aspect ratio tips. Our method demonstrates a reliable and cost-efficient route toward wafer scale manufacturing of SiNW and MWNT AFM probes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force / instrumentation*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Probe Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / ultrastructure*
  • Particle Size
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Silicon