Abstract
High-throughput and high-accuracy nanofabrication methods are required for the ever-increasing demand for nanoelectronics, high-density data storage devices, nanophotonics, quantum computing, molecular circuitry, and scaffolds in bioengineering used for cell proliferation applications. The scanning probe lithography (SPL) nanofabrication technique is a critical nanofabrication method with great potential to evolve into a disruptive atomic-scale fabrication technology to meet these demands. Through this timely review, we aspire to provide an overview of the SPL fabrication mechanism and the state-the-art research in this area, and detail the applications and characteristics of this technique, including the effects of thermal aspects and chemical aspects, and the influence of electric and magnetic fields in governing the mechanics of the functionalized tip interacting with the substrate during SPL. Alongside this, the review also sheds light on comparing various fabrication capabilities, throughput, and attainable resolution. Finally, the paper alludes to the fact that a majority of the reported literature suggests that SPL has yet to achieve its full commercial potential and is currently largely a laboratory-based nanofabrication technique used for prototyping of nanostructures and nanodevices.
Highlights
The development of nanotechnology is inextricably linked to the downscaling of nanostructures with feature dimensions below 100 nm [1]
These works opened up the application market for single-electron transistor fabrication using the diamond tip to scratch the material surface, achieving regular and complex
M-scanning probe lithography (SPL) is a promising method for advanced nanofabrication in an atomic force microscope (AFM)
Summary
The development of nanotechnology is inextricably linked to the downscaling of nanostructures with feature dimensions below 100 nm [1]. As opposed to EBL and FIB, NIL is relatively low cost and offers simplicity to fabricate a master mold during the nanoimprint process. SPM tips can image and manipulate environments at the atomic and the sub-nanometer scale on the surface of a substrate, creating high temperatures, high electric and magnetic fields, high fluxes of many types, and rapid temporal and spatial variations of all of the above and more. It potentially creates a unique, localized, controllable “manufacturing environment,” wherein new methods for controlled nanofabrication are possible. This paper will discuss and compare major SPL nanofabrication approaches and point out the current challenges and outlook of future research directions of the SPL nanofabrication technique
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