Chatter in Dynamic Scanning Probe Lithography (d-SPL)

Scanning probe lithography (SPL) techniques are pushing the boundaries of nano- to micro-scale fabrication. Though often requires a trade-off between throughput and resolution. In this study, we introduce dynamic scanning Probe Lithography (d-SPL), a high-throughput method that enables direct surface patterning in the feature range of nanometer to centimeter. Using d-SPL, we achieved a 1 cm-long, 100 nm-thick, 2 µm-wide channel in less than 10 seconds, showcasing major gains in speed and resolution. We also developed and validated an analytical model to explain and reproduce micro-scale chatter that was observed for the first time in micro-scale fabrication. Our model was able to map the stable and unstable regions corresponding to uniform and non-uniform (damaged) surface patterns.