Maskless Electron Beam-Induced Etching of Diamond in Air: A Secondary Electron-Driven Mechanism

Abstract

We report a direct, maskless electron beam-induced etching (EBIE) process for diamond in air, enabling high-precision patterning without lithography or plasma processing. Through a comprehensive analysis of electron-gas, electron-diamond, and gas-surface interactions in the SEM environment, we demonstrate that etching is predominantly governed by low-energy secondary electrons, which drive gas dissociation and radical generation. The resulting oxygen- and nitrogen-based radicals chemisorb on the diamond surface, form volatile carbon-containing species, and desorb under continued electron irradiation, enabling controlled material removal. The process exhibits two distinct regimes: a molecule-limited regime governed by gas flux and an electron-limited regime controlled by current density. Etch depths up to 212 nm and lateral resolution down to 200 nm are achieved. Time-dependent anisotropy is observed, with (100) surfaces transitioning to (111)-faceted morphologies, enhancing etch yield. These results establish a general secondary electron-driven mechanism for EBIE in gas environments, providing a maskless, damage-free nanofabrication route for diamond semiconductor and other chemically inert materials.