SBIR Phase I: Defect-Free Nano-Scale Printing: An Enabling Technology for Nanofabrication

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种紧凑的台式高通量纳米光刻工具，能够打印任意形状的周期性特征阵列，特征尺寸小于50纳米，无缺陷。这种创新的印刷工具利用了塔尔博特效应，在这种效应中，一个相干照明的周期性衍射结构（塔尔博特掩模）在没有使用任何光学器件的情况下，通过在被称为塔尔博特平面的平面上衍射而自我成像。极紫外光（EUV）激光的相干照明允许在光刻胶上复制包含纳米级图案的掩模。该方法是非接触式的，它是无缺陷的，因为掩模中的任何缺陷都是在整个成像场上平均的。该方法使用高平均功率，高相干台式EUV激光器，由XUV激光公司商业化。提出的紧凑工具将为小型公司和大学实验室带来具有成本效益的纳米图案化能力。这个项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于它能够简化纳米结构周期性阵列的打印。台式纳米打印EUV系统将显著提高以经济实惠和通用的方式制造纳米结构的能力。它的主要特点是在纳米结构的打印中提供无缺陷的打印，高通量和成本效益。这些能力可能会对各种学科产生广泛的影响，包括材料科学、先进光学元件制造、纳米电子学、生物学和医学。纳米打印工具的目标市场是需要打印纳米结构生长模板、化学微传感器、气体分离膜、高密度衍射光栅、短波光偏振器和等离子体结构的制造。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a compact, table top, high-throughput nano-photolithography tool capable to print arrays of periodic features of arbitrary shape with sub-50 nm feature size defect-free. The innovative printing tool makes use of the Talbot effect, in which a coherently illuminated periodic diffractive structure (the Talbot mask) self-images by diffraction at planes known as Talbot planes without the use of any optics. Coherent illumination with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) laser light allows replication of masks containing nano-scale patterns onto photoresist. The method is non-contact and it is defect-free as any defect in the mask is averaged over the entire imaging field. The method uses a high average power, highly coherent table-top EUV laser commercialized by XUV Lasers Inc. The proposed compact tool will bring cost-effective nano-patterning capabilities to small size companies and university laboratories.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is in its ability to simplify the printing of periodic arrays of nanostructures. The table-top nano-printing EUV system will significantly enhance the capabilities to fabricate nanostructures in an affordable and versatile way. Its main attributes are that it offers defect-free printing, high through-put, and cost-effectiveness in the printing of nanostructures. These capabilities could have a broad impact in various disciplines, including material science, advanced optical component manufacturing, nanoelectronics, biology and medicine. The nano-printing tool is aimed at markets that require the printing of templates for nanostructure growth, chemical micro-sensors, gas separation membranes, and the fabrication of high density diffraction gratings, short wavelength light polarizers, and plasmonic structures.