Patterning of nanomembranes with a focused-ion-beam

A nanomembrane is a new MEMS/NEMS structural component. Most nanomembrane structures consist of a free-standing element, with a mean thickness between 5 and 30 nm. In contrast to its thickness, the lateral dimensions of a nanomembrane are in the range of 3 to 5 mm. In this paper, the fabrication of a new type of nanomembranes with a thickness of approximately 20 atomic layers and with a large area is presented. In addition, this study demonstrates that focused-ion beam (FIB) can be applied successfully to the patterning of such nanomembranes.