Plasmonic Structures, Materials and Lenses for Optical Lithography beyond the Diffraction Limit: A Review

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Optics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Nanofabrication demands novel lithography methods for large area, low cost, and high resolution.
• Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) offer sub-diffraction optical features like ultra-short wavelength propagation and field enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review investigations into plasmonic lithography techniques.
• To highlight the potential of SPPs for high-resolution nanofabrication.

Main Methods:

• Detailed review of plasmonic lithography methods: point-to-point writing, interference, and imaging.
• Analysis of theoretical simulations and experimental results.

Main Results:

• Plasmonic lithography achieves resolutions beyond the conventional diffraction limit.
• Demonstrated half-pitch resolution as high as 22 nm using plasmonic lens imaging lithography.
• Effective performance with ultraviolet light sources and single exposure.

Conclusions:

• Plasmonic lithography is a promising candidate for advanced nanofabrication.
• Further research into the physics and applications of plasmonic lithography is suggested.