Title: Etching characteristics of a silicon surface induced by focused ion beam irradiation

Authors: Noritaka Kawasegi, Noboru Morita, Shigeru Yamada, Noboru Takano, Tatsuo Oyama, Kiwamu Ashida, Jun Taniguchi, Iwao Miyamoto, Sadao Momota

Addresses: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Toyama University, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930–8555, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical and Intellectual Systems Engineering, Toyama University, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930–8555, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical and Intellectual Systems Engineering, Toyama University, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930–8555, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical and Intellectual Systems Engineering, Toyama University, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930–8555, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical and Intellectual Systems Engineering, Toyama University, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930–8555, Japan. ' Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1–2–1 Namiki Tsukuba Ibaraki 305–8564, Japan. ' Department of Applied Electronics, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278–8510, Japan. ' Department of Applied Electronics, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278–8510, Japan. ' Department of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, 185 Tosayamada, Kochi, Japan

Abstract: The etching resistance characteristics of a Focused Ion Beam (FIB) irradiated silicon surface against KOH are investigated in this study. An FIB irradiated silicon surface can withstand etching in KOH solution, whereas the non-irradiated area is etched and consequently, a protruding nanostructure can be fabricated on the irradiated area. Height dependence of the nanostructure on the FIB irradiating conditions is investigated in order to control the shape of the nanostructure for application to three-dimensional nanofabrication. As a consequence, it was found that the height of the nanostructure can be controlled by FIB irradiating conditions such as dose and acceleration voltage. The mechanism is investigated by a selective etching method using HF solution. The results of a simulation indicate that the amorphous layer induced by ion irradiation is strongly related to this phenomenon. In addition, surface roughness and line width dependence was investigated, and these results indicate the potential use of this method as a novel three-dimensional nanofabrication process.

Keywords: focused ion beam; wet chemical etching; single crystal silicon; nanostructure; nanofabrication; maskless patterning; ion beam irradiation; etching resistance; silicon surfaces; simulation; surface roughness; line width dependence.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2006.009984

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2006 Vol.9 No.1/2, pp.34 - 50

Published online: 06 Jun 2006 *

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