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Spatial modulation of scalable nanostructures by combining maskless plasmonic lithography and grayscale-patterned
Dandan Han1, Tianchun Ye1,2, Yayi Wei1,2
1University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, School of Integrated Circuits Beijing 100049 China.
Nanoscale Advances
|August 28, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a novel nanolithography technique combining plasmonic and grayscale methods for precise micro- to nanoscale patterning. It enables scalable fabrication of advanced nanostructures like microlens arrays with high fidelity.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Optics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Scalable and controllable nanolithography is crucial for fabricating advanced devices like integrated circuits (IC), MEMS/NEMS, and optical components.
- Existing methods often face limitations in feature size control, scalability, or cost-effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective, high-fidelity patterning strategy by integrating maskless plasmonic lithography with grayscale lithography.
- To achieve customized pattern profiles from microscale to nanoscale with precise control over spatial morphology.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a contact bowtie-shaped nanoaperture (BNA) for maskless plasmonic lithography, leveraging the scaling effect of gap size on evanescent field decay.
- Employed grayscale lithography principles to design a patterned map for dose compensation, addressing high spatial frequency losses.
- Spatially modulated exposure dose distribution to control pattern width and depth.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the fabrication of a Lena nanostructure with varying feature sizes, showcasing precise control over nanoscale dimensions.
- Successfully generated a uniform microlens array (MLA), highlighting the method's capability for large-area patterning.
- Validated the volumetric scalability and precise control of photon energy deposition.
Conclusions:
- The proposed hybrid nanolithography technique offers a significant advancement for fabricating high-performance functional nanostructures.
- This method is highly applicable to the production of metasurfaces, plasmonic devices, and optical imaging systems.
- The strategy provides a practical and effective approach for micro- to nanoscale fabrication with enhanced spatial morphology control.
