AFM-based nanofabrication with Femtosecond pulse laser radiation

원자간력 현미경(AFM)과 펨토초 펄스 레이저를 이용한 나노 형상 가공

We describe a novel method of scanning probe nanofabrication using a AFM(atomic force microscopy) tip with assistance of Femtosecond laser pulses to enhance fabrication capability. Illumination of the AFM tip with ultra-short light pulses induces a strong electric field between the tip and the metal surface, which allows removing metal atoms from the surface by means of field evaporation. Quantum simulation reveals that the field evaporation is triggered even en air when the induced electric field reaches the level of a few volts per angstrom, which is low enough to avoid unwanted thermal damages on most metal surfaces. For experimental validation, a Ti: sapphire Femtosecond pulse laser with 10 fs pulse duration at 800 nm center wavelength was used with a tip coated with gold to fabricate nanostructures on a thin film gold surface. Experimental results demonstrate that fine structures with critical dimensions less than ${\sim}10nm$ can be successfully made with precise control of the repetition rate of Femtosecond laser pulses.