Photo-Mask-Based Multi-Beam-Interference Lithography for Wafer-Scale-Integration of Photonic Crystal Devices

传统的光刻技术虽然高度发达，但无法在一个步骤中产生三维结构。然而，需要这样的结构来实现光子晶体器件，所述光子晶体器件被设想为产生第一真正密集的集成光子电路和系统。多光束干涉光刻（MBIL）技术为光子晶体器件的制备提供了一种很有前途的技术。然而，MBIL以其目前的形式与1）微电子制造或与2）多个电路元件的集成不兼容。本研究的目的是克服这些缺点，通过开发一种新的光掩模的概念，允许制造和集成的优化光子晶体器件的多样性，并行，在整个wafer.Intellectual MeritHowever，路径实现这样的制造突破是阻碍了有限的设计空间干涉图案，目前可用。本研究的智力价值在于戏剧性的定义和应用程序的一套详尽的条件连续晶格矢量方向相等的对比度，这是第一次，显示了丰富的干涉图案可用于正和负光刻胶。这些结果将影响所有应用的干涉光刻包括光掩模实施本proposal.Broader ImpactThe使用MBIL生产密集的集成光子电路和系统，反过来，使安全的发展（通过传感，不间断的通信，控制等）。和经济增长（通过提供对广泛的商业、医疗、金融、研究和数据库信息的有效交互访问的系统）。

ObjectiveConventional lithographic techniques, though highly developed, cannot produce three-dimensional structures in a single step. However, such structures are needed to implement the photonic crystal devices which are envisioned to produce the first truly dense integrated photonic circuits and systems. Multiple Beam Interference Lithography (MBIL) offers a promising technique for the fabrication of photonic crystal devices. However, MBIL, in its present form, is not compatible with 1) microelectronics manufacturing or with 2) integration of multiple circuit elements. The objective of the present research is to overcome these shortcomings by developing a new photo-mask concept that allows the fabrication and integration of a multiplicity of optimized photonic crystal devices, in parallel, across an entire wafer.Intellectual MeritHowever, the path to achieving such a fabrication breakthrough is impeded by the limited design space for interference patterns that is currently available. The intellectual merit of the present research lies in the dramatic definition and application of an exhaustive set of conditions for primitive-lattice-vector direction equal contrasts, which, for the first time, show the full richness of interference patterns usable with both positive and negative photoresists. These results will affect all applications of interference lithography including the photo-mask implementation of this proposal.Broader ImpactThe use of MBIL to produce dense integrated photonic circuits and systems will, in turn, enable developments in security (through sensing, uninterruptible communications, control, etc.) and in economic growth (through systems that provide efficient interactive access to a broad range of business, medical, financial, research, and data base information.).