Nanometer Lithography Using AFM-Exposed Photo Resist

Colleen Campbell

Advisor: Dr. Joseph C. Amato

The goal of this project was to develop a technique for exposing photo resist with electrons emitted from an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip. PMMA, a UV sensitive polymer, was thinned to less then 50 nm to allow high-energy electrons to be emitted from the AFM tip to expose the polymer. The photo resist was then developed to wash away the exposed areas leaving a regular array of holes in the polymer. The developed array of holes provides a template for the oxidization of Nb and forming of pinning sites for superconducting vortices. This process should be much more reliable and repeatable then the direct anodization of Nb with the AFM tip.