Fabrication of ordered arrays of silicon nanopillars in silicon-on-insulator wafers

Hexagonal arrays of silicon nanopillars have been fabricated in a silicon-o n-insulator wafer using a patterned metal layer as a mask for reactive ion etching. The metal mask is created by deposition through a self-assembled m onolayer of polymer particles. In the case of a silver mask, we find that t he quality of the pillars depends on the wetting of the exposed silicon reg ions in the interstitial sites between the polymer balls, which in turn dep ends on the deposition parameters, such as pressure and deposition rate. Go ld is found to wet the silicon, producing smooth masks which lead to pyrami dal silicon structures after etching. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.