Nanoscale Pattern Transfer Using Sputter-Induced Corrugations Formed at the Si/SiO_2 Interface

摘要

A conventional ion mill used for thinning transmission electron microscope samples has been used to produce nanoscale surface corrugations on the thermal oxide of Si. Using Ar ions with energies from 1.1 to 2.5keV in an off-normal incidence geometry, the corrugations were produced with wavelengths from 30 to 80nm and amplitudes of ～1 to 2nm. The corrugated pattern in the oxide has been transferred to the underlying Si substrate by reactive ion etching, producing structures that have a much higher aspect ratio than the original corrugations.