Liquid phase electron-beam-induced deposition on bulk substrates using environmental scanning electron microscopy

Matthew Bresin, Aurelien Botman, Steven J. Randolph, Marcus Straw, Jeffrey Todd Hastings

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

The introduction of gases, such as water vapor, into an environmental scanning electron microscope is common practice to assist in the imaging of insulating or biological materials. However, this capability may also be exploited to introduce, or form, liquid phase precursors for electron-beam-induced deposition. In this work, the authors report the deposition of silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) structures using two different cell-less in situ deposition methods - the first involving the in situ hydration of solid precursors and the second involving the insertion of liquid droplets using a capillary style liquid injection system. Critically, the inclusion of surfactants is shown to drastically improve pattern replication without diminishing the purity of the metal deposits. Surfactants are estimated to reduce the droplet contact angle to below ~10°.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)376-384
Number of pages9
JournalMicroscopy and Microanalysis
Volume20
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2014

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Science Foundation (NSF)CMMI-1125998
National Science Foundation (NSF)1125998

    Keywords

    • contact angle
    • electron-beam-induced deposition
    • liquid injection system
    • liquid phase
    • nanolithography

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Instrumentation

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