Photo-mask fabrication by low-energy microcolumn lithography

We have designed and fabricated a low-energy electron-beam lithography system based on a single column module (SCM) microcolumn. From the observed characteristics of the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resist, the optimum conditions for the low-energy e-beam lithography have been determined. Fine line patterns on PMMA with line width less than 60 nm were obtained under optimized lithographic conditions. For the first time an aluminum photo-mask for optical lithography was created utilizing microcolumn lithography. Our results show that low-energy lithography systems have the potential to be used in high quality photo-mask fabrication processes.     

ArF laser surface modification of polyethersulfone film: Effect of laser fluence in improving surface biocompatibility

ArF laser treatment of polyethersulfone (PES) films was performed to improve biocompatibility of surfaces. For this purpose, the threshold fluence for laser ablation of PES was obtained from experimental measurements and then samples were irradiated at 2 separate ranges of fluences, i.e. below and above the ablation threshold. In order to investigate the physico-chemical changes, the modified surfaces were characterized by attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy and contact-angle measurements. The biocompatibility of the treated samples in comparison to those untreated was examined in vitro using a platelet adhesion test. The number of adhered platelets was obtained using the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) method. For surfaces irradiated below the ablation threshold, a high reduction in the number of the adhered platelets was observed; while this number increased in samples treated at the fluence above the ablation threshold. The change in platelet adhesion was attributed to the change in chemistry and roughness of the irradiated surfaces.     

Fabrication of metal oxide nanostructures based on Atomic Force Microscopy lithography

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) mechanical lithography is a simple but significant method for nanofabrication. In this work, we used this method to construct nanostructures on Pt/Cu bilayer metal electrodes under ambient conditions in air. The influence of various scratch parameters, such as the applied force, scan velocity and circle times, on the lithography patterns was investigated. The Pt-Cu-Cu _x O-Cu-Pt nanostructure was constructed by choosing suitable scratch parameters and oxidation at room temperature. The properties of the scratched regions were also investigated by friction force microscopy and conductive AFM (C-AFM). The I–V curves show symmetric and linear properties, and Ohmic contacts were formed. These results indicate that AFM mechanical lithography is a powerful tool for fabricating novel metal-semiconductor nanoelectronic devices. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 90306010), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of China (Grant No. NCET-04-0653), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB616911), and the Science and Technology Department of Henan Province (Grant No. 072300420100)     

Interfacial reaction between 42Sn-58Bi solder and electroless Ni-P/immersion Au under bump metallurgy during aging

The interfacial reaction between 42Sn-58Bi solder (in wt.% unless specified otherwise) and electroless Ni-P/immersion Au was investigated before and after thermal aging, with a focus on the formation and growth of an intermetallic compound layer, consumption of under bump metallurgy (UBM), and bump shear strength. The immersion Au layer with thicknesses of 0 μm (bare Ni), 0.1 μm, and 1 μm was plated on a 5-μm-thick layer of electroless Ni-P (with 14–15 at.% P). The 42Sn-58Bi solder balls were then fabricated on three different UBM structures by using screen printing and pre-reflow. A Ni₃Sn₄ layer formed at the joint interface after the pre-reflow for all three UBM structures. On aging at 125°C, a quaternary phase, identified as Sn₇₇Ni₁₅Bi₆Au₂, was observed above the Ni₃Sn₄ layer in the UBM structures that contain Au. The thick Sn₇₇Ni₁₅Bi₆Au₂ layer degraded the integrity of the solder joint, and the shear strength of the solder bump was about 40% less than the nonaged joints.     

Intermetallic formation in Sn3Ag0.5Cu and Sn3Ag0.5Cu0.06Ni0.01Ge solder BGA packages with immersion Ag surface finish

The intermetallic compounds formed in Sn3Ag0.5Cu and Sn3Ag0.5Cu0.06Ni0.01Ge solder BGA packages with Ag/Cu pads are investigated. After reflow, scallop-shaped η-Cu₆Sn₅ and continuous planar η-(cu_0.9Ni_0.1)₆Sn₅ intermetallics appear at the interfaces of the Sn3Ag0.5Cu and Sn3Ag0.5Cu0.06Ni0.01Ge solder joints, respectively. In the case of the Sn3Ag0.5Cu specimens, an additional ε-Cu₃Sn intermetallic layer is formed at the interface between the η-Cu₆Sn₅ and Cu pads after aging at 150°C, while the same type of intermetallic formation is inhibited in the Sn3Ag0.5Cu0.06Ni0.01Ge packages. In addition, the coarsening of Ag₃Sn precipitates also abates in the solder matrix of the Sn3Ag0.5Cu0.06Ni0.01Ge packages, which results in a slightly higher ball shear strength for the specimens.     

150 nm亚波长铝光栅的近红外偏振特性

采用纳米压印、反应离子辅助刻蚀及物理溅射技术制作了周期为150 nm的铝光栅,用分光光度计测量了样品的透过率随入射光偏振方向变化的关系以及在可见、近红外波段TE,TM波的透射光谱。利用严格耦合波理论对光栅的上述性能进行了数值模拟和理论分析。考察了斜入射情况下样品的性能及损耗随入射角的变化关系。理论和实验结果表明,光栅的透过率对入射光的偏振态十分敏感:在近红外范围内(1000~2000 nm)对TE波完全反射,对TM波具有90%的透过率,并且在斜入射时因入射角的增大而轻微加强。此外,还比较了不同金属材料光栅的TM波近红外透射特性,探讨了改善其性能的途径。     

Ion-beam etched multi-level resist technique for electroplating of submicron gold absorber patterns

A structuring process is developed which enables the fabrication of gold patterns by electroplating with a minimum linewidth of ? 0.3 μm. These patterns are used as mask patterns for X-ray lithography. They can be up to 1.6 μm thick. For this purpose, a resist pattern, which is generated by an electron beam, is transmitted to a multi-layer system by reactive ion-beam etching. The multi-layer system consists of a 2 μm thick polyimide layer, a 70 nm thick aluminum intermediate layer and a 30 nm thick gold passivation layer.With this process, X-ray masks with a polyimide membrane were produced and utilized for exposure to synchrotron radiation.     

激光等离子体软X射线接近式光刻术初步研究

描述了用高功率脉冲激光打靶产生的等离子体作为软Ｘ射线源而进行的接近式软Ｘ射线光刻研究，采用负性辐射线光刻胶聚氯甲基苯乙烯，得到了一些新的实验结果。     

Stable constant mean curvature hypersurfaces in ℝ n+1 and ℍ n+1(−1)

In this paper, we show that all complete stable hypersurfaces in ⁿ⁺¹(or ⁿ⁺¹ (-1)) (n = 3, 4, 5) with constant mean curvature H > 0 (or H > 1, respectively) and finite L ² norm of traceless second fundamental form are compact geodesic spheres. Keywords: stable hypersurface, constant mean curvature, isometric immersion, Bernstein theorem.*Supported by PolyU grant G-T575.**Partially supported by CNPq of Brazil.