AFM-ECM: Electrochemical micro/nano machining on an AFM platform

Fabricating micro and nanostructures on materials that are challenging to cut remains a significant hurdle, with limited fabrication technologies available outside of cleanroom environments. The growing interest in tip-based micro/nano manufacturing presents a promising avenue to address this issue. Techniques like atomic force microscope (AFM) tip-based scratching and nanoindentation are advancing in this field. Electrochemical machining (ECM), with its non-contact nature and atomic-level dissolution, shows potential for downscaling. By controlling and localizing material removal through miniaturized tools and ultrashort voltage pulses, ECM can be downscaled while athermally machining difficult-to-cut materials. This study explores the integration of ECM with an AFM platform, termed as AFM-ECM. Utilizing a specialized AFM tip and short pulsed voltage, this method enables micro/nano-machining. The paper details the hardware specifications of a prototype desktop AFM-ECM setup and the process specifics. Experimental tests validate feasibility of this technology and highlight critical issues in the downscaling of ECM process.