BULK NANOFABRICATION WITH SINGLE ATOMIC PLANE PRECISION VIA ATOMIC-LEVEL SCULPTING OF CRYSTALLINE OXIDES

摘要

A method for sculpting crystalline oxide structures for bulk nanofabrication is provided. The method includes the controlled electron beam induced irradiation of amorphous and liquid phase precursor solutions using a scanning transmission electron microscope. The atomically focused electron beam includes operating parameters (e.g., location, dwell time, raster speed) that are selected to provide a higher electron dose in patterned areas and a lower electron dose in non-patterned areas. Concurrently with the epitaxial growth of crystalline features, the present method includes scanning the substrate to provide information on the size of the crystalline features with atomic resolution. This approach provides for atomic level sculpting of crystalline oxide materials from a metastable amorphous precursor and the liquid phase patterning of nanocrystals.