Using light as a stencil

Abstract
A new method for laterally manipulating the morphology of a thin film is presented, which uses the force exerted by light to deflect neutral atoms in an atomic beam during deposition. We have evaluated the dependence of the thickness of a thin metal film on the frequency, intensity, and the spatial structure of the light field, and find that the stimulated component of the force is suitable for laterally organizing atoms from centimeter to submicron dimensions.

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