Qplus AFM driven nanostencil

Abstract

We describe the development of a novel setup, in which large stencils with suspended silicon nitride membranes are combined with atomic force microscopy (AFM) regulation by using tuning forks. This system offers the possibility to perform separate AFM and nanostencil operations, as well as combined modes when using stencil chips with integrated tips. The flexibility and performances are demonstrated through a series of examples, including wide AFM scans in closed loop mode, probe positioning repeatability of a few tens of nanometer, simultaneous evaporation of large (several hundred of micron square) and nanoscopic metals and fullerene patterns in static, multistep, and dynamic modes. This approach paves the way for further developments, as it fully combines the advantages of conventional stenciling with the ones of an AFM driven shadow mask.