What are the Methods of Nanostructure Fabrication?
There are several methods for fabricating nanostructures, each suited for different applications and materials:
1. Top-Down Approaches: These involve the reduction of bulk materials into nanoscale structures. Examples include: - Lithography: Techniques like photolithography and electron-beam lithography are used to pattern nanostructures on surfaces. - Etching: Chemical or physical processes that remove material to create nanostructures.
2. Bottom-Up Approaches: These involve the assembly of nanostructures from atomic or molecular precursors. Examples include: - Self-Assembly: Molecules spontaneously organize into desired structures due to intermolecular forces. - Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): This technique deposits thin films of materials onto substrates by decomposing gaseous precursors. - Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE): A method to grow crystalline layers by depositing atoms onto a substrate in a vacuum.
