Patterning Cr Film by Passing Electric Current through a Traversing Pointy Stylus: Introduction to Electrolithography and Its Prospects

Abstract

Here, we introduce electrolithography, which is a recently developed lithography technique. Upon passage of electric current through a pointy cathode electrode placed on Cr film leads to formation and liquefaction of a Cr compound, which then flows away from the cathode in a radially symmetric fashion, thereby removing the Cr layer. If the pointy electrode, akin to a stylus, is traversed along a path, a trench will be patterned in the Cr film, which can then be transferred to other materials. Firstly, we describe the process of electrolithography and then we discuss the effects of the force applied on the stylus and the polymer layer placed in between substrate and Cr film on this lithography process. Finally, we discuss future prospects of electrolithography.