Through-membrane electron-beam lithography for ultrathin membrane applications
Abstract
We present a technique to fabricate ultrathin (down to 20 nm) uniform electron transparent windows at dedicated locations in a SiN membrane for in situ transmission electron microscopy experiments. An electron-beam (e-beam) resist is spray-coated on the backside of the membrane in a KOH-etched cavity in silicon which is patterned using through-membrane electron-beam lithography. This is a controlled way to make transparent windows in membranes, whilst the topside of the membrane remains undamaged and retains its flatness. Our approach was optimized for MEMS-based heating chips but can be applied to any chip design. We show two different applications of this technique for (1) fabrication of a nanogap electrode by means of electromigration in thin free-standing metal films and (2) making low-noise graphene nanopore devices.
- Publication:
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Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- August 2017
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.4986991
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1709.04156
- Bibcode:
- 2017ApPhL.111f3105N
- Keywords:
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- Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;
- Condensed Matter - Materials Science;
- Physics - Applied Physics
- E-Print:
- Appl. Phys. Lett. 111, 063105 (2017)