Scanning tunneling microscope mediated nanostructure fabrication from GeH4 on Si(111)-(7×7)

Abstract

The tungsten tip of a scanning tunneling microscope, covered with GeHx by exposure to GeH4, was used to locally grow nanometer-sized Ge or GeHx islands on a Si(111)-(7×7) surface. This was achieved by transfer of material from the tip to the surface, induced by voltage pulses. A model, based on the diffusion of adsorbates on the tip and desorption stimulated by an electric field, is presented to account for the results.

Nanofabrication by scanning probe microscope lithography: A review

“…Si-and Ge-based nanostructures with lateral sizes of about 10 nm were successfully deposited on Si͑111͒ substrates starting from SiH 4 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , and GeH 4 precursors. 19,20 As shown in Fig. 5͑a͒, a dot-shaped structure reported by Rauscher et al 19 is 1.8 nm tall, 5.6 nm in diameter at the base, and 3.4 nm full-width half-maximum ͑FWHM͒.…”

Nanostructures on oxidized Si surfaces fabricated with the scanning tunneling microscope tip under electron-beam irradiation

“…2,3 This technique was used to create pits and islands 3 and to extract and redeposit individual Si ͑Refs. [7][8][9][10][11] Grooves several nanometers wide on Si͑111͒ surfaces were created by this technique through field-induced evaporation. 5͒ atoms.…”