Fabrication techniques optical lithography

Alivisatos and coworkers reported on the realization of an electrode structure scaled down to the level of a single Au nanocluster [24]. They combined optical lithography and angle evaporation techniques (see previous discussion of SET-device fabrication) to define a narrow gap of a few nanometers between two Au leads on a Si substrate. The Au leads were functionalized with hexane-1,6-dithiol, which binds linearly to the Au surface. 5.8 nm Au nanoclusters were immobilized from solution between the leads via the free dithiol end, which faces the solution. Slight current steps in the I U) characteristic at 77K were reflected by the resulting device (see Figure 8). By curve fitting to classical Coulomb blockade models, the resistances are 32 MQ and 2 G 2, respectively, and the junction... 

In the past 15 years the field of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) has progressed tremendously thanks to the innovative utilization of the techniques of microelectronic fabrication. In particular, techniques of lithography using optical and electron beams and the development of anisotropic etching (both dry and wet) led to the rapid progress in the field. In recent years there have been new efforts to... 

Electron-beam lithography (EBL) refers to a lithographic patterning technique in which a focused beam of electrons is used to expose and pattern resist-coated semiconductor substrates as part of a number of steps used in the fabrication of IC devices. Its introduction into IC fabrication dates back to 1957. Today, electron-beam lithography is used primarily in fabrication of masks used in optical lithography and x-ray lithography. It is also used in low-volume fabrication of exploratory IC device layers with extremely small features it has also found application in nanotechnology research. 

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