Nanofabrication of one-dimensional nanostructures using low-cost nano-crack lithography

Nano-Crack Lithography, which utilized thermal-induced cracking of photoresist pattern, is proposed to fabricate various one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures, including nanowires, nanoparticle chains, and nano-trenches. The direction of cracking corresponds to the most stressed direction of the bowtie-shaped photoresist pattern, which is further theoretically verified using the finite element method. Nanowires, which are as narrow as 50 nm and readily connecting to electrodes, are fabricated in large-scale. Metal nanowires morphs into metal nanoparticle chains after high-temperature anneal because of Rayleigh instability. V-shaped nano-trenches as narrow as 700 nm were also fabricated without using any expansive vacuum equipment. The ability of Nano-Crack Lithography to economically fabricate one-dimensional nanostructures in large-scale should promote rapid industrial applications for various 1D nanostructures.