WARF TECHNOLOGIES

As electronic devices and integrated circuits continue to miniaturize, lithographic techniques must eventually be able to create features smaller than 50 nm in size – a challenge that conventional photolithography cannot meet. An attractive alternative to photolithography is atomic beam nanolithography, which uses a mask of light to deposit neutral atoms on a substrate surface. A key advantage of this technique is that it can create features, such as stripes and spatially periodic patterns, which are well below 50 nm in size.

A UW-Madison researcher has developed a method for precisely depositing atomic species in arbitrary patterns on a substrate without the need for mechanical motion. Specifically, the method uses spatial light modulators to control the mask of light over the full substrate plane, allowing precise positioning of atomic species during deposition. By eliminating the need for mechanical control, this new atomic lithographic technique expands the range of possible lithographic patterns well beyond simple stripes or arrays.

• Atomic beam nanolitography
• Electronic devices
• Integrated circuits

• Can deposit atomic species in arbitrary patterns
• Controls positioning of atom spot deposition without mechanical motion
• Allows the application of atomic lithography to a greater range of fabrication tasks

For More Information About the Inventors

• Mark Saffman

Publications

• Williams W. and Saffman M. 2006. Two-Dimensional Atomic Lithography by Submicrometer Focusing of Atomic Beams. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 23, 1161-1169.

Tech Fields

• Semiconductors & Integrated Circuits : Lithography