Decrypting the thermal effects on the electric field-induced material formation process on Cr thin films

Abstract

Controlled electrochemical reactions on chromium (Cr) thin films have been employed to create micro- and nano-scale patterns using a scanning probe-based patterning process called electrolithography (ELG). The electrochemical reaction produces a liquid material. The ELG process, being a local anodic oxidation-based technique, is significantly affected by several factors, including various ambient conditions. In this article, we explore the effects of temperature on the said electrochemical reaction-induced liquid material formation process. Keeping other ambient conditions constant, the temperature is varied over a large range, and we observe that a 40 °C change in temperature results in a 20-time change in the radial spread of the liquid region. This observation is thereafter explained by the effect of temperature on three different parameters affecting the rate of electrochemical reaction. Thus, based on this study, we can say that temperature is one of the most crucial parameters which can be used to confine the lateral spread of the formed liquid region and thereby improve the resolution of the patterns created using the ELG technique.