Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ion beam sputtering for progressive reduction of nanostructures dimensions

  • Invited paper
  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An ion beam-based dry etching method has been developed for the progressive reduction of the dimensions of prefabricated nanostructures. The method has been successfully applied to aluminum nanowires and aluminum single electron transistors (SET). The method is based on removal of material from the structures when exposed to energetic argon ions, and it was shown to be applicable to the same sample many times. Electrical measurements, and samples imaged in-between the sputtering sessions, clearly indicated that the dimensions (the cross-section of the nanowires and the area of the tunnel junctions in SET) were progressively reduced without noticeable degradation of the sample structure. We were able to reduce the effective diameter of aluminum nanowires from ∼65 nm down to ∼30 nm, whereas the tunnel junction area has been reduced by 40%.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Y. Xia, G.M. Whitesides: Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 28, 153 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. W. Chen, H. Ahmed: Appl. Phys. Lett. 62, 1499 (1993)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. A. Lindell, P. Davidsson, J. Pekola: Microelectron. Eng. 45, 363 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Lindell: Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Jyväskylä, Finland, 2000

  5. Y.A. Pashkin, Y. Nakamura, J.S. Tsai: Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 2256 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. J.F. Ziegler, J.P. Biersack, U. Littmark: The Stopping and Ranges of Ions in Solids (Pergamon, New York, 1985)

  7. J.P. Pekola, K.P. Hirvi, J.P. Kauppinen, M.A. Paalanen: Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2903 (1994); J.P. Kauppinen, K.T. Loberg, A.J. Manninen, J.P. Pekola: Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69 (12), 4166 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. A detailed description of single charge tunneling phenomena can be found in for instance Single Charge Tunneling, ed. by H. Grabert, M.H. Devoret (Plenum, New York, 1992)

  9. Visit the Nanoway website for the detailed measurement principles of CBT Monitor 400R at http://www.nanoway.fi

  10. Y. Oreg, A.M. Finkelstein: Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 191 (1999)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. R.A. Smith, B.S. Handy, V. Ambegaokar: Phys. Rev. B 63, 94513 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Tinkham, Introduction to Superconductivity, 2nd edn. (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996)

  13. A.D. Zaikin, D.S. Golubev, A. van Otterlo, G.T. Zimányi: Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 1552 (1997)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. D.S. Golubev, A.D. Zaikin: Phys. Rev. B 64, 014504 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. J.S. Langer, V. Ambegaokar: Phys. Rev. 164, 498 (1967); D.E. McCumber, B.I. Halperin: Phys. Rev. B 1, 1054 (1970)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. J.L. Lukens, R.J. Warburton, W.W. Webb: Phys. Rev. Lett. 25, 1180 (1970); R.S. Newbower, M.R. Beasley, M. Tinkham: Phys. Rev. B 5, 864 (1972)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. N. Giordano: Physica B 203, 460 (1994)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. A. Bezryadin, C.N. Lau, M. Tinkham: Nature 404, 971 (2000); C.N. Lau, N. Markovic, M. Bockrath, A. Bezryadin, M. Tinkham: Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 217003 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Y. Nakamura, D.L. Klein, J.S. Tsai: Appl. Phys. Lett. 68, 275 (1996); and the cited literature

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NanoScience Center, Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, PB 35 (YFL), 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland

    M. Savolainen, V. Touboltsev, P. Koppinen, K.-P. Riikonen & K. Arutyunov

Authors
  1. M. Savolainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Touboltsev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Koppinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K.-P. Riikonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. K. Arutyunov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Koppinen.

Additional information

PACS

74.40.+k, 68.65.La, 73.23.Hk, 61.80.Jh

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Savolainen, M., Touboltsev, V., Koppinen, P. et al. Ion beam sputtering for progressive reduction of nanostructures dimensions. Appl Phys A 79, 1769–1773 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-004-2709-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-004-2709-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation