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Title: Using an energized oxygen micro-jet for improved graphene etching by focused electron beam

Abstract

We report on an improved Focused Electron Beam Induced Etching (FEBIE) process, which exploits heated oxygen delivery via a continuous supersonic micro-jet resulting in faster graphene patterning and better etch feature definition. Positioning a micro-jet in close proximity to a graphene surface with minimal jet spreading due to a continuous regime of gas flow at the exit of the 10 micrometer inner diameter capillary allows for focused exposure of the surface to reactive oxygen at high mass flux and impingement energy of a supersonic gas stream localized to a small etching area exposed to electron beam. These unique benefits of focused supersonic oxygen delivery to the surface enable a dramatic increase in the etch rate of graphene with no parasitic carbon ‘halo’ deposition due to secondary electrons (SE) from backscattered electrons (BSE) in the area surrounding the etched regions. Increase of jet temperature via local nozzle heating provides means for enhancing kinetic energy of impinging oxygen molecules, which further speed up the etch, thus minimizing the beam exposure time and required electron dose, before parasitic carbon film deposition due to BSE mediated decomposition of adsorbed hydrocarbon contaminants has a measurable impact on quality of graphene etched features. Interplay of differentmore » physical mechanisms underlying an oxygen micro-jet assisted FEBIE process is discussed with support from experimental observations.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1226551
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1228431
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0010729
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 107; Journal Issue: 23; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; focused electron beam induced etching; graphene; supersonic oxygen microjet

Citation Formats

Kim, Songkil, Henry, Mathias, and Fedorov, Andrei G. Using an energized oxygen micro-jet for improved graphene etching by focused electron beam. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4937118.
Kim, Songkil, Henry, Mathias, & Fedorov, Andrei G. Using an energized oxygen micro-jet for improved graphene etching by focused electron beam. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4937118
Kim, Songkil, Henry, Mathias, and Fedorov, Andrei G. Mon . "Using an energized oxygen micro-jet for improved graphene etching by focused electron beam". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4937118. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1226551.
@article{osti_1226551,
title = {Using an energized oxygen micro-jet for improved graphene etching by focused electron beam},
author = {Kim, Songkil and Henry, Mathias and Fedorov, Andrei G.},
abstractNote = {We report on an improved Focused Electron Beam Induced Etching (FEBIE) process, which exploits heated oxygen delivery via a continuous supersonic micro-jet resulting in faster graphene patterning and better etch feature definition. Positioning a micro-jet in close proximity to a graphene surface with minimal jet spreading due to a continuous regime of gas flow at the exit of the 10 micrometer inner diameter capillary allows for focused exposure of the surface to reactive oxygen at high mass flux and impingement energy of a supersonic gas stream localized to a small etching area exposed to electron beam. These unique benefits of focused supersonic oxygen delivery to the surface enable a dramatic increase in the etch rate of graphene with no parasitic carbon ‘halo’ deposition due to secondary electrons (SE) from backscattered electrons (BSE) in the area surrounding the etched regions. Increase of jet temperature via local nozzle heating provides means for enhancing kinetic energy of impinging oxygen molecules, which further speed up the etch, thus minimizing the beam exposure time and required electron dose, before parasitic carbon film deposition due to BSE mediated decomposition of adsorbed hydrocarbon contaminants has a measurable impact on quality of graphene etched features. Interplay of different physical mechanisms underlying an oxygen micro-jet assisted FEBIE process is discussed with support from experimental observations.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4937118},
journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
number = 23,
volume = 107,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

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