Focused-Ion-Beam Induced Rayleigh-Plateau Instability for Diversiform Suspended Nanostructure Fabrication

A novel method for fabricating diversiform suspended nanostructures is reported. The method utilizes focused-ion-beam (FIB) induced material redistribution and Rayleigh-Plateau instability, which determine the resulting shapes of formed nanostructures. By choosing target materials, their predefined patterns as well as FIB settings, we have achieved parallel nanofabrication of various kinds including nanostrings, nanobead chains and nanopore membranes with smooth surfaces due to the self-perfection effect of the material redistribution upon the minimization of system free energy. The diameters of the nanostrings and nanopores reach about 10 nm and 200 nm, respectively. The average period of the nanobead chains is 250 nm.