Nano-lithography with metastable helium atoms

Summary form only given. The goal of the project is to create sub-100 nm structures on a silicon surface covered with a metal film, using a beam of metastable helium atoms. The internal energy (20 eV) of the metastable helium atoms is used to selectively damage an organic resist layer (a self-assembled monolayer) deposited on the metal coating, thereby preparing the surface for a chemical etching process. By means of the etching process, the damaged organic molecules are removed and the pattern is transferred to the underlying metal film.