Soft-Lithographic Fabrication of Ni Nanodots Using Self-Assembled Surface Micelles

This study proposes a simple nano-patterning process for the fabrication of magnetic nanodot arrays on a large area substrate. Ni nanodots were fabricated on a large area (4 inches in diameter) Si substrate using the soft lithographic technique using self-assembled surface micelles of Polystyrene-block-Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymer formed at the air/water interface as a mask. The hexagonal array of micelles was successfully transferred to a Ni thin film on a Si substrate using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. After ion-mill dry etching, a magnetic Ni nanodot array with a regular hexagon array structure was obtained. The Ni nanodot array showed in-plane easy axis magnetization and typical soft magnetic properties.