Graduation Year

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.E.S.

Degree Granting Department

Engineering Science

Major Professor

Stephen E. Saddow, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Wifrido A. Moreno, Ph.D.

Committee Member

John T. Wolan, Ph.D.

Keywords

nanotechnology, scanning electron microscopy, NEMS, SiCNDs, low dimensional structures, nanodots, nanowires

Abstract

Nanostructures were formed on diced specimens of several silicon carbide polytypes and silicon using electron beam lithography. A general introduction to nanostructure synthesis and electron beam lithography,are presented. A scanning electron microscope was retrofitted with a commercially available electron beam lithography package and an electrostatic beam blanker to permit nanoscale lithography to be performed.

A process was first developed and optimized on silicon substrates to expose, poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) resist with an electron beam to make nanoscale nickel masks for reactive ion etching. The masks consist of an array of nickel dots that range in size from 20 to 100 nm in diameter. Several nanoscale structures were then fabricated in silicon carbide using electron beam lithography. The structures produced are characterized by field emission Scanning Electron Microscopy.

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