Nanoprocessing of silicon by mechanochemical reaction using atomic force microscopy andadditional potassium hydroxide solution etching

Abstract

The mechanochemical processing properties of silicon are evaluated by diamond-tip slidingusing atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the atmosphere. Sharp-diamond-tip slidingproduces grooves on the silicon surface. In contrast, large-radius-diamond-tipsliding produces protuberances on the silicon surface. Potassium hydroxide (KOH)solution etching is performed on the mechanochemically processed areas. Processedprotuberance areas are hardly etched with KOH solution. In particular, the processedarea, in which plastic deformation is observed, also acts as an etching mask forKOH solution. By application of this mechanochemical local oxidation area as aKOH solution etching mask, three-dimensional nanoprofiles such as three1000 nm × 1000 nm squares, lines and spaces with a 200 nm period and a two-step table were fabricated on asilicon surface. By using thick oxidized mechanochemically processed masks with a highload and removal of the natural oxide layer by mechanical action with a low load,nanometre-scale three-dimensional profiles were processed by additional KOH solutionetching.