Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2000

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Electrical Engineering

Major Professor

James Rochelle

Committee Members

Michael L. Simpson, Syed Islam

Abstract

As complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) based integrated circuits (IC's) approach the physical and economic limit of performance enhancement through device scaling the need for a new paradigm to realize nanoscale electronic devices is ever increasing. One proposed architecture for realizing the next generation of IC's involves the use of molecular monolayers and single molecules as active electronic components commonly referred to as molecular-scale electronics. Several such devices have been demonstrated using a host of novel electrical characterization structures and techniques.

In this thesis a controllable and reproducible process for fabricating electrode pairs suitable for probing the electrical properties of potential molecular-scale electronic devices is presented. This process is capable of fabricating dissimilar metal electrodes with a minimum interelectrode distance of less than 6 nm using electron beam lithography and liftoff pattern transfer. Electrode structures employing pairs of Au or AuPd electrodes and a dissimilar metal electrode were fabricated in three different patterns. 300 µm long parallel electrode structures with interelectrode distances as low as 10 nm, 75 nm wide electrode pairs with interelectrode distances lower than 6nm, and a multi-terminal electrode structure with reproducible interelectrode distances of 8nm were realized using this technique. The processing issues associated with the fabrication of these structures are discussed along with the intended application of these devices.

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