Received April 30, 2001

In Final Form: September 7, 2001

Abstract:

A nanolithography technique for a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) using a current sensing atomic force microscope (CSAFM) is proposed. Using this method, we prepared nanometer-sized patterns on the octadecanethiol SAM by removing octadecanethiol molecules at a force of a few nanonewtons in toluene when an appropriate positive or negative bias was applied. The relation between the pattern formation and the applied bias was studied at both positive and negative polarizations. The minimum pattern size achieved by this method was 15 nm. The formation probability as a function of the applied force and the trace amount of water contained in toluene was also systematically investigated. These results suggested an electrochemical mechanism for the removal of thiol molecules.

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