We demonstrated that nanoimprint lithography (NIL) can create three-dimensional patterns, sub-40 nm T-gates, and air-bridge structures, in a single step imprint in polymer and metal by lift-off. A method based on electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching was developed to fabricate NIL molds with three-dimensional protrusions. The low-cost and high-throughput nanoimprint lithography for three-dimensional nanostructures has many significant applications such as monolithic microwave integrated circuits and nanoelectromechanical system.

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Direct three-dimensional patterning using nanoimprint lithography

Described herein are processing techniques for fabrication of stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices using laser ablation patterning methods. The laser ablation patterning methods utilized herein allow for efficient manufacture of large area (e.g., up to 1 mm2 or greater or 1 m2 or greater) stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices, for example manufacturing methods permitting a reduced number of steps. The techniques described herein further provide for improved heterogeneous integration of components within an electronic device, for example components having improved alignment and/or relative positioning within an electronic device. Also described herein are flexible and/or stretchable electronic devices, such as interconnects, sensors and actuators.

Patterning methods for stretchable structures

Embodiments of the invention include sensors comprising high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with capture reagents on a gate region of the HEMTs. Example sensors include HEMTs with a thin gold layer on the gate region and bound antibodies; a thin gold layer on the gate region and chelating agents; a non-native gate dielectric on the gate region; and nanorods of a non-native dielectric with an immobilized enzyme on the gate region. Embodiments including antibodies or enzymes can have the antibodies or enzymes bound to the Au-gate via a binding group. Other embodiments of the invention are methods of using the sensors for detecting breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney injury, glucose, metals or pH where a signal is generated by the HEMT when a solution is contacted with the sensor. The solution can be blood, saliva, urine, breath condensate, or any solution suspected of containing any specific analyte for the sensor.

Sensors using high electron mobility transistors

Metal electrode structures for biosensors with a high spatial density and similar to85 nm gaps have been produced using focused megaelectronvolt (MeV) proton beam writing of poly-(methyl methacrylate) positive resist combined with metal lift-off. The minimal proximity exposure and straight proton trajectories in (similar to100 nm) resist layers for focused MeV proton beam writing are strongly indicative that ultimate electrode gap widths approaching a few nanometres are achievable.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-4484/15/1/040/pdf

Lithography of high spatial density biosensor structures with sub-100 nm spacing by MeV proton beam writing with minimal proximity effect

As nanotechnology approaches molecular scales, issues of surface contamination by unremoved resists will play an important role in device fabrication. Electron beam lithography of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) resist is still among the most widely used nanofabrication techniques, so it is relevant to study its residual contamination on both exposed and unexposed surfaces using a variety of resist removers. We systematically characterized the effectiveness of several different strippers. Our experiments show that 1,2-dichloroethane is an efficient PMMA remover, and can produce almost the same surface roughness as the original SiO2 surface (i.e., no contamination), whereas the popular PMMA remover, acetone, cannot. Estimates of the polymer–solvent Flory–Huggins interaction parameters and surface–solvent interfacial energy (from contact angle measurements) satisfactorily predict the effectiveness of the solvents. This method should also be applicable to any PMMA-like films on any substrate to find a good sur...

Efficient removers for poly(methylmethacrylate)

An asymmetric double-recessed gate process achieved through a single lithography step and a combination of wet and dry etching techniques is presented. The double-recessed gate process is beneficial in the fabrication of InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (PHEMTs) because breakdown voltage is enhanced while surface effects on the drain side of the gate are minimized. In contrast to conventional processes that require two lithography steps, the current process requires only a single lithography step for the asymmetric placement of a T-gate in a wide recess trench. The process utilizes a four-layer resist of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and P(MMA-MAA) exposed by electron beam lithography. Upon development of the resist, a wet selective etch (citric acid:H2O2) is used to define the wide recess trench and then a dry selective etch (SiCl4/SiF4) is used to recess a narrow trench (within the wide recess trench) in which the gate foot rests. This technique can achieve gate length...

A. A. Ketterson

Papers

Single step lithography for double-recessed gate pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors

AlGaAs/InGaAs PHEMTs with asymmetrically recessed gates achieved through a four layer resist process