Deep X-ray lithography processes for high resolution applications

1959年，诺贝尔物理学奖得主理查德·p·费曼（Richard P. Feynman）曾说过，“在底部有足够的空间”，这句话在今天比以往任何时候都更有说服力。微系统技术已经彻底改变了我们感知和控制物理世界的方式，最小商用单位的世界市场价值330亿美元，预计年增长率为11%至16% [NEXUS III市场分析]。微系统技术的重点是制造特征尺寸为人类头发直径的1/100的小型化部件。诸如硬盘读/写头、喷墨打印头或数字投影系统等系统有力地支持着经济。其他组件通过允许在传感和驱动方面的新系统和解决方案来推动技术和科学进步，例如通过为太空任务提供专门的过滤器或为x射线提供新颖的聚焦光学。在广泛的制造组合中，使用同步辐射的x射线光刻提供了特别出色的结构质量。然而，到目前为止，这项技术还没有在加拿大使用。随着加拿大光源项目——这一代人中加拿大最大的研究项目——开始投入使用，这项技术现在可以作为SyLMAND（微纳米设备同步加速器实验室）获得，该实验室正在开发中。一项研究计划将确保SyLMAND不仅为加拿大带来x射线光刻技术，而且可以进行尖端研究，包括工艺技术和相关应用。这包括无线电频率微系统的新方法，这将有助于改进移动电话、卫星通信和无线局域网所需的无线通信。

The 1959 quote of Richard P. Feynman, Nobel Prize laureate in physics, that "there's plenty of room at the bottom" today holds more than ever. Microsystems technologies have revolutionized the way we perceive and control the physical world, and the world market of $33 billion US for smallest units commercially available is anticipating an annual growth of 11% to 16% [NEXUS III market analysis]. Microsystems technologies focus on fabricating miniaturized components with feature sizes on the order of 1/100 of the diameter of a human hair. Systems such as read/write heads for hard discs, inkjet printhead nozzles or digital projection systems strongly support the economy. Other components drive technical and scientific progress by allowing for new systems and solutions in sensing and actuating, for instance by providing specialized filters for space missions or novel focusing optics for X-rays. Among the broad fabrication portfolio, X-ray lithography using synchrotron radiation provides particularly outstanding structure quality. This technology, however, hasn't been available in Canada so far. With the Canadian Light Source, the largest research endeavor in Canada in a generation, getting operational, this technology now gets accessible as SyLMAND, the Synchrotron Laboartory for Micro and Nano Devices, is being developed. A research program will ensure that SyLMAND not only brings X-ray lithography to Canada, but that cutting-edge research can be carried out, including process technology and related applications. This includes novel approaches in radio frequency microsystems which will help to improve wireless communications, as required in cell phones, satellite communications and wireless LANs.