Probeless Deposit of Nanomaterials

An Indian research team has developed electron-beam-induced deposition method to deposit tiny structures without the need of fine probes. The method relies on the build-up of surface potential on an insulating surface exposed to an electron beam. Feature sizes as small as 20 nm can be deposited without the need to use fine probes. This helps overcome the limitation of probe size imposed on the resolution. The use of pure metal vapor also renders the process inherently clean, say the researchers in the 29th September 2008 issue of Applied Physics Letters.