Low energy electron irradiation induced carbon etching: Triggering carbon film reacting with oxygen from SiO2 substrate

Abstract

We report low-energy (50–200 eV) electron irradiation induced etching of thin carbon films on a SiO2 substrate. The etching mechanism was interpreted that electron irradiation stimulated the dissociation of the carbon film and SiO2, and then triggered the carbon film reacting with oxygen from the SiO2 substrate. A requirement for triggering the etching of the carbon film is that the incident electron penetrates through the whole carbon film, which is related to both irradiation energy and film thickness. This study provides a convenient electron-assisted etching with the precursor substrate, which sheds light on an efficient pathway to the fabrication of nanodevices and nanosurfaces.