Shaping the nanostructures from electromigration-based deposition

Electromigration-based deposition (EMBD) is proposed for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) metallic nanostructures. The process is based on nanofluidic mass delivery at the attogram scale from metal-filled carbon nanotubes (m@CNTs) using nanorobotic manipulation inside a transmission electron microscope. By attaching a conductive probe to the sidewall of the CNT, it has been shown that mass flow can be achieved regardless the conductivity of the object surface. Experiments have also shown the influence of heat sinks on the geometries of the deposits from EMBD. By modulating the relative position between the deposit and the heat sinks, it becomes possible to reshape the deposits. As a general-purposed nanofabrication process, EMBD will enable a variety of applications such as nanorobotic arc welding and assembly, nanoelectrodes direct writing, and nanoscale metallurgy.