Understanding the growth mechanisms of electron beam induced deposition via a Monte - Carlo based, 3D growth simulation

Electron beam induced deposition (EBID) and etching (EBIE) is rapidly becoming the method of choice for nanoscale selective processing because is it a softer less damaging process relative to focused ion beam processing. Deposition with tungsten-hexafluoride (WF6) and tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate (TEOS) sources have been shown to efficiently deposit tungsten and SiOx, respectively; however the distinct differences in material properties affect the final deposit morphology. Initial results from experiments show the distinct shapes formed from the two dissociation reactions have been reproduced using a Monte-Carlo based 3D algorithm which was designed specifically to predict such behavior. The effective Bethe stopping range determines the resultant nanopillar morphology under similar WF6 and TEOS EBID conditions. Simulations and experimental results show that the morphology is cylindrical when the fiber height is greater than the effective range and is conical when less than the effective range.