Tip-Based Nanofabrication

Scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) are not only inspection tools but also nanofabrication tools. In this chapter, the working principles of three SPMs are first explained, including tunneling, atomic force, and near-field optical microscopes. For the nanofabrication purpose, there can be many mechanisms regarding the interactions between a scanning tip and a sample surface. This chapter groups them into three types: resist exposure, surface modification, and material deposition. For resist exposure, the energy transfer can be by electrons, photons, or heat. The surface modification can be electric field induced, mechanical friction induced, or heat induced. Two well-known tip-based nanoscale patterning methods are described in detail, which are hydrogen depassivation lithography and dip-pen lithography. The latest developments in massively parallel scanning tips for high-throughput patterning are also presented.