基于双表面等离子激元吸收的纳米光刻

光刻技术(lithography)是微纳结构制备的关键技术之一.受限于光的衍射极限,传统光刻方法进一步缩小特征尺寸变得越来越难.表面等离子激元(surface plasmon polariton,SPP)作为光与金属表面自由电子密度振荡相互耦合形成的一种特殊电磁形式,具有波长短、场密度大、异常色散等特点,在突破传统光学衍射极限的研究和应用中具有重要的学术和实用价值.本文针对SPP在光刻胶中的非线性吸收及其在大视场纳米光刻中的应用进行了理论和实验探索.在回顾SPP概念的基础上,阐述了双SPP吸收的概念及其应用于纳米光刻的优势,明确了该效应具有与传统双光子吸收不同的内涵和特性.在800和400nm飞秒激光的作用下,实现了基于双SPP吸收效应的周期干涉条纹,同时验证了双SPP吸收的闽值效应,通过控制曝光计量实现了图形线宽的调控,最小线宽小于真空光波长的1/10.利用SPP波长短、场增强的特点,并结合非线性吸收的闽值效应,单次曝光区域比纳米图形尺度大4 5个数量级,曝光区域的直径可达1.6 mm.同时制备出较为复杂的同心圆环结构.基于双SPP吸收独有的特性以及SPP丰富的模式,有望进一步在大光刻视场、超小尺度图形光刻技术上获得突破.     

采用银纳米圆盘阵列提高LED发光特性的研究

为了提高GaN基蓝光LED的发光效率,设计了在LED有源层上方引入银纳米圆盘阵列的模型。利用时域有限差分方法计算了银纳米圆盘阵列不同结构参数情况下LED有源层自发辐射率的变化情况及光提取效率值。通过对有源区的近场分布和LED远场方向性的分析,理论上解释了利用该金属纳米结构生成的表面等离激元对LED性能增强的影响,利用该模型可使得表面等离激元与有源层有效耦合,从而增强有源层的自发辐射率。此外,银纳米粒子组成的阵列结构所生成的栅格矢量可以补偿表面等离激元的波矢量,从而可将局域化表面等离激元转为辐射性表面等离激元,显著提高LED顶端光提取效率。结果表明,当银纳米圆盘颗粒满足直径为120nm,厚度为30nm时,含该结构的GaN基蓝光LED自发辐射率比普通LED增强了3.6倍。在此基础上,当其按照晶格常数为220nm的三角晶格排列时,顶端光提取效率增强为2.5倍。这些结果为实际的高性能GaN基LED的设计与优化提供了一定的参考。     

表面等离子体无掩膜干涉光刻系统的数值分析

表面等离子体激元具有近场增强效应,可以代替光子作为曝光源形成纳米级特征尺寸的图像.本文数值分析了棱镜辅助表面等离子体干涉系统的参量空间,并给出了计算原理和方法.结果表明,适当地选择高折射率棱镜、低银层厚度、入射波长和光刻胶折射率,可以获得高曝光度、高对比度的干涉图像.入射波长为431 nm时,选择40 nm厚的银层,曝光深度可达200 nm,条纹周期为110 nm.数值分析结果为实验的安排提供了理论支持.     

表面等离子体无掩膜干涉光刻系统的数值分析(英文)

表面等离子体激元具有近场增强效应,可以代替光子作为曝光源形成纳米级特征尺寸的图像.本文数值分析了棱镜辅助表面等离子体干涉系统的参量空间,并给出了计算原理和方法.结果表明,适当地选择高折射率棱镜、低银层厚度、入射波长和光刻胶折射率,可以获得高曝光度、高对比度的干涉图像.入射波长为431nm时,选择40nm厚的银层,曝光深度可达200nm,条纹周期为110nm.数值分析结果为实验的安排提供了理论支持.     

Generation of Optical Vortex Using a Spiral Phase Plate Fabricated in Quartz by Direct Laser Writing and Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching

A simple, economical and reliable technique is proposed for fabricating a spiral phase plate （SPP） in a quartz substrate to generate optical vortex with a unit topological charge at the wavelengths of 632.8nm. The spiral phase plate is first formed in the photoresist by direct laser writing lithography and then transferred into the quartz substrate by inductively coupled plasma etching. The performance of the fabricated SPP is verified by using beam intensity distribution, which is in agreement with the theoretical calculation result. The interference measurement suggests that we have succeeded to generate optical vortex with a unit topological charge with the fabricated SPP.     

Depth of focus estimation based on exposure dose distribution

A defocusing exposure dose distribution model is established with the integral effect of light intensity on time taken into account for laser direct writing on a thin photoresist with total reflection substrate. Exposure dose distribution curves are established using the established model for different photoresist depths. A side slope angle is established for each defocusing amount in accordance with the exposure dose distribution curves, and so depth of focus can be estimated by simply checking to see if the maximum side slope angle with the horizontal is in the range of 80-100°. Simulation results indicate that when laser direct writing is done on a thin photoresist with total reflection substrate using a laser with wavelength equal to 442 nm and a lens with numerical aperture equal to 0.5, the depth of focus estimated using the proposed method is 1 μm, which is just 1/3 of the depth of focus estimated using the method based on intensity distribution. It is therefore concluded that it is the integral effect of light intensity on time that causes the depth of focus estimation error, and the proposed method can be used to achieve a more accurate depth of focus estimation compared to the intensity distribution based method.     

极紫外光刻离轴照明技术研究

离轴照明技术(OAI)是极紫外光刻技术中提高光刻分辨率的关键技术之一。为了实现考虑掩模阴影效应情况下离轴照明的优化选择,构造了一种新型实现OAI曝光的成像模型。将照射到掩模上的非相干光等效为一系列具有连续入射方向的等强度平行光,基于阿贝成像原理分别对掩模进行成像,最终在像面进行强度叠加实现OAI方式下空间成像的计算;并通过向投影系统函数添加离焦像差项实现不同离焦面上空间成像计算。该模型极大地简化了OAI条件下对掩模阴影效应的计算,提高了成像质量计算效率。结合光刻胶特性及投影曝光系统焦深设计要求,以显影后光刻胶轮廓的侧壁倾角为判据,获得了采用数值孔径为0.32的投影系统实现16 nm线宽黑白线条曝光的最优OAI参数。     

Large-area surface-plasmon polariton interference lithography

Large-area surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) interference lithography is presented, which uses an attenuated total reflection-coupling mode to excite the interference of the SPPs. The interference of the SPPs causes a highly directional intensity range in a finite depth of the electric field, which is good for noncontact. Finite-difference time-domain simulations of the interference on a thin resist layer show that broad-beam illumination with a p-polarized light at a wavelength of 441 nm can produce features as small as 60 nm with high contrast, smaller than lambda/7. Our results illustrate the potential for patterning periodic structures over large areas at low cost.     

Effect of metals on UV-excited plasmonic lithography for sub-50 nm periodic feature fabrication

This paper describes and compares the effect of metal films, such as aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag) on UV-excited two-beam surface plasmon interference nanolithography. A planar four-layer configuration has been employed to study the light intensity distribution on the recording medium. It is observed that high-density sub-50 nm periodic structures were achievable by employing the above-mentioned metal films when interrogated with p-polarized, 364 nm illumination wavelength source. It is found that the obtained periodic feature shows good exposure depth and high contrast when Al is used as a metal film. The initial experimental result of planar four-layer configuration is also presented.     

Structured illumination in total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy using a spatial light modulator

In wide-field fluorescence microscopy, illuminating the specimen with evanescent standing waves increases lateral resolution more than twofold. We report a versatile setup for standing-wave illumination in total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. An adjustable diffraction grating written on a phase-only spatial light modulator controls the illumination field. Selecting appropriate diffraction orders and displaying a sheared (tilted) diffraction grating allows one to tune the penetration depth in very fine steps. The setup achieves 91 nm lateral resolution for green emission.     

Holographic imaging with a nanometer resolution using compact table-top EUV laser

Holographic 2D/3D imaging with nanometer resolution using short wavelength extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light is presented in this paper. Gabor’s holograms were recorded with a highly coherent table top EUV laser with different numerical apertures demonstrating ultimately a spatial resolution of 46+/−2 nm, comparable with the illumination wavelength, in 2D holographic imaging. Three dimensional images were obtained from a single high numerical aperture hologram recorded in a high resolution photoresist and numerically reconstructed at different image planes, allowing numerical optical sectioning with a lateral resolution ∼170 nm and depth resolution of 2.4 μm. The holograms were recorded in a high resolution photoresist and digitized with an atomic force microscope. To assess the spatial resolution of the numerical reconstructions of the holograms a correlation method was used. The algorithm allows for simultaneous estimation of the resolution and the feature size of the image under analysis.     

Electromagnetic modeling of near-field phase-shifting contact lithography with broadband ultraviolet illumination

Near-field phase-shifting contact lithography is modeled to characterize electromagnetic absorption in a photoresist layer with one face in contact with a quartz binary phase-shift mask. The broadband ultraviolet illumination is represented as a frequency-spectrum of normally incident plane waves. A rigorous coupled-wave analysis is carried out to determine the absorption spectrum of the photoresist layer. The specific absorption rate in the photoresist layer is calculated and examined in relation to the geometric parameters. Columnar features in the photoresist layer are of higher quality on broadband illumination in contrast to monochromatic illumination, in conformity with some recent experimental results. Feature resolution and profile are noticeably affected by the depth of the grooves in the phase-shift mask. Ideally, the feature linewidth can be less than about 100 nm for broadband illumination in the transverse-magnetic mode. These conclusions are subject to modification by the photochemistry-wavelength characteristics of the photoresist.     

利用窄刻槽金属光栅实现石墨烯双通道吸收增强

构建基底/窄刻槽金属光栅/覆盖层/石墨烯结构,利用金属光栅激发的表面等离子体激元共振和窄光栅刻槽支持的法布里-珀罗共振,在可见光波段实现单层石墨烯的双通道吸收增强,并结合简化模型估算出双吸收通道所在位置.在波长462和768 nm处,石墨烯的光吸收效率分别为35.6%和40.1%,相比石墨烯本征光吸收率的增强均超过15.5倍.进一步研究发现由于短波处吸收增强源于金属光栅的表面等离子体激元共振,其吸收特性受覆盖层厚度、刻槽深度和宽度变化的影响较小;而由于长波处吸收增强源于窄刻槽中的法布里-珀罗共振,因此呈现出良好的角度不敏感吸收特性.     

激光直写光刻中线条轮廓的分析

考虑了光刻胶对光吸收作用,在已有描述胶层内光场分布模型的基础上,较为准确地推导出光刻胶层内不同深度位置的光场分布.使用迭代方法计算得到了胶层内曝光量空间分布曲线,分析了不同曝光量下胶层内的线条轮廓,为直写光刻中曝光量的选择提供了依据.实验结果分析与理论分析的结果一致.     

Bach Fabrication of Microlens at the end of Optical Fiber using Self-photolithgraphy and Etching Techniques

This paper describes a simple batch process for fabrication of microlens and microlens array at the end of an optical fiber or an optical fiber bundle using self-photolithography and etching techniques. A photoresist micro-cylinder was exactly formed at the core of the fiber end by exposing an UV light from the other end of the fiber and conventional development, rinse processes. A photoresist microlens was formed by thermal reflowing of the fiber at 170°C for 1 h. A measurement of transmissivity showed that the fabricated photoresist microlens is applicable for a wavelength that is longer than 450 nm. Alternatively, a glass microlens was fabricated at the core of the fiber by dry etching with an SF₆ gas using the photoresist microlens as a mask. The focusing of the lensed fiber was confirmed and simulation work showed that the lensed fiber could focus the light with a beam spot of 2 μm, numerical aperture (NA) of 0.285 and a depth of focus of 16 μm.     

Optimization of thin-film design for multi-layer dielectric grating

Thin-film design used to fabricate multi-layer dielectric (MLD) gratings should provide high transmittance during holography exposure, high reflectance at use wavelength and sufficient manufacturing latitude of the grating design making the MLD grating achieve both high diffraction efficiency and low electric field enhancement. Based on a (HLL)⁹H design comprising of quarter-waves of high-index material and half-waves of low-index material, we obtain an optimum MLD coating meeting these requirements by inserting a matching layer being half a quarter-wave of Al₂O₃ between the initial design and an optimized HfO₂ top layer. The optimized MLD coatings exhibits a low reflectance of 0.017% under photoresist at the exposure angle of 17.8° for 413 nm light and a high reflectance of 99.61% under air at the use angle of 51.2° for 1053 nm light. Numerical calculation of intensity distribution in the photoresist coated on the MLD film during exposure shows that standing-wave patterns are greatly minimized and thus simulation profile of photoresist gratings after development demonstrates smoother shapes with lower roughness. Furthermore, a MLD gratings with grooves etched into the top layer of this MLD coating provides a high diffraction efficiency of 99.5% and a low electric field enhancement ratio of 1.53. This thin-film design shows perfect performances and can be easily fabricated by e-beam evaporation.     

Mode characteristics of silver-coated inverted-wedge silica microdisks

The characteristics of whispering gallery modes(WGM) in silver-coated inverted-wedge silica microdisks are theoretically investigated by using finite element method. Dielectric TE mode always exists in silver-coated inverted-wedge resonators; dielectric TM mode tends to couple with SPP modes; only pure interior surface plasmonic polariton(SPP) mode but not pure exterior SPP mode is observed in contrast to the metal-coated cylindrical and toroidal resonators. The dependence of quality factor of different kinds of WGMs on the radius of the resonator and the thickness of the coated silver layer are systematically analyzed. We find that the quality factors of the hybrid WGMs associated with SPP mode can reach 104. The maximum light intensity enhancement in ambient for a hybrid mode consisting of a dielectric TM mode and an exterior SPP mode can be obtained when a silver film of thickness ~40 nm is deposited. The silver-coated inverted-wedge silica resonators may be widely applied in sensing and surface enhanced Raman scattering.     

干涉高斯光诱导的表面等离子激元驻波场的分析

考虑到实际入射光强的空间分布不均匀,基于Kretschmann模型并采用角谱方法分析模拟了两束高斯光干涉诱导表面等离子激元(SPP)驻波场。与理想平面波不同,高斯光诱导的SPP干涉条纹幅值大小不等,分布复杂,这表明光强空间非均匀程度会严重地影响到曝光深度的分布。还分析了金属薄膜的厚度、损耗以及光刻胶的介电常数对SPP驻波场的影响,并得出不恰当的金属板厚和细微损耗都会极大削弱SPP驻波场,而如果光刻胶的介电常数过大则有可能产生不了表面等离子体共振的结论。     

The three-dimensional photonic crystals coated by gold nanoparticles

We report on the fabrication of metallodielectric photonic crystals by means of interference lithography and subsequent coating by gold nanoparticles. The grating is realized in a SU-8 photoresist using a He-Cd laser of wavelength 442 nm. The use of the wavelength found within the photoresist low absorption band enables fabricating structures that are uniform in depth. Parameters of the photoresist exposure and development for obtaining a porous structure corresponding to an orthorhombic lattice are determined. Coating of photonic crystals by gold nanoparticles is realized by reduction of chloroauric acid by a number of reductants in a water solution. This research shows that the combination of interference lithography and chemical coating by metal is attractive for the fabrication of metallodielectric three-dimensionally periodic microstructures.     

Phase contrast enhancement in microscopy using spiral phase filtering

We demonstrate two methods based on Fourier plane filtering using (a) a fractional spiral phase plate (SPP) and (b) an off-axial SPP for phase contrast enhancement in optical microscopy. In comparison to previous works, a spatially incoherent LED is used in the Köhler illumination as the light source to illuminate the biological specimen. We demonstrate that both these methods can transform the phase specimen into a relief-like view even under such illumination. The degree and orientation of enhancement can be controlled by changing the phase structure of the filter. The SPP is displayed on a phase-only spatial light modulator, and can be integrated into the optical path of standard microscopes.