A Fundamental Study of Local Electrochemical Nano-processing

Abstract

 An electrochemical reaction is a complex phenomenon influenced by the materials of electrodes, electric field, and the solution. This paper reports a fundamental study of a nano-processing method based on electrochemical phenomena. In this study, reaction on the entire surface of the workpiece is inhibited by maintaining its electrode potential using a potentiostat. A minuscule tool electrode is made to approach the surface and a voltage is applied between the workpiece and the tool. The voltage enhances a strong electric field and induces a local reaction only in the region directly beneath the tool. A removal process in an acidic solution is developed and fundamental experiments are conducted using nickel as a processed material. The experimental results indicate that removal of metal at an extremely low rate can be realized by the proposed method.