Nanoscale silicon structures by using carbon nanotubes as reactive ion etch masks

Abstract

We demonstrate that multiwalled carbon nanotubes can be used as etch masks in a reactiveion etch, yielding silicon structures defined by the size and orientation of thecarbon nanotube. The relationship between etch profile and reactive ion etchparameters is optimized to yield an anisotropic etch with vertical sidewalls, supportingcarbon nanotubes of diameters down to 25 nm, without apparent damage to thenanotube. We demonstrate that the etched structures can be used as thermalnanoimprint stamps and that the carbon nanotube remains on the etched ridgeafter imprinting. The method is a route for creating nanoscale structures with aresolution defined by the smoothness and width of a macromolecular structure.