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Compact Lens-less Digital Holographic Microscope for MEMS Inspection and Characterization
Published on: July 5, 2016
Digital in-line holography on amplitude and phase objects prepared with electron beam lithography.
J Schwenke1, E Lorek, R Rakowski
1Division of Atomic Physics, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
Journal of Microscopy
|June 8, 2012
Summary
Researchers fabricated and characterized novel amplitude and phase samples using electron beam lithography. These samples, featuring precise gold or aluminum features on silicon nitride membranes, were tested with advanced digital in-line holography.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Optics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Precise fabrication of nanoscale materials is crucial for advanced optical applications.
- Characterizing both amplitude and phase properties of these materials requires sophisticated techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the fabrication process of amplitude and phase samples with well-defined gold (Au) or aluminum (Al) features on silicon nitride membranes.
- To detail the characterization of these samples using various microscopy techniques and digital in-line holography.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication involved electron beam lithography, metallization, and a lift-off technique for precise control over metal features.
- Characterization utilized conventional microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and digital in-line holography with high-order harmonic generation as the light source.
Main Results:
- Successfully produced amplitude and phase samples with controlled dimensions and thickness of Au or Al features.
- Demonstrated the capability of digital in-line holography to recover both the shape and phase-shifting properties of the fabricated samples.
Conclusions:
- The developed fabrication method enables precise manufacturing of nanoscale amplitude and phase samples.
- Digital in-line holography is a powerful tool for characterizing such samples, providing comprehensive information on their optical properties.
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