Topological Insulator Nanowires Made by AFM Nanopatterning: Fabrication Process and Ultra Low-Temperature Transport Properties (Adv. Phys. Res. 12/2024)

Atomic Force Lithography

The study 2400108 by Dmitry Yakovlev and co-workers introduces a novel approach to using atomic force microscopy (AFM) pulse force nanolithography to fabricate Bi₂Se₃ nanoribbons with high precision. This allows control over their dimensions and prevents contamination from standard electron beam lithography or reactive ion etching. The illustration shows a pie of complex multilayer heterostructures cut into small pieces by using atomic force lithography with an accuracy of a few nanometers. The results also reveal insights into electronic structure, conductance, and phase coherence in TIs, with thermal excitation and bias current affecting coherence length. This new AFM technique offers a scalable and precise approach.