Nanoscale patterning of Si surface using SPM scratching

Nanolithography of Si surface using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) scratching with a diamond-coated tip was systematically investigated at a low force regime below 9 μN. The groove patterns with controlled width and depth could be achieved by adjusting the applied force, scan direction and the number of scan cycles. There was no effect of scan speed on the groove size. The minimum groove width of 10 nm was obtained on Si surfaces. Furthermore, more complex nanostructures such as line and space patterns of 30 nm pith and dot arrays of 2.6×10¹⁰ cm^-2 density were realized. SPM scratching with a diamond-coated tip allows nanoscale patterning of Si surfaces to be performed simply.