FABRICATION OF SIZE-CONTROLLED 10-NM SCALE SI PILLARS USING METAL-CLUSTERS AS FORMATION NUCLEI

10-nm scale Si pillars were fabricated using deposited Au, Ag, Cu clus ters and colloidal Au particles as nuclei for formation of etch masks in SF, microwave plasma etching at about -130 degrees C. The pillar di ameter is affected by the chemical species of the clusters, but is onl y weakly dependent on the cluster size. The average diameter of pillar s fabricated with Au clusters is 9 nm, while those with Ag and Cu clus ters are 19 and 24 nm, respectively. This is considered to be due to t he difference in stability of the compounds of Au, Ag, and Cu with S o r F, the components of the etching gas, which results in a different a bility to form etch masks by condensation of SxFy species.