Abstract
An outstanding issue with organic devices is the difficulty of simultaneously controlling the lateral size and position of structures at submicron or nanometer scales. In this study, nanocomposite electron beam (EB) organic resists are proved to be excellent candidates for electrically conductive and/or memory component materials for submicron or nanometer lateral-scale organic electronic devices. The memory and the resist patterning characteristics are investigated for a positive electron beam resist of ZEP520a containing [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Regarding the memory characteristics, good programming and excellent retention characteristics are obtained for electrons. The carrier transfer and retention mechanisms are also investigated. Regarding the resist patterning characteristics, it is found that line patterns (square patterns) of ZEP520a containing PCBM can be made with widths (side lengths) of less than 200 nm by using an extremely simple process with only EB exposures and developments. The distribution of PCBM molecules or their aggregations is also clarified in ZEP520a containing PCBM. The results of this study open the door to the simple fabrication of highly integrated flexible memories and electrical wires as well as of single-electron or quantum devices, including quantum information devices and sensitive biosensors for multiplexed and simultaneous diagnoses.
Highlights
On the other hand, organic electrical and optical devices have attracted much attention because of their unique advantages of low weight, high mechanical flexibility, cost effectiveness, and good chemical structural versatility compared with inorganic devices[13,14,15,16,17,18,19]
Since it is suggested that electrons or holes are injected into and stored in the LUMO or HOMO levels of the fullerenes and the carriers are transferred through the levels in the nanocomposite organic polymers, there is a possibility of creating electron beam (EB)-patternable electrically conductive nanocomposite organic polymers having submicron or nanometer lateral sizes if organic EB resists can be used for the matrix polymers
It should be noted that even if the nanometer-scale memory cell is fabricated using the ZEP520a containing phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) proposed in this study, the remaining resist region after development, which is not exposed to electron beams, becomes a gate insulator that contains traps for carriers
Summary
Organic electrical and optical devices have attracted much attention because of their unique advantages of low weight, high mechanical flexibility, cost effectiveness, and good chemical structural versatility compared with inorganic devices[13,14,15,16,17,18,19]. Nanocomposite organic resist polymers in which fullerenes are incorporated in a conventional EB resist of ZEP520 have been reported[23,24,25] They have only been used as a mask resist with improved dry etching resistance for submicron lateral-scale patterning. The purpose of this study was to determine whether such nanocomposite organic EB resist polymers are promising electrically conductive and/or memory component materials for submicron and nanometer lateral-scale electronic devices. Regarding the resist patterning characteristics, submicron or nanometer lateral-scale structures were fabricated by EB exposure on the ZEP520a containing PCBM and subsequent development These results demonstrate the feasibility of submicron or nanometer lateral-scale memory cells and electrical wires with submicron or nanometer widths, single-electron or quantum devices, or biosensors with nanostructures consisting of nanocomposite organic EB resist polymers containing fullerene molecules
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
