CONTACT AND ALIGNMENT MARKER TECHNOLOGY FOR ATOMIC-SCALE DEVICE FABRICATION

This article reports on the technology to link atomic scale structures to macroscopic contact pads. Dedicated processes for electrode patter n formation in several materials have been developed and characterised . For pattern formation in CoSi2 a thermal compromise between proper s ilicide formation and lateral dimension loss has been established. The thermal stability of Pt and W submicron patterns (or the silicides of these) has been investigated. First results, for W in particular, sho w that atomically clean and flat surfaces, can be realized coexisting with useful metallization patterns.