Pulse Breakdown in Sub-20 nm Organic Dielectrics for Nanoscale-Electromachining (nano-EM)

Nano-electromachining (nano-EM) is a process in which electric fields applied across sub-20 nm tool-workpiece gaps in organic dielectrics (n-decane $C10H22$ and n-undecane $C12H26$⁠) are used to produce nanometer size features (8–80 nm) in electrically conductive materials. In order to improve the speed of nano-EM for manufacturing, utilization of pulse breakdown phenomena is studied. Linear behavior of Paschen curves for pulse breakdown demonstrated the predictability of pulse nano-EM process. The discharge current in the machining gap showed exponential decay behavior in the post-breakdown regime with certain delay. This delay in current recovery may present a limit to improving nano-EM production speeds and suggests a need for external pressurized dielectric flow over self-guided diffusion. Other notable effects such as adsorption compression limited dielectric diffusion and the variation in the recovery current with the tool-workpiece gap along with their engineering implications are discussed.