Nanostructure fabrication using the selective thermal desorption of SiO2 induced by electron beams

It has been found that selective thermal desorption of SiO2 on Si (111) substrate is induced by electron-beam irradiation. By using this selective thermal desorption, a nanofabrication technique has been realized by focused electron beams. Open windows of 10 nm width in a SiO2 film have been fabricated by this technique. A pattern transfer from the open windows to thin Si films has also been performed by Si growth and subsequent heating. This has produced Si wires of 10 nm width.