Electron-beam lithography

About: Electron-beam lithography is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 8982 publications have been published within this topic receiving 143325 citations. The topic is also known as: e-beam lithography.

Point exposure distribution measurements for proximity correction in electron beam lithography on a sub‐100 nm scale

Abstract: The exposure distribution function in electron beam lithography, which is needed to perform proximity correction, is usually simulated by Monte Carlo techniques, assuming a Gaussian distribution of the primary beam. The resulting backscattered part of the exposure distribution is usually also fitted to a Gaussian term. In this paper we demonstrate a technique, using a very high contrast resist, whereby the normalized point exposure distribution can be measured experimentally, both on solid substrates which cause backscattering, and on thin substrates where backscattering is negligible. The data sets so obtained can be applied directly to proximity correction and represent the practical conditions met in pattern writing. Results are presented of the distributions obtained on silicon, gallium arsenide, and thin silicon nitride substrates at different beam energies. Significant deviations from the commonly assumed double Gaussian distributions are apparent. On GaAs substrates the backscatter distribution cannot adequately be described by a Gaussian function. Even on silicon a significant amount of exposure is found in the transition region between the two Gaussian terms. This deviation, which can be due to non‐Gaussian tails in the primary beam and to forward scattering in the resist, must be taken into account for accurate proximity correction in most submicron lithography, and certainly on the sub‐100 nm scale.

Lorentz microscopy of circular ferromagnetic permalloy nanodisks

Abstract: Circular permalloy elements were fabricated by a combination of electron beam lithography, thermal evaporation and liftoff technique on electron transparent membrane substrates. The magnetic properties have been studied by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. In situ magnetizing experiments have been carried out to obtain information about the nucleation and propagation of magnetic domains within the permalloy nanodisks and to determine the nucleation and saturation fields. The diameter of the patterned elements has been varied between 180 and 950 nm, the height was 15 nm. The experiments showed that the vortex configuration is the most favorable state in zero field conditions of all investigated permalloy nanodisks.

Toward plasmonics with nanometer precision: nonlinear optics of helium-ion milled gold nanoantennas.

Abstract: Plasmonic nanoantennas are versatile tools for coherently controlling and directing light on the nanoscale. For these antennas, current fabrication techniques such as electron beam lithography (EBL) or focused ion beam (FIB) milling with Ga(+)-ions routinely achieve feature sizes in the 10 nm range. However, they suffer increasingly from inherent limitations when a precision of single nanometers down to atomic length scales is required, where exciting quantum mechanical effects are expected to affect the nanoantenna optics. Here, we demonstrate that a combined approach of Ga(+)-FIB and milling-based He(+)-ion lithography (HIL) for the fabrication of nanoantennas offers to readily overcome some of these limitations. Gold bowtie antennas with 6 nm gap size were fabricated with single-nanometer accuracy and high reproducibility. Using third harmonic (TH) spectroscopy, we find a substantial enhancement of the nonlinear emission intensity of single HIL-antennas compared to those produced by state-of-the-art gallium-based milling. Moreover, HIL-antennas show a vastly improved polarization contrast. This superior nonlinear performance of HIL-derived plasmonic structures is an excellent testimonial to the application of He(+)-ion beam milling for ultrahigh precision nanofabrication, which in turn can be viewed as a stepping stone to mastering quantum optical investigations in the near-field.

Hierarchical Superhydrophobic Surfaces Fabricated by Dual‐Scale Electron‐Beam‐Lithography with Well‐Ordered Secondary Nanostructures

Abstract: Recent studies on superhydrophobic surfaces have revealed the important roles of structural hierarchy in the overall properties of these surfaces. Here, a novel, versatile, and effi cient technique is introduced for fabricating macroscopic hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces with both well-defi ned primary microstructures and well-ordered secondary nanostructures using electron-beam lithography. With this technique, the engineering capability of controlling the size, shape, and distribution of the secondary-features is demonstrated, which allows a systematic and quantitative study of the individual effects of these parameters. Superhydrophobic surfaces produced by this new technique exhibit two distinctive wetting behaviors, high and low adhesion. The structural characteristics and structure-property relations of each of those two regimes are discussed.