2D Simulation of Fowler-Nordheim Electron Emission in Scanning Probe Lithography

2D Simulation of Fowler-Nordheim Electron Emission in Scanning Probe Lithography

For the manufacturing of quantum computers it will be necessary to routinely fabricate devices with critical dimensions down to the single-digit nanometer range. Since the high-costs and belated development of extreme UV lithography, we are focused on scanning probe lithography (SPL) utilizing Fowler-Nordheim emitted electrons for patterning of molecular resist materials. Our method is similar to the electron beam lithography with special electron emitters, i.e. our nanotips, differing in the much lower energy of the emitted electrons and the possibility to work at ambient conditions. Based on the thermo-mechanically actuated, piezoresistive cantilever technology our group has developed a first prototype of a scanning probe lithography platform able to image, inspect, align and pattern features down to single nanometer regime. Here, we present theoretical investigations of the electron emission and the surface exposure with the emitted electrons. Our simulation model and the used assumptions are described. The resulting electric field and electron density distributions are analyzed to gain deeper insights into relevance of the lithographic exposure parameters.