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

SBIR 第一阶段：无缺陷纳米级印刷：纳米制造的使能技术

• 批准号: 1248924
• 负责人: Carmen Menoni
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: XUV Lasers
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1248924&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Defect; Free; Nano

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.

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种紧凑、桌面、高通量的纳米光刻工具，能够无缺陷地打印任意形状的周期性特征阵列，特征尺寸低于50 nm。创新的印刷工具利用了Talbot效应，在这种效应中，相干照明的周期性衍射结构(Talbot掩模)通过在称为Talbot平面的平面上的衍射而自成像，而无需使用任何光学元件。利用极紫外线(EUV)激光的相干照射，可以将包含纳米级图案的掩模复制到光致抗蚀剂上。该方法是非接触的，并且它是无缺陷的，因为掩模中的任何缺陷都是在整个成像场中平均的。该方法使用了XUV激光公司商业化的高平均功率、高度相干的台式EUV激光器。建议的紧凑型工具将为小型公司和大学实验室带来经济高效的纳米图案化能力。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于它能够简化纳米结构周期性阵列的打印。桌面纳米印刷EUV系统将显著增强以负担得起的和多功能的方式制造纳米结构的能力。它的主要属性是在纳米结构的打印中提供无缺陷打印、高产量和成本效益。这些能力可能会对不同学科产生广泛影响，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。该纳米打印工具面向需要打印用于纳米结构生长的模板、化学微传感器、气体分离膜以及制造高密度衍射栅、短波长光偏振器和等离子体结构的市场。