Lithography-free fabrication of single crystalline silicon tubular nanostructures on large area

Abstract

A novel method to fabricate single-crystalline silicon tubular nanostructures on large area was developed. Utilizing the thermal dewetting of a thin metal film, redeposition of dewetted metal nanodots, and etch selectivity between silicon substrate and metal masks, the tubular nanostructures were formed from single crystalline silicon substrate on large area without using any nano-patterning process. This lithography-free fabrication method composed only of sputtering, rapid thermal process and reactive ion etch (RIE) is simple and cost effective batch-process. The transmission electron microscopic inspection revealed that the silicon tubular nanostructures are in the range of 1 μm in length, 250 nm in diameter, 75 nm in wall-thickness and 380 nm in hollow-depth. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.