Semiconductor assisted metal deposition for nanolithography applications

• US 20020047180A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U Chicago Argonne, LLC
• Original Assignee: Argonne National Laboratory
• Inventors: Tiede, David M., Nedelijkovic, Jovan M., Meshkov, Natalia, Thurnauer, Marion, Skubal, Laura R., Rajh, Tijana
• Granted Patent: US 6,410,935 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/528
• CPC Class Codes: B82B 1/00 Nanostructures formed by manipulation of individual atoms or molecules, or limited collections of atoms or molecules as discrete units
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76838 characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors etching for patterning the conductors H01L21/3213
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/712 formed from plural layers of nanosized material, e.g. stacked structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/778 within specified host or matrix material, e.g. nanocomposite films
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/887 Nanoimprint lithography, i.e. nanostamp
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/901 having step or means utilizing electromagnetic property, e.g. optical, x-ray, electron beamm

Abstract

An article of manufacture and method of forming nanoparticle sized material components. A semiconductor oxide substrate includes nanoparticles of semiconductor oxide. A modifier is deposited onto the nanoparticles, and a source of metal ions are deposited in association with the semiconductor and the modifier, the modifier enabling electronic hole scavenging and chelation of the metal ions. The metal ions and modifier are illuminated to cause reduction of the metal ions to metal onto the semiconductor nanoparticles.

Claims

1. A method of forming nanoparticle-sized material components, comprising the steps of:

providing a semiconductor oxide substrate comprised of nanoparticles of said semiconductor oxide;

depositing a modifier onto said nanoparticles;

depositing a source of metal ions in association with said semiconductor and said modifier, said modifier enabling electronic hole scavenging and chelation of said metal ions; and

illuminating said metal ions and modifier to cause reduction of said metal ions to metal onto said semiconductor nanoparticles.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor comprises a metal oxide.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said nanoparticles have a diameter of about 20-70 Å

.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor oxide is selected from the group consisting of TiO₂, WO₂, VO₂ and doped forms thereof.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said modifier comprises a bidentate ligand.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said modifier is selected from the group consisting of aminophosphoric acid, glycine and lucine.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, silver and gold.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of illuminating said metal ions comprises at least one of applying a laser beam and applying a particle beam.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of illuminating comprises applying an electron beam.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the step of applying an electron beam arises from a scanning transmission microscope.

11. An article of manufacture comprised of a semiconductor of nanoparticles, a modifier coating on said nanoparticles for electron hole scavenging and chelation and metal ions disposed on at least one of said semiconductor and said modifier, said metal ions enabling electron hole scavenging and chelation of said metal ions to said semiconductor.

12. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 wherein said modifier is selected from the group consisting of alanine, aminophosphoric acid, glycine and lucine.

13. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 11 wherein said semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of TiO₂, VO₂ and WO₂.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein said metal ions are selected from the group consisting of copper, silver and gold.