Mechanical nanofabrication of lignoceric acid monolayer with atomic force microscopy

Nanometer scale pits have been fabricated in a crystalline fatty acid monol ayer by applying weak repulsive force exerted from the cantilever tip of an atomic force microscope. In this method, the shape of fabricated pits was controlled to be circular or rectangular. The minimum diameter of the pit w as similar to 20 nm. It was demonstrated that the pits could be artificiall y distributed with different size and surface area density in the organic m onolayer. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.