Break junctions provide a direct way to interrogate electrical transport properties of molecules, in pursuit of molecular electronics devices. A number of approaches are used for the fabrication of break junctions, including optical/e-beam lithography, electromigration, mechanical control of suspended conductive electrodes/strips, and electrochemical deposition of conductive material and nanowires. All approaches either require serial and slow e-beam writing of nanoscale gaps or suffer from low-yield of nanogap electrode devices. Here, we report the use of focused ion beam (FIB) to “scratch” and remove a thin layer of gold from wide lines. The scratch results in thinning of the metal line and subsequent current-driven electromigration results into nanogaps at precise locations with high yield of devices. Combining FIB scratching with electromigration provides an elegant approach of creating nanoscale break junctions at an exact location and with a very narrow distribution of the nanogap sizes. Current-voltage measurements are done using a probe station before and after FIB scratch, and after the breaks were formed. Most of the gaps fall within 200–300 nm range and show negligible conductivity. The approach provides a novel, rapid, and high-throughput manufacturing approach of break junction fabrication that can be used for molecular sensing.
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e-mail: smiqbal@uta.edu
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June 2010
Special Issue On Nanomanufacturing
Rapid Nanomanufacturing of Metallic Break Junctions Using Focused Ion Beam Scratching and Electromigration
Waseem Asghar,
Waseem Asghar
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
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Priyanka P. Ramachandran,
Priyanka P. Ramachandran
Department of Bioengineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
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Adegbenro Adewumi,
Adegbenro Adewumi
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
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Mohammud R. Noor,
Mohammud R. Noor
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
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Samir M. Iqbal
Samir M. Iqbal
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility, Joint Graduate Committee of Biomedical Engineering Program,
e-mail: smiqbal@uta.edu
University of Texas at Arlington and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
, University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
Search for other works by this author on:
Waseem Asghar
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
Priyanka P. Ramachandran
Department of Bioengineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
Adegbenro Adewumi
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
Mohammud R. Noor
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility,
University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019
Samir M. Iqbal
Department of Electrical Engineering, Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility, Joint Graduate Committee of Biomedical Engineering Program,
University of Texas at Arlington and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
, University of Texas at Arlington
, Arlington, TX 76019e-mail: smiqbal@uta.edu
J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. Jun 2010, 132(3): 030911 (4 pages)
Published Online: June 3, 2010
Article history
Received:
January 18, 2010
Revised:
April 20, 2010
Online:
June 3, 2010
Published:
June 3, 2010
Citation
Asghar, W., Ramachandran, P. P., Adewumi, A., Noor, M. R., and Iqbal, S. M. (June 3, 2010). "Rapid Nanomanufacturing of Metallic Break Junctions Using Focused Ion Beam Scratching and Electromigration." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. June 2010; 132(3): 030911. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4001664
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