Ultrafine and Well-Defined Patterns on Silicon Through Reaction Selectivity

Surface atoms can have a different reactivity or affinity towards other atoms and molecules, depending on the differences in their physical locations. This phenomenon can result in selective conversion to a variety of ultrafine and well-defined functional units on the same material surface. It is shown that nitric oxide reacts with a silicon surface in the bifunctional mode of nitriding and etching, which results in the formation of ultrafine nitride linings around a pattern (see also cover).