Etching and hole arrays

Abstract

Lithographic and nanolithographic methods that involve patterning a first compound on a substrate surface, exposing non-patterned areas of the substrate surface to a second compound and removing the first compound while leaving the second compound intact. The resulting hole patterns can be used as templates for either chemical etching of the patterned area of the substrate or metal deposition on the patterned area of the substrate.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising providing a tip and a substrate; applying a first compound from the tip to a surface of the substrate to produce a patterned area; depositing a second compound on a non-patterned area of the surface by exposing the substrate to the second compound; selectively removing the first compound from the patterned area of the surface so that the second compound on the non-patterned area of the surface remains deposited on the non-patterned area; and depositing a material on the patterned area of the surface. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the surface of the substrate is a metal surface. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the tip is a scanning probe microscope tip. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the tip is an atomic force microscope tip. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the tip is a hollow tip. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the tip is a non-hollow tip. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first compound is chemisorbed on the surface. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first compound is a sulfur-containing compound. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first compound forms a self-assembled monolayer on the patterned area of the surface. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the second compound is chemisorbed on the surface. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the second compound is a sulfur-containing compound. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the depositing the second compound results in forming of a self-assembled monolayer. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the depositing the second compound comprises immersing the substrate in a solution comprising the second compound. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a desorption potential of the second compound is higher than a desorption potential of the first compound. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the removing comprises desorbing the first compound from the patterned area of the surface. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said desorbing is performed electrochemically. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first compound is 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHA) and the second compound 1-octadecanethiol. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein depositing the material results in forming a positive pattern comprising the material on the patterned area of the surface. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the positive pattern is an array. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the positive pattern comprises lines or dots. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the positive pattern is characterized by features with lateral dimensions of about 500 nm or less. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the positive pattern is characterized by features with lateral dimensions of about 200 nm or less. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the positive pattern is characterized by features with lateral dimensions of about 100 nm or less. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising disposing on the positive pattern a mixture comprising an elastomer precursor, curing the precursor to form an elastomer, wherein said disposing and curing results in forming a stamp comprising the elastomer, said stamp having a negative pattern defined by the positive pattern. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising using the positive pattern as a master in replication of a soft material stamp. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the material is a metal, and depositing the metal material comprises exposing the substrate to a precursor comprising the metal. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the precursor is a salt of the metal. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the material is a metal, and the depositing the metal is performed electrochemically. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the material is a metal, and the depositing the metal is performed electrolessly. 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . A pattern formed by the method of  claim 25 . 
     
     
         57 . A stamp formed by a method of  claim 49 . 
     
     
         58 . A method comprising providing a nanoscopic tip and a substrate; applying a first compound from the tip to a surface of the substrate to produce a patterned area; depositing a second compound on a non-patterned area of the surface by exposing the substrate to the second compound; selectively removing the first compound from the patterned area of the surface so that the second compound on the non-patterned area of the surface remains deposited on the non-patterned area; and depositing a material on the patterned area of the surface. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the material can be conductive or made to be conductive. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the material comprises a conjugated polymer. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the material comprises a semiconductor. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the material comprises a metal. 
     
     
         63 . (canceled)