Combining Nanoimprint Lithography and Nanowire Contact Printing on a Single Platform

Abstract:
In order to address the challenge of a controlled localized assembly of bottom-up grown nanowires (NWs) on a target substrate, we present a method to deposit single-NWs in specific locations by combining surface controlled nanowire contact printing (SCCP) and nanoimprint lithography (NIL) within a single platform. SCCP is a technology that enables a precise NW transfer by controlled and localized tribological interactions between single NW and the substrate surface. The required tribological surface feature is called NW catcher and can be simultaneously used to align NWs, too. For highly controlled NW printing, we developed a three-axis printing tool with vertical printing-force control. To define NW catchers and alignment structures at scales similar to the NW, a NIL option was merged into the SCCP tool exploiting the existing force control of the system. The tool can therefore, be used for an efficient micro-nano-integration of single NW to create for instance miniaturized ion-selective field effect transistors. We show that NIL fabricated catcher structures can be used to deposit and align single NWs in specific locations which is important for a subsequent device fabrication.