Nanometer-scale patterning of self-assembled monolayer films on native silicon oxide

A nanoscale-patterning method on silicon oxide using a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was developed. The silicon surface with native oxide was additionally oxidized locally in dry nitrogen atmosphere by the field-induced oxidation (FIO) technique using an atomic force microscope with a conductive cantilever, and then immersed in octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) solution. The contact angle and topography image revealed that the OTS layer was formed only on the native oxide. In contrast, when FIO was performed under the humidity of 88%, OTS SAM was formed on both FIO and native oxide. These results indicate that SAM formation on silicon oxides can be locally suppressed by FIO in a dry environment. By using this technique, we could fabricate a line structure of OTS SAM as narrow as 22 nm.