An alternative route towards micro- and nano-patterning of oxide films.

This paper presents a method to obtain submicron- and nanometer structures of different oxide films and heterostructures combining e-beam lithography and chemical etching. The most relevant advantage of this method is that structures of tens of microns in length and below ∼100 nm width can be produced, keeping the intrinsic bulk film properties, as proven by electrical transport measurements. In this way our method provides a bridge that connects the attractive properties of oxide films and the nanoworld.