Nanoelectrode lithography using flexible conductive molds

This paper reports a pattern transfer technique based on an anodic oxidation reaction (AOR) using two kinds of flexible conductive molds (FCMs). This technique enables fine pattern transfer on an uneven surface with 1.8-µm-deep recesses and also improves the transfer uniformity on a flat surface. Both FCMs consist of a base, a flexible insulating pattern on the top of the base and a nanometric thick metal film deposited on the top of the base and the insulating pattern as a conductive layer. Oxide patterns corresponding to the conductive pattern are transferred on the surface of the target material via an AOR between the FCM and the target. The flexibility of the base and the insulating pattern not only enables the FCM to come close enough to the recess of the target material with an uneven surface to generate oxide patterns but also enables a uniform electrical contact between the FCM and the target material with a flat surface to improve transfer uniformity. The conductive pattern on the FCM makes it possible to generate oxide patterns on the surface of the target material in a resistless process via the AOR. A microelectromechanical system technique is used to fabricate the proposed FCMs, and two kinds of FCMs are developed: A film-type FCM with a conductive pattern whose line width is from 5 to 20 µm and a resin-type FCM with a 200-nm half-pitch conductive pattern. Oxide patterns with a line width and a half pitch corresponding to the conductive patterns of the two developed FCMs were collectively transferred on an uneven surface with 1.8-µm-deep recesses and a flat surface of silicon substrate in a millimeter-scale area.