Imaging, Manipulating, and Analyzing with Nanometer Precision: Application of the Nanoworkbench

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe report the development of novel nanometer-scale manipulative and analytical devices for imaging, chemically analyzing and manipulating nanometer-scaled materials. Two different versions of the nanoworkbench are operating currently at the Surface Science Center of the University of Pittsburgh and at the Seagate Research Center in Pittsburgh. The instrument at Seagate consists of a modified commercially available high resolution scanning electron microscope (lateral resolution ∼1 nm at 10 kV) in combination with a set of four unique nano-manipulators, operating in the pressure range from 102 to 10−7 mbar. At the University of Pittsburgh a home-built UHV version of the nanoworkbench is in operation. In this UHV-instrument, several inter-connected UHV chambers allow in-situ deposition of thin-films and conventional surface analysis. The resolution of the SEM of the UHV system is limited to about 50 nm. We report the first results obtained by using both versions of the nanoworkbench, where we succeeded in writing patterns of ultra-small carbon-containing dots (8nm in diameter) with high position accuracy (<5nm) by electron-beam-induced deposition of carbon-containing background gases. Additionally, four-point probe measurements were performed on a SiGe system.