Characterization of Self Assembled Monolayer Oxidation Using Nano-Lithography

Methods of complex nano-feature formations play an important role in the development of complex circuitry, biosensors, memory devices, display units and biochips1. Currently two general lithography methods are used in the generation of nanostructures; top-down approach, commonly attributed to photolithography, and the bottom up approach in which chemical properties of the Atomic Force (AFM) probe are used to manipulate substrate surfaces. In this study oxidative nanolithography, bottom up approach, was investigated using biased-assisted AFM nanolithography. During this process a bias is applied to the AFM probe, platinum coated, resulting in a localized electric field forming around the tip of the probe (20nm width)1 .