Direct Patterning of Metal Chalcogenide Semiconductor Materials

Abstract

Lithography is one of the most widely used methods for cutting‐edge research and industrial applications, mainly owing to its ability to draw patterns in the micro and even nanoscale. However, the fabrication of semiconductor micro/nanostructures via conventional electron or optical lithography technologies often requires a time‐consuming multistep process and the use of expensive facilities. Herein, a low‐cost, high‐resolution, facile, and versatile direct patterning method based on metal–organic molecular precursors is reported. The ink‐based metal–organic precursors are found to operate as negative resists, with the material exposed by different methods (electron‐beam/laser/heat/ultraviolet (UV)) to render them insoluble in the development process. This technical process can deliver metal chalcogenide semiconductors with arbitrary 2D/3D patterns with sub‐50 nm resolution. Electron beam lithography, two‐photon absorption lithography, thermal scanning probe lithography, and UV photolithography are demonstrated for the direct patterning process. Different metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanodevices, such as photoconductive selenium‐doped Sb2S3 nanoribbons, p‐type PbS single‐nanowire field‐effect transistors, and p‐n junction CdS/Cu2S nanowire solar cells, are fabricated by this method. This direct patterning technique is a versatile and simple micro/nanolithography technology with considerable potential for “lab‐on‐a‐chip” preparation of semiconductor devices.

Spatial and spectral mode mapping of a dielectric nanodot by broadband interferometric homodyne scanning near-field spectroscopy

“…We investigate individual antimony sulfide (Sb 2 S 3 ) nanoparticles created on top of an Sb 2 S 3 film by EBL. 9 Our samples are annealed at 300°C to form crystalline thin films and nanostructures. This procedure shifts the bandgap from 2.24 to 1.73 eV, and it reduces the above-gap absorption coefficient from 1.8 × 10 5 cm −1 at 450 nm to 7.5 × 10 4 cm −1 at 550 nm.…”

“…The combination of a direct bandgap and a high absorption coefficient leads to considerable photoconductivity, enabling applications in optoelectronics. 9 Power conversion efficiencies of up to 7.5% have been demonstrated for an Sb 2 S 3 -sensitized heterojunction solar cell. 7 For future applications, it is particularly beneficial that comparatively simple and cheap ink-based methods can be used to create Sb 2 S 3 nanoparticles in large-area thin films.…”

“…10,11 As recently demonstrated, nanopatterning via direct electron beam lithography (EBL) writing enables the creation of 2D and 3D nanometric structures of various shapes. 9 The availability of easy structuring, together with the possibility of changing the refractive index on an ultrafast time scale by injecting free carriers, makes the material an interesting candidate for the realization of photoswitchable metasurfaces. 12 For this, a high optical quality of Sb 2 S 3 nanostructures is an important prerequisite that has not yet been investigated.…”

Solution-processable electrode-material embedding in dynamically inscribed nanopatterns (SPEEDIN) for continuous fabrication of durable flexible devices

“…Metal nanostructures, including nanoporous metal films, self-assembled metal layers, and micro-and nanopatterned metal films, have inspired many diverse functional applications in photonics, plasmonics, and electronics [1][2][3][4][5] . Among these structures, metal micro-and nanopattern structures (MNPs) have provided highly accessible and widely applicable frameworks for most practical devices, including transparent electrodes, sensor platforms, and plasmonic templates [5][6][7][8][9][10] .…”

“…Metal nanostructures, including nanoporous metal films, self-assembled metal layers, and micro-and nanopatterned metal films, have inspired many diverse functional applications in photonics, plasmonics, and electronics [1][2][3][4][5] . Among these structures, metal micro-and nanopattern structures (MNPs) have provided highly accessible and widely applicable frameworks for most practical devices, including transparent electrodes, sensor platforms, and plasmonic templates [5][6][7][8][9][10] . For instance, silver (Ag) has been one of the most versatile MNP materials owing to its excellent mechanical malleability, robust electrical and thermal conductivity, and unique plasmonic and photonic characteristics [11][12][13][14][15][16] .…”