Patterning of parallel nanobridge structures by reverse nanostencil lithography using anedge-patterned stencil

Abstract

We propose a new process for forming parallel nanobridge patterns by nanostencillithography. In this process, a low-stress silicon nitride stencil with parallel nanobridgestructures is fabricated by a new edge patterning technique where those nanobridges areformed simultaneously via sidewall features using the conventional photolithography andanisotropic dry etching process. After forming primary Cr patterns on the oxidized Sisubstrate by depositing Cr through the edge-patterned stencil, those patterns aretransferred onto the underlying Si layer in a reversed manner, leading to the formation ofparallel Cr nanobridge patterns on the Si substrate. Using this process, we havesuccessfully produced 85 nm-wide parallel Cr nanobridge patterns from a stencil with115 nm-wide nanobridge structures that was fabricated by conventional microlithography.As there is no need for advanced lithography techniques in preparing the nanobridgestencil, the combination of the edge patterning and reverse nanostencil process provides acost-effective tool for the massive fabrication of parallel nanobridge arrays at the 100 nmscale.