NER: Development of a Novel Low Cost Nano-lithography Technique using a Nanometric High Transmission Optical Antenna

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This project was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 01-157, category NER. The objective of this project is to develop a novel low cost nano-lithography technique. Conventional nano-manufacturing equipment, using electron beams or other radiation sources and operating in vacuum, costs well above $1,000,000. In contrary, this technique is based on a laser device and its accessories; its total cost will be less than $100,000. The key component in this nano-lithography system is a nanometric optical antenna capable of transmitting an incoming micrometer size laser beam into a nanometer size domain with high transmissivity (efficiency). This nano-lithography system can be further developed into a parallel manufacturing system, so that the time needed for the manufacturing process can be significantly reduced compared with other techniques. With the rapid progress in nano-technology, it is crucial to develop low cost manufacturing techniques with high throughput. Only with rapid and low cost manufacturing techniques could the nano-technology translate itself from research to industry, and to impact the society. The success of this work will provide a low cost nano-lithography technique for nano-manufacturing. This research will also provide training to undergraduate and graduate students, including underrepresented groups. The results of this research will be broadly disseminated.