Fabrication Process Produces Nanostructures for Electronic Devices

Demands for improved computer processing power have led researchers to explore both new processes and other materials beyond silicon to produce electronic components. Semiconductor devices are created on wafers through a multi-step process to coat, remove, or pattern conductive materials. Traditional processes are wet etch, in which a sample with blocked aspects is immersed in an acid bath to remove substances, and reactive ion etching, in which ions bombard exposed surfaces on the wafer to change its chemical properties and remove materials in those exposed regions. Both have been used to develop the intricate electronic patterns on circuits, and use silicon as a foundation for this type of patterning.