Nanoscale oxide patterning with electron-solid-gas reactions.

A novel nanoscale oxide patterning technique based on electron beam induced transformation in a gas environment is demonstrated. Localized phase transformation is induced in the surface region of a substrate, resulting in the formation of an oxide pattern that is embedded in the surface. The composition of the transformed region is determined only by the substrate and gas composition. The spatial resolution of the technique is about 15 nm.