Atom-by-atom fabrication by electron beam via induced phase transformations

New developments in manufacturing and automation, from three-dimensional printing to the “Internet of things,” signify dramatic changes in our society. The push toward quantum materials is driving device fabrication toward atomic precision. Recent results suggest that scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with sub-angstrom scale beams could offer a solution. However, a detailed theoretical understanding of the interaction of the electron beam with solids is needed to form a basis for new technology. This article summarizes the existing literature on electron-beam interactions with solids with a focus on irreversible transformation. We further suggest that the theoretical framework of a two-temperature model developed for fast ion damage in solids could be applicable to predicting the effects of fast electrons. Recent results from STEM-directed epitaxial growth on crystalline–amorphous interfaces are discussed in detail. Finally, perspectives on the development of this field in the near future are offered.

[1]  G. Kothleitner,et al.  Direct-Write 3D Nanoprinting of Plasmonic Structures. , 2017, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[2]  N. Jiang.  On the spatial resolution limit of direct-write electron beam lithography , 2017 .

[3]  Ravishankar Sundararaman,et al.  Experimental and Ab Initio Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics in Plasmonic Nanoparticles. , 2016, Physical review letters.

[4]  N. Jiang.  Beam damage by the induced electric field in transmission electron microscopy. , 2016, Micron.

[5]  Igor Aharonovich,et al.  Quantum emission from hexagonal boron nitride monolayers , 2015, 2016 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO).

[6]  Sergei V. Kalinin,et al.  Atomic-Level Sculpting of Crystalline Oxides: Toward Bulk Nanofabrication with Single Atomic Plane Precision. , 2015, Small.

[7]  W. J. Weber,et al.  Predictive modeling of synergistic effects in nanoscale ion track formation. , 2015, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[8]  Ryan R. Dehoff,et al.  Site specific control of crystallographic grain orientation through electron beam additive manufacturing , 2015 .

[9]  Wenchao Zhou,et al.  Sintering Kinetics of Inkjet-Printed Conductive Silver Lines on Insulating Plastic Substrate , 2015, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B.

[10]  W. J. Weber,et al.  Synergy of elastic and inelastic energy loss on ion track formation in SrTiO3 , 2015, Scientific Reports.

[11]  Arnold Burger,et al.  Flexible metallic nanowires with self-adaptive contacts to semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers. , 2014, Nature nanotechnology.

[12]  N. Jiang.  Damage mechanisms in electron microscopy of insulating materials , 2013 .

[13]  Michael C. McAlpine,et al.  3D Printed Bionic Ears , 2013, Nano letters.

[14]  K. Schwab.  The Fourth Industrial Revolution , 2013 .

[15]  Henny W. Zandbergen,et al.  Atomic-Scale Electron-Beam Sculpting of Defect-Free Graphene Nanostructures , 2011, Microscopy and Microanalysis.

[16]  J. Spence,et al.  In situ EELS study of dehydration of Al(OH)₃ by electron beam irradiation. , 2011, Ultramicroscopy.

[17]  C. Dekker,et al.  Atomic-scale electron-beam sculpting of near-defect-free graphene nanostructures. , 2011, Nano letters.

[18]  Robert A. McLeod,et al.  Basic questions related to electron-induced sputtering in the TEM , 2010 .

[19]  Steven G. Louie,et al.  Graphene at the Edge: Stability and Dynamics , 2009, Science.

[20]  H. Mori,et al.  In situ TEM observation of decomposition of high-purity sapphire , 2009 .

[21]  Marija Drndic,et al.  Electron beam nanosculpting of suspended graphene sheets , 2008 .

[22]  S. Pennycook,et al.  Depth sectioning with the aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. , 2006, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[23]  Z. W. Xu,et al.  TEM study of electron beam-induced crystallization of amorphous GeSi films , 2004 .

[24]  Zhicheng Li,et al.  Direct observation of electron-beam-induced nucleation and growth in amorphous GaAs , 2004 .

[25]  D. Su.  Electron beam induced changes in transition metal oxides , 2002, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[26]  Ze Zhang,et al.  Low energy electron-beam-induced recrystallization of continuous GaAs amorphous foils , 1997 .

[27]  F. Studer,et al.  Thermal spike model applied to the irradiated yttrium iron garnet: Mean diffusion length of the energy deposited on the electrons , 1997 .

[28]  R. C. Birtcher.  Energy-dependent amorphization of Ge by Ne, Ar or Kr ion irradiation , 1996 .

[29]  J. Cazaux.  Correlations between ionization radiation damage and charging effects in transmission electron microscopy , 1995 .

[30]  Qing-Tai Zhao,et al.  Ion-induced crystallization and amorphization at crystal/amorphous interfaces of silicon , 1995 .

[31]  Lulli,et al.  Comparison of results and models of solid-phase epitaxial growth of implanted Si layers induced by electron- and ion-beam irradiation. , 1993, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[32]  J. Chapman.  Quantitative electron microscopy , 1984 .

[33]  R. T. Williams,et al.  Vacancy-interstitial pair production via electron-hole recombination in halide crystals , 1978 .