STM-based lithography on chlorine-terminated Si(100)

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) based, hydrogen depassivation lithography is a proven technique for the fabrication of atomic-scale quantum devices in silicon for which a single atomic layer of hydrogen is utilized as a lithographic mask. To date, this device fabrication process has been focused almost exclusively on hydrogen-based chemistries. Here, we present results of our investigation into STM-based lithography on Cl-Si(100), in which we study the desorption of chlorine as a function of STM tip bias, current, and total dose at sample temperatures from 300-600 K. We identify several reactions induced on the surface and find a strong dependence of the chlorine desorption yield on temperature. We optimize the experimental parameters for lithographic patterning and discuss the use of chlorine atoms as a lithographic mask for future device fabrication utilizing halogen-based dopant precursor molecules.