Planarized and nanopatterned mesoporous silica thin films by chemical-mechanical polishing of gap-filled topographically patterned substrates

Nanopatterning of mesoporous silica thin films is achieved by a simple chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process. Mesoporous silica thin films are deposited onto topographically patterned (rectangular cross-section channels) silicon substrates so that good gap fill is achieved within the topography. The straight-etched channels promote the ordering of the mesopores along the length of the channel. CMP can then be used to successfully remove excess film above the channels from the mesas, to leave only the material within the channels, without disrupting pore order. These results indicate the robustness of these mesoporous materials to damage during the CMP process making the prospect of integrating these materials into advanced circuitry a possibility.