Abstract: Using gold nanoparticle as nanooxidation mask,tapping mode atomic force microscope (TMAFM) nanolithography and wet chemical etching techniques were combined to build nanostructure on Si surface. The nanoparticles were immobilized on mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS)modified silicon surface via Au－S bonding and were exploited as the lithography mask to prevent the AFM tipinduced nanooxidation of MPTS and silicon substrate. It was found that the nanostructures formed on Si surface were dependent on the tipsample separation. With a certain bias voltage,scanning rate and relative humidity,adjusting the separation to 7.5 nm,nanopillar structures were obtained;while decreasing the separation to 5 nm,nanoring structures appeared . To explain the formation mechanism of these nanostructures,a hard ball model based on nanoparticle physical shielding effect was proposed.

Key words: Atomic force microscope (AFM), Gold nanoparticle, Local nanooxidation