Ultra-low dissipation patterned silicon nanowire arrays for scanning probe microscopy

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Sahafi, Pardis, Rose, William, Jordan, Andrew, Yager, Ben, Piscitelli, Michèle, Budakian, Raffi
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 06.09.2019
• Subjects: Arrays; High aspect ratio; Microscopes; Microscopy; Nanowires; Noise sensitivity; Physics - Applied Physics; Scanning probe microscopy; Self-assembly; Silicon; Substrates
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1909.03035

In recent years, self-assembled semiconductor nanowires have been successfully used as ultra-sensitive cantilevers in a number of unique scanning probe microscopy (SPM) settings. We describe the fabrication of ultra-low dissipation patterned silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays optimized for scanning probe applications. Our fabrication process produces, with high yield, ultra-high aspect ratio vertical SiNWs that exhibit exceptional force sensitivity. The highest sensitivity SiNWs have thermomechanical-noise limited force sensitivity of \(9.7\pm0.4~\text{aN}/\sqrt{\text{Hz}}\) at room temperature and \(500\pm20~\text{zN}/\sqrt{\text{Hz}}\) at 4 K. To facilitate their use in SPM, the SiNWs are patterned within \(7~\mu\text{m}\) from the edge of the substrate, allowing convenient optical access for displacement detection.