University System of Maryland

John D Barry

Martin C Peckerar

Yves T Ngu

Mario Dagenais

Birendra Dutt

Michael D Messina, Jr

A nanophotolithography mask includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material deposited on a mask substrate in which regular arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the layer perforated with the sub-wavelength apertures arrays under the light incident on the mask produces high resolution far-field radiation patterns of sufficient intensity to expose a photoresist on a wafer when propagated to the same. The fill-factor of the mask, i.e., the ratio of the total apertures area to the total mask area, may lead to a significant increase in mask manufacturing throughput by FIB or electron beam 'writing'. The mask demonstrates the defect resiliency and ability to imprint coherent clear features of nano dimensions and shapes on the wafers for integrated circuits design.

Photolithographic mask exhibiting enhanced light transmission due to utilizing sub-wavelength aperture arrays for imaging patterns in nano-lithography

A stepper system for ultra-high resolution nano-lithography employs a photolithographic mask which includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material in which periodic arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the photolithographic mask exposed to the light of the wavelength in the range of 197 nm-248 nm, produces high resolution far-field radiation patterns of sufficient intensity to expose a photoresist on a wafer. The stepper system demonstrates the resiliency to the mask defects and ability to imprint coherent clear features of nano dimensions (45 nm-500 nm) and various shapes on the wafers for integrated circuits design. The stepper system may be adjusted to image the plane of the highest plasmonic field exiting the mask.

Stepper system for ultra-high resolution photolithography using photolithographic mask exhibiting enhanced light transmission due to utilizing sub-wavelength aperture arrays

Growing community of inventors

College Park, MD, United States of America

John D Barry