With modern DIRECT electron beam etching using multiple beam heads (hundreds+!), you can definitely create 100 nanometres and less U-shaped non-channels with sputtered or vapour deposited thin aluminum films to create surface-effect connections and traces. You can still use UV photolithography processes but for accuracy I would probably go with multi-beam electron beam etching of nanoscale U-channels!
For prevention of oxidation, using plain pure silica or borosilicate glass can ALSO be thin-filmed on the surface of an aluminum U-channel to STILL allow surface effect electrical current transmission. P-N junctions and Diodes which can turned into the gates/logic circuits of a microprocessor and memory storage system can ALSO be crated out of nanoscale U-channels for costs that are 25% and less of current processor manufacturing costs. Polymer-based U-channels can bring that down even further to 10% of today's manufacturing costs!
Surface effect current transmission using thin film Aluminum U-channels is ONE future of future CPU, GPU, DSP and ASIC production! I think it's a good one to explore for mass market chip micro production!
V
Biting the hand that feeds IT
