Integrated MEMS actuators for sub-Micron patterning on thin polymer films

This paper reports on a new enabling technology for simultaneous generation of nanopatterns on thin polymer films using MEMS actuators. Monolithically integrated MEMS actuators with two-dimensional probe arrays are used as scanning probe nanolithography tools capable of generating multiple identical patterns on thin polymer films. The presented approach can circumvent the main deficiency of tip-based nanolithography techniques which is their low throughput. Two-degrees of freedom (DOF) electro-thermal MEMS positioning structures integrated with nanoscale probe-tips are successfully fabricated and utilized for generating nanopatterns scratched into 800 nm thick photoresist films. Scratch marks as narrow and long as ~100 nm and 18 μm, respectively, have been generated in x and y directions using a micro-actuator structures carrying 49 nanotips.