Nanomaterials (Nov 2023)

Pillar Growth by Focused Electron Beam-Induced Deposition Using a Bimetallic Precursor as Model System: High-Energy Fragmentation vs. Low-Energy Decomposition

  • Robert Winkler,
  • Michele Brugger-Hatzl,
  • Fabrizio Porrati,
  • David Kuhness,
  • Thomas Mairhofer,
  • Lukas M. Seewald,
  • Gerald Kothleitner,
  • Michael Huth,
  • Harald Plank,
  • Sven Barth

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13212907
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 21
p. 2907

Abstract

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Electron-induced fragmentation of the HFeCo3(CO)12 precursor allows direct-write fabrication of 3D nanostructures with metallic contents of up to >95 at %. While microstructure and composition determine the physical and functional properties of focused electron beam-induced deposits, they also provide fundamental insights into the decomposition process of precursors, as elaborated in this study based on EDX and TEM. The results provide solid information suggesting that different dominant fragmentation channels are active in single-spot growth processes for pillar formation. The use of the single source precursor provides a unique insight into high- and low-energy fragmentation channels being active in the same deposit formation process.

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