Fabrication of epitaxial CoSi2 nanowires

We have developed a method for fabricating epitaxial CoSi2 nanowires using only conventional optical lithography and standard silicon processing steps. This method was successfully applied to ultrathin epitaxial CoSi2 layers grown on Si(100) and silicon-on-insulator substrates. A nitride mask induces a stress field near its edges into the CoSi2/Si heterostructure and leads to the separation of the CoSi2 layer in this region during a rapid thermal oxidation step. A subsequent etching step and a second oxidation generate highly homogenous silicide wires with dimensions down to 50 nm.